(WiredJA)- The European Union’s Election Observation Mission has blown the lid off Guyana’s September 1 General and Regional Elections, warning that while the vote was peaceful, the playing field was anything but fair.
In a blistering preliminary report released at the Pegasus Suites, EU Chief Observer Robert Biedroń accused the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) of blurring the line between state and party, using public resources and unchecked financing to give itself a massive head start.
Biedroń, a Member of the European Parliament, praised the patience of voters and the professionalism of polling staff, but he did not mince words about what went on before ballots were cast. He said the government’s heavy hand distorted the campaign.
In his words: “When the line between state and party blurs, voters are disadvantaged and the playing field is compromised.”
The EU report paints a damning picture. In the weeks before Election Day, President Irfaan Ali’s administration was cutting ribbons at hospitals, schools, roads, and bridges, public projects turned into political theatre, complete with PPP/C supporters in party colors and candidates urging votes for the government.
Observers said state media and official channels amplified these campaign-style events, drowning out the opposition.
Money in politics was another red flag. Campaign finance in Guyana, the mission found, is a free-for-all; largely unregulated, with outdated spending caps, no rules on donations, and little enforcement.
Political parties are required to report their expenditures to GECOM, but according to the EU, those laws are ignored. “Transparency and accountability are practically non-existent,” the mission concluded.
The report also raised eyebrows over targeted state giveaways. More than 2,800 police officers were granted mass promotions and bonuses just weeks before the vote. Beneficiaries of government cash support said they received unsolicited phone calls urging them to back the ruling party.
Civil servants linked to the opposition WIN Party complained of transfers, demotions, and intimidation. Some voters even told observers they kept silent about their opposition leanings for fear of losing their jobs or social benefits.
And then there were the allegations of vote-buying, direct and indirect, mostly in vulnerable communities, with both PPP/C and WIN candidates accused of trying to sway the poor through handouts.
Despite the calm on Election Day itself, the EU says the overall environment was “highly polarised” and shaped by incumbency advantage. The mission, with 50 observers stationed across Guyana since late July, will stay on until the process concludes and is expected to release its final report in the weeks ahead.
