–outlines plans

BY way of communication dated April 9, 2024, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana has advised Member States that Guyana’s General and Regional Elections would be held in 2025.

An invitation was extended to the CARICOM Secretariat to mount an Election Observation Mission (CEOM) to Guyana. Subsequently, on May 25, 2025, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, announced that the General and Regional Elections will be held on September 1, 2025.  

In response to the invitation, the Caribbean Community mounted a ten-member CARICOM Election Observation Mission (CEOM) to observe the electoral processes for the General and Regional Elections, from August 26 to September 3, 2025. The Mission comprises Electoral Officials from eight CARICOM Member States.

The CEOM is headed by the Chief of Mission, Ms. Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer of the Elections and Boundaries Department of Belize.  The other Members of the Observation Mission are as follows:

• Antigua and Barbuda – Mr. Ian Hughes, Supervisor of Elections (Deputy Chief of Mission);
• The Bahamas – Mr. Harrison L. Thompson, Parliamentary Commissioner;
• Belize – Ms. Fatima Gordon, Supervisor of Registering Officers, Elections and Boundaries Department;
• Dominica – Ambassador Felix Gregoire, Chairman, Public Service Commission;
• Grenada – Mr. Michael Paul Millette, Information Systems Administrator, Grenada Parliamentary Elections Office;
• Saint Lucia – Mr. Herman St. Helen, Chief Election Officer;
• Suriname – Ms. Reita Joemratie, Member, Independent Electoral Council;
• Suriname – Ms. Sonja Galimo, Member, Independent Electoral Council; and
• Trinidad and Tobago – Ms. Lena Champa Sahadeo, Deputy Chief Elections Officer.

The CEOM is supported by the following CARICOM Secretariat staff:

• Ms. Elizabeth Solomon, Assistant Secretary-General, Foreign and Community Relations;
• Ambassador David Prendergast, Director, Sectoral Programmes;
• Ms. Angella Prendergast, Director, Foreign and Community Relations;
• Mr. Dike Noel, Manager, Communications;
• Ms. Shae-Alicia Lewis, Programme Manager, Community Relations;
• Mr. Jhonson Alexandre, Deputy Programme Manager, Foreign and Community Relations;
• Ms. Anna Lisa Jones-Reis, Senior Project Officer (Ag.), Foreign and Community Relations; and
• Mr. Irvin Brown, Project Officer, Foreign and Community Relations.

The Deputy Chief of Mission arrived on August 26, 2025, and the Chief of Mission and one Observer arrived on August 27, 2025. Other Observers arrived on August 28, 2025.  Since arrival, meetings have been held with the Chairman and Chief Elections Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), the Guyana Integrity Commission, the Commissioner of Police, the Ethnic Relations Commission, and the Women and Gender Equality Commission, the media, and various civil society groups.

Over the next days, the Mission will meet with President Ali and Leader of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Representatives of the Leader of the Opposition – A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), Alliance for Change (AFC), Assembly of Liberty and Prosperity (ALP) and Forward Guyana Movement (FGM).

The team will also engage with additional civil society institutions and stakeholders, including local and international observers.  These meetings are expected to provide the CEOM with a general idea of the atmosphere and level of preparedness for the elections. The CEOM will continue to observe the pre-elections period, elections day and post-election activities.

The role of the CEOM Observers on election day is to observe the electoral process, including preparations for the start of the poll, the casting of votes, the closure of the polling stations, the counting of the ballots, the preparation of the statement of polls and the tabulation of results. Qualitative and quantitative information regarding the voting process and the results will be collected to facilitate the preparation of an Independent Final Report on the General and Regional Elections to the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

Following the conclusion of the Election Day activities on September 1, 2025, and prior to the Mission’s departure on September 3, 2025, a Preliminary Statement will be issued, outlining the Mission’s initial assessment of the electoral process. The Mission will, thereafter, prepare a detailed Independent Final Report on the elections for submission to Dr. Carla Barnett, Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community.  

The CEOM said it is pleased to accept the invitation and appreciates the warm welcome given to the team by the people of Guyana. The CEOM looks forward to supporting the democratic processes of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and extends best wishes to the Guyanese people as they prepare to go to the polls with pride and unity on Monday,  September 1, 2025. (CARICOM)