The opposition’s talk about a work-plan and insufficient time to host General and Regional Elections on September 1, 2025, should be irrelevant since the electoral machinery must always be in a state of readiness to execute its constitutional obligation.
This is the argument recently proffered by former President Donald Ramotar as the debate heats up over President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s election date announcement and the Opposition-nominated Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) representatives labelling the move as unilateral.
During a recent press conference hosted by the Opposition Commissioners, Vincent Alexander, Robert Corbin and Desmond Trotman, the media was told that they were blindsided by the announcement, referencing a “work-plan” it said, cited a much later date.
But GECOM’s Secretariat said yesterday that the document being cited by the Opposition Commissioners was not the actual work plan, but rather “a schedule of activities with relevant timelines for completion”.
That schedule of activities was prepared based on a request for the GECOM Secretariat to prepare a schedule indicating what would be the earliest date on which the elections could be held after they become constitutionally due.
The Opposition Commissioners are adamant that the September 1 date will not allow room for critical issues to be addressed, including but not limited to, prison inmate voting.
But former President Ramotar said that GECOM must always be ready to conduct an election. He said that this was the “main reason” why the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP)’s moved toward having Continuous Registration implemented. The lack of this process, he reminded, was a major concern should there be a snap election.
“I recall the discussions that were held between the two parties because I was part of those talks. One of the concerns was that in the absence of Continuous Registration it would have been impossible for us to fulfil our constitutional responsibilities if we had a successful ‘No Confidence Motion’, which instructs that an Election can be held in three months,” Ramotar said.
He added, “The President does not have to get the Commission’s consent to announce an election date. If he asks GECOM it has to be out of courtesy. Continuous Registration must keep GECOM in continuous readiness.”
