Impartiality and Reform: The Urgent Need to Restore Public Trust in GECOM

By Ret’d Lt Col Lelon Saul- In public office, impartiality and fairness must be the guiding principles of every decision. Public officials, especially those entrusted with safeguarding democratic processes, must ensure their actions withstand rigorous scrutiny. Unfortunately, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has repeatedly failed in this regard. Far from being an independent body, GECOM has become politicized and weaponized in favour of the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).

The recent decision not to renew the contract of Legal Adviser Kurt Da Silva on April 8, 2024, is a glaring example of this bias. This move appears vindictive, coming just weeks after GECOM’s Chairperson praised Da Silva’s performance, only to side with PPP-aligned commissioners in voting against his retention. Notably, this followed the Legal Adviser being publicly rebuked by GECOM’s CEO for his submissions in a court case against the commission. Such contradictions expose a disturbing pattern of political interference.

It is evident that GECOM has lost the confidence of the people. Its repeated failures to act impartially undermine its mandate and erode public trust. As a nation, we can no longer afford to tolerate GECOM in its current form. The commission is in dire need of reorganization and restructuring. Complaints against its operations are numerous, yet the contributions of opposition commissioners are consistently ignored.

Decisive action is required if constructive engagement and reform are to be achieved. The opposition commissioners—Messrs. Vincent Alexander, Desmond Trotman, and Charles Corbin must now take a stand. Continuing to participate in a dysfunctional system only legitimizes its failures. The time has come to halt GECOM’s operations and bring these critical issues before the National Assembly for resolution.

Therefore, I call upon the opposition commissioners to resign immediately. This is necessary to force meaningful reform—or else they risk being complicit in propping up a broken and politically compromised institution. The future of Guyana’s democracy demands nothing less.