Georgetown, Guyana – September 1, 2025 – A political row erupted at polling stations Monday as A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) demanded that police officers switch off their body cameras, claiming the devices intimidate voters and violate their privacy. But Elections Commissioner Sase Gunraj hit back, insisting the cameras are “standard police protocol” and pose no threat to ballot secrecy.
In a sharply worded release, APNU said it had “received several reports across the country from voters who feel uncomfortable and concerned that their privacy is being invaded.” The party called on the Guyana Police Force to immediately deactivate the cameras inside polling places, saying they should only be turned on “during incidents or unusual activities.”
Gunraj was quick to dismiss those claims. Speaking in his personal capacity, the commissioner said the fears were misplaced. “I don’t believe it breaches the secrecy of the polling station,” he declared. He reminded voters that GECOM’s rules on cameras and phones, announced earlier this year, apply strictly to the voting compartment, not to the wider polling station. The ban was introduced to safeguard the secrecy of the ballot itself, not to restrict the work of police officers tasked with maintaining order.
“This is routine policing,” Gunraj stressed. “There is no reason to think the cameras undermine the integrity of the vote.”
The back-and-forth comes against a backdrop of heightened scrutiny over election-day conduct. GECOM has repeatedly warned that misinformation about procedures could erode public trust. Gunraj used the opportunity to reassure citizens that the process was running smoothly: “Most polling stations opened on time. There have been very few hiccups and only minor teething errors.”
