I just culled this from the Point.
It is extremely important that Gambians not only register but that they 
register in record numbers.  I do hope the opposition makes a push to get 
record numbers by using all media outlets to push this message to Gambians.  
This is much more important than the 'foregner' issue.

Article as follows
The Independent Electoral Commission will register thousands of Gambian 
today, as the announced nationwide voter registration kicks off. Gambians who 
attained the age of 18 and above will be registered. The voter registration 
exercise is part of the preparation for the parliamentary and presidential 
elections scheduled for October 2001 and January 2002. Latest reports 
reaching The Point Newspaper say the main opposition United Democratic Party 
(UDP) has deployed its officials and party representatives to various 
registration centres across the country to monitor the exercise. Informed 
sources say the move is aimed at preventing non-Gambians from registering. 
The opposition UDP claimed that non Gambians, such as Senegalese and Guineans 
were registered in the last parliamentary and presidential and elections. A 
UDP official earlier told this newspaper that they would not allow a similar 
situation to be repeated. According to our sources, UDP’s National Secretary 
Lamin Waa Juwara had travelled to his home village Niamina Dunkunku village, 
where is expected to monitor the registration. The minority leader in the 
National Assembly Kemesseng Jammeh was also said to have travelled to his 
constituency Jarra West, where he is supposed to register. Political observes 
here say it is a crucial year for the Gambia. They called for free, fair and 
transparent elections. Sources close to the Independent Electoral Commission 
say about 900 electoral clerks have been appointed to take part in the voter 
registration. According our sources, the electoral clerks will be deployed to 
various parts of the country. Our sources say, political parties have the 
right to raise objections to people posing as Gambians. According to our 
sources such electoral disputes can be challenged in court. In another 
development, The Point has been reliably informed that the APRC, PDOIS, and 
NRP have also sent their representatives to registration centres. “The IEC 
requested all political parties to send their representatives to various 
registration centres, to monitor the exercise” said one source. It could be 
recalled that about 400,000 Gambians were registered in the last elections 
but political observers say the figure will change this year as the country’s 
population has increased dramatically in recent years. Before any person can 
be registered according to our sources he or she must produce a Gambian 
identity card, birth certificate passport or five elders must testify on 
behalf of the individual. Meanwhile, political observers have predicted 
constitutional crisis in the country. They say the move taken by the Jammenh 
administration to increase constituencies from 45 to 48 might seriously 
affect IEC’s redemacrcation of constituencies and ward boundaries. The 
observers cite the recent hijacking of IEC’s responsibilities by the APRC 
dominated legislature. 
    
    
    

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