No force should disrupt the will of Guyanese – President Ali tells GDF

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has urged officers of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) to stand ready to maintain peace and order against disruptive threats ahead of the general and regional elections set for later this year.

The Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces reiterated that election is one of the fundamental pillars of democracy and the GDF must fulfil its constitutional mandate of ensuring the process is free from intimidation or disruption.

President Ali made the charge Thursday while delivering the feature address at the opening of the Annual Officers’ Conference held at Base Camp Ayanganna.

“While we do not anticipate unrest or anything that is contrary to the rule of law, we must remain vigilant against any attempt to unsettle internal order,” the president said.

He made it clear that his government respects the political free will of military personnel, but urged that they execute their functions professionally, and in the nation’s best interest.

The officers were reminded of their duty to protect and defend the nation, its security and the preservation of law and order.

The president stated that Guyana’s democracy depends on free, fair, and peaceful elections.

“We will ensure that no force, internal or external, disrupts the will of the people,” the head of state stressed.

The government has earmarked allocations in the 2025 budget for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to prepare for the successful hosting of the much-anticipated elections.

Following the March 2020 elections, Guyana experienced a five-month electoral impasse after the then-government, comprising the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) coalition attempted to manipulate the results.