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AFC supports WIN representation at GECOM
— calls for key vacancies within commission to be filled before LGE
(Kaieteur News) – The Alliance for Change (AFC) said it believes the main opposition We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) should be represented on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
The party’s interim leader, David Patterson told a press conference on Thursday that his party had long maintained that GECOM should reflect the political makeup of the national assembly.
“We’ve always said, and that has been our position that GECOM should always reflect the parliamentary composition…we had fought through several of these oppositions, including with former President [David] Granger, when he made his last appointment, we’d always made this case,” he said
David Patterson
Further expounding, Patterson said he was in no way calling on commissioners representing the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) to resign.
“I’m not saying that all three should resign. I’m saying that the final composition should reflect the composition of the current parliament. However that is worked out between all the parties, I can’t say, but I do think that it should be reflective of the opposition components at the moment,” he stated.
Despite the change in the main parliamentary opposition, APNU representatives on GECOM have said that they will not vacate their seats to allow a new set of commissioners to take their place. This has resulted in a standoff at the level of GECOM between opposition representatives.
Meanwhile, the AFC leader said a major concern of the party is the readiness of GECOM to conduct local government elections this year.
He noted while the national assembly approved more than $6.9 billion for GECOM’s hosting of the elections, the budget was submitted without the involvement of the full commission and without the long-requested reforms that were requested even before the last general and regional elections.
“Today, GECOM’s management structure is severely weakened. Critical positions remain vacant, deputy chief elections officer, the assistant chief election officer, the accountant, the information technology manager, the legal officer and the chief security officer. These are not optional roles. They are the core of election administration; six of the nine senior administrative roles at GECOM are currently vacant.”
He emphasised that any attempt to run an election without them is reckless and dangerous.
“To make matters worse, the full commission has not met since September 7, 2025 that means nothing required for local government election can be lawfully approved, not the work plan, not nomination day, not the voters list, not the polling agents, not the recruitment of staff. GECOM at the moment, is operating without oversight, without authority, without legitimacy. If GECOM attempts to conduct 2026 local government election in this status, local government election, 2026 will be compromised before they begin.
To this end, Patterson said the AFC demands the immediate reconvening of the full commission, the urgent advertising and placement of all critical agencies, and an end to all unilateral administrative changes.
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