–as House approves $7.3B for elections body to advance preparations for upcoming polls
SOME $7.3 billion in funding for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) was approved by the Committee of Supply on Monday, as the elections body prepares for the upcoming general and regional elections.
During day two of the consideration of estimates and expenditure of 2025 national budget, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira provided a breakdown of the allocation.
She noted that some 19,000 persons will be trained with the provision of $193 million for education and training.
“This is going to cover the training programmes and the selection, and, you know, identification, and all the Election Day staff,” she clarified while responding to several questions from the parliamentary opposition.
Further, $122 million was also approved for the costs for renting private buildings to serve as polling stations. While some polling stations will be held in public buildings at no cost, others will incur rental fees.
Minister Teixeira said: “We have to have polling stations. Some may be free public buildings. Others may have to be rented.”
In addition, a separate allocation of $427 million has been designated for civic education and public awareness campaigns to ensure voters are fully informed in the lead-up to the elections.
Only recently, the electoral body reiterated its commitment to ensuring the election process is safeguarded and its integrity upheld, with a focus on maintaining a free, fair, transparent, and credible system that earns the confidence of the public.
“GECOM takes this opportunity to categorically state that it will ensure the safeguards and integrity of its processes in the conduct of elections that will guarantee public confidence in a system that is free, fair, transparent and credible,” the commission said.