GEORGETOWN, GUYANA – August 7, 2025 — With less than a month to go before Guyanese head to the polls, GECOM Commissioner Vincent Alexander is sounding the alarm on what he describes as a series of deliberate oversights by the Elections Commission—actions he believes will compromise the integrity of the 2025 elections.
In a strongly worded letter published Wednesday, Alexander, a long-serving and outspoken member of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), accused the body of falling short of its constitutional duty to deliver a free, fair, and transparent election. He argues that while GECOM is publicly rolling out its work plan in preparation for the September 1 vote, it has failed to implement key safeguards that ensure every eligible voter can exercise their franchise.
“GECOM is implementing a list of activities… However, the extent to which GECOM has consciously omitted to put certain safeguards in place—and refused to ensure that all of the electorate can exercise their franchise—is the extent to which GECOM will not be conducting a free, fair and transparent election,” Alexander stated.
Among his key concerns is the commission’s unwillingness to clean up the voters’ list, particularly by removing the names of deceased persons—some of whom have died overseas and remain unreported to local authorities. He also highlighted the continued exclusion of certain groups, including incarcerated persons and some polling day staff, from the voting process.
Alexander did not mince words, accusing GECOM of knowingly violating constitutional provisions and creating what he called “administrative barriers” to voting. “GECOM’s conscious non-compliance… is now legend,” he wrote. “That deception has… been exposed.”
The commissioner also took aim at GECOM’s controversial decision to allow voters to bring mobile phones into the polling booths—a move he fears could facilitate vote-buying or coercion, particularly if voters are pressured to photograph their ballots as proof of how they voted.
While GECOM did acknowledge the issue after international partners raised concerns, Alexander claims the commission’s administration responded by issuing a press statement about the secrecy of the vote rather than banning phones outright. According to him, the administration, backed by the government-appointed commissioners and Chairperson Claudette Singh, stuck to its original position, citing weak arguments about phone security and potential disenfranchisement.
“This is symptomatic of the manner of the conduct of GECOM in the run-up to the 2025 elections,” Alexander wrote, warning that the failure to act decisively on these issues leaves the door open to coercion and manipulation.
Though he did not address any one political party directly, Alexander’s letter is likely to deepen ongoing debate over GECOM’s independence and preparedness. As one of the commission’s most vocal members, his remarks add further tension to an already charged electoral season.
With Election Day fast approaching, public trust in the process remains as critical as ever. Whether GECOM responds to these concerns—or the voters themselves do—will soon be tested at the polls.
