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Alexander refuses to sign off on election results
…cites systemic breakdown, quality control lapses
Opposition-nominated commissioner, Vincent Alexander
Kaieteur News – Opposition-nominated commissioner Vincent Alexander has disclosed that he will not be signing off on the Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM) declaration for the 2025 General and Regional Elections results, citing what he described as deep-rooted flaws in Guyana’s electoral system.
Alexander made these statements in a letter to the editor published in Sunday’s edition of the Kaieteur News. In that letter, he said, “Now that elections 2025 have gotten to the point of the declaration of the results, it behooves me as a commissioner, in the execution of my responsibility, to put on record, and in the public domain, my disposition to the declarations. My disposition is one of abstention without any reference, or deference to the actual results being declared.”
He noted that elections must be viewed as a service that meets set standards, similar to a product requiring certification before it is accepted on the market.
“Herein lies the determination of my disposition to GECOM and more specifically its service: the conduct of elections,” the commissioner said. Alexander raised concerns about outdated processes and technologies, including the refusal to embrace digital registration and identification. He argued that manual fingerprint capture and dated facial identification systems were inadequate to safeguard the principle of one person, one vote.
“They cannot be seen as isolated or disparate elements. They are interrelated. For example, the use of facial identification by GECOM, especially where the ID cards are dated makes a nonsense of, and reduces the efficacy of, the role of party polling agents. It also highlights why digital biometrics should be employed,” he said.
He further highlighted what he described as GECOM’s failure to address essential matters such as the enfranchisement of incarcerated persons, except those disqualified by law, oil rig workers, and party activists deployed away from their polling divisions.
Alexander said that all of the deficiencies are not mere omissions or indications of deficiencies to be addressed, but were all jettisoned by a majority vote in a “fractious and politicized commission.”
Though Alexander acknowledged that election day itself may have appeared smooth, he said, “A smooth process may have been observed on “E” Day, the system is below par (required standard) for the delivery of the conduct of free, fair and transparent elections.”
He argued that the system impact is both qualitative and quantitative and does not guarantee the citizenry suffrage and the complimentary sovereignty. “In the given circumstance, my presence at GECOM has morphed into that of an advocate for transformation, as opposed to perpetuating and protecting a dysfunctional system,” Alexander added.
His comments come on the heels of the GECOM’s Chair Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh summoning a meeting with the Commissioners following the completion of the recount on Friday night. The recount ended with PPP securing the most votes, thereby winning the 2025 elections. However, the opposition-nominated commissioners were a no-show at the meeting which was called to certify the results.
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