GECOM faces accreditation issues with party agents on joint services polling day

Aug 23, 2025 News

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Kaieteur News – The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has confirmed that it encountered issues with the accreditation of political party polling agents assigned to observe the voting process for members of the disciplined services.

Deputy Chief Election Officer (DCEO), Aneal Giddings, speaking to the media outside the Police Officers Mess Annex, Eve Leary where members of the Guyana Police Force cast their ballots, explained that while the voting process had largely proceeded smoothly, there were some initial issues involving agents.

“We had some issues with agents, but I think we have been resolving them as we go along. I don’t have any major issues that would hamper the opening of polls across the spectrum,” Giddings said.

When pressed further on the issues surrounding polling agents, Giddings confirmed that some political party agents appointed to observe the balloting process were not properly accredited, which led to delays at certain polling stations.

“Some of the parties would not have issued their accreditation letters or appointment letters to their agents, yes he did have communication from the agents informing us that these are the person that are appointed. Unfortunately, they didn’t have their letters so our ballot attendance was trained to ask for these letters of appointments,” he explained.

He emphasised that the commission had worked with the parties and the attendance to ensure that the agents were participating in the process.

Speaking with representatives of various political parties, PPP’s presidential candidate Irfaan Ali confirmed that his party experienced no issues with the accreditation of its polling agents.

“Our team is tested and well-oiled machinery with strong internal checks and balances,” he stated.

APNU’s leader Aubrey Norton also addressed the matter, noting that while there were initial challenges, they were eventually resolved.

“Earlier they (GECOM) attempted to discredit or discredit some of the people that have been accredited but they have rectified that, so all of our agents are accredited,” he said.

Chairman of AFC David Patterson, said his party did not experience major issues with accreditation letters. However, he recounted isolated incidents where party agents were temporarily denied access.

“We had no difficulties. There were some challenges, and I do think that’s always entirely the expectation of GECOM. In Anna Regina, the base camp, our agents were not allowed to go in because secretary at the gate said that the base is on lockdown, people are voting. However, so we had to call GECOM and have that resolved. There was a couple of agents who, we would have sent our documents beforehand to the presiding officer (PO), but the PO would not have received it, but that was easily resolved,” Patterson said.

Forward Guyana Movement leader Amanza Walton-Desir said her party had been advised by GECOM that submitting agents’ names would suffice in place of physical accreditation letters.

“We were advised by GECOM that they would not issue accreditation letters, but that submission of names to the commission would be sufficient,” she noted.

Odessa Primus, General Secretary of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, confirmed that her party experienced no problems. “WIN had no difficulties with accreditation letters. We had no issues with that today (Friday),” she said.

Efforts to reach Assembly of Liberty and Prosperity (ALP) leader Simona Broomes and PPP elections agent to GECOM, Zulfikar Mustapha, for comments were unsuccessful.

According to GECOM’s manual for polling day officials, polling day agents appointed by their respective election agents must present a letter of accreditation to gain entry to polling stations. The manual states:

“Letters of Accreditation are issued to Polling Agents and Alternate Polling Agents (appointed by their respective Election Agents) and Duly Appointed Candidates by the Returning Officer. Each Presiding Officer will be provided with a list of Election Agents, Assistant Election Agents, and Counting Agents for each party contesting the elections at his/her polling station, as well as a list of Polling Agents, Alternate Polling Agents, and Duly Appointed Candidates authorized for that station. Each of these persons will be required to present their Letter of Accreditation to the Presiding Officer to be allowed entry, after it is verified against the list provided by the Returning Officer.”

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• ACCREDITATION, Aneal Giddings, Elections, GECOM, issues, Joint services

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