Gov’t Moves to Restructure Electoral Process with New Bill; Opposition Raises Concerns Over GECOM’s Powers
By Tiana Cole | HGP Nightly News
During the 105th Sitting of the National Assembly on Monday, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, SC, tabled the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act 2025. The government is touting the bill as a comprehensive move to enhance transparency, boost accountability among election officials, and introduce harsher penalties for electoral misconduct.
Among the most notable changes is the introduction of electoral sub-districts in Regions 3, 4, and 6. According to the Attorney General, this restructuring is aimed at decentralizing the tabulation process in Guyana’s most populous areas, including Region 4—which will now be split into sub-districts covering the East Bank and East Coast of Demerara.
“The purpose of this amendment is to ensure that tabulation no longer happens at a single centralized location but across sub-districts. This will enhance oversight and reduce opportunities for manipulation,” Nandlall stated during his presentation.
A new position—Supernumerary Returning Officer—will be created to manage the tabulation of votes within each sub-district.
However, the opposition has rejected the bill. Senior Counsel and Opposition MP Roysdale Forde argued that the proposed legislation does little to address core concerns about electoral fairness. He warned that the bill would hand too much power to the Commissioner of Registration at GECOM.
“This bill gives troubling discretionary powers to GECOM—particularly over voter registration—which opens the door to voter suppression or manipulation,” Forde said.
The opposition further criticized the government’s failure to act on recommendations from international election observers following the 2020 elections, which were marred by controversy. Forde noted that despite repeated promises of reform, GECOM has not conducted any comprehensive review or released an internal assessment.
“Five years later, we’re still operating in a vacuum. The government and GECOM have failed to implement even one recommendation from the observer missions,” Forde contended.
The Representation of the People (Amendment) Act 2025 forms part of the PPP/C administration’s broader legislative agenda to reform Guyana’s electoral architecture ahead of the September 1 general and regional elections.
