Chief Elections Officer clarifies confusion caused by Legal Officer’s unauthorised remarks

In a statement issued late Thursday evening, Vishnu Persaud, the Chief Election Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), denounced recent remarks made by the Commission’s Legal Officer during ongoing legal proceedings in which he is a respondent. Persaud expressed his concerns regarding the Legal Officer’s submission, stating that the pronouncements made were both unauthorised and out of sync with the instructions he had given.

Persaud made it clear that the Legal Officer’s statements, which appeared to represent his position, were completely disconnected from the actual issues before the court and have the potential to create confusion about the preparations for the upcoming elections.

“It is deeply unfortunate that the Legal Officer, who purportedly represented my interests, made pronouncements without my consent,” Persaud remarked. “These statements not only contradict my explicit instructions but also diverge from the Court matter at hand, leading to significant confusion about the state of the election process.”

The Legal Officer’s comments, which were made during a case concerning GECOM’s House-to-House registration process, raised concerns about the structure of voter registration lists and ballots for the upcoming elections.

The backdrop to the statement centres on the National Registration (Amendment) Act of 2022.

Kurt Da Silva, the Attorney for GECOM, submitted to the High Court that the amendment necessitates separate ballots and voter lists due to constitutional requirements regarding residency for voting in Regional Elections.

As Chief Election Officer, Persaud emphasised that the Legal Officer’s statements were in stark contrast to the long-standing practices in the election process. He pointed out that the preparation of voter lists and ballots had not changed since the 2020 General and Regional Elections, and that no discussions regarding the splitting of the ballots or the creation of separate voter lists for the General and Regional Elections had ever been proposed or debated within GECOM.

Furthermore, Persaud expressed concern that these unauthorised pronouncements could lead to uncertainty and disruption in the election preparations. This, he warned, could confuse stakeholders including voters, political parties, and international observers.

“I categorically reject the Legal Officer’s pronouncements, and it is my hope that all concerned will regard them as an aberration,” Persaud declared, emphasising the importance of clarity in the lead-up to the elections.

This legal matter is at the heart of the ongoing case, filed by the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Chief Election Scrutineer, Carol Smith-Joseph, which challenges GECOM’s House-to-House registration process.

Acting Chief Justice Roxane George is expected to deliver her ruling on the case next Friday, March 28, 2025, which will likely set the tone for election preparations in Guyana.