Senior Counsels Ralph Ramkarran and ret’d Justice Claudette Singh are facing growing criticism for blocking efforts to implement biometric voter registration, a key reform many believe is crucial for ensuring free and fair elections in Guyana’s upcoming 2025 General and Regional elections.
Ramkarran, who chaired the 1999 Constitutional Reform Commission, is now seen by many as an obstacle to necessary electoral reform, despite widespread public demand, including calls from major political parties such as the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Alliance for Change (AFC), Working People’s Alliance (WPA), and civic organisations like the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC).
Justice Singh, the current Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), has also raised objections to the implementation of biometric registration. This stance persists despite overwhelming support across the political spectrum for the measure, as citizens and organisations continue to press for reform.
The criticism comes amid growing concerns about bloated Voter’s List, which in January 2025 stands at 715,000 when Guyana’s population is approximately 750,000. Both local and international electoral observers have warned that the list’s inflation could lead to fraud and manipulation, seriously undermining the integrity of the electoral process.
The call for biometric voter registration is not new. During Dr. Steve Surujbally’s tenure as GECOM Chairman, the PPP, while in opposition, championed the push for biometrics. However, the PPP has since shifted its position. Last year, the party argued that while it no longer opposes biometrics, its implementation should not delay the constitutionally-mandated 2025 elections.
Lincoln Lewis, in his Sunday Eye on Guyana column, expressed his concern with Ramkarran and Singh’s resistance to biometric registration. Lewis argues that biometric voter registration is essential for addressing concerns about voter fraud, improving the accuracy of the Voters List, and restoring transparency to the electoral system.
In his column, Lewis questions why two of the nation’s most experienced legal and political figures are now obstructing the implementation of a reform that has wide support. He points out that Ramkarran, who was instrumental in passing constitutional reforms in the 1999-2000, helped stabilise the country after the violent 1997 elections. Now, however, Ramkarran appears to be defending a position that seems out of step with public demand.
“If biometrics is the solution to ensuring fair, transparent elections, why should they seek roadblocks instead of solutions?” Lewis writes, echoing widespread frustration. “This is not just a legal issue; it’s about responding to the will of the people,” he adds.
Lewis also takes aim at Justice Singh, noting that she has been in her role at GECOM since 2019 and is well aware of the public’s demand for biometric registration. He argues that by failing to act, Singh and Ramkarran are aligning themselves with forces that seek to preserve the status quo, rather than making the changes necessary for a more inclusive electoral process.
Ramkarran and Singh’s opposition to biometric registration has raised serious concerns, especially given the history of electoral violence in Guyana. The 1997 elections were marred by protests and violence, and the 2020 elections were similarly chaotic, with allegations of fraud and widespread political unrest. Both periods saw ethnic tensions flare, and the electoral process was severely undermined by distrust and allegations of voter manipulation.
Lewis warns that if the Voter’s List is not cleaned up through biometric measures, Guyana could face more violence and instability. “History has shown us the ugly aftermath of election violence,”
He writes “The forces preventing the introduction of biometrics are the same ones that once supported it: the PPP, which now opposes it, and GECOM, which, under the cover of Ralph Ramkarran’s influence, is stalling progress.”
With less than a year to go before the next general elections, Guyanese citizens are calling for decisive action. The bloated Voter’s List, combined with growing fears of multiple voting and other fraudulent practices, underscores the need for reform.
However, the question remains: will Ramkarran and Singh allow these crucial reforms to move forward, or will they continue to block progress, risking further instability in the nation?
