Govt committed to Carter Center electoral reforms, but process must be phased – AG

– says most recommendations to be implemented before 2030 elections

Attorney General (AG) and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, on Tuesday, during his weekly programme “Issues in the News”, highlighted that while the Government supports the recommendations contained in the Carter Center’s Final Report on Guyana’s September 1, 2025, General and Regional Elections, implementation must be done in phases.

He pointed to constitutional issues as one of the main constraints, noting that some reforms would require broader national consultation and legal restructuring. As such, he noted that the Constitutional Reform Commission has been tasked with leading public engagement and reviewing proposed changes.
“We are committed to implementing most of these recommendations, but they have to be done in stages. Some require constitutional interventions in relation to the constitutional matters. We have said that we have left that to an abroad-based constitutional reform commission whose mandate it is to go out and engage in public consultations regarding what reforms should be recommended. The constitutional reform commission is up and running and is doing its business,” Nandlall noted.
According to Nandlall, the commission is operational and is preparing an outreach programme intended to gather public input across the country.
“Tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday), there is a scheduled meeting to take place. One of the things that we are concluding discussions on in that commission is the planning of an outreach programme which will begin public consultations across the length and breadth of Guyana. So, the process is an ongoing one. By the time the next election cycle comes around, we will have accomplished most of the tasks we set for ourselves. It’s a process,” Nandlall noted.
Overall, the AG described the report as largely positive. He referenced the report’s comparison with 2020, saying it acknowledged that reforms were introduced to decentralise and improve transparency in the tabulation of results.
The attorney general said the intention was to prevent a repeat of what he described as a “fiasco” in the previous election cycle.
“I believe it’s a good report. It highlighted some very crucial issues,” Nandlall commented.
“They reported that election day voting in Guyana was generally well conducted, calm, and orderly, with more polling stations opening on time, adequate materials in place, and procedures properly followed throughout the opening, voting, closing, and counting. They have ticked all boxes. The entire voting process, from the opening of polls to the closing of polls, was properly done, orderly, calm, and sufficient materials were provided.”
Released on May 14, the report noted that the tabulation of results in Guyana’s 2025 elections took place against the backdrop of the deeply contested 2020 tabulation process, which had eroded public trust and prompted legal and procedural reforms aimed at decentralisation and greater transparency.
“They’re reflecting back on the 2020 horrendous experience, and they have acknowledged new procedures and new legal reforms intended to decentralise that tabulation process and avoid what happened at that fiasco at the Splashmins building [in 2020]. The report notes that overall, the legislative changes made to the tabulation process following the 2020 elections were positive and contributed to a more efficient and transparent tabulation process that better ensured results announced reflected the will of the people as expressed on Election Day,” Nandlall noted.
He added that “so this is what the amendments that we have done, the reforms that we have done. These are the fruits of the reforms, and yet we are hearing that we have not done any reforms… These are highly commendable statements coming from The Carter Center.”