By: Javone Vickerie.
Georgetown, Guyana – August 29, 2025 – Acting Chief Justice Navindra Singh has dismissed a constitutional challenge brought by the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) against the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), ruling squarely in the Commission’s favour. As part of the decision, GECOM has been awarded $1 million in costs, while the Attorney General’s Chambers was also awarded $1 million.
Both sums are payable by September 8. The case stemmed from FGM’s claim that GECOM unlawfully excluded it from the national ballot in Regions 7, 8, and 9. The party argued that the Commission’s long-standing practice of omitting a party from the national ballot if it is not contesting a regional seat was unconstitutional and amounted to voter suppression.
But today’s ruling affirms GECOM’s position, reinforcing a precedent the Commission has consistently defended. In previous reports, GECOM officials and legal advisors have maintained that the structure of Guyana’s electoral system, which ties national ballot eligibility to participation in at least one geographic constituency, is grounded in law and has been applied uniformly across elections.
FGM, led by presidential candidate Amanda Walton-Desir, had hoped to use the case to open the door for smaller, newer parties to compete nationally without needing to field candidates in every region. During its filing, the party warned that the current framework disadvantages emerging movements and entrenches the dominance of larger parties like the PPP/C and APNU.
The challenge also attracted attention from political observers who noted that international election observer missions, including the Carter Center and the OAS, have in the past flagged aspects of Guyana’s electoral construct as restrictive and in need of reform. While those reports focused largely on verification systems and voter lists, they also highlighted the broader issue of inclusivity in Guyana’s political process, which the FGM case sought to test.
By siding with GECOM, however, the court has now shut down FGM’s attempt to force changes through the judiciary, leaving electoral reform squarely in the hands of lawmakers. The decision represents a major setback for the fledgling party just days before the September 1 polls.
Walton-Desir has been campaigning heavily on the need for fairness and broader access for women and smaller political groups, framing her movement as a fresh alternative to the two-party system.For now, though, the Chief Justice’s ruling leaves the existing framework intact and FGM off the national ballot in the disputed regions.
