The United States Government will be offering experts to assist the Guyana Police Force (GPF) with security training ahead of the September 1, 2025 General and Regional Elections, according to US Ambassador to Guyana Nicole Theriot.
“So, what we’re going to be doing very shortly is bringing in police trainers – we haven’t settled yet on whether it’s Las Vegas or Miami Dade – to provide election day security training. So, to help the GPF be prepared for whatever might come,” the Ambassador told reporters on the sidelines of an event this morning.
The US diplomat explained that it was the GPF that requested this assistance from the US Government in order to prepare its ranks for the upcoming polls.
“As you know, our elections, no matter how contentious they might be, are always peaceful for the most part and so we do have a lot of expertise in that area in the United States. So, we’re were very happy to help,” she added.
Ambassador Theriot could not say how many experts will be coming but noted that it would be a small number. Those persons, she stated, would train a cohort of GPF ranks who would then pass on the techniques to the Force’s wider membership.
In addition to the support for the GPF, the US will also be lending support to various elections observer missions here to monitor the upcoming polls.
“For example, we’re funding two-thirds of the OAS (Organization of American States) Election Observation Mission, who’ll be coming. And we’re working extremely closely with the Carter Center, who we’re thrilled… arrived here at the end of June to do their elections observation through [to] the results tabulation. So, we’re very very pleased to have that incredible institution here and to be able to support them along with my colleagues at the UK (United Kingdom), EU (European) and Canadian missions.”
The US also assisted the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to field technical expertise who are currently working with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) in their preparation for the September 1 polls.
According to Ambassador Theriot, this collaboration is crucial in ensuring that there is an international presence at all polling stations across the entire country throughout this electoral process.
“We meet regularly with GECOM – the CEO, the Commissioners, the Chairman – and as they’ve described the process, we feel that this can be a free, fair and transparent elections but all of the procedures just simply have to be followed at every polling stations in the country, and that is why having those international observers there, having those party observers there is going to be very instrumental in that,” the US envoy posited.
At least 21 political parties have signalled their interest in contesting the upcoming General and Regional Elections, with GECOM already approving their symbols.
On Monday – Nomination Day, these parties will have to submit their respective Lists of Candidates and Nominators to the Elections Commission for approval.
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