Guyana: FGM moves to High Court, challenges date of general elections

Guyana: The Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), led by Amanza Walton-Desir moved to the High Court to challenge its exclusion from the ballots for the general election. The movement also seeks an order restraining the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) from contesting the general elections on September 1, 2025.

The movement also noted that they will not contest for council seats. They went to the court and noted that they would challenge the order until that political party’s list of candidates is duly included on the ballots in all 10 electoral regions. The court papers seen by FGM candidate Krystal Hadassah will be kept in accordance with Guyana’s constitution and the representation of the People Act. 

The FGM also stressed that they are seeking declarations that GECOM’s practice in excluding political parties contesting the national elections. They said that they were also restrained from appearing on the ballot in certain geographic regions that have also violated the applicant’s rights. The movement noted that they have also violated the rights of voters in those regions. 

As per the FGM, they also asked for the declarations that the GECOM’s exclusion of the FGM list of candidates from the ballots for the national elections in Regions 7, 8 and 9 constituencies. At the press conference, the party contends that such exclusions deny electors the right to vote for “duly approved national lists” and discriminate against other communities including the people of idnigenous communities. 

Guyana is all set to go for polls on September 1, 2025 and there are several concerns and controversies that have been recorded in recent times. There are several concerns about the list of the voters as reports noted that the list included thousands of overseas dead. The concerns also added that there is also need to verify the list of the voters who are absentees over the years. 

Now,the party is also demanding inclusion in regions where it has no candidates.