Caricom, August 23, 2006...Mr. Hensley Robinson former Chief Elections Officer of Barbados will lead a twelve member team of electoral observers from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to observe the General Elections in Guyana. CARICOM has been invited by the Government of Guyana to monitor the preparations for the General Elections and to observe the conduct of the Elections on 28 August 2006.

The other members of the Mission will include former and present Chief Elections Officers from CARICOM Member States. The Mission is expected to be in place by Thursday 24 August.

The CARICOM Electoral Observer Mission will hold consultations with electoral officials, leaders of political parties, representatives of civil society, and the media, on various aspects of the electoral process.

The Observer Mission will observe the final preparations for the elections, as well as the conduct of the elections on Polling Day including the counting of the ballots.

A report on the outcome and findings of the CARICOM Observer Mission will be submitted to the Community through the Secretary-General of CARICOM.