By Mark DaCosta -In recent weeks, the Bartica United Youth Development Group (BUYDG) has drawn attention to a critical issue affecting our nation’s electoral landscape. This grassroots organisation is dedicated to advocating for the rights and development of youth in Bartica and elsewhere, aiming to empower them through education, civic engagement, and community involvement. Their mission revolves around fostering an inclusive society where every citizen’s rights are respected and upheld. As the nation prepares for its upcoming general and regional elections scheduled for September 1, 2025, BUYDG is calling for urgent action to rectify the significant disenfranchisement of incarcerated citizens who, despite being eligible to vote, remain excluded from participating in the democratic process.
The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) plays a vital role in ensuring that all citizens enjoy equal rights and opportunities within our society. Established to combat discrimination and promote inclusivity, the ERC is mandated to investigate complaints and advocate for groups that have faced inequitable treatment. Given its mission, the Commission is positioned to intervene in the troubling situation involving incarcerated individuals, many of whom come from marginalised communities and are unjustly deprived of their constitutional rights.
The heart of the matter lies in the fact that while the Constitution guarantees the right to vote for all citizens over the age of 18, there remains a disquieting gap in the implementation of this right for those currently behind bars. Despite petitions and public appeals highlighting the plight of eligible voters in prison, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has yet to take concrete steps to facilitate voting for these individuals. Thus, the BUYDG has taken it upon itself to press for the recognition of voting rights, bringing public attention to what many see as a violation of fundamental principles enshrined in our legal framework.
The relevant articles of the Constitution make clear that only specific categories of offenders — such as those convicted of electoral offences or individuals deemed mentally unfit — are disqualified from voting. This means that those who are merely awaiting trial, those appealing convictions, or individuals incarcerated for non-electoral crimes retain their right to participate in elections. The ongoing exclusion of these citizens not only undermines the principles of equal representation and democracy but also raises significant concerns regarding institutional discrimination.
Furthermore, the existing legal framework, specifically the Representation of the People Act, outlines provisions that could allow for the establishment of polling places within prisons, thus enabling inmates to vote in person on election day. Provisions within the Act grant the Chief Election Officer the authority to appoint polling places as necessary, including the flexibility to designate locations outside of standard electoral divisions. This regulatory framework could easily accommodate voting provisions for incarcerated citizens without the need for legislative amendments. As such, the rationale for only permitting proxy voting for members of the disciplined services falls flat when the potential for direct participation exists.
Since September 2024, BUYDG has undertaken a series of advocacy actions aimed at bringing this issue to the forefront. They have submitted proposals for secure voting processes, reached out repeatedly to GECOM, and invoked both national and international human rights obligations urging the Commission to uphold the voting rights of all citizens. Despite these initiatives, the response from GECOM has been conspicuously lacking, raising questions about the commitment to inclusivity in our democratic practices.
The urgency for the ERC to take action is heightened by the implications of this issue, particularly for historically marginalised communities. BUYDG is appealing to the ERC to conduct an investigation into the barriers facing eligible incarcerated citizens, seeking clarity from GECOM regarding their plans for ensuring participation in the forthcoming elections. The call for the ERC to publicly affirm its stance on this matter is critical, as such declarations would resonate with thousands who feel voiceless within the system.
The right to vote is fundamentally about representation and civic duty, and it should never be a privilege reserved for the select few. The Constitution of our country prevails in asserting that incarceration should not strip away one’s citizenship nor the rights that come with it. The voices of those incarcerated, many of whom originate from disadvantaged backgrounds, must not only be heard but respected and upheld in our democratic process.
The BUYDG’s call to action is clear: they implore the ERC to transcend mere expressions of concern and take tangible steps to ensure that the voices of incarcerated Guyanese, particularly from marginalised communities, are integrated into the democratic dialogue leading up to the 2025 elections.
