Carter Center Flags PPP/C Over Alleged Misuse of State Resources Ahead of Elections
By Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News,
The Carter Center’s election observation mission has raised serious concerns in its pre-election statement, highlighting allegations that the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) has misused state resources and state media in the lead-up to Guyana’s general and regional elections.
According to the Center, multiple political parties and civil society groups reported that state resources were being deployed for political campaigning, a practice that contradicts Guyana’s international obligations on campaign financing.
When questioned directly on the issue, President Dr. Irfaan Ali firmly denied the claims:
“The government of the People’s Progressive Party does not need state resources to run our campaign. We are not using any state resources… Our campaign is supported by the humble people of Guyana. We are strong, we are ready, and we will defeat every force that is ahead of us.”
The Carter Center also noted that several political parties reported limited access to state media, with some alleging their events received little or no coverage, and one party claiming it was denied the opportunity to place advertisements. The mission urged state media to provide equal treatment to all political parties, stressing the importance of balanced coverage in a democratic election process.
In addition, reports were received alleging that the ruling party used state-owned vehicles for campaign activities and relied on part-time government workers for electioneering purposes. While the Carter Center is not conducting systematic media monitoring, it said available evidence suggests state media coverage appears to favor the PPP/C.
