Guyana is not ready for free, fair, and credible elections

Jun 01, 2025 Letters

Dear Editor:

President Irfaan Ali’s announcement of elections on September 1, 2025, is not about democracy—it’s about deception. Guyana is not ready for free, fair, and credible elections. President Ali, Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chair (ret’d) Justice Claudette Singh, and Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton are all acutely aware of this truth. Yet, despite the glaring deficiencies, the outdated, bloated voters list and the absence of biometric verification, they are pressing forward. This is not just careless. It is contemptuous. It is dangerous. And it must not be allowed.

At a meeting held on March 12, 2025, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) engaged directly with GECOM Chair Justice Claudette Singh and Chief Elections Officer (CEO)Vishnu Persaud. The CEO claimed a proposal would be updated, sent to the Commission, and forwarded to the government for funding. Months have passed. No action. No urgency. No respect for the people of this country.

And don’t let them tell you the country can’t afford it. If the government can find $57.5 billion in a supplemental budget less than four months after passing a $1.38 trillion budget, then it can damn well find $4.1 billion (US$20 million) to protect the integrity of our elections. It was the CEO who told this nation what the cost of the exercise was.

If Ghana, with an electoral roll of 15 million, could implement biometric registration in just six weeks, there is no reason Guyana, with fewer than one million voters, cannot do the same. The problem is not a lack of resources; it is a lack of political will. This country does not suffer from a shortage of money, but from a shortage of leaders prepared to put the national interest above personal or partisan agendas.

Let me be very clear: demanding electoral reform is not asking too much. It is consistent with our fundamental right to vote and to have that vote respected in a legal, credible, and transparent process. That means from registration to voting, to declaration of results, to the allocation of seats, to the formation of a government that reflects the true will of the people. Anything less is not democracy; it is manipulation.

The working class of this country fought hard for the right to ‘one-man-one-vote.’ That struggle wasn’t waged for this right to be hijacked by a privileged few. And we shouldn’t stand aside while that right is trampled.

The people always pay the price when the system fails. The political class will hide behind security, but the ordinary man and woman. The vendors, the drivers, the nurses, bauxite workers, teachers, and so forth, are the ones who suffer. This must not happen again. We must speak now to prevent the chaos they are inviting.

And we must say this too: the diplomatic community is not blameless. Too many are silent, complicit, or worse, enabling this charade. They once did the same under apartheid. They turned a blind eye to Gaza. And now they pretend not to see what’s going on in Guyana.

But we see. And we remember.

We demand:

1. A clean, credible voters’ list

2. Biometric voter verification

3. Total reform of GECOM

Every party—PPP, PNC, AFC—has called for these before. Don’t come now and pretend otherwise. It can’t be right in opposition and wrong in government. These political parties must stand on principle or step aside.

In 1990, responding to demands from political parties and civil society, President Desmond Hoyte rescinded the prorogation of Parliament to address urgent calls for electoral reform. The Government and Opposition returned to the National Assembly and passed laws that led to the creation of the current GECOM, the introduction of counting of the ballot at the place of poll, and other key reforms.

For over a decade, the people of Guyana, including political parties, have consistently called for further electoral reform, particularly to address the bloated voters list and to introduce biometric technology to prevent voter fraud. Yet these legitimate demands continue to fall on deaf ears. These just demands are being ignored by those who benefit from a corrupt system, regardless of the damage it causes to the country and its people.

The erosion of our democratic foundation must come to an end.

I urge my fellow Guyanese to support every lawful action necessary to protect our democratic rights. We cannot remain silent while our democracy is being dismantled before our eyes. And the time to act is now, not tomorrow. Now!

Lincoln Lewis

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One thought on “Guyana is not ready for free, fair, and credible elections”

habeeb June 1, 2025 at 3:34 pm

Guyana is indeed ready for National/Regional Elections.
The former PNC Govt. under granger, held on to government for 5 long
months after voted out by NCM/NCV. By their action, they extended the
election for a new government, which the PPP won.
Now, it is time for this election according to the constitution, scheduled
for Sep 1. If this was never scheduled, then the PNC, AFC and other
parties would protest violently for failure to hold elections in violation.
Biometric ID is not required by the Constitution. Lincoln Lewis is beating
a dead jackass.

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