AS Guyana prepares to enter another electoral season, President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s assurance that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government will respect its constitutional mandate is a breath of fresh air relative to the tumultuous recent past.

Unlike the previous coalition government, which sought to undermine the democratic process by employing a series of legal challenges and delays, the current government has pledged to respect the will of the Guyanese people.

This is not only a moral but a legal imperative, for the Constitution is quite explicit regarding when elections must be conducted.

Still fresh in the mind is the 2020 elections, when Guyanese endured an agonising five months waiting for results as the APNU+AFC coalition attempted to rig the outcome.

The world condemned the attempt, and it required international pressure and a national recount for the people’s legitimate mandate to be upheld.

The budgetary allocation in the 2025 budget for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to prepare for the upcoming elections is yet another signal of the government’s determination for a smooth and timely process.

As Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has announced, elections can be anticipated in November, within constitutional timeframes.

This transparency and adherence to the Rule of Law are vital in restoring faith in the electoral process.

The people of Guyana, in the past, have been extremely resilient and patient in the face of political uncertainty, and it is critical that their trust be rewarded with free, fair, and timely elections.

The position of the PPP/C government is a move in the right direction to have Guyana’s democratic institutions strengthened, and the peoples will upheld.

As the country goes forward, it is necessary that all political players play by the rules of democracy, so that the development of the country is not derailed by political intrigue.