The Organization of American States (OAS) team that monitored Monday’s general elections in St. Vincent and the Grenadines says it is satisfied with the conduct of the polls that were won by the ruling Unity Labour Party (ULP).
“The people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines have once again demonstrated their commitment to democracy in a peaceful manner,” said OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza.
In a preliminary statement issued today, the OAS Monitoring Team, headed Ambassador Frank Almaguer, said its members visited all of the 229 polling stations during Monday’s general election that was also contested by the main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) and the Green Party.
“In every case observed, the polls opened on time and had the requisite materials and polling officials. In the morning, there were long lines of voters who patiently waited to exercise their franchise. The presiding officers, poll clerks, party agents and police worked harmoniously throughout the long day, helping citizens find their polling stations and ensuring an organized and peaceful environment.” The OAS said that these officials “expeditiously conducted the preliminary count and most concluded their work one or two hours after the close of the polls.
“In the opinion of the mission, the election was conducted with minimal incidents and complied with international standards for inclusiveness and transparency,” it said, adding that it would continue to monitor the election process by observing the final count on Tuesday.
Ambassador Almaguer will deliver an oral report to the OAS Permanent Council soon, which will be followed by a detailed final report that will be made available thereafter at the OAS website. Apart from the OAS, an observer team from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) also monitored the poll which was called nearly four months ahead of the constitutional deadline of March next year. The ULP won eight of the 15 seats contested in Monday’s election with the remainder going to the NDP. (CMC)
