GECOM will be ready in September – Charles Corbin
Apr 09, 2025
Kaieteur News – The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) will be ready to host the 2025 General and Regional Elections by late September, Opposition-nominated commissioner Charles Corbin disclosed on Tuesday.
GECOM Commissioner Charles Corbin
Last month, President Irfaan Ali said elections will be held by year-end while noting that his government will not be going a day beyond its constitutional mandate.
Speaking to reporters outside the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) office in Kingston, Georgetown, Corbin said the Commission was required to produce a work plan outlining the earliest possible date for elections.
“At our request, there is a request to produce a work plan which will give an indication of the earliest possible date, in accordance with the secretariat’s independent considerations, that we will be able to deliver such an election,” he stated.
Corbin added, “That plan has been submitted, but we have not had the opportunity to discuss it. However, it does indicate that late September will be the earliest possible date.”
He stated that GECOM’s primary review of the content indicates that this timeline is feasible and it is in keeping with normal election requirements, that it is usually called between the first of September and the first of December.
The commissioner said that, providing the President does not call elections before GECOM’s estimated timeframe, mid to late September remains a realistic timeframe.
“The secretariat has already indicated that it is not feasible to deliver elections before late September,” Corbin stated.
He also highlighted the internal processes required before elections can take place. “There are internal requirements regarding the amount of time that should lapse between nomination day and election day,” Corbin explained.
“Based on our experience, there are procedures between the extraction of a Preliminary List of Electors (PLE) and the delivery of a Revised List of Electors (RLE), as well as the time it takes to post it. When you consider these factors, there are other issues tied to both legislation and practical occurrences.”
Corbin further noted that parties contesting the election need to have access to the list of electors in order to gather nominators and candidates before nomination day.
“While this is not legislated, it is a consideration that GECOM will have to address, ensuring that contestants are given sufficient time to comply with the legislative requirements,” he said.
Related
Similar Articles
