The work begins:  Arrival Statement – CARICOM Election Observation Mission to Jamaica

The CARICOM Election Observation Mission mounted for Jamaica’s February 25 General Elections has hit the ground with meetings involving the country’s two major political parties – the ruling Peoples National Movement of Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller and the main opposition Jamaica Labour Party led by Andrew Holness.  The Mission, in an Arrival Statement issued Tuesday, said it also plans to meet with other political parties, the Commissioner of Police, the Electoral Commission of Jamaica, the Chamber of Commerce, the media and civil society groups.

 Chief of Mission, Ms. Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer, Elections and Boundaries Department, Belize, is leading the eleven member team, which began arriving in Jamaica on 21 February.

 The team will continue to observe the remainder of the pre-election period, and the polling process on Election Day including tabulation and processing of results.

 After observing the process on polling day, a Preliminary Statement will be issued outlining the Mission’s initial assessment of the process as observed. Thereafter, the Mission will collaborate in the preparation of a Final Report of the Observation Mission for submission to Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community.

Read the Mission’s full Arrival Statement:

ARRIVAL STATEMENT

CARICOM ELECTION OBSERVATION MISSION TO THE GENERAL ELECTIONS OF JAMAICA, 25 FEBRUARY 2016

In response to a letter dated 2 February 2016 from the Honourable Mrs. Dorothy Pine-McLarty OJ, Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica, to the Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, inviting CARICOM to field an Election Observation Mission, the Caribbean Community mounted an eleven-member Election Observation Mission to observe the General Elections of Jamaica on     25 February 2016.

The CEOM is headed by the Chief of Mission, Ms. Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer, Elections and Boundaries Department, Belize.

The Mission includes persons with vast electoral experience that spans election administration and political representation, and includes the following Observers drawn from several Member States of the Caribbean Community –

Antigua and Barbuda – Mr. Anthonyson King;

The Bahamas – Mr. Sherlyn Hall;

Barbados – Ms. Roslyn Springer;

Dominica – Mr. Henry George;

Saint Lucia – Ms. Cynthia Combie Martyr;

St.  Kitts and Nevis – Mr. Elvin Bailey;

St. Vincent and the Grenadines – H.E. Mr. Ellsworth John; and

Trinidad and Tobago – Ms. Pamela Ogiste.

The CEOM is supported by Ms. Nickeva Eve-Benjamin and Ms. Helen Marshall of the CARICOM Secretariat.

The role of the CEOM is to observe the electoral process, collect information on the results, collect qualitative observations, observe and assess the outcomes and collaborate in the preparation of a Final Report on the General Elections in Jamaica.

The Chief of Mission and staff of the CARICOM Secretariat arrived in Jamaica on 21 February 2016 while the remaining Observers arrived on 22 February 2016.  Since arrival, meetings were held with the two major political parties. Over the next few days leading up to the Elections, meetings will be held with other political parties, the Commissioner of Police, the Electoral Commission of Jamaica and the Chamber of Commerce.   Meetings will also be held with other stakeholders including the media and civil society groups in an effort to obtain an overview of the plans and strategies for the election process.

The team will continue to observe the remainder of the pre-election period, and the polling process on Election Day including tabulation and processing of results.

After observing the process on polling day, a Preliminary Statement will be issued outlining the Mission’s initial assessment of the process as observed. Thereafter, the Mission will collaborate in the preparation of a Final Report of the Observation Mission for submission to H.E. Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community.

The CEOM looks forward to the opportunity to support and strengthen the process of democracy in Jamaica.

JOSEPHINE TAMAI

CHIEF OF MISSION

23 FEBRUARY 2016