By Dacia Richards | HGP Nightly News
Opposition-nominated commissioners at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) are raising serious concerns over what they describe as a unilateral decision by Chairperson Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh to engage the government on a date for general and regional elections, without the approval of the full commission.
At a press briefing on Tuesday, Commissioner Vincent Alexander, joined by fellow commissioners Charles Corbin and Desmond Trotman, accused the GECOM Chair of acting independently and misleading the public into believing that her discussions with the government represented the collective position of the commission.
“Public distortion seems to suggest that she was speaking on behalf of the commission, which was not the case,” Alexander stated.
He emphasized that no final agreement had been reached within the commission, which was still in the planning phase at the time of the Chairperson’s engagement with the executive.
The commissioners further disclosed that they were blindsided by President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s announcement of the September 1, 2025 election date during his Independence Day speech.
“Like the public, we became aware of the announcement when the president made it,” Alexander said.
When asked if the Chairperson’s actions could be subject to legal challenge, Alexander said it was a matter for legal experts to determine.
“There is a legal problem here in terms of what action can be taken, and we’ll have to leave that to the legal people,” he added.
During his speech marking Guyana’s 59th Independence Anniversary, President Ali said the September 1 election date came out of consultations with the GECOM Chair, further intensifying debate over the transparency and legality of the process.
This development has sparked renewed calls for electoral reform and greater accountability at GECOM as the nation heads toward another pivotal election season.
