Guyana government ready for local elections, President Ali says
President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Mohamed Irfaan Ali
Key Points(5)
- Mohamed Irfaan Ali says his government is prepared to hold Local Government Elections (LGE), but the opposition must first resolve internal disputes affecting the country's electoral process.
- Speaking to journalists at his Shiv Chanderpaul Drive office in Georgetown on Friday, November 13, Ali said several outstanding matters surrounding the elections were beyond the government's control and required action from opposition parties.
- He urged the opposition to clarify its position and communicate its decisions to the public and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
- “The courts are there for a purpose and if any stakeholder believes that they need something to be…analysed or adjudicated upon…they [can] use the arm of…the judiciary.
- I can say to you, as a government, we are ready,” Ali said.
Guyana President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali says his government is prepared to hold Local Government Elections (LGE), but the opposition must first resolve internal disputes affecting the country's electoral process.
Speaking to journalists at his Shiv Chanderpaul Drive office in Georgetown on Friday, November 13, Ali said several outstanding matters surrounding the elections were beyond the government's control and required action from opposition parties.
He urged the opposition to clarify its position and communicate its decisions to the public and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
“The courts are there for a purpose and if any stakeholder believes that they need something to be…analysed or adjudicated upon…they [can] use the arm of…the judiciary. I can say to you, as a government, we are ready,” Ali said.
His comments come amid an ongoing dispute over the political composition of GECOM, which has reportedly prevented the electoral body from holding formal meetings since September 2025.
The We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party emerged as the main opposition party following Guyana's September 2025 General and Regional Elections. However, the three opposition-nominated seats on GECOM remain occupied by commissioners appointed under the previous opposition leadership.
Ali maintained that resolving the dispute was the responsibility of the opposition rather than the government.
“Those [issues] have to be settled, and that has nothing to do with the government,” he said.
Despite the uncertainty, Guyana's 2026 national budget allocated G$6.9 billion to GECOM to support its administrative preparations and electoral responsibilities.
Ali also emphasized the importance of leadership renewal within Guyana's democratic system, pointing to the ruling People's Progressive Party/Civic's (PPP/C) performance in previous local government elections.
At the last elections, held on June 12, 2023, the PPP/C secured control of 66 of the country's 80 local authority areas, while A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) won the remaining 14.
The president noted that the PPP/C had contested every constituency in previous local government elections and had consistently outperformed its political rivals.
He also pointed to previous divisions within the opposition, including the involvement of the Working People's Alliance (WPA), Alliance For Change (AFC) and People's National Congress Reform (PNCR).
According to Ali, the current disagreement is not the first time opposition parties have faced the challenge of resolving differences among competing political factions.
While reiterating his government's readiness to proceed with local elections, Ali maintained that the outstanding issues surrounding opposition representation must be addressed through the appropriate channels.
