Georgetown, Guyana — The Carter Center has warned that gaps in public access to information are undermining transparency and weakening voter confidence ahead of Guyana’s 2025 general and regional elections. In its latest pre-election observation findings, the mission stressed that an informed electorate is essential to any democratic process, but shortcomings in Guyana’s information framework continue to block citizens from making fully informed choices.
According to the Center, critical data and decisions related to the electoral process remain difficult for the public to obtain. The delayed publication of the 2022 national census, the absence of campaign and party finance disclosures, and limited insight into decision-making at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) are among the most pressing issues.
Added to this are complaints from citizens and media outlets about the difficulties they face in accessing government-held information, even when formally requested. These challenges have not gone unnoticed internationally. In May 2024, the United Nations Human Rights Committee raised concerns that Guyana’s commissioner of information does not respond consistently to requests, thereby undermining the country’s own access-to-information laws.
The committee urged the government to take steps to ensure citizens can exercise this right effectively, noting that transparency is a cornerstone of democratic governance. The Carter Center’s concerns echo longstanding frustrations among civil society organizations in Guyana.
Groups have repeatedly argued that without reliable and timely access to official information, voters are left to navigate elections in a fog of uncertainty. The lack of disclosure on campaign finance, in particular, prevents the public from knowing who funds political parties and whether financial backers wield undue influence.
Elections are not only about casting a ballot, the Carter Center emphasized, but also about ensuring that citizens are adequately informed to make meaningful choices.
The mission’s findings suggest that unless Guyana strengthens its commitment to openness, the 2025 elections risk being compromised by mistrust and skepticism that could have been avoided through timely and transparent information-sharing.
