Private Sector expects smooth Guyana election

Guyana’s Private Sector Commission (PSC) Saturday said it expects the September 1 General and Regional Elections to be free and fair.

The PSC will deploy more than 150 observers nationwide, many of them young people. Its operations centre will run 24 hours during the polls.

PSC Chairman Gerry Gouveia Jr. said a risk assessment rated the likelihood of incidents as “low to moderate.” Possible disruptions such as power cuts at election offices or road protests had contingency plans, he added.

“We are not anticipating any large-scale civil unrest,” Gouveia told reporters. “I feel this is the most ready I have ever seen our Joint Services, and the most unified in their approach to preparing for a peaceful process.”

Gouveia praised the elections commission’s plan to publish Statements of Poll (SOPs) online, saying it would “add a new layer of transparency.”

He urged politicians to take responsibility for their supporters. “We expect you to lead. You have to be accountable… We are calling on all political leaders to make sure they are not inciting violence with their language,” he said.

PSC Security and Governance Committee head Norman McLean said splitting large regions such as Three and Four into smaller subdivisions would make tabulation easier. “We are doing everything possible. I don’t anticipate that we will have great problems,” he said.

Both officials said their goal was to ensure the process runs smoothly and Guyana’s democratic values are maintained.