The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) received a total of 19 symbols from parties wishing to contest the elections almost a month ago. However, only 13 of those parties were able to submit lists of candidates to contest the elections on Nominations Day.
GECOM Public Relations Officer, Yolanda Ward on Friday evening confirmed that the parties which have submitted lists are: A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), People’s Progressive Party (PPP), The Citizenship Initiative (TCI), The New Movement (TNM), A New and United Guyana (ANUG), the United Republican Party (URP), Change Guyana, the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), the Federal United Party (FedUP), the People’s Republic Party (PRP), Organisation for the Victory of the People (OVP), National Independent Party (NIP) and the Guyana National Service Party (GNSP).
Any party which may have an issue with their list is given until January 13 to make corrections. These issues could include duplicate names on the list and missing information, among others. Each party has provided representatives for their lists who will be contacted to make the changes.
While the APNU+AFC, PPP and the URP will be contesting both the General and Regional elections, the other parties are contesting at the regional level.
Speaking with the media on Friday afternoon, Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield said the process was smooth.
“It’s been a fair day so far,” he noted.
There were some issues earlier in the day where some smaller parties argued that they would have been at the location since Thursday but did not get to make their submissions first. In fact, the APNU+AFC was first on the list to make submissions.
Asked about this, Lowenfield said “I did inform all those who were behind the barrier that I will be having a system that says number 1,2,3 and so and that was done.”
Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Justice ret’d Claudette Singh again assured that there will be credible elections.
“I will not sell my integrity for all the oil in Guyana,” she stated.
