Carter Center Sounds Alarm Over GECOM Deadlock

The Carter Center has sounded a fresh alarm over the state of Guyana’s electoral governance, warning that the ongoing deadlock over the composition of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) threatens not only this year’s Local Government Elections but also the implementation of critical reforms before the country’s next General and Regional Elections.

In a statement issued on August 5, the internationally respected democracy and election observation organisation urged Guyanese authorities to move swiftly to implement recommendations contained in its final report on the 2025 General and Regional Elections, saying the prolonged impasse risks undermining the country’s democratic reform agenda.

“The Carter Center notes with considerable concern the current impasse surrounding the composition of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). Without a fully functioning commission, GECOM will be unable to organize local government elections by the statutory deadline this year, and will be unable to implement reforms to strengthen electoral processes in adequate time before Guyana’s next General and Regional Elections.”

The warning comes amid an unresolved dispute over the appointment of opposition-nominated commissioners following the September 2025 General and Regional Elections, which produced a significantly reconfigured National Assembly.

The governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) was awarded 36 of the 65 seats in Parliament. The We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party emerged as the largest opposition force with 16 seats, followed by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) with 12 seats and the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) with one seat. Collectively, the parliamentary opposition holds 29 seats, with WIN controlling a majority of those opposition seats.

It was against that backdrop that Azruddin Mohamed, upon becoming Leader of the Opposition, called on opposition-appointed GECOM commissioners Vincent Alexander, Charles Corbin and Desmond Trotman to resign, arguing that they had been nominated by the previous Opposition Leader and no longer reflected the will of the electorate or the current composition of Parliament. Mohamed has maintained that, with WIN holding 16 of the opposition’s 29 seats, his party is constitutionally entitled to nominate the opposition’s representatives on GECOM. He subsequently recommended Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde and attorneys-at-law Siand Dhurjon and Damien DaSilva for appointment as commissioners.

The three opposition-nominated commissioners, however, have not resigned.

GECOM Chairperson, retired Justice Claudette Singh, has acknowledged that the matter has left the Commission in an uncertain position. While stating that the issue has delayed GECOM’s ability to fully discharge its constitutional responsibilities, including preparations for Local Government Elections, Singh has maintained that she has no constitutional authority to remove commissioners, explaining that their appointment and tenure are governed by the Constitution and not by the Chairperson.

The dispute has also exposed divisions within the parliamentary opposition.

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Chairman Aubrey Norton has rejected Mohamed’s position, insisting that “no vacancy exists” on the Commission. Norton has argued that commissioners do not vacate office merely because a new Opposition Leader has assumed office, maintaining that they can only cease to serve through resignation, death or other constitutionally recognised circumstances. He has contended that any changes to GECOM’s composition should come through constitutional reform rather than the replacement of sitting commissioners.

Against that backdrop, the Carter Center’s warning underscores growing concern that the stalemate could delay not only Local Government Elections but also long-promised reforms to Guyana’s electoral architecture.

The Carter Center, which has observed every major election in Guyana since the landmark 1992 General and Regional Elections, has consistently advocated reforms aimed at strengthening public confidence in the country’s electoral institutions.

Inclusive Constitutional Reform

Beyond the immediate concerns over GECOM, the Center renewed its call for amendments to the Constitutional Reform Act (2022) to reflect Guyana’s current parliamentary configuration.

The organisation welcomed comments by Attorney General Anil Nandlall acknowledging that the legislation requires amendment following the elections and urged Parliament’s Standing Committee on Constitutional Reform to act without delay.

“The Center welcomes the statement by the Attorney General following the elections acknowledging the need to amend the Constitutional Reform Act (2022) to reflect the current configuration of parliamentary political parties.

“The Center made this recommendation in its report and encourages the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Constitutional Reform to take action as quickly as possible.”

The Center stressed that constitutional reform must be genuinely inclusive.

“The Carter Center has long championed the need for constitutional reform to ensure Guyana’s electoral system and institutions better serve its people. It is critical that this process be appropriately inclusive and representative.”

Broad Consultations

The statement revealed that Carter Center representatives visited Guyana in June 2026, where they met with President Irfaan Ali, members of his Cabinet, Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, representatives of other opposition political parties, GECOM, the Constitutional Reform Commission, the Ethnic Relations Commission, leaders from the private sector and civil society, citizens interested in electoral reform and members of the international community.

According to the Center, discussions focused on priority reforms identified in its final report, including reform of election management bodies, comprehensive campaign finance legislation, improvements to the media environment, expanding civil society participation and measures to enhance transparency and public confidence in the voters’ list.

Mohamed has repeatedly argued that constitutional and electoral reform are essential to restoring confidence in Guyana’s democratic institutions. He has called for a more inclusive constitutional reform process, an independent and representative GECOM, campaign finance reform and greater transparency in the electoral system, contending that the reforms are necessary to ensure future elections command the confidence of all Guyanese.

The Carter Center encouraged continued engagement among stakeholders committed to advancing those recommendations.

“The Carter Center encourages the continued engagement of the many Guyanese stakeholders committed to advancing these recommendations and strengthening democratic governance.”

Condolences on MV Barima

The organisation also acknowledged that its recommendations come while Guyana continues to mourn the MV Barima tragedy.

“The Carter Center also acknowledges that this important work continues as the nation grieves over the sinking of the MV Barima. The Carter Center extends its deepest sympathies to the Guyanese people and offers our heartfelt condolences to the families who lost loved ones in this tragedy. May the nation find comfort, strength, and unity as it honors those who perished.”

The Center’s latest intervention reinforces its long-standing position that Guyana must seize the opportunity to implement meaningful constitutional and electoral reforms to strengthen democratic governance, enhance public confidence in elections and ensure that its institutions reflect the country’s evolving political landscape.

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See full statement below