Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, who previously called for significant reforms at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) when he was the Leader of the Opposition, has taken a noticeably different stance ahead of the 2025 General and Regional Elections.
In a 2015 interview, Jagdeo voiced concerns about GECOM’s ability to conduct free and fair elections, particularly under the leadership of then-Chairman Dr. Steve Surujbally. He accused Surujbally of allowing the commission to act in a partisan manner during the 2015 elections and even demanded his resignation.
Dr. Steve Surujbally served as Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) from 2000 to 2017, a tenure of 17 years. He was appointed by then-President Bharrat Jagdeo.
Jagdeo emphasised the need for a cleaner Voters List and the introduction of enhanced biometric systems to minimize the risk of multiple voting, a concern he raised following the PPP’s loss in the 2015 elections.
At the time, Jagdeo pointed to multiple voting as a significant issue and called for reforms to address it. He stated that enhanced biometrics, beyond just photo IDs, could significantly reduce instances of fraudulent voting. This push for reform was seen as vital to ensuring the credibility of future elections in the country.
However, as Guyana prepares for its upcoming General and Regional Elections in 2025, many of the reforms Jagdeo once demanded remain unaddressed. The Voters List, which has become a contentious issue, has grown substantially. The Preliminary Voters List (PVL) for January 2025 now includes over 735,000 names, a significant jump from 660,000 in the 2020 elections. This increase has sparked concerns, as Guyana’s population is estimated to be between 750,000 and 780,000, with 57,000 new names added within a single year.
Despite these concerns and the failure to implement the reforms he once championed, Jagdeo, in his current role as Vice President, has expressed confidence in GECOM’s ability to deliver free, fair, and credible elections in 2025. His shift in tone, however, has raised questions among political observers and opposition figures, who note the stark contrast between his past demands and current optimism.
The refusal of the Government to release 2022 National Census data adds to the uncertainty surrounding the Voters List and the overall transparency of the electoral process. With the clock ticking down to the 2025 elections, Jagdeo’s past calls for reform seem more relevant than ever, yet there remains little evidence that GECOM will address the issues he once highlighted.
Meanwhile pressure is mounting on GECOM to implement the reforms, Jagdeo also once pushed for. GECOM’s action or inaction will determine whether Guyana will once again face challenges to the credibility of its elections.
