Carter Center ‘considerably concerned’ over GECOM impasse, says Local Government Elections, reforms at risk

The Carter Center is warning that Guyana could miss this year’s statutory deadline for Local Government Elections unless the current impasse at the Guyana Elections Commission is resolved.

In a statement yesterday, the election observer mission said it remains “considerably concerned” that GECOM has been unable to function fully since last September’s General and Regional Elections.

GECOM has not held a statutory Commission meeting since the elections, with opposition-nominated commissioners accusing Chairperson Justice Claudette Singh of refusing to convene a meeting.

However, Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed has called on the three opposition-nominated commissioners, who were appointed under a previous Opposition Leader, to resign, arguing that WIN now holds the largest opposition bloc in Parliament.

The Carter Center said the deadlock also threatens efforts to implement electoral reforms before Guyana’s next General and Regional Elections.

The Center has welcomed Attorney General Anil Nandlall’s support for amending the Constitutional Reform Act to reflect Parliament’s new political makeup, saying the change was one of its key recommendations.