A batch of 160 (one hundred and sixty) participants has concluded NEC’s Biometric Voter Registration training at the Tabernacle School, ahead of next week’s (23rd January 2012) voter registration exercise. They would be part of the NEC staff that would man the 233 registration centers established in Freetown alone out of a total of 2,998 (two thousand, nine hundred and ninety-eight) registration centers across the country.
Margaret Butcher, the District Training Officer and Voter Education Superintendent says that the training exercise which lasted five days was to teach participants about the complexities of the biometric machine and the registration exercise.
“We actually want to ensure that nothing technical related to us as NEC does not mar the coming elections,” Madam Butcher said.
The cascaded training programme, according to Madam Butcher, will see 63 (sixty-three) trainees graduating today (Thursday, 19th January 2012) alongside Ward Coordinators who NEC had earlier been trained as trainers.
She explained that the training was centered on the use of the biometric machines and affirmed that participants are now familiar with the process and that they are technically oriented to use the biometric machines for the intended purpose.
She further explained that the training of Ward Coordinators is expected to impact on the understanding of local communities of the biometric registration and voting systems. She said NEC hopes that these Ward Coordinators would stimulate community dialogue for an enhanced understanding and cooperation of their respective communities.
The training, Madam Butcher also indicated, determined the data input speed levels of the participants, pointing out that in the final analysis those who meet the required speed level of NEC would be given priority.
She revealed that the Electoral Commission has already identified registrars who will be in-charge of the registration centers as part of three election official to be assigned to each registration center.
A hand full of participants at Tabernacle said the exercise went on well and that they are all expecting to meet the required NEC standards including full understanding of the biometric machine and the processes surrounding it.
The training officer noted with surety that the biometric machines would be entrusted in the hands of the registrars and would be responsible for their usage and safety. “We have made it clear to them that NEC would prefer keeping the machines in police stations where they are available,” Madam Butcher stated.
She maintains that NEC has started sensitization and education exercises on the registration process a long time from now, noting that every constituency and ward in the country have notices informing the people on the dates and the processes of registration.
By Poindexter Sama
ADVERTISEMENT