GECOM defends authority as WIN challenges opposition representation

Aug 22, 2026 News

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…WIN, APNU to meet as tensions escalate

(Kaieteur News) – The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has responded to concerns raised by the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party regarding the appointment of field scrutineers, commission nominations, and preparations for upcoming elections.

In a statement issued Friday, GECOM confirmed it currently remunerates 69 field scrutineers appointed by A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) under an “existing arrangement for the payment of scrutineers on behalf of the combined opposition political parties”.

Addressing public concerns raised by the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party on August 21, 2026, regarding scrutineer appointments, commission nominations, and election workplans, the Guyana Elections Commission stressed that maintaining this setup “should not, however, be interpreted as a determination by GECOM that the WIN Party or any other opposition political party is not entitled to representation.”

Addressing the consultation process under Section 33D (2) of the Representation of the People Act, GECOM clarified that Chief Election Officer (CEO) Vishnu Persaud did not make an adverse finding regarding the consultations undertaken by the leader of the opposition. Following correspondence dated June 3, 2026, from the opposition leader submitting proposed scrutineers, GECOM received formal objections from APNU disputing whether “meaningful consultation” had occurred. By letter dated June 5, 2026, the CEO informed the opposition leader that “he was not vested with authority to determine whether meaningful consultation, as contemplated by Section 33D (2), had occurred”. He noted that competing inter-party claims “were matters for the parties concerned to address and resolve” and placed the correspondence on the official record.

GECOM emphasised that under Section 7A of the Representation of the People Act (as amended by Act No. 25 of 2022), the CEO is expressly “subject to the direction and control of the commission”. Consequently, where a matter falls within the commission’s jurisdiction, “the Chief Election Officer cannot substitute his own decision for that of the commission,” with GECOM noting that this boundary is “not a refusal to act” but compliance with the law. The CEO reiterated this legal boundary in subsequent correspondence dated June 10, 2026.

Regarding opposition commissioners, GECOM clarified that it holds “no locus standi in relation to the nomination by the leader of the opposition” under Article 161(3)(b) of the Constitution and “cannot properly intervene in, adjudicate upon, or resolve any impasse concerning persons nominated”.

On Local Government Elections (LGE), GECOM confirmed that its secretariat has prepared a comprehensive workplan outlining operational tasks. However, the secretariat “cannot independently activate and implement the workplan,” as commencement and timeline adjustments depend entirely on formal decisions and directives from the commission.

APNU signals willingness to engage in dialogue

Following a formal invitation sent by Leader of the Opposition, Azruddin Mohamed on August 20, 2026, inviting APNU to a meeting on August 24 to discuss institutional representation, APNU expressed its readiness to meet.

In its written response, APNU stated it is prepared to engage in dialogue based on “good faith and mutual respect with the aim of advancing the interests and development of the Guyanese people.” To facilitate the engagement, APNU recommended holding the discussions at a mutually agreed-upon venue instead of at the office of the leader of the opposition.

The developments occur against the backdrop of political shifts following the 2025 General and Regional Elections, which established WIN as the primary parliamentary opposition party alongside the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM).

On August 19, 2026, the office of the leader of the opposition issued an official statement titled “Guyana’s Electoral Institutions at a Crossroads: GECOM, Representation and the 2025 Political Transition,” alerting international partners, diplomatic missions, and institutions to delays affecting local government elections, which are statutorily due by November 2026. The briefing mirrored warnings from international observers, including The Carter Center, regarding risks posed by an improperly constituted commission.

Citing Article 161(3)(b) of the Constitution, Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed submitted replacement nominees, Roysdale Forde, S.C., Siand Dhurjon, and Damien DaSilva, to President Irfaan Ali on June 30, 2026, following consultations with APNU’s Aubrey Norton and FGM’s Amanza Walton. A follow-up letter was dispatched on August 7. However, sitting opposition-nominated commissioners Vincent Alexander, Charles Corbin, and Desmond Trotman, alongside APNU leadership, have contended that commissioners cannot be recalled without legal vacancies arising from death or resignation.

Inter-party friction has extended to broader representation disputes such as WIN and FGM currently hold none of the 69 remunerated opposition scrutineer slots overseeing voter registration under Section 33D of the Representation of the People Act. Followed by APNU Leader, Aubrey Norton publicly criticising WIN’s submission of LGC nominees, Leola Narine and Leslyn Lowe (WIN), alongside Nicholas Chesney (FGM), to President Ali without prior notification to APNU. Norton argued that despite APNU holding 12 assembly seats compared to WIN’s 16 and FGM’s 1, APNU’s recommended nominees (Joan Ann Ramacindo and Ronald Daniels) were completely excluded. WIN noted it had previously yielded leadership spots to APNU on key parliamentary committees, including Economic Services, Foreign Relations, and Natural Resources. Further, disagreements remain following regional elections where WIN secured nine seats on the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), Region 10, compared to APNU’s 5. A voting combination involving APNU (5), the PPP/C (3), and FGM (1) elected the APNU Chairman and Vice Chairman, blocking WIN’s plurality advantage.

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• APNU, commission nominations, GECOM, win

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