BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - AMBASSADOR Michael Powell has joined the CARICOM contingent that will oversee the 2021 General Elections in St. Lucia, which is scheduled for Monday, July 26.
Powell is part of a 10-member mission selected by the Caribbean Community to monitor the elections, after the incumbent Prime Minister, Allen Chastanet, wrote to the Secretary General inviting CARICOM to field a CARICOM Election Observation Mission (CEOM) to observe the conduct of the General Elections.
The group’s primary objectives are to observe the electoral process, collect qualitative and quantitative information regarding the voting process and the results to facilitate the preparation of an Independent Final Report on the General Elections.
CARICOM said that the Core Group arrived between July 20 and 22, and that since their arrival discussions were held with the Prime Minister; Claudius Francis, Representative of the Leader of the Opposition; Political Leader of the St. Lucia Labour Party, Mr. Milton Desir; Commissioner of Police, Ms. Cynthia Combie Martyr; Chairperson and representatives of the Electoral Commission of St. Lucia.
Meetings were also with a number of independent candidates, among others.
“These meetings are being held in an effort to provide the CEOM with an idea of the atmosphere and level of preparedness for the election. As part of the precautionary measures with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of the appointments have been conducted virtually,” CARICOM said.
According to CARICOM, the Mission would witness the advanced polls, which would include police officers, poll day workers, fire service officers and hospital patients, which would take place on Friday, July 23, 2021.
The CEOM will continue to observe the pre-election period and the Election Day activities, including the opening of the polls through to the tabulation and announcement of the results.
