(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana)The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has been invited by the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines to monitor the preparations for the General Elections and to observe the conduct of the Elections on 7 December 2005.

The Observer Mission which was appointed by CARICOM Secretary-General Mr. Edwin Carrington will be led by His Excellency Philip Smith, High Commissioner of The Bahamas to Canada. The other members of the Mission include Mr. Eugene G. Petty, Deputy Chief of Mission, Ms Mignon Bowen, Project Officer at the CARICOM Secretariat, Mr. Leroy Benjamin, Supervisor of Elections, St Kitts and Nevis and Mr. Hensley Robinson, former Supervisor of Elections, Barbados

The CARICOM Electoral Observer Mission will hold consultations with electoral officials, leaders of political parties, government officials, representatives of the business community and civil society, and the media, on various aspects of the electoral process.

The Observer Mission will also observe preparations for the elections, as well as the conduct of the elections on Polling Day, including the counting of ballots.

A Report on the outcome and findings of the CARICOM Observer Mission will be submitted to the Community through the CARICOM Secretary-General.