GECOM chairwoman’s refusal to support Alexander and our constitutional call for inmates’ Right to Vote

Jun 09, 2025 Letters

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Dear Editor,

Kaieteur News – The Bartica United Youth Development Group (BUYDG) issues this statement in direct response to the recent refusal by the Chairwoman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Retired Justice Claudette Singh, to support the proposal put forward by Commissioner Mr. Vincent Alexander as well as our organisation’s own previous written appeals for all eligible Guyanese citizens held in state custody to be allowed to vote in the upcoming general and regional elections.

This response is not only in light of our prior written requests, but also in solidarity with the public and constitutional arguments put forward by Mr. Alexander. We stand firmly with his position, and we reject the suggestion made by the Chairwoman that there is a law barring communication with inmates which would prevent the facilitation of their participation in elections. Such a claim is unfounded and misleading.

We challenge the Chairwoman to state which specific law prohibits society, civil organizations, or electoral authorities from speaking with inmates. Even if such a policy exists in any department, it does not and cannot override the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, which clearly outlines that only persons convicted of election-related offences or those legally deemed insane may be denied the right to vote.

We further emphasise that our organisation, BUYDG, has not only made repeated written appeals but has also submitted a detailed, practical system to facilitate the smooth, secure, and constitutionally sound voting of inmates a system that mirrors how voting is organized for the Disciplined Services. However, neither the GECOM Chairwoman nor any representative of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) has responded to or acknowledged these proposals. Their silence is unacceptable and speaks volumes.

We are therefore forced to question whether the Chairwoman’s position is being guided by political influence, particularly from the ruling PPPC. The government has repeatedly failed to address the inhumane conditions within the Guyana Prison Service and continues to ignore credible reports of abuse. These include serious allegations such as female prison officer Lewis slapping remand inmate Leon Bishop, and male prison officer violently stomping inmate Samuel Commings, leading to his death from internal injuries, bleeding from the ears and nose.

Under the former APNU+AFC government, hundreds of rehabilitated inmates, including those serving life sentences, were granted early release, parole, or pardon, after being deemed fit to return to society. Under the current PPPC administration, however, despite millions reportedly spent on rehabilitation programs, there has been minimal or no structured release or reintegration efforts, proving that this administration lacks the will to protect the rights and dignity of incarcerated citizens.

We believe the refusal to support inmate voting stems from political fear, that inmates will vote against the government, given their lived experiences of abuse, neglect, and systemic failure. The PPPC General Secretary himself declared that the party would campaign based on its track record, but in the case of the prison system, there is no track record worth defending.
We therefore reiterate our demand for GECOM and its Chairwoman to act in accordance with the Constitution of Guyana and the oath of office taken by the Chair. We call for immediate steps to facilitate voting by all eligible incarcerated citizens. We call on the Opposition parties to take this matter before the courts in the form of a constitutional motion, so that the rights of inmates many or all of whom are eligible voters being held without conviction or for any electoral crimes can no longer be disenfranchised. This issue is not about whether Mr. Alexander acted based on the call that was first made by the BUYDG; this is a constitutional issue that needs to be addressed and respected.

If you do not wish to solely take up the challenge, and if the Government or GECOM does not support the call for inmates to vote, then we call on the Opposition to provide us with lawyer(s), preferably offering pro bono services, as we are a non-profit, non-governmental organization, and we will move forward with this challenge to the court. We can be reached at the contact numbers listed below, where you can speak directly with one of our executive representatives.

We are also open to engaging in dialogue with the GECOM Chairwoman and any Government or PPPC officials to ensure the voting rights of inmates are upheld.

We wish to remind all parties that the Carter Center also recommended that inmates in Guyana be allowed to vote, in keeping with international human rights standards and supportive United Nations laws.

1. Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana

• Article 59: “Subject to the provisions of Article 159, every person may vote at an election if he or she is of the age of eighteen years or upwards and is a citizen of Guyana.”
• Article 159 (2): “No person shall be qualified to be registered as an elector who is found or declared to be of unsound mind or is under sentence of death or imprisonment for an offence connected with the election process.”

Interpretation: This means that only those convicted of election-related offences or legally declared insane are disqualified. All other inmates, including those on remand or serving time for non-election-related offences, retain the right to vote.

2. Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)

• Article 21(1): “Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.”
• Article 21(3): “The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections.”

These articles support universal suffrage, with no lawful basis for blanket exclusion of inmates unless justified by specific and proportionate legal reasons.

3. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)

• Article 25: “Every citizen shall have the right and the opportunity… to vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections… without unreasonable restrictions.”

Guyana is a party to the ICCPR, and broad denial of voting rights to prisoners is considered an “unreasonable restriction” under international human rights law unless linked to the seriousness of the crime and clearly justified.

4. United Nations Human Rights Committee (General Comment No. 25 on Article 25 of the ICCPR)

• The Committee has stated that prisoners should not be denied the right to vote solely because of imprisonment and that restrictions must be “proportionate and reasonable.”

In 2006, the Committee explicitly called on countries to review laws that restrict prisoners’ right to vote, especially where the restrictions are blanket or arbitrary.

5. The American Convention on Human Rights (ACHR) (if applicable regionally)

• Article 23: Ensures the right to vote and take part in government without unreasonable restrictions.

6. The Carter Center Recommendations (Guyana Elections)

• The Carter Center, a respected international election observation body, has recommended that Guyana extend voting rights to inmates, particularly those on remand or not convicted of disqualifying offences.

These recommendations are in line with UN principles and international best practices for democratic inclusion.

7. Relevant Precedents and International Jurisprudence

• Hirst v. United Kingdom (No. 2), European Court of Human Rights, 2005: The blanket ban on prisoner voting was found to violate the European Convention on Human Rights.

Guyana’s democracy must be inclusive. No citizen should be denied the right to vote based solely on their place of custody.

Yours faithfully, 

Kellion Leps

General President (ag)

Bartica United Youth Development Group (BUYDG)

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• Bartica United Youth Development Group, Claudette Singh, GECOM, General and Regional Elections, GuyanaElections, Kellion Leps, letter, Prisoners Vote, Vincent Alexander

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