GECOM Commissioner Raises Concerns Over Electoral Preparedness Ahead of September 1 Polls
Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News
With just under two months to go before Guyana’s General and Regional Elections on September 1, Opposition-nominated GECOM Commissioner Vincent Alexander is raising red flags about the electoral body’s preparedness to deliver free and fair elections.
In a press statement issued Thursday, the long-serving commissioner warned that several critical matters remain unresolved, potentially compromising the integrity of the upcoming polls. Among the issues yet to be finalized are:
- Whether incarcerated persons will be allowed to vote
- How the names of deceased persons, as reported by the Commissioner of Police and the Chief Medical Officer, will be removed from the voters’ list
- The process for counting non-resident ballots
Alexander further disclosed that a GECOM meeting scheduled for Thursday was postponed due to the unavailability of Chairperson Retired Justice Claudette Singh.
Calling the situation “ironic,” Alexander pointed out that GECOM had previously assured President Irfaan Ali that it was ready to hold elections on September 1. “GECOM, having advised the President on its state of readiness… cannot be ready to discuss and agree upon critical issues before such elections are held,” he said.
He also criticized the chairperson’s continued absence from meetings, arguing that it undermines the Commission’s credibility and preparedness. “The cancellation of yet another meeting flies in the face of not being prepared for anything,” Alexander stated bluntly.
The concerns arise amid heightened public scrutiny of GECOM’s operations as the electoral calendar intensifies, and opposition parties intensify their calls for transparency and accountability.
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