By Roysdale Forde S.C.- In the records of Guyana’s democratic odyssey, the 2025 General and Regional Elections stand as a watershed moment; a testament to our nation’s resilience yet a stark reminder of the perils that lurk within complacency. As the sun rose on polling day, the peaceful approach with which citizens voted was indeed a beacon of hope, deserving of acclaim.
Still, beneath this veneer of tranquility lie profound structural deficiencies, procedural lapses, and fiscal opacities that demand unflinching scrutiny and transformative reform. These are not mere footnotes in our electoral narrative; they are fissures that threaten the very bedrock of our sovereignty, where the will of the people must reign supreme, untainted by doubt or deceit.
Foremost among these shadows is the specter of a bloated voters list, an affliction that has drawn the ire of international sentinels of democracy. Observer missions from CARICOM, the Commonwealth, the European Union, and the Carter Center, while commending the serene and methodical conduct of the proceedings, have unanimously spotlighted the “perceived ‘bloated’ nature of the voters list” as a glaring vulnerability.
This anomaly, where the registry swells far beyond the bounds of demographic reality, erodes the sanctity of the ballot box. It sows seeds of mistrust, fueling allegations of electoral chicanery or the systematic exclusion of rightful voices. In a republic forged from the struggles of diverse peoples, such a bloated roster is not just an administrative oversight; it is an affront to shared values that bind us, providing space for manipulation and forgery, a situation that continues to haunt our collective conscience.
Compounding this electoral malaise is the egregious withholding of the 2022 Population and Housing Census results—a deliberate veil of secrecy that stifles progress and equity. Despite assurances from Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh in February 2025 that fieldwork had concluded and analysis was “at an advanced stage,” the Bureau of Statistics has stubbornly refused to unveil the full truth.
By May 2025, fragmentary reports suggested a population hovering between 812,000 and 814,000, inclusive of Venezuelan migrants seeking refuge on our shores, yet no official proclamation has pierced the fog of ambiguity. This intransigence is no trivial matter; it sabotages the fair apportionment of resources, delays the redrawing of constituency boundaries long overdue, and hampers the formulation of policies rooted in empirical reality.
In an era of unprecedented economic ascent, driven by our oil bounty, such opacity is a betrayal of the Guyanese people’s right to transparent governance; a right enshrined in our constitution and vital for fostering inclusive development that lifts every citizen, from the hinterlands to the coastal plains.
Equally troubling is the entrenched resistance to embracing biometric and electronic voting systems, innovations that could fortify our electoral fortress against fraud. The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chair dismissed proposals for biometric verification at polling stations, invoking “technical, legislative, and administrative challenges” and deeming them unviable within the compressed timeline.
Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, while cautioning against biometrics becoming a weapon of disenfranchisement, acknowledged their potential to bolster transparency if judiciously deployed. Opposition forces, including the Alliance for Change (AFC) and the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), have vociferously advocated for fingerprint-based mechanisms, insisting on their feasibility within a mere three to four weeks through expert intervention.
Alas, these pleas fell on deaf ears. The Commonwealth Observer Group, in its forthright assessment, implored that biometric technology “be implemented early for the next election cycle,” a clarion call that echoes the global consensus on modernising elections to safeguard against impurity.
The chorus of international observers, while extending praises for the professionalism of polling personnel and strides in result dissemination, has not minced words in their constructive rebuke. They have resolutely urged the fulfillment of perennial recommendations, with a keen emphasis on reforming voter registration and verification protocols.
As articulated by Commonwealth Chair Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu, the “very limited implementation of the recommendations of observer groups over the years” perpetuates systemic frailties. This indictment lays bare the imperative for GECOM to embrace these advisories holistically, transforming critique into concrete action to fortify our democratic edifice.
| Issue | Summary | Recommendation |
| Bloated Voters List | Inflates registry, breeding suspicions of fraud and undermining fairness | Immediate audit and purification; transparent public disclosure of outcomes |
| Undisclosed Census Results | Obstructs planning, boundary adjustments, and equitable representation | Swift release of full report; prioritize openness in data sharing |
| Biometric Implementation | Delays due to cited hurdles thwart adoption of secure tech | Craft a collaborative roadmap with experts and stakeholders for future cycles |
| Observer Recommendations | Persistent neglect of expert guidance erodes credibility | Formal adoption with accountable tracking and periodic public updates |
These elections, unfolding against the backdrop of Guyana’s meteoric economic renaissance, harbour the potential to propel us toward a robust democratic renaissance; or consign us to the annals of squandered opportunity through indolent rule. Only through resolute confrontation of these blemishes, with transparency, integrity, and bold reform, can we reclaim the trust of our citizenry.
