Importance of public trust in GECOM

Jun 25, 2025 Letters

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Dear Editor,

Kaieteur News – The hue and cry, principally from opposition quarters, about distrust and lack of confidence in the Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM) ability and competence to supervise and conduct free and fair elections scheduled for September 1, 2025 continues unabated. The latest song and dance is that they are ‘going into the elections to prevent rigging’.

Since its loss at the 2020 elections, the political opposition has persisted in its distrust of GECOM. It is the political opposition that has cultivated doubts in the minds of people about GECOM’s inability to fulfil its constitutional mandate. The political opposition apart, it is nevertheless the duty of all stakeholders to clear up as much and as far as possible, doubts and scepticism that have been created about GECOM’s ability to fulfil its constitutional mandate.

Unpacking the opposition’s distrust and lack of confidence in GECOM will show that, apart from taking aim at the chairman and CEO of the elections body, those on the opposite side of the political spectrum are not homogeneous. There are those who, while sceptical about GECOM, nevertheless place their trust and confidence in the governing PPP/C. This is an interesting dichotomy to note.

People can be sceptical or distrusting of GECOM for many reasons, whether it is from one unfounded claim to another or about the conduct of elections in general, but what must be publicly stated over and over again is the fact that the claims have been found to be either of no evidential value or were thrown out by the Courts.

It is important to note, save for one extremist view that ‘no election is better than a rigged election’, is that amongst the sceptics and doubting Thomases, there is no strong nor prevailing view that the impending elections should be boycotted, at least up to this point in time except the opposition’s claim that “we are going into the election knowing it is rigged against us.”

Insofar as the pushback against a ‘lack of public trust in GECOM’ is concerned, there are two lessons to be learnt; first, that scepticism about GECOM’s ability and competence to conduct free and fair elections is not widespread. And second, that distrust of GECOM is more politically, than technically or operationally driven.

Scepticism and doubts about GECOM’s supervision and conduct of elections can be remedied by heightened public awareness campaigns by all stakeholders about the elections body’s role and place in strengthening democracy and the pillars of good governance.

A good starting point and acknowledgement would be to recognise that distrust and scepticism come in many forms and that public relations activities carried through community outreaches, principally by GECOM’s senior managers and key technical staff, would go a far way to win greater public trust and confidence in the organisation to which they belong.

GECOM has come a far way since the days of the Bollers Commission and the era of groundbreaking electoral reforms that have endured to this day. Today, at GECOM, there is more openness meant to cultivate three attributes: transparency, participation, and collaboration. New laws have been passed to strengthen the Representation of the People Act (ROPA).

Promoting public trust in GECOM by all stakeholders is paramount for several interconnected reasons, all of which will contribute to the legitimacy and stability of the electoral process and, by extension, Guyanese society. While expressions of public trust in GECOM, by all stakeholders, are critical, it is equally important that the electoral process be recognised as legitimate if the election results are to be accepted as accurate, reliable and for political stability to be maintained.

In an environment saturated with fake news and misinformation, recognising GECOM as a credible source of information can go a long way in dismantling fake news and misinformation. All stakeholders can play an important role in pushing back against such harmful information.

Moreover, if all stakeholders, including the political opposition, were to recognise GECOM as impartial and competent in executing its legal functions, such as voter registration, procedures for voting, as well as the counting and tabulation of ballots, that would be a step in the right direction.

Public statements by all stakeholders, including the political opposition, that help promote public trust and confidence in GECOM will undoubtedly see active voter participation in the electoral process. But as long as the political opposition continues with its anti-GECOM campaign, citizens are bound to have doubts about the electoral process, believing that their votes will not be counted and that the election outcome will not reflect the will of the people.

Elections in Guyana have historically been associated with ethnic and political tensions. A GECOM trusted by all stakeholders, including the political opposition, can help mitigate such tensions by ensuring that the electoral process is seen as fair and transparent. This, in turn, can contribute to social cohesion and reduce the likelihood of post-election unrest more often associated with the political opposition.

So long as GECOM is recognised by all stakeholders, including the political opposition, as a credible body, it will be accepted as the organisation that facilitates peaceful retention or transfer of power. And when all stakeholders, including the political opposition, assist with promoting trust in the electoral process, the losing contestants are more likely to accept the results and respect the outcome. This is crucial for maintaining political stability and preventing unrest.

Public trust in GECOM is essential for upholding democratic principles. It reinforces the rule of law, protects the rights of voters, and ensures that the government is accountable to the people. A lack of trust can erode these principles, leading to a decline in democratic governance. It is vital that all stakeholders, while maintaining vigilance and alertness over elections 2025 that they throw their weight behind GECOM and the electoral process with a view to the holding of a highly successful general and regional elections to the satisfaction of all contestants.

Yours faithfully,

Clement J. Rohee

GECOM Commissioner

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• AFC, APNU, Clement J. Rohee, Elections, GECOM

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