{"id":33023,"date":"2026-11-10T11:36:38","date_gmt":"2026-11-10T15:36:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ncnguyana.com\/2023\/?p=33023"},"modified":"2026-11-10T11:36:38","modified_gmt":"2026-11-10T15:36:38","slug":"gecom-responds-to-mischaracterizations-concerning-the-chairmans-engagement-with-heads-of-diplomatic-missions-and-the-functioning-of-the-commission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ncnguyana.com\/2023\/gecom-responds-to-mischaracterizations-concerning-the-chairmans-engagement-with-heads-of-diplomatic-missions-and-the-functioning-of-the-commission\/","title":{"rendered":"GECOM Responds to Mischaracterizations Concerning the Chairman’s Engagement with Heads of Diplomatic Missions and the Functioning of the Commission"},"content":{"rendered":"
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10th November, 2026 – GEORGETOWN \u2013 The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has noted the letter published by Commissioner Vincent Alexander under the caption \u201c\u2018Comatose\u2019 GECOM needs urgent judicial or legislative intervention\u201d, in which several assertions were made concerning the functioning of the Commission, the Chairman’s engagement with Heads of Diplomatic Missions, and the constitutional circumstances affecting the composition of the Commission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In the interest of accuracy and public understanding, GECOM considers it necessary to clarify certain matters raised in the letter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Engagement with Heads of Diplomatic Missions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

First, it is necessary to correct the assertion that the Chairman and the Chief Election Officer convened a meeting with the Heads of Diplomatic Missions to discuss matters pertaining to the conduct of elections in Guyana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This characterisation is inaccurate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The meeting in question was held at the request of the five Heads of Mission themselves. Given the invaluable support provided by the Diplomatic Community in preparation for and during the conduct of the 2025 General and Regional Elections, the Chairman considered it both appropriate and an institutional obligation to respond positively to their request.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the avoidance of doubt, the Chairman does not require prior clearance or authorisation from individual Members of the Commission to engage with stakeholders, including Heads of Diplomatic Missions, in the discharge of her responsibilities as Chairman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, the recent engagement was neither unprecedented nor unusual. During the preparations for the 2025 General and Regional Elections, the Chairman participated in similar engagements with Heads of Mission without the involvement of Commissioners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is also important to distinguish between engagements involving matters of policy, which properly require deliberation and decisions of the Commission, and engagements concerning operational matters relating to the administration and conduct of elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Chairman has consistently exercised restraint in discussing matters that require Commission deliberation and policy decisions. However, where engagements concern operational matters, the Chief Election Officer is invited to participate and provide the necessary technical and administrative briefings. This was precisely the approach adopted at the recent meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consequently, there is no basis for suggesting that the Chairman acted without authority, purported to represent decisions of the Commission that had not been taken, or convened a meeting to determine matters falling within the exclusive deliberative responsibility of the Commission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. The Functioning of GECOM<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

GECOM also takes issue with the description of the Commission as being “comatose” and the suggestion that the Organisation has effectively ceased to function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While it is acknowledged that the Commission has not convened a meeting since September 2025, this circumstance must not be confused with the functioning of the Guyana Elections Commission as an institution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Secretariat has remained operational throughout this period and continues to discharge the statutory responsibilities entrusted to GECOM under the Constitution and applicable electoral legislation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These responsibilities include the provision of registration services, the maintenance of the relevant registration records, and the execution of other authorised operational and administrative functions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, the Organisation has continued to focus on strengthening its internal administrative and operational procedures, improving institutional systems, and consolidating the gains made through the modernisation initiatives undertaken in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accordingly, although the absence of Commission meetings has undoubtedly constrained the consideration and determination of matters requiring the Commission’s collective deliberation and approval, it is wholly inaccurate to suggest that GECOM, as an institution, has ceased functioning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The distinction between the inability of the Commission to convene and the continued functioning of the Secretariat is fundamental and must be properly understood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Composition of the Commission and Article 161(3)(b) of the Constitution<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

With respect to the circumstances affecting the composition of the Commission, the Chairman remains firmly guided by the provisions and spirit of Article 161(3)(b) of the Constitution of Guyana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her earlier reference to the convening of Parliament was premised on the expectation that, following the 2025 General and Regional Elections and the emergence of a new Leader of the Opposition, the matter of the appointment and composition of the Opposition representation on the Commission would have been addressed with urgency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, notwithstanding the convening of Parliament, the matter remains active among the Opposition Parliamentary Parties and has not yet been resolved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Chairman’s position has consistently been informed by the need to ensure that the Commission operates with a composition that is constitutionally sound and reflective of the applicable constitutional arrangements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is therefore regrettable that the Chairman’s adherence to this constitutional position has been characterised as a unilateral or arbitrary freezing of the Commission’s operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nevertheless, the Chairman acknowledges, as does Commissioner Alexander, that urgent attention is required to resolve the outstanding matter concerning the composition of the Commission. Indeed, appropriate legislative attention, if considered necessary by the relevant constitutional authorities, may provide a means of bringing clarity and resolution to the matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Matters Requiring Commission Deliberation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The letter also identifies several matters which, according to the author, have not received the necessary attention, including the evaluation of the 2025 elections, further electoral modernisation, the implementation of observer recommendations, preparations for Local Government Elections, the finalization of administrative manuals, and the filling of critical vacancies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GECOM recognizes the importance of these matters to the continued development and effectiveness of the institution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, it must be appreciated that there is a distinction between activities that fall within the statutory and administrative responsibilities of the Secretariat and matters that require deliberation, policy direction or formal approval by the Commission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Secretariat will continue to undertake those activities that are within its authorised mandate and operational capacity. Matters requiring decisions of the Commission must, however, be considered and determined through the appropriate institutional processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It would therefore be inappropriate to suggest that every matter awaiting such Commission consideration is necessarily attributable to administrative inaction or a failure by the Secretariat to discharge its responsibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. GECOM’s Commitment to Institutional Continuity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Notwithstanding the prevailing circumstances, GECOM remains committed to the discharge of its constitutional and statutory responsibilities and to the continued strengthening of Guyana’s electoral administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The successful conduct of the 2025 General and Regional Elections, including the introduction and application of significant technological and procedural improvements, demonstrates the Organisation’s institutional capacity and commitment to credible, transparent and efficient electoral processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Secretariat will continue to carry out its authorized statutory functions, maintain the delivery of essential services, and advance those institutional improvements that do not require prior decisions of the Commission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GECOM recognizes that the outstanding constitutional and institutional matters require resolution in the interest of the Commission, the electoral process and the wider democratic framework of Guyana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Organisation therefore remains hopeful that the necessary attention will be given to resolving the matter concerning the composition of the Commission so that its collective deliberative and decision-making functions can resume without further delay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(GECOM PRESS RELEASE) <\/p>\n\n\n

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10th November, 2026 – GEORGETOWN \u2013 The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has noted the letter published by Commissioner Vincent Alexander under the caption \u201c\u2018Comatose\u2019 GECOM needs urgent judicial or legislative intervention\u201d,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33024,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[350],"tags":[488,1346,692,412,405],"class_list":["post-33023","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-488","tag-elections","tag-gecom","tag-ncn-guyana","tag-ncn-news"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncnguyana.com\/2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33023","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncnguyana.com\/2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncnguyana.com\/2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncnguyana.com\/2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncnguyana.com\/2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33023"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ncnguyana.com\/2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33023\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33025,"href":"https:\/\/ncnguyana.com\/2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33023\/revisions\/33025"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncnguyana.com\/2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33024"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncnguyana.com\/2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33023"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncnguyana.com\/2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33023"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncnguyana.com\/2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33023"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}