Opposition-nominated GECOM Commissioner Vincent Alexander has issued a blistering critique of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), accusing the electoral body of institutional failure, deliberate disinformation, and enabling a flawed electoral framework just weeks before the September 1 General and Regional Elections.
In a scathing letter to the editor, Alexander dismantled recent claims made by People’s Progressive Party (PPP)nominated commissioner Clement Rohee, who downplayed the importance of GECOM’s postponed July 3 meeting. Rohee dismissed it as non-statutory and inconsequential, a claim Alexander sharply rebutted as deceptive and politically convenient.
Critical Meeting Postponed, Vital Reforms Ignored
Alexander revealed that the July 3 meeting was not just any meeting — it was a special session agreed upon by all commissioners to tackle urgent pre-election issues. Its delay, he argued, reflects GECOM’s broader pattern of evasion on key matters fundamental to electoral legitimacy.
He outlined a list of unresolved, “time-sensitive” issues that remain dangerously unaddressed:
- Failure to remove the names of deceased persons reported by the Commissioner of Police and Chief Medical Officer from the voters list.
- Lack of clarity on voting rights for incarcerated persons, with the matter stalled at the Attorney General’s Chambers and misinterpreted under the Prison Act.
- Continued silence on non-resident voters, an issue with deep legal and administrative consequences.
- Opaque, potentially unlawful sole-sourcing of election materials, including electoral ink and seals from India — allegedly in violation of the National Procurement Act and Procurement Manual.
These issues are not minor procedural questions — they are foundational to the credibility of the entire election, Alexander warned. He charged that GECOM Chairperson Ret’d Justice Claudette Singh and government-aligned commissioners are misleading the public by claiming that preparations are on track.
Rohee Accused of Partisan Misinformation
Alexander lambasted Rohee for what he described as a deliberate attempt to contaminate public discourse through partisan propaganda. Rohee’s insistence that no critical matters remain unresolved is, Alexander argued, an intentional distortion of the facts.
What Rohee describes as ‘satisfaction’ with GECOM’s readiness amounts to a superficial checklist that ignores deep, unresolved constitutional and procedural failures, he stated.
Alexander pushed back strongly against any efforts to politicise his position, asserting his independence and contrasting it with what he called Rohee’s open adherence to PPP/C directives on all matters before GECOM.
Call for Transparency and Public Vigilance
In closing, the Opposition-nominated Commissioner called for immediate corrective action, transparency, and heightened public vigilance. He urged citizens and civil society to reject premature claims of electoral readiness and to demand accountability from those entrusted with safeguarding democracy.
With less than two months remaining, much of the public narrative about GECOM’s preparedness is not only misleading — it’s dangerously false, Alexander warned. The prerequisites for a truly free, fair, and transparent election have simply not been met.
His public intervention deepens growing concern over the Commission’s impartiality and raises fresh questions about whether Guyana is heading into yet another election marred by procedural deficits and public distrust.
