President Irfaan Ali has announced that Regional and General Elections would be held on September 1, 2025. The last time elections were held in Guyana was March 3, 2020. That election date was arrived at by consensus. The commissioners on the Guyana Elections Commission had agreed that the commission was ready to preside over the elections.
This time around the Commissioners left the last meeting believing that elections would not be held before September 22, 2025. It did come as a surprise to the Commissioners appointed by the political opposition that the president actually announced a date far ahead of the September 22 date. In fact, they were surprised that the date for elections was announced on Independence Day. They told a press conference that they were aware of the date at the same time as the rest of the nation.
Just a few short years ago the press was kept abreast of the actions of the elections commission. They were briefed constantly; they were made aware of the work sheet that determined the extent of work that had to be completed. That sheet also set out the date when the Guyana Elections Commission would be ready for elections. Times have changed. The opposition commissioners say that the change is for the worse. There is no pursuit of consensus by the commissioners. In fact, instead of being members of a constitutional body one group is presenting itself as PPP commissioners.
The Chairperson is said to be a person who votes consistently with the PPP-appointed commissioners. According to the opposition commissioners, the chairperson did even more than that. They said that recently, she usurped the role of the commission when she unilaterally announced to President Irfaan Ali, a date for the readiness of the commission.
It is difficult to imagine that the Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission would be holding secret talks with the president of the ruling party. This could only be the case if there is an affiliation. The previous Chairman was so bent on maintaining his neutrality that he declined to vote for any political party. There is no semblance of neutrality if the opposition commissioners are to be believed. The argument that the PPP would make is that the Chairperson was selected by former president David Granger.
Why the fuss about the September 1 date? The opposition commissioners say that not enough time is being afforded to challenge any irregularity. One major irregularity is the voters’ list. There is the contention that the list has some 200,000 names that should not be there.
They sought a concession that those names be highlighted so that the scrutineers could be made aware of any attempt to have someone vote for these persons. This was ignored. They now hold the view that the elections can in no way be considered fair. One expectation is that the elections commission would now face the press to address the perceived irregularities.
And while there is this apparent confusion surrounding the elections there is now the believe that some Spanish-speaking individuals tossed explosive devices at a police outpost and at an electrical station, both in the city. If this is true, then Guyana is under attack from within. Already the government has allowed Venezuelans to enter the country unchecked. And this is happening at a time when the neighbouring country is bent on taking control of some two-thirds of the country.
From the point of view of the government, it may have seen the presence of the Venezuelans as a means of boosting the voters’ list for political gains. There were warnings that this was a dangerous move. It was akin to inviting the Trojan Horse into the country. Now no Guyanese is safe. One international agency said that there were about 40,000 Venezuelans in the county. The people in this country believe that the number is greater. The government argued that the Venezuelans are augmenting the labour force. The fear is that they could be doing more than that.
Already the country is in the midst of avoiding any celebration. There was once the announcement of national awards on the occasion of the Republic anniversary and the presentation of these wards on the anniversary of independence. There is now no announcement of national awards. In Georgetown, Independence Day was like a day of mourning. There were no national activities other than the traditional flag raising ceremony.
There were the two public concerts, one of which saw the rallying behind the dead girl that has caused accusations of cover-up to be levelled against the government. And that issue is not going away. More than a month has passed, and the child is still to be buried. Her body is now overseas for a second autopsy. There is also the announcement that the child is being honoured posthumously. And the honour is being bestowed by no less a person that the Minority Congressional Leader of the United States.
And while this is happening these seems to be no move by the government to complete the investigation. The police are saying nothing.
