The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) has raised serious concerns regarding the integrity of the country’s voter register, accusing the system of manipulation that threatens the fairness of upcoming elections. As a longstanding advocate for the protection of workers’ rights and the promotion of democratic values, the GTUC is calling for urgent reforms to safeguard the electoral process, emphasising the need for transparency and accuracy in the voter list.
The federation’s current focus is on the voter register, which it claims is deeply flawed. The GTUC points to the Preliminary Voters List (PVL) for January 2025, which lists over 735,000 voters. This figure marks a significant increase from 660,000 voters in the 2020 elections, with 57,000 new names added within a single year. The union, however, raises doubts about the accuracy of the list, given the lack of a recent national census and the absence of demographic data from the expected 2022 census.
Foreign nationals on Voter’s List
GTUC President, Norris Witter, in recent statements, has called the list a “compromised” document and pointed to what it believes are systematic efforts to manipulate the voter registry. Central to this concern is the apparent inclusion of large numbers of foreign nationals. One of the union’s primary examples is the voter registration for Ogle Sugar Estate, where the number of voters soared from just a handful in previous elections to more than 100 by 2024. The GTUC has raised the alarm over these registrations, noting that a significant number of these voters appear to share the same address, which the union claims is barracks-style accommodation for foreign workers.
The foreign nationals in question were brought into Guyana by an agency contracted by the PPP/C government. These workers are employed on short-term projects and, according to the GTUC, are not contributing to the local economy through taxes or utility payments. The union describes their inclusion in the voter list as indicative of possible manipulation, suggesting that the list may be used to artificially inflate voter numbers to benefit certain political interests.
Additionally, the GTUC uncovered that a portion of these foreign nationals, who have been included in the voter register, had already received financial assistance through the government’s cash grant programme. In a particularly contentious development, 81 of these foreign nationals had submitted requests for the cash grant, and as of the most recent update, 58 were already verified, with cheques printed for 54 of them. In contrast, local workers, including cane cutters, have had to wait for their registration to be processed, causing frustration among the workforce.
The GTUC believes this is a clear indication of prioritisation of foreign nationals over local workers, which they argue is unfair and counterproductive to the needs of Guyana’s citizens. These concerns reflect a larger issue the GTUC has with the government’s approach to social assistance and the distribution of national resources. The union has called for full transparency regarding the number of foreign nationals currently residing in the country and how many have been registered to vote.
The union’s concerns extend beyond voter registration to include a broader critique of the country’s electoral system. GTUC has called for reforms to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), advocating for an overhaul of the commission to ensure its independence and credibility. The GTUC also continues to push for the introduction of biometric voter registration to enhance security and eliminate any possibility of fraud.
Attempts to manipulate the voter register or undermine democratic process will not go unchallenged
In addition to its electoral demands, the GTUC is insisting on the immediate release of the 2022 national census data. The absence of up-to-date demographic information has compounded the union’s concerns about the validity of the voter list and the potential for disenfranchisement of citizens. By ensuring that accurate data is available, the union believes it will be easier to identify and rectify discrepancies in the voter registry.
As Guyana approaches the 2025 elections, the GTUC’s concerns about electoral integrity and worker welfare are gaining traction. The union is calling for a comprehensive sanitisation of the voter list, biometric identification, and full transparency regarding the number of foreign nationals registered to vote. These demands are part of the GTUC’s broader push for free and fair elections, which they believe are vital for the continued development of the country and the protection of the rights of all citizens, particularly the workforce.
The GTUC is making it clear that any attempts to manipulate the voter register or undermine the democratic process will not go unchallenged. The union’s demands for reform, transparency, and accountability reflect its unwavering commitment to ensuring that all citizens, especially workers, have a fair and equal say in the future of Guyana.
The GTUC, established in 1941 as the British Guiana Trades Union Council, has been the foremost voice for the rights of workers in Guyana. It is a federation of trade unions representing workers across various sectors including agriculture, the public sector, and private industries. The union has long been committed to promoting social and economic justice, advocating for fair wages, improved working conditions, and greater access to social services. As a member of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the GTUC plays a pivotal role in shaping policies and standing up for the interests of workers not only in Guyana but across the globe.
