By Mark DaCosta- The recent elections conducted by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on September 1st have left Guyanese grappling with a sense of disillusionment and distrust in the democratic process. While the results have been declared, the integrity of the elections is under scrutiny, creating a crucial need for reform that cannot be ignored by anyone who values the right to vote — a right hard-fought and won by the workers of our nation.
Lincoln Lewis, the prominent trade unionist, has expressed his deep concerns regarding the integrity of the election process. Drawing historical parallels to the labour movement led by the revered Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow, he reminds us that the struggle for fair representation has been ongoing since 1926. This battle was not merely for the sake of formality; it was a fight to ensure political power genuinely resides with the ordinary people of our country. However, with the declaration of the election results, that power appears to be threatened once more, prompting a call to action for all citizens.
The recent elections exposed multiple categories of systematic incompetence, raising alarms about the credibility of future local elections in 2026 and the general elections scheduled for 2030. Lewis has been vocal about GECOM’s inability to create conditions that ensure a transparent and fair electoral process. According to him, “Time and time again, I have raised concerns about GECOM’s repeated failure to facilitate a process that can truly be called free, fair and credible.”
Despite the sporadic interventions of international observer missions, many citizens feel that their assessments merely serve to satisfy a superficial image of democracy rather than addressing the underlying issues affecting the electoral landscape. Lewis laments this state of affairs, insisting that these observers seem to care more about outward appearances than the substantive realities that impact daily lives. He emphasises that “their presentations to the world do not reflect the truth that we, the people, live.”
The urgent calls for electoral reform, whether through the sanitisation of the voter’s list or the implementation of biometric systems, have largely fallen on deaf ears. “GECOM hides behind these endorsements while ignoring the calls of citizens for electoral reform,” Lewis criticises, spotlighting a disconnect between the desires of the populace and the responses from those in power. The reported 49 percent voter turnout is indicative of a larger issue — the fact that nearly half of eligible voters chose not to participate signals a profound loss of faith in the electoral system.
To make matters worse, even though the elections concluded without reported violence, Lewis cautions that the absence of disorder does not equate to a healthy democracy. The indifference towards underlying injustices fosters a climate where double standards perpetuate mistrust. He asserts, “True peace, not the silence of suppression but the peace of justice, will only come when all are held to the same standard.”
As we now reflect on the outcomes of these elections, citizens are reminded of their role as guardians of democracy. Lewis urges, “We must hold our elected representatives and ourselves to the high standards of justice, accountability, and good governance.” Without these safeguards, complacency could lead to even greater setbacks in democratic accountability.
At this critical juncture for our nation, individuals must choose whether to succumb to fear and injustice or to rise up, demanding their rightful share in the governance of their resources and future. In the words of Lewis, “We have hard choices ahead. Let us make them with courage, with conviction, and with the legacy of Critchlow and the working class guiding our hands.” The path forward demands unity and activism — a collective effort to restore faith in our democratic processes.
