Caricom team to observe St Kitts election

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has fielded a CARICOM Election Observation Mission to monitor the General Elections in St Kitts and Nevis on Friday, June 5.

According to a media statement from the Caricom Secretariat, the invitation to observe the elections was extended by the government of St Kitts.

Gasper Jean Baptiste, Chief Elections Officer of St Lucia, who has served as a member of CARICOM Election Observation Missions to other member states, will lead the three-member team. The other members are two Grenadians: H.E. Arley Gill and Chester Arlington Humphrey.

The statement said the members of the Observation Mission propose to meet with the electoral officials, leaders of political parties and other stakeholders of St Kitts and Nevis, and will monitor the voting process, including the opening of the poll, the casting of votes, the closing of the poll and the counting of the ballots.

The members of the Observation Mission arrived in St Kitts and Nevis on Wednesday, June 3 and will leave on Sunday, June 7.

The Election Observation Mission will issue a Preliminary Statement based on its observations and findings. A report on the General Elections will be subsequently prepared and submitted to the Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community.

“For CARICOM, election observation serves as a platform to support existing democratic traditions within the Caribbean Community as part of its wider policy of supporting democracy and good governance. In this regard, at the request of the Government of the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis, the CARICOM Secretariat conducted virtual training in election observation for a group of local election observers,” the statement said. (PR)