“Unacceptable, Illegitimate, Undemocratic”: GECOM Opposition Commissioners Reject September 1 Election Date

President Irfaan Ali’s unexpected announcement that Guyana’s General and Regional Elections will be held on September 1, 2025, has sparked strong backlash from the opposition-appointed members of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), who say the move has pushed the country toward an electoral crisis.

Describing the decision as unilateral and based on “distorted advice,” the commissioners condemned the timeline as a calculated attempt to undermine democratic processes, warning that it could render the elections “unacceptable, illegitimate, and undemocratic.”

At a press conference on Tuesday at Legacy House in South Ruimveldt Gardens, GECOM Commissioners Vincent Alexander, Desmond Trotman, and Charles Corbin firmly rejected the president’s announcement, stating that the commission is not prepared and that the election date was declared outside of proper procedures.

According to Alexander, Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Vishnu Persaud had submitted a Revised Work Plan that identified September 22, 2025 as the earliest possible date for elections.

“It should be noted that the ‘Revised Work Plan’, as presented by the Chief Elections Officer, established September 22, 2025 as the earliest possible date for the holding of Elections,” Alexander stated.

The commissioners said deliberations on the proposed timeline were still ongoing during a May 20 commission meeting. They expressed shock when President Ali, during his Independence Day address, announced a date three weeks earlier—without GECOM’s final approval.

Alexander criticized the process as “crass,” accusing President Ali of relying on advice from GECOM Chairperson, Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh, that allegedly misrepresented the CEO’s proposed timeline.

“The proposed date was still under discussion and not yet agreed,” Alexander emphasised.

He further accused the Chairperson of bypassing the Commission and acting unilaterally, aligning herself with the PPP/C-nominated commissioners.

“This contrived and baseless date is just another instance of the manner of the conduct of GECOM… under the chairmanship of Justice Claudette Singh, in conjunction with the Chief Elections Officer and his cohorts, to wit, the PPP/C-nominated commissioners,” the commissioners said.

Adding to their concern, Alexander revealed that a new work plan had been hurriedly introduced to align with the September 1 date, compressing critical preparatory timelines by 21 days.

“A cursory review of that plan suggests that changes have been made to timelines… even statutory deadlines such as the time provided for appeals by parties,” he noted.

The commissioners outlined several unresolved issues that, if not addressed, could jeopardise the integrity of the elections:

·         The right to vote for incarcerated individuals, particularly those on remand;

·         Removal of deceased persons from the voters’ list;

·         Clarification of residency status for Commonwealth citizens;

·         Presence of overseas-based—and in some cases deceased—Guyanese on the voter roll.

“The election will simply be an unacceptable, illegitimate, and undemocratic process, which should be rejected by the affected electorate,” the commissioners warned.

Criticism of Commissioners’ Inaction

While the opposition-appointed commissioners continue to raise alarms over GECOM’s unpreparedness and alleged dysfunction, critics argue that they have yet to offer actionable solutions. Their failure to propose concrete reforms has led some observers to view their stance as performative rather than constructive.

This perceived inaction has prompted questions about whether the commissioners are genuinely advancing the opposition’s long-standing concerns. Over the past five years, the opposition has consistently highlighted issues such as a bloated voters list and the need for biometric verification to reduce fraud and ensure credible elections. Yet no clear roadmap for reform has been advanced by their GECOM representatives.

WPA Weighs In

Also weighing in on the controversy, the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) issued a statement on Monday backing the opposition commissioners and accusing GECOM’s Chair of abdicating her responsibility to the executive branch.

“WPA’s conclusion is that [Justice Singh] and, by extension, the majority of the commission have committed willful suicide… If the decision on the date is being manipulated to fit the ruling party’s agenda, how would the process and outcome escape that curse?” the party said.

The WPA urged CARICOM and the international community to intervene.

“These forces owe it to the Guyanese people… Their inaction in the face of a clear and present danger is inexcusable,” the statement added.

However, the WPA has yet to announce any concrete steps it will take to engage regional or international stakeholders in support of electoral reform, leaving it unclear how it plans to act on its call for external involvement.