Canada’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Sébastien Sigouin, is calling on voters in Guyana to make their voices heard in ensuring that the country’s electoral process is truly free and fair.
‘Democracy belongs to the Guyanese People. So speak up, call on your elected representatives, on your National Assembly, on your Government to take action and make the changes needed so that your electoral process is truly free and fair. It’s your right and your responsibility,’ Sigouin said, following the release on Tuesday of the final report of the European Union Election Observer Mission(EUEOM) for the Guyana Elections 2025.
‘The release .of the report and recommendations from the EU Electoral Observation Mission was a reminder that although improvements have been made and election day was calm, much work is needed to continue strengthening the electoral process.
‘Canada was proud to be a partner in supporting efforts to ensure everything ran smoothly,’ the Canadian diplomat said, writing on his Facebook page.
In its final report, the EUEOM recommends that the government activate the 2023 Data Protection Act to block a repeat of the malicious use of Guyanese personal data, such as those collected for processing of the cash grant, for political purposes.
‘Data protection legislation is not in effect, hence politically motivated doxing occurred with impunity and government-held personal data of cash grant receivers appears to have been misused for political gains,’ according to the report.
It said that one of the priority recommendations is for government to implement the Data Protection Act and establish a publicly accountable data protection office, thus effectively protecting voters’ personal data from undue publication and from misuse for political gains.
The EUEOM noted that the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) call centre used mobile phone numbers of citizens who received cash grants to solicit votes, saying such practices do not accord with Guyana’s international commitments, including the EU – Latin America and Caribbean Joint Declaration on a Digital Alliance
‘ Hence, politically motivated doxing occurred with impunity and citizens’ mobile phone numbers collected by the government were used to solicit votes,’ the mission said, noting also that the police took no action against perpetrators, intimidating and unwarranted publicity allegedly by PPP/C activists who profiled people visible in photos from the newly formed We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) political party events.
‘Doxing was primarily used to discourage political participation and critical expression, as well as to expose candidates and voters to harassment.
‘Several opposition leaning influencers and politicians informed about unlawful publication of their and their family members’ personal data on social media,’ states the report which has already been presented to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and representatives of political parties.
The 2023 Data Protection Act provides for the establishment of a data protection office, led by a commissioner, who is appointed by the President and is tasked to oversee the enforcement.
But the report states that a data commissioner is not appointed, a data protection office is not established and there has not been a public debate on the implementation of the Act.
Nonetheless the report praised the quality of the 2023 Data Protection Act, saying it is largely aligned with international standards, detailing the processing of personal data held by various state agencies and private entities, requiring individual consent for the use of personal data and shielding from unwarranted profiling.
In the 77 page report, the EUEOM made reference to the Article 17 of United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which states that ‘No one shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his privacy [.] Everyone has the right to the protection [.] against such interference or attacks’.