Elections 2025 and campaign financing

Sep 13, 2025 Letters

Dear Editor,

Elections to elect leaders are the bedrock in democratic societies. The process allows citizens to choose their representatives in government. It confers legitimacy on the winner, while at the same time it allows voters to express their preferences on key issues. The 2025 Elections are now behind us. The activities that preceded the elections will not.

The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) has reported on the elections as they saw it – “the GHRA said that the observer missions highlighted the ruling People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) abuse of incumbency, citing the use of state media, state-owned property, government vehicles, and personnel to advance the party’s campaign”.

What the International Observers and GHRA failed to mention is the wanton abuse of the Representation of the People Act (ROPA) in respect to financing of the campaign by political parties.

The Act is very clear. Part XII of the Act specifically deals with expenses incurred during an election. Section 104 (1) of the Act authorizes the election agent of a political party to make payment on behalf of any candidate of the party.

Section 106 (1) (a) states that the amount of expense that can be spent on candidates for the election is G$50,000 x 53 = G$2,650,000. Section 106 (1) (b) establishes the expenses that are authorized for any candidate.

Section 106 (3) establishes that any payment by a party agent in excess of Section 106 (1) (a) is illegal and shall be guilty of an illegal practice. Similarly, any candidate who pays any election expenses other than through the election agent shall be guilty of an illegal practice – Section 106 (4).

Section 116 states, “Any person who knowingly provides money – (a) for any payment which is contrary to the Act; (b) for any expenses in excess of the maximum allowed by this Act; shall be guilty of illegal payment.

Section 119 states, “No person shall let, lend or employ for the purposes of conveyance of electors to or from the poll…and any person who contravenes this subsection knowing the purpose of the letting, lending or hiring shall be guilty of illegal hiring”.

The incumbent has also been allowed to flout our laws with the erection of billboards across our country. Not only were the cost excessive and beyond the sums permitted by law for the election, Section 125 established that the names and addresses of the printer and publisher must be stated. This was not seen on any of the billboards.

The Act also stipulates the punishment for these illegal practices in our elections. Section 135 of the Act establishes that every person who is convicted of a corrupt practice shall, in addition to any other punishment, be incapable during a period of five years from the date of conviction- (a) of being registered as an elector; (b) of being elected as a Member of the National Assembly.

The Chairman and commissioners of GECOM have a fiduciary responsibility to ensure that the electorate are protected from the excessive of any political party in the conduct of an election. THEY HAVE FAILED THE NATION. They should all resign in shame. They must be held accountable to the nation.

I am calling on all decent Guyanese and the International observers to speak out against the atrocities we have witnessed in these elections and that GECOM have the backbone to seek remedy from our Courts. Our elections MUST be FREE and FAIR. It was neither and GECOM Chairwoman and commissioners MUST be held accountable. You have failed the nation.

Sincerely,

Charles Sugrim

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Campaign financing, Charles Sugrim, elections 2025, Guyana Human Rights Association

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