PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC -A Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) will be deployed to Trinidad and Tobago to observe its forthcoming elections scheduled for April 28.
The team, led by Evarist Bartolo, a former Foreign Affairs Minister of Malta with over 30 years of parliamentary experience, consists of six eminent people from across the Commonwealth. They bring expertise in media, law, electoral management, and civil society.
The team will observe all aspects of the elections and offer 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.
“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,” said Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey.
Observers arrive in the country on April 22. They will meet key stakeholders, including the election management body, political parties, civil society groups, media, the diplomatic community, and other regional and citizen observers.
From April 26, observers will deploy in small teams to different parts of the country to observe election preparations.
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.
A team from the Commonwealth Secretariat, led by Lindiwe Maleleka, Political Adviser, Electoral Support Section, will support the Commonwealth Observer Group.
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