Georgetown, Guyana – August 30, 2025 – The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has clarified that it was prepared to revisit the WIN Party’s late submission of polling agents, but the discussion was cut short after its August 28 meeting collapsed due to a loss of quorum.
In a statement Friday, GECOM rejected WIN’s claim that the Commission had failed in its duty, stressing instead that the party had missed the legal deadline for submitting the names and addresses of its agents. The Commission explained that all political parties were reminded by Chief Election Officer Vishnu Persaud on August 11 that polling agent appointments had to be submitted no later than seven days before Election Day.
“While GECOM is strictly upholding the electoral laws as written, the Commission was prepared to consider flexibility regarding the issue of late submission,” the release noted. However, with opposition-nominated commissioners walking out of Thursday’s meeting, the body was left without a quorum and the matter could not be addressed.
GECOM confirmed that the issue will now be tabled again at a follow-up meeting scheduled for Saturday, August 30, by Chairperson Justice of Appeal (Ret’d) Claudette Singh.
The Commission further cautioned political parties to act responsibly in their public communications. “Spreading misleading claims risks undermining public confidence in the electoral process, which is unacceptable at this crucial time,” it warned.
The clash over polling agents adds to a string of disputes between GECOM and political parties in the run-up to the September 1 polls, including rows over polling station locations and deadlines for election preparations. GECOM insisted that despite the tensions, it remains committed to delivering an election that is “free, fair, transparent, and credible.”
