Kamla welcomes Caricom observers

OPPOSITION Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar welcomed Caricom’s promise to send observers for the upcoming general election in TT, the date of which has not yet been announced by the Prime Minister, in a statement on January 30. However she also called for international election observers.

"On September 16, 2024, I wrote to the Prime Minister, stating, 'Independent election observation or monitoring is essential for ensuring election integrity.

"'The UNC firmly believes that international and regional observers are needed to ensure that our election is conducted in a free, fair, and just manner, reflecting the true mandate of the people.'”

She noted 16 world bodies (which could supply observers) including the Organization of American States (OAS) Electoral Observation Missions, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the UN Electoral Assistance Division (UNEAD), the EU Election Observation Missions, the Carter Centre's Democracy Program, and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems.

"I welcome Caricom’s indication that it will deploy an election observer mission to oversee this year’s general election in TT." She urged the Government to also invite international observers. "This will ensure the deepest possible checks and balances and guarantee that our democratic process operates as it should.

"From 2000 to 2015, TT had international observers from the Commonwealth Observer Group and Caricom at all elections."

However, Persad-Bissessar said since 2015, the EBC's allegedly dubious conduct and staff appointments have given the citizens of TT valid reasons to question the integrity, fairness, and transparency of any election process.

"In our 2015 general elections, the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) extended the polls by one hour. Our courts ultimately found this action by the EBC unlawful.

"During the 2021 Tobago House of Assembly elections crisis, the PNM Central Government acted outside the proper processes to seek a resolution and instructed the EBC to create additional seats and redo the election."

She said the Government had to be taken to court, all the way to the Privy Council, to force the calling of the 2023 Local Government elections. However after that election, two election petitions were filed to contest the results. In one of those contests, a ballot cast for the UNC candidate was deemed invalid because of an administrative error by the EBC staff, she said, saying the law courts viewed that as another irregular action by the EBC.

"TT is under a State of Emergency, which can allow rogue and unscrupulous state officers to act unethically and undemocratically while citizens’ constitutional rights are suspended. Therefore, the UNC believes that having independent international and regional election observers oversee our upcoming general elections is crucial.

"Elections must not only be fair but also be seen as fair."