GEORGETOWN – The integrity of Guyana’s recent national election financing is facing a global challenge, with the respected Carter Center today issuing a pointed public demand for all political parties to immediately submit their mandatory post-election campaign finance reports.
The call is a direct step toward addressing the nation’s systemic lack of transparency in political funding. Under the Representation of the People Act, all parties that contested the recent General and Regional Elections are legally required to file financial disclosures within 35 days of the official declaration of results.
With the results published in the Official Gazette on September 16, the legal deadline for submission to the Chief Election Officer is now imminent. The Carter Center, which has observed Guyana’s elections through periods of deep crisis and contention, emphasized that compliance with this law is essential: “The Carter Center encourages all parties to comply with this reporting requirement as a step toward fostering a culture of transparency and accountability,” the statement read.
The Context: A History of Opaque Spending
The Center’s demand is rooted in Guyana’s long-standing failure to regulate campaign finance effectively. Past election observer missions have repeatedly criticized the lack of provisions prohibiting the misuse of state resources, and noted that financial reports, when filed, are widely disregarded as they often do not reflect the reality of electoral spending.
The issue has been intensified by the 2025 elections, which saw the incumbent PPP/C engage in massive spending, and the newcomer WIN Party, whose leader, Azruddin Mohamed, faces a U.S. indictment on fraud and gold smuggling, also mount an expensive campaign that drew political scrutiny over its funding sources.
The Carter Center confirmed it is committed to tackling the structural issue, announcing that its final election observation report will include detailed recommendations aimed at improving oversight, disclosure, and enforcement mechanisms for campaign finance.
