GEORGETOWN, Guyana — The Guyana Government is preparing to open its doors to a wide range of international election observers ahead of the September 1 General and Regional Elections, reaffirming its commitment to transparency and accountability in the electoral process.
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall made the announcement during his weekly television programme Issues in the News on Tuesday evening. He confirmed that the Carter Center—founded by the late U.S. President Jimmy Carter—has already indicated it will send a team to observe the polls.
“Many more international observer teams will be invited and will be welcomed to observe the elections,” Nandlall said. “The People’s Progressive Party has nothing to hide. We want transparency.”
The AG’s comments come at a time when the credibility of elections continues to be a critical issue in Guyana’s political landscape. Reflecting on the country’s history, Nandlall noted that international observer missions were not always allowed in. He recalled the PPP’s long fight to open Guyana’s electoral process to outside scrutiny.
“For 28 years the PNC rigged elections and did not want observers to be present. They blocked them out,” he said. “It was only in 1992, after years of struggle, that we finally secured the right to invite international observers.”
Since then, Guyana has maintained a tradition of welcoming observers for every general election—except during the controversial 2020 cycle, when the recount of votes became a flashpoint. According to Nandlall, the APNU+AFC government at the time barred observer missions, including the Carter Center, from returning to monitor the recount.
The Carter Center later expressed its “deep disappointment” with the decision, citing it as a blow to transparency. The recount took place two months after the March 2, 2020 election, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and amid intense political uncertainty.
Nandlall argued that observer missions are more than symbolic. He described them as essential to ensuring elections are both free and fair, especially given the country’s past.
“We know who the electoral miscreants are and we know what they’re capable of,” he said. “So, the more observer teams we have, the safer and more credible the process will be.”
With the official campaign period approaching, all eyes will be on how the government manages electoral logistics and whether this pledge to transparency holds through to Election Day.
