Commonwealth mission lauds peaceful elections, calls for reforms

The Commonwealth Observer Group has praised Guyana’s 2025 General and Regional Elections as largely peaceful and orderly, while at the same time calling for wide-ranging reforms to strengthen transparency and inclusivity in the country’s democratic process.
At a press briefing on Wednesday, the Chairperson of the mission, former Tongan Foreign Minister Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu, said polling day was calm, with stations generally opening on time and procedures mostly respected. She noted, however, that there were minor inconsistencies in how some rules were applied by polling staff.
The mission commended the Guyana Elections Commission for what it described as significant improvements since the 2020 elections, including the professionalism of staff, the smooth conduct of early voting by the Disciplined Services, and a more transparent tabulation process. For the first time, Statements of Poll were uploaded directly to GECOM’s website, which the observers said enhanced both accuracy and public confidence.
Still, the Commonwealth mission flagged several concerns. These included reports of intimidation targeting public sector workers and business owners, allegations of state resources being used for political campaigning, and unequal media coverage—particularly in state-owned outlets. The observers also pointed out that smaller political parties faced obstacles in holding rallies and campaigning outside of Georgetown, raising questions about the level playing field in the electoral environment.
‘Utoikamanu emphasised that now is the time for Guyana to act on both past and current observer recommendations. She called for reforms to GECOM’s structure to build trust, stronger campaign finance regulations, more equitable media access, and measures such as biometric voter verification to strengthen transparency. She also urged the inclusion of more essential workers in early voting and called for polling stations to be made fully accessible to persons with disabilities.
The Observer Group applauded the commitment of Guyanese voters, noting that the ascertainment of votes and the verification of results were carried out with professionalism and transparency. But the Chairperson also urged political leaders and supporters to remain calm as GECOM finalises the results. “We call on all political parties to continue to encourage their candidates, supporters, and other stakeholders to work for national unity, peace, and solidarity,” she said.
The Commonwealth mission will publish its full and detailed report within the next three months.