The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has moved to clarify its role in the setting of the date for the upcoming General and Regional Elections, strongly denying that its Chairman acted unilaterally in advising President Irfaan Ali.
This clarification comes in the wake of comments made during a press conference on Tuesday, 27 May, which suggested that the President’s decision to name 1 September 2025 as Election Day was based on advice that contradicted GECOM’s internal timelines. According to the Commission, such claims are not only misleading but also misrepresent the facts surrounding the advisory process.
In an official statement issued on Wednesday, GECOM confirmed that the advice given by its Chairperson was in strict adherence to Article 61 of the Constitution, which mandates that elections be held within three months of the dissolution of Parliament. The advice was also based on information provided by the Chief Election Officer (CEO).
According to the Commission, President Ali contacted the Chairperson on Friday, 23 May 2025, to ask whether GECOM would be in a position to conduct elections within three months. The Chairperson requested time to consult with the CEO before providing a response.
Following that consultation, the CEO reportedly indicated that he had already drafted a work plan in anticipation of early elections. The draft suggested that, if preparations began on 1 June 2025, polling could be held by 25 August 2025 — well within the three-month timeframe. Based on this assurance, the Chairperson advised the President that GECOM would indeed be ready.
Addressing claims made during Tuesday’s press conference, the Commission stressed that the so-called “work plan” referenced was not the official plan for conducting elections. Rather, it was a preliminary schedule of activities prepared in response to a request to determine the earliest possible date for elections once they became constitutionally due. The document was discussed in a Commission meeting, where a commissioner made brief observations. The CEO had agreed to consider amendments, but the schedule was never finalised or adopted as the operational blueprint.
The Commission stated:
“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 emphasised that the Chairperson’s advice to the President was grounded in both constitutional requirements and the operational readiness conveyed by the Secretariat.
The Commission concluded by expressing hope that the explanation would “dispel the publicised notion that the Chairman acted unilaterally,” and reiterated its commitment to ensuring that the electoral process remains transparent, lawful, and timely.
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