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GECOM must have biometrics implemented ahead of 2030 elections – Patterson
Kaieteur News – The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) should take immediate steps to implement biometrics, interim leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC) David Patterson said on Friday.
“The time is now for GECOM to start implementing several reforms born out of the experiences of the electorate, as well as the recommendations of the various observer missions. For the last five years, the oppositions have been calling for biometrics. Early on this year, the chairperson, Miss Claudette Singh, indicated that biometrics is not only feasible, it’s also necessary, and it’s also the way to go,” Patterson said at his party’s weekly press conference.
Interim leader and Chairman of the AFC David Patterson
Patterson, like the 2025 Commonwealth observer mission, said now that elections are over, urgent steps need to be taken to have biometrics a feature of the commission in time for the next general and regional elections.
Members of the joint political opposition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) along with other stakeholders have been lobbying for use of a biometric data system at this year’s General and Regional Elections.
However, in June, Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh ruled out the use of biometrics at the 2025 elections citing the timeframe for its implementation.
At that time, Commissioner Sase Gunraj told Kaieteur News that Justice Singh found that while biometrics is feasible, it could not have been implemented in time for the 2025 elections.
The Chair reportedly considered a number of factors that would need to be in place before introducing biometrics; these include public consultation on the use of the system as well as training of GECOM staff on the use of the biometric equipment.
“In that light, the lines for change would be paying keen attention to budget 2026, which must include a substantial provision to cover the process of implementation of biometrics in GECOM. We have also, as a party, commence engagements with the opposition parliamentary parties, since, as it’s widely accepted, we’re not unknown,” Patterson told reporters.
The politician stressed that though the AFC has not secured a parliamentary seat, it has started discussions with the opposition parties that will sit in the National Assembly to have a Motion put before the National Assembly demanding that GECOM be funded to implement biometrics.
On September 4, 2025, Kaieteur News reported that the Commonwealth observer mission of the 2025 General and Regional Elections recommended that the GECOM adopts biometric technology early for the next election cycle.
At a press conference held at the Aiden by Best Western Hotel, the mission presented its interim report on the observations made prior and during the 2025 elections.
Chairman, Fekitamoeloa Katoa Utoikamanu, said the group has noted that in response to complaints about the non-adoption of biometric verification technology, which could assist with voter identity, GECOM has said it is facing “technical, legislative, and administrative challenges”. She claimed that these challenges have rendered the commission unable to employ biometric verification for voters in the 2025 elections.
In this regard she advised, “We recommend that early in the new election cycle, consideration be again given to the adoption of this technology.”
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