By: Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News |
Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Sébastien Sigouin, is urging Guyanese citizens to demand swift action on long-awaited electoral reforms, following the release of the European Union Election Observer Mission’s final report on the 2025 General and Regional Elections.
In a public statement posted to his official Facebook page, Sigouin said the EU’s comprehensive findings — which include strong recommendations for legislative and institutional changes — should serve as a wake-up call for Guyana.
The High Commissioner stressed that despite improvements in the 2025 election day process, the country’s electoral system still lacks broad public confidence, particularly regarding governance and decision-making within the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
“Democracy belongs to the Guyanese people. So speak up. Call on your elected representatives, on your National Assembly, on your Government, to take action and make the changes needed so that your electoral process is truly free and fair. It is your right — and your responsibility,” Sigouin wrote.
The EU Observer Mission’s final report highlighted several systemic concerns and amplified ongoing calls for urgent reform. Among its strongest recommendations is a full review of GECOM’s composition, which the EU believes is critical to ensuring impartiality, inclusivity, and public trust.
The report noted that while voting and tabulation proceeded smoothly, the overall electoral environment remained strained by low public confidence in the election administration, political polarization, and skepticism from sections of the media and civil society.
The EU is urging legislative amendments, governance restructuring, improved transparency, and long-term institutional reform ahead of future national elections.
High Commissioner Sigouin’s intervention echoes this international pressure, placing responsibility on the electorate to demand accountability, stronger safeguards, and modernization of Guyana’s electoral framework.
