Opposition-nominated commissioners on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) have issued a strongly worded statement accusing the Chairperson ret’d Justice Claudette Singh and Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Vishnu Persaud of acting unilaterally in advising President Irfaan Ali on the 2025 elections date, and warning that critical electoral issues remain unresolved.
Commissioners Desmond Trotman, Charles Corbin, and Vincent Alexander released the joint letter days after a press conference on May 27, responding to backlash—including accusations of “disinformation” from the CEO—over their comments on GECOM’s preparedness for the September 1, 2025 elections.
In their statement, the commissioners said the when she advised the President on the readiness of the elections body. “She purported to speak on behalf of the Commission, which had not deliberated and/or made a decision on that matter,” they wrote. They emphasised that this advice was based on a last-minute shift by the CEO, who had previously stated September 22 as the earliest possible date for holding elections.
According to the commissioners, this change in position was never formally brought before the full Commission, and they claim the Chair acted on it unilaterally, further eroding the principle of collective decision-making.
The letter also raised concerns over the CEO’s handling of GECOM’s internal planning. The commissioners claim he misrepresented the nature of the work plan under discussion, saying he dismissed a clearly titled draft as merely a list of activities. “Connivance and fiduciary malfeasance” is how the commissioners described the situation, arguing that the CEO and Chairperson appear to be operating with disregard for due process and internal accountability.
Beyond procedural complaints, the commissioners listed several critical electoral issues that remain unresolved and, in their view, threaten the credibility and fairness of the upcoming elections:
- Voting arrangements for polling day staff, particularly those working outside of their registration areas.
- Voting rights for incarcerated and remand prisoners.
- The validity of unstamped but clearly authentic ballots.
- The highlighting of names on the voters’ list of persons confirmed to be overseas.
- A clear definition of “domicile” for Commonwealth citizens seeking registration.
- The use of Form 12 to delete deceased persons from the voters’ list.
These concerns are not trivial, the commissioners argued. “They are germane to the conduct of free, fair, and transparent elections.”
They further criticised the compression of the electoral timeline to fit the newly announced election date, warning that rushed preparations defy best practices and could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
In the commissioners’ view, the issue of unpreparedness goes beyond logistics, stated. It’s about GECOM’s continued failure to address systemic deficiencies that are crucial to electoral credibility, the commissioners.
The statement marks a deepening rift within GECOM at a sensitive political moment, just months before the country is set to head to the polls. The opposition-nominated commissioners maintain that the President’s announcement of the election date was based on flawed advice, and that without addressing the issues outlined, the legitimacy of the elections could be at risk.
GECOM has yet to issue an official response to the commissioners’ latest claims.
