OAS Following Guyana Elections Closely
http://www.caribbeanpressreleases.com/articles/281/1/OAS-Following-Guyana-Elections-Closely/Page1.html
S Coward
By S Coward
Published on 26-Aug-06
OAS, August 26, 2006...The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS),
José Miguel Insulza, said today that the OAS is closely following the
development of the electoral process in Guyana, and expressed
satisfaction with the steps that have been taken so that peaceful,
transparent elections can be held on Monday.
Elections represent a critical step in country’s development
OAS, August 26, 2006...The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS),
José Miguel Insulza, said today that the OAS is closely following the
development of the electoral process in Guyana, and expressed
satisfaction with the steps that have been taken so that peaceful,
transparent elections can be held on Monday.
Insulza said his decision to designate Assistant Secretary General Albert R. Ramdin as Chief of the OAS Electoral Observation Mission indicates the high level of interest these elections have for the OAS member states.
“These elections represent a critical step in the country’s political and democratic development, and we believe the OAS can play an important role as an impartial observer,” Insulza said. “Ambassador Ramdin has made several visits to Guyana in recent months and has been in permanent contact with the country’s political leaders, electoral authorities and others involved in the process,” Insulza noted, adding that the OAS observer mission will be the most extensive it has fielded in Guyana.
The OAS will deploy a total of 120 observers around the country – three-quarters of the approximately 160 international monitors that will be on hand for the August 28 general and regional elections. Half of the OAS mission will be made up of trained volunteers from locally based diplomatic missions; the other members of the team have been arriving this week from various countries in the hemisphere.
Ambassador Ramdin arrived in Guyana on Tuesday for his fifth visit this year, and has met this week with representatives of other international monitors – the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Carter Center – as well as with domestic observer groups. On Friday and Saturday, he will participate in training sessions for international and national observers.
Ramdin has also had a number of meetings with authorities responsible for election planning and security, including leaders of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Minister of Home Affairs Gail Teixeira, Acting Police Commissioner Henry Greene, and the head of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier General Edward Collins.
Insulza said his decision to designate Assistant Secretary General Albert R. Ramdin as Chief of the OAS Electoral Observation Mission indicates the high level of interest these elections have for the OAS member states.
“These elections represent a critical step in the country’s political and democratic development, and we believe the OAS can play an important role as an impartial observer,” Insulza said. “Ambassador Ramdin has made several visits to Guyana in recent months and has been in permanent contact with the country’s political leaders, electoral authorities and others involved in the process,” Insulza noted, adding that the OAS observer mission will be the most extensive it has fielded in Guyana.
The OAS will deploy a total of 120 observers around the country – three-quarters of the approximately 160 international monitors that will be on hand for the August 28 general and regional elections. Half of the OAS mission will be made up of trained volunteers from locally based diplomatic missions; the other members of the team have been arriving this week from various countries in the hemisphere.
Ambassador Ramdin arrived in Guyana on Tuesday for his fifth visit this year, and has met this week with representatives of other international monitors – the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Carter Center – as well as with domestic observer groups. On Friday and Saturday, he will participate in training sessions for international and national observers.
Ramdin has also had a number of meetings with authorities responsible for election planning and security, including leaders of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Minister of Home Affairs Gail Teixeira, Acting Police Commissioner Henry Greene, and the head of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier General Edward Collins.