GTUC and WPA Join Forces to Address Biometrics Ahead of 2025 General Elections

In a show of unwavering commitment to ensuring a free, fair, and transparent General and Regional Elections, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) met with the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, to discuss key concerns ahead of the upcoming elections.

In a joint statement issued yesterday the two sides said the meeting, which centered around pressing electoral issues, not only addressed the GTUC’s concerns but also those of the WPA. Both organisations expressed a shared urgency in collaborating with other groups to address the most critical challenges, particularly the establishment of a clean Voters List and the implementation of biometrics. Both are seen as essential in ensuring the credibility of the elections in 2025.

The GTUC took the opportunity to reflect on the historical significance of the one-man-one-vote system, recalling the pivotal moment in 1926 when the trade union movement, under the leadership of Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow, began its fight for this right. This principle, which is now enshrined in the Constitution of Guyana is as a fundamental entitlement for all citizens, remains sacred to the GTUC. The organisation emphasised its continued commitment to safeguarding this right by ensuring a fair, transparent, and just electoral system.

In the meeting, both the GTUC and WPA also agreed that the time had come for a broader, national engagement on electoral reforms. This engagement would involve consultations with all key stakeholders, including political parties, religious organisations, youth groups, women’s organizations, NGOs, and ordinary citizens. The two parties acknowledged that a holistic approach is necessary to ensure that every voice is heard in the discussions about reforming the electoral process.

Both organisations strongly reiterated their belief that elections belong to the people and must reflect their true will. The GTUC and WPA have committed, either collectively or individually, to ensuring that the people’s desire for a strengthened and credible electoral process is realized in 2025 and beyond.