Hughes calls for release of census data and clean voters list ahead of national elections

Noting that the governing People’s Progressive Party appears to be setting the stage to call early General and Regional Elections, recently elected Leader of the Alliance For Change, Nigel Hughes, believes it will not be feasible to hold National Elections, unless and until the national census results are published and there is a clean voters list available.

General and Regional Elections are constitutionally due next year, but in a social media post, Mr. Hughes said he is suspects early elections might be called, as he cited intensified government outreaches by Ministers.

“The tea leaves are suggesting that there is likely to be an early election. Government Ministers are holding public meetings. There can be no election without the census results being published first and a clean electoral list. The bloated list of electors will not cut it. Why subject the country to another problematic election,” Mr. Hughes said.

Opposition Leader and PNC Reform Leader, Aubrey Norton, has also suggested that the Government is setting the stage to call a snap elections. However, both President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, have brushed aside the suspicions saying that elections will be held by November next year.

The Political Opposition seems to be intensifying its calls for a Clean Voters List.

The PPP has long declared that although the list might have some issues, the removal of names from the list might be illegal based on a ruling by the Chief Justice.

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has since embarked on another round of claims and objections, hoping to use the exercise to sanitize the list, but the combined Opposition believes that is not enough to ensure free and fair elections.