AFC Calls on GECOM to Appoint Independent Legal Adviser Amid Rising Election Concerns
by Tiana Cole | HGP Nightly News
Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan, has formally written to the Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice Claudette Singh, demanding the urgent appointment of an independent legal advisor to the commission ahead of the September 1, 2025 general and regional elections.
In the letter, Ramjattan warned that GECOM’s current lack of impartial legal counsel threatens the integrity of the electoral process and risks compromising public confidence in the commission’s independence. He expressed concern that no suitable replacement has been named since the dismissal of GECOM’s previous legal counsel.
“The involvement of the current Attorney General as a legal advisor poses a serious conflict of interest,” Ramjattan stated, stressing that the AG’s partisan role and public political commentary make him unfit to advise GECOM.
The AFC leader emphasized that the role of legal counsel to the elections commission must be filled by someone of “unimpeachable neutrality, professional qualification, and nonpartisan character.”
“The role demands not only legal competence but constitutional independence,” he argued. “The Attorney General’s current advisory role blurs the critical line between the executive branch and the Elections Commission.”
With the election date now officially set, Ramjattan said the country has entered the “final and most intensive phase” of its electoral cycle and called for urgent reforms and safeguards, including:
- A clean and credible voters’ list
- Implementation of recommendations from past elections
- Independent voter identity verification
- And the resolution of GECOM’s operational dysfunctions
“Transparency, impartiality, and public trust must define this election—not secrecy or state influence,” Ramjattan warned.
The AFC’s call adds to growing scrutiny from opposition and civil society groups urging GECOM to reinforce public trust and neutrality ahead of what is expected to be a fiercely contested election.
