Former Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Hon Bruce Golding, has been appointed to lead a Commonwealth Observer Group for The Bahamas’ General Election scheduled for 12 May.
The appointment was made by Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Hon Shirley Botchwey, following an invitation from the Prime Minister of The Bahamas, the Most Honourable Philip Davis. Secretary-General Botchwey also confirmed the composition of the Observer Group, which will be deployed to assess the electoral process.
Announcing the appointment, the Secretary-General expressed her appreciation to Prime Minister Golding for accepting the role and acknowledged the commitment of members of the observer group. She said:
“Credible and transparent elections are fundamental to democratic governance. The Commonwealth Observer Group plays an important role in reinforcing public confidence in electoral processes and supporting member countries in upholding their democratic commitments.”
The observer group will be supported by a team from the Commonwealth Secretariat, led by Professor Michelle Scobie, Head and Adviser for Good Offices and the Caribbean and Americas Section.
During their time in-country, the observer group will observe all aspects of the electoral process and assess whether the elections are conducted in line with the democratic standards and commitments upheld by the Commonwealth of Nations.
The Group is expected to arrive on 4 May and will issue an Arrival Statement shortly after, outlining its mandate and methodology for the observation mission.
Members of the Commonwealth Observer Group
Chairperson: Hon Bruce Golding, former Prime Minister of Jamaica
The Commonwealth Observer Group members, in alphabetical order by country name, are:
- Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer, Belize
- Orin Gordon - Journalist, Guyana
- Estelle Thadea Alaine George – Legal and Electoral Expert, Saint Lucia
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