Former Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Secretary-General, the Honourable Denis Marshall QSO, who also served as a minister in the New Zealand government, will lead a 15-member Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) for general and regional elections in Guyana, scheduled to take place on 28 November 2011.
The Group was constituted by Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma at the invitation of the Government of Guyana.
“The Commonwealth has a long history of engagement with Guyana, and we are pleased to be observing these important elections,” said the Secretary-General. “We hope the electoral campaign and ballot will further strengthen democratic processes there, and that all participants will engage peacefully and constructively throughout.”
The Group’s mandate is to observe and consider all aspects of the electoral process with a view to assessing compliance with the standards for democratic elections to which Guyana is committed. Where appropriate, the Team may also make recommendations for the future strengthening of the electoral framework.
The Group will act impartially and independently, and conduct itself according to the standards expressed in the International Declaration of Principles for Election Observation, to which the Commonwealth is a signatory.
The Group’s report will be submitted to the Commonwealth Secretary-General, who will convey it to the Government of Guyana, the Guyana Electoral Commission, political parties, and in due course to all Commonwealth governments.
The COG, which will arrive in Guyana on 21 November 2011 and be in the country until 5 December 2011, comprises:
Chair: The Hon Denis Marshall QSO
CPA Secretary-General (2002-6) and formerly Minister of Conservation, Forestry and Lands
New Zealand
Hon Alan Ferguson
Former President of the Senate
Australia
Mrs Taleya Rehman
Executive Director, Democracywatch
Bangladesh
Ms Wendy Sawatzky
Media Expert
Canada
Mr Gerald Burton
Chairman, Election Commission
Dominica
Mrs Nana Oye Lithur
Human Rights Expert
Ghana
Mrs Rina Ray
Chief Electoral Officer, New Delhi
India
Ms Catherine Musuva
Elections Expert
Kenya
Mr Dafe Akpedeye
Lawyer
Nigeria
Hon Mr Justice (Retd) Fazal-ur-Rahman Bazai
Election Commissioner
Pakistan
Mr Oliver Knight
Elections Expert
St Kitts and Nevis
Mr Andi Schubert
Youth Representative
Sri Lanka
Ms Adelle Roopchand
Communications Expert
Trinidad and Tobago
Mr Timothy Neale
Media Consultant
United Kingdom
Mr Goodwell Lungu
Executive Director, Transparency International
Zambia
