GEORGETOWN, Guyana – June 18, 2025 — Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall has issued a stern warning that anyone found obstructing or misleading voters on Election Day will face criminal charges under the Representation of the People Act (ROPA). His comments come in response to recent statements made by Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton, which the AG described as reckless and potentially discriminatory.
During his weekly current affairs programme Issues in the News on Tuesday, Nandlall addressed Norton’s remarks that polling agents from his party would be advised not to allow persons who speak a foreign language to vote in the upcoming elections.
“That is a highly irresponsible and reckless statement for a political leader to make,” Nandlall said. “We have a serious history of misbehavior at elections from party officials and officials manning the elections. These kinds of utterances can easily inflame tensions and encourage unlawful conduct.”
Nandlall cited Section 78 of ROPA, which clearly defines as criminal any action that obstructs or interferes with the voting process, access to polling places, or the work of elections officers. The law specifically states that obstructing a registered elector from voting is a punishable offence, carrying a maximum penalty of $5 million, up to three years in prison, and disqualification from being elected to the National Assembly.
In addition to physical obstruction, the law also criminalises the act of providing misleading information to voters—another offence that attracts the same penalties.
Responding directly to the issue of language, Nandlall emphasized that any attempt to block voters because they do not speak English would be discriminatory and, in his words, “a manifestation of xenophobia, which is an international crime.”
The law, he explained, already makes provisions for such scenarios. Section 72 (10) of ROPA allows presiding officers to appoint interpreters when a voter does not understand the language spoken at the polling station. The interpreter, once sworn in, is responsible for ensuring clear communication so the voter can cast their ballot without obstruction.
“This is not a grey area,” Nandlall said. “The law is very specific. Anyone who thinks they can prevent an eligible voter from exercising their right based on language or any other such barrier will face serious consequences.”
The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is currently in the middle of its Claims and Objections period, which will lead to the publication of the Official List of Electors ahead of Nominations Day on July 14.
With political tensions expected to rise in the lead-up to the September 1 polls, Nandlall urged all parties to act responsibly and within the bounds of the law.
