GECOM should strengthen communication strategy, standardise voting booth layout – PSC recommends

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) is calling on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to continue strengthening several operational areas ahead of future elections, including the refinement of its digital Statements of Polls (SOPs) system, enhancements to public communication, and the standardisation of voting booth layouts across the country.
PSC Chairman, Captain Gerald Gouveia Jr, made the recommendations during the release of the Commission’s comprehensive 2025 General and Regional Elections Observation Report – one of the most extensive private sector–led monitoring efforts in Guyana’s history.
Speaking to media operatives on Wednesday, Gouveia acknowledged public concerns that some booth configurations may have risked the appearance of compromised ballot secrecy. While PSC observers found no evidence that any voter’s ballot was exposed or that secrecy was violated, he said the issue demonstrated the need for an agreed and uniform booth design.
Additionally, the PSC Chairman strongly praised GECOM’s decision to publish all SOPs online within 24 hours – calling it one of the most important transparency measures ever implemented.
However, Gouveia stressed the need to make the digital system faster and more efficient.
“The further refinement of the digital SOP publication, we must commend GECOM for their initiative in creating probably the most transparent move in publishing all the SOPs online for the public to see. Whilst it is a new technology that they’re implementing, there is room for improvement, and we will be open to working with GECOM to create more efficiency in that system… For the digital SOP publication, it will really be coming down to using more technology to speed up the process of which from the time that the SOPs are prepared to the time that is published, and just creating more efficiency there. Keeping that in mind, we have gone from a system where when SOPs were created in the past, it used to take days to get into the public’s hands, and in some cases over a week. This time, within 24 hours, we had all the SOPs for public consumption, and I think that that is a massive improvement. However, we would like to see that system, with the use of technology, to improve,” the PSC Chairman said.

GECOM’s communication strategy
Further, Gouveia said that while GECOM improved its public education efforts with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), gaps remain, particularly during the election period, on Election Day, and during tabulation and recounts.
The PSC is requesting structured dialogue with GECOM on state media usage and messaging standards during elections.
“So, we were well aware that the UN did a lot of work with GECOM to improve its education, public awareness systems. However, where we see room for improvement is specifically during the election cycle on Election Day and during the tabulation and recount processes, where if they have a more robust communication strategy, they can put their messages out there and combat any opportunities of misinformation that were circulating. So that will be one of the recommendations that we would have for their communication structure and strategy,” he explained.

Elections were “peaceful, credible, transparent.”
In its Executive Summary, the PSC concluded that the 2025 General and Regional Elections were conducted in a credible and transparent manner, with results that reflect the will of the electorate.
The PSC deployed 150 trained observers across key regions, supported by a fully staffed Observer Coordination Centre operating from August 29 to September 4.
Key findings include polling stations opened on time and were well-managed; GECOM staff acted professionally and impartially; strong multiparty oversight was present, including Peoples Progressive Party/Civic, A Partnership for National Unity, and We Invest in Nationhood representatives; the recount and tabulation processes were transparent, consistent, and rule-based; and no evidence was found to support public allegations regarding voter list issues, ballot secrecy breaches, or undue influence.
Gouveia emphasised that GECOM has transformed its operations since the traumatic events of 2020.
“We moved from the most egregious attempt to interfere with our electoral system in 2020 to the most peaceful, efficient, and credible election in 2025.”
He credited GECOM staff, the Joint Services, political parties, observers, and the media for contributing to a well-administered election.