Leader of the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), Amanza Walton-Desir, has written to the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission, retired Justice Claudette Singh, seeking information on the registration and participation of Commonwealth citizens in the just concluded elections in Guyana.

The Constitution of Guyana provides for a Commonwealth citizen to be able to vote in Guyana once that citizen of the Commonwealth is registered, and has been domiciled and resident in Guyana for a period of one year.

In her letter to the GECOM Chair, Walton-Desir wants to know the total number of registered voters who qualified under the category of Commonwealth citizens resident and domiciled in Guyana, a breakdown of such voters by country of origin, including India, Bangladesh, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados, and other Commonwealth member States and the the number of Commonwealth citizens who actually voted disaggregated by country of origin.

Additionally, the FGM Leader is seeking information on the statutory or regulatory provisions under which Commonwealth citizens were registered and permitted to vote as well as information on the copies of any internal guidelines, directives, or circulars issued by GECOM to its staff concerning the registration, verification, or voting process for Commonwealth citizens.

Walton-Desir said the integrity of Guyana’s electoral system depends on clarity, transparency, and accountability. She added that Guyanese citizens must be assured that their democratic will is not frustrated or diluted by the participation of foreign nationals, noting that the people of Guyana deserve to know under what authority Commonwealth citizens were registered and how their participation was administered.

The Forward Guyana Movement said the request is seeking both statistical data and supporting documentation, and she is hoping that the Commission responds to the information request within two weeks.

Walton-Desir has also informed the international observers of her request. The Forward Guyana Movement has been allocated one seat in the 65-member Parliament following the September 1 elections.

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