GECOM’s Chairman did not unilaterally inform President about election readiness

Last Updated on Wednesday, 28 May 2025, 17:37 by Writer

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) administration on Wednesday said its Chairman, Retired Justice Claudette Singh was advised by Chief Elections Officer Vishnu Persaud that general and regional elections could be held within three months, paving the way for President Irfaan Ali’s naming of September 1 as E-day.

The GECOM Secretariat debunked claims by the three political opposition election commissioners – Vincent Alexander, Charles Corbin and Desmond Trotman – that Ms Singh provided unilateral advice to Dr Ali because that timeframe was not in keeping with a work plan that was last discussed on May 20 and is misleading.

GECOM was contacted shortly after that press conference before Demerara Waves Online News published its report, but the senior official refused to comment at that time in order to provide clarity.

Wednesday’s press statement was issued at 1:47 p.m.

Responding to “pieces of pertinent disinformation” that were provided by the political election commissioners, the Secretariat said the “unadulterated facts” are that the GECOM Chairman received a call from President Ali on Friday, May 23, 2025 enquiring whether the election body would be in a position to hold the elections within three months.

GECOM’s Secretariat said the Chairman asked the President to allow her to consult with the Chief Election Officer before she gave him an answer.

The Chairman did consult with the Chief Election Officer immediately after her exchange with the President.

The Chief Election Officer, according to the Secretariat, informed the Chairman that, in anticipation of a possible need to conduct the elections, before they became constitutionally due, within three months, he had prepared a draft work plan to be in a state of readiness should the need arise.

In this regard, according to the Secretariat, he further informed the Chairman that this draft, with the commencement of the three months on June 1, 2025 placed election day at August 25, 2025 “within less than three months.”

“It is specifically in consideration of this circumstance that the Chief Election Officer advised the Chairman that the Secretariat would be able to conduct the elections within three months,” GECOM’s Secretariat added.

Armed with the information provided by the Chief Election Officer, and in consideration of Article 61 of the Constitution that “elections shall be held on such day within three months after every dissolution of Parliament as the President shall appoint by proclamation”, the Chairman advised President Ali that GECOM would be able to hold the elections within three months, GECOM said.

The Secretariat said the work plan that was mentioned during the press conference, could not be seen as the work plan to be used for the conduct of the upcoming elections.

Instead, the Secretariat said that a “schedule of activities with relevant timelines for completion” was prepared based on a request for the GECOM Secretariat to prepare one indicating the earliest date on which the elections could be held after they become constitutionally due.

Brief observations on the schedule of activities were made by a Commissioner during a Commission meeting.

Accordingly, the Secretariat said an undertaking was given by the Chief Election Officer to consider the observations and amend the schedule if necessary.

“The schedule of activities was never intended to be used as the work plan for the elections, nor was it discussed in this context,” GECOM said.