News Source Guyana Reports : Leaders from the Alliance For Change (AFC), the Assembly of Liberty and Prosperity (ALP), and the Forward Guyana Movement have expressed significant concerns regarding the lack of communication from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) about Nomination Day procedures. They are particularly troubled by GECOM’s decision to allow the governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP) to submit their nomination lists ahead of the other parties.
Political parties have been camped out at the Umana Yana for a week, aiming to be first in line to submit their nomination documents. The APNU was the first party to arrive and has remained in place. However, the Elections Commission recently informed the AFC and ALP that the PPP would be allowed to hand in its list second. This decision has raised eyebrows, as the other parties claim they were all in line before the PPP.
GECOM appears to be relying on a photograph posted on the PPP’s Facebook page, which suggests they were second in line. The other parties have insisted that the submission order should be based on their physical positions in line, and if the PPP is granted the second spot, it could displace the remaining parties further down the queue.
AFC Leader Nigel Hughes condemned GECOM’s actions as unacceptable. He stated, “For GECOM to say they have no formalized list but the PPP is second is a great indication of their intention to manipulate this process for a specific political party. It is also a breach of the equal treatment of all contestants in this election.” He emphasized that GECOM should have communicated any changes to established customs well in advance.
Hughes also highlighted that GECOM security personnel had previously documented the parties’ presence and arrival times, calling it a travesty for GECOM to disregard its own records.
Amanza Walton-Desir, Leader of Forward Guyana Movement, expressed her frustration over the lack of communication from GECOM. She noted that her party was fourth in line and worried about being shifted further down based on the recent letter from GECOM. Walton-Desir stressed the importance of early submissions to allow time for any necessary corrections to nomination lists, as parties are now given only 24 hours for changes, down from a previous seven-day period.
Simona Broomes, ALP Leader, echoed these sentiments, pointing out that GECOM has not been transparent about the nomination process, leaving many new parties in the dark. She called for clarity from the Commission on the procedures for Nomination Day and other election-related activities.
Since the announcement of the election date and the commencement of the electoral process, GECOM has not held any press conferences, further exacerbating concerns among the political parties. The situation raises questions about the Commission’s commitment to transparency and fair practices as the elections approach.
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