The Working People’s Alliance (WPA) has raised serious concerns about the upcoming General and Regional Elections, accusing the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) of fostering uncertainty and undermining public confidence.
In a statement issued Monday, the WPA criticised GECOM for its failure to address opposition parties’ fears, claiming that the commission’s actions have cast a shadow over the electoral process, jeopardising the integrity of the election outcome before the first vote is even cast.
The Opposition since 2020 has been calling for a new voters list and implementation of biometrics to alleviate voter fraud, the dead voting and multiple voting as was evident in the 2020 Elections.
In November 2024 the Opposition- People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Working People’s Alliance (WPA) and Alliance for Change (AFC)- issued a Joint Statement reiterating their concerns.
The calls by the political opposition are also supported by civil society, including the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), who has also flagged the instance of the registration of more than 100 persons at an East Coast Demerara business address. The GTUC expressed concern this case is not only illegal but may be widespread.
The WPA’s statement pointed to GECOM’s use of “delaying tactics” and “misplaced legal excuses,” which it argues have been employed by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP)-nominated commissioner and the chairperson to close the door to any meaningful compromise on the rules governing the elections. GECOM Chairperson ret’d Justice Claudette Singh has consistently voted with the PPP- commissioners.
The opposition group stressed that such an approach, in an already volatile political climate, could only lead to further tension and unrest.
One of the key issues raised by the WPA is the perceived influence of the PPP government in the election preparations. The statement expressed concern that recent comments by President Irfaan Ali suggested the political executive has greater control over election scheduling than GECOM itself—a troubling sign, according to the WPA, of political interference in the commission’s independence.
The statement also highlighted a growing rift within GECOM, citing the ongoing disagreement between GECOM’s CEO Vishnu Persaud and its legal advisor, Kurt DaSilva, regarding residency requirements for the regional election.
The WPA condemned the public clash between these key officials, calling it a reflection of the confusion and partisan mindset that they allege has permeated the commission’s secretariat. The Party warned that this division within GECOM only further erodes public trust in the body’s ability to oversee a fair and impartial election process.
The WPA reiterated its call for all measures to be taken to ensure that the election is conducted in a way that is “satisfactory to all sides,” underlining that the ultimate responsibility for a free and fair election lies with GECOM.
The statement also addressed the commission’s perceived bias, especially in light of the electoral controversies following the 2020 elections. The WPA referred to instances of voter impersonation and other irregularities that were uncovered during the 2020 ballot recount, noting that the opposition has legitimate fears about a repeat of those issues under the current conditions.
The opposition also took aim at the Government’s resistance to the implementation of biometric voting, suggesting that the PPP has not adequately addressed concerns that biometric technology would reduce voter impersonation. In the WPA’s view, the failure to introduce such measures could be seen as a deliberate attempt to maintain an election system open to manipulation.
In a stark warning, the WPA urged GECOM to extricate itself from the “stranglehold” of the PPP, stressing that the stakes for the country were too high to allow for the undermining of the electoral process.
The statement drew parallels to Guyana’s troubled electoral history, referencing the long-standing issue of opposition parties rejecting the results of elections, a phenomenon that dates back to 1964. Citing the 2020 post-election violence, the WPA cautioned against repeating a pattern of unrest, particularly in light of the evolving political and economic landscape, with Venezuela’s presence on the border and the rise of the country’s oil industry.
“We cannot afford internal instability,” the WPA concluded, urging GECOM to ensure that the elections become “a route to stability and peace, not an occasion for instability and civil strife.”
