The team will be led by Mr Irfan Abdool Rahman, Electoral Commissioner of Mauritius
London, 12 February 2013 - Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma today announced that a Commonwealth Election Assessment Team will be deployed for the 19 February elections in the Caribbean Island state of Grenada, following an invitation from Prime Minister Tillman Thomas.
“The Commonwealth is pleased to lend its support to the people of Grenada as they exercise their democratic franchise in electing their leaders. Credible electoral processes lie at the heart of democracy, a fundamental value to which the Commonwealth attaches great importance,” the Secretary-General said.
The three-member team will be led by Mr Irfan Abdool Rahman, Electoral Commissioner of Mauritius. He will be supported by two staff members from the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Political Affairs Division.
The team will be present in Grenada from 13 to 24 February. In the lead up to the poll, they will meet with relevant stakeholders, notably officials responsible for organising the elections, representatives of political parties, civil society, and other international groups present for the election.
The team will conduct an analysis of the overall management of the electoral process and the environment in which the election takes place, according to the national, regional and international standards for democratic elections to which the country has committed itself. Upon completion of its duties, the team will submit a report to the Commonwealth Secretary-General.
Contact:
In Grenada
Tafawa Williams
Adviser, Political Affairs Division
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7747 6395
