The Carter Center’s limited election observation mission has urged Guyana’s Elections Commission (GECOM) to immediately publish detailed tabulation procedures and step up its communication with the public, warning that gaps in information could weaken confidence in the integrity of the September 01 general and regional elections.The Carter Center stressed that Guyana’s elections remain on track but trust hinges on action in the days ahead.In its first report since deploying a core team to Georgetown in late June, the mission also called on all political parties to sign and uphold the Ethnic Relations Commission’s (ERC) code of conduct, noting with concern that A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) have refused to do so. The code commits parties to avoid hate speech, inflammatory rhetoric, and ethnically divisive campaigning.“Without clarity, transparency and a common set of ground rules, public confidence in the process suffers,” the mission warned, adding that GECOM must make the tabulation process publicly understandable and predictable to prevent confusion or suspicion on election night.Guyana amended its electoral laws in 2022 to address problems exposed during the disputed 2020 elections.Despite these changes, the Carter Center stressed that most of its recommendations from 2020 remain unaddressed, and that civil society and some opposition parties lack understanding of the new procedures. It pressed GECOM to release its full tabulation plan and to hold regular press briefings throughout the pre-election period and the count.Six parties are approved to contest the elections, with 2,790 polling stations planned across 1,128 polling places. Over 11,700 polling staff have been identified and will undergo refresher training. Ballots printed in Canada have already arrived in the country.Still, the mission flagged concerns about GECOM’s impartiality, noting that in the absence of a legal officer, the commission has at times turned to the Attorney General—himself a political candidate—for advice, raising questions of conflict of interest. It welcomed moves to recruit an independent legal adviser.The mission described the campaign as generally peaceful, though not without tension. It reported sporadic confrontations, flag removals, and delays in police approvals for new parties’ events. The We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party’s presidential candidate was also denied interior airline service and access to some public spaces—obstacles that, the mission said, compromise equal participation rights.It urged all parties to discourage provocation by supporters and to guarantee freedom of assembly without fear.The Carter Center said it received reports of intimidation affecting public workers and business owners, including instances where employees were transferred after encounters with opposition candidates. It also cited concerns raised by the Guyana Press Association over attempts by both government and opposition figures to censor or intimidate journalists.The mission pointed to multiple allegations of the misuse of state resources and state media output, it noted, appears skewed in favour of the ruling party, with limited or no coverage of opposition events and at least one report of a party being denied advertising space.One of the most serious developments flagged is the banking sector’s response to U.S. sanctions imposed in 2024 on WIN candidate Azruddin Mohamed, his father Nazar Mohamed, several businesses, and senior government official Mae Thomas Jr.Since WIN’s list was approved in July, three local banks have closed accounts belonging to about 40 WIN candidates, members, and associates. Some candidates were reportedly dismissed by employers for joining the ticket.The Carter Center warned that such “de-risking” goes beyond what FATF and OFAC guidelines require, stressing that sanctions risk arises from prohibited financial transactions—not political association. It said blanket account closures undermine democratic rights and electoral integrity by deterring citizens from political participation.The mission, which the Carter Center characterises as “limited” because no long-term observers are deployed outside Georgetown, will issue a preliminary statement after election day and a full report in the months following.The post Carter Center presses GECOM on tabulation rules, urges parties to sign code as other issues cloud Sept. 1 polls appeared first on News Room Guyana.