Commonwealth observers to arrive next Tuesday

A Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) will be deployed to T&T to observe the Apil 28 General Elections. They will arrive on April 22 and meet key stakeholders, including the election management body, political parties, civil society groups, media, the diplomatic community and other regional and citizen observers. This was confirmed by The Commonwealth in a statement on Thursday morning.
 
From April 26, observers will deploy in small teams to different parts of the country to observe election preparations and meet with local stakeholders in their respective locations. 

On election day, the group will observe the opening, voting, closing, counting and the results management processes. The COG will then issue an interim statement on its preliminary findings on 30 April. 

The members of the COG have been mandated to observe and consider factors affecting the credibility of the electoral process as a whole and to assess whether the elections have been conducted according to the standards for democratic elections to which Trinidad and Tobago has committed itself, including national legislation and relevant regional, Commonwealth, and international commitments.
 
The team, led by Evarist Bartolo, a former Foreign Affairs Minister of Malta with over 30 years of parliamentary experience, consists of six eminent persons from across the Commonwealth. They bring expertise in media, law, electoral management, and civil society.
 
According to The Commonwealth, the team will observe all aspects of the elections, offering recommendations to ensure the highest standards of electoral credibility, inclusivity and transparency as they assess the pre-election environment, the voting process, and the post-election period.
 
Commonwealth Secretary-General, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, said, “The Commonwealth is pleased to deploy an observer mission to Trinidad and Tobago’s elections, demonstrating our commitment to supporting democracy and good governance in our member states. Our election observation work and efforts to strengthen democratic processes, culture, and institutions across member states are world-leading, and we look forward to working with the people of Trinidad and Tobago to ensure a credible and transparent electoral process.”