(Kaieteur News) – Attorney General, Anil Nandlall SC has defended the current composition of the Guyana Election Commission (GECOM) saying that it serves as an important safeguard to Guyana’s democracy despite the current impasse. Nandlall was at the time responding to questions on the online podcast, Starting Point about the recommendations made by Elections Observer group – the Carter Centre in favour of making the commission politically independent.
The commission has not met in over a year due to a dispute among the political opposition as it relates to the appointment of new commissioners to represent the newly formed lead party—We Invest in Nationhood (WIN). This lack of meetings has hampered the functioning of GECOM and the holding the Local Government Elections.
Attorney General, Anil Nandlall SC
Despite this, the Attorney General asserted “In my respectful position, the composition helped us save this country had it not been for the PPP commissioners on that commission in 2020, we would have lost the elections; they would have been allowed to steal the elections. When they called bomb threats, Bibi Shadick, Robeson Benn and Sase Gunraj remained in that building if you put so called independent people in there, they would have ran for their lives so we have to be careful ….”
He said too since GECOM is an instrument of the constitution, it should be taken to the reform process before any adjustment is made. “Whatever we change it to will be matter for the constitutional reform process and the people of Guyana. The people of Guyana will make their recommendations but I know from personal experience that the way it was constructed has served the people of Guyana. It was done under the Carter-Price formula, it saved this country in 1992 and in my respectful view it continues to save this country,” he opined.
The Carter Centre reiterated its call Guyanese officials to implement the recommendations in its final report on Guyana’s 2025 General and Regional Elections. In a statement, the Carter Centre noted with considerable concern the current impasse surrounding the composition of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). “Without a fully functioning commission, GECOM will be unable to organise local government elections by the statutory deadline this year, and will be unable to implement reforms to strengthen electoral processes in adequate time before Guyana’s next General and Regional Elections,” Carter said in the statement.
The Carter Centre has long championed the need for constitutional reform to ensure Guyana’s electoral system and institutions better serve its people. It is critical that this process be appropriately inclusive and representative.
During the Centre’s visit in June 2026, the delegation met with President Irfaan Ali and members of his Cabinet, Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and a broad range of stakeholders, including other opposition political parties, GECOM, the Constitutional Reform Commission, the Ethnic Relations Commission, leaders from the private sector and civil society, citizens interested in electoral reform, and members of the international community.
According to the Centre, these discussions provided an important opportunity to exchange views on strengthening and advancing Guyana’s democratic institutions. Conversations focused on several priority areas identified in the Centre’s final report, including reform of election management bodies, the development of comprehensive campaign finance legislation, efforts to improve the media environment, expanding civil society, and measures to enhance transparency and public confidence in the voters’ list.
The Carter Centre therefore encouraged the continued engagement of the many Guyanese stakeholders committed to advancing these recommendations and strengthening democratic governance.
Source: Kaieteur News
