As Labour Week 2025 officially starts today with a solemn church service and a wreath-laying ceremony at the statue of Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow, the Father of Trade Unionism in the British Empire, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) is using the moment to renew its call for electoral reform and constitutional governance rooted in inclusivity and accountability. The service is at St. James The Less, Anglican Church
The wreath laying ceremony, which will held this afternoon at the Parliament Buildings, marked not only the beginning of a week honouring the contributions of workers but also a reassertion of the trade union movement historic and ongoing role in defending democracy.
GTUC General Secretary Lincoln Lewis told this publication the federation remains deeply concerned about the Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM) failure to put necessary systems in place for free, fair and credible elections, constitutionally due this year. Specifically, he pointed to the lack of a clean voters list and the absence of biometric voter verification technology.
“We cannot talk about credible elections without a credible voters list,” Lewis said. “This is not a luxury; it is a right grounded in the worker’s struggle for one man, one vote. What we see at GECOM undermines the very foundation of democracy and threatens the hard-fought gains of the labour movement.”
Beyond electoral reform, the GTUC is calling on the government to fulfill its constitutional obligation to foster an inclusionary democracy, as outlined in Article 13 of the Constitution of Guyana. This article, which outlines, the ‘Objective of the Political System‘ expressly states:
“The principal objective of the system of the State is to establish an inclusionary democracy by providing increasing opportunities for the participation of citizens, and their organisations in the management and decision-making processes of the State, with particular emphasis on those areas of decision-making that directly affect their well-being.”
The federated body has expressed concern the sidelining this constitutional directive in favour of one-party dominance and decision-making, based on a simple majority vote, continues to undermine the people’s quest for peace, equity and shared development.
GTUC President Norris Witter stated, “We are operating under a system where the government behaves as though it owns the state. The Constitution is clear—governance must be inclusive. When a single party uses its majority to override all dissent and ignore national consensus, it’s not democracy. It’s domination.”
The GTUC warned that major national development plans, like the long-ignored National Development Strategy and agreements such as the Herdmanston Accord and St. Lucia Statement continue to languish because of the executive’s unchecked authority. The Congress asserts that power must be decentralised and that Parliament must operate as a meaningful deliberative body, not a rubber stamp.
According to the GTUC, inclusive governance would require all parliamentary parties to be actively involved in decisions regarding laws, budgets, international agreements, privatization of state assets, and national development policy. Such a model, they argue, would foster cooperation, accountability, and transparency, while reducing corruption and marginalisation.
“Public money belongs to the people—not the party in power,” said Witter. “We must restore a system where government serves all, not some. Inclusion is not optional; it is constitutional.”
The GTUC concluded its statement by reaffirming its commitment to advocating for electoral integrity, constitutional compliance, and national unity through inclusionary democracy. It also pledged to work alongside any group or citizen dedicated to defending the rights and dignity of all Guyanese.
“Our nation is pregnant with promise,” said Lewis. “But that promise will only be fulfilled if we build a system where justice, equality, and good governance are the norm—not the exception.”
