Electoral Mission Heads to Guyana

Lisa Shoman

An Electoral Observation Mission, led by Senator Lisa Shoman, Chief of Mission and erstwhile foreign minister, is headed to Guyana for the May eleventh general elections.  Earlier today, the Organization of American States issued a release announcing that Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza and Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the O.A.S., Bayney Karran, have signed an agreement for a delegation to scrutinize the democratic process in the Caribbean country.  The ceremony took place in Panama City where the Seventh Summit of the Americas will be held later this week.  The working visit will be the fifth Electoral Observation Mission that the O.A.S. has sent to Guyana.  In a statement, Ambassador Karran emphasized, “The role that the O.A.S. plays in strengthening democracy in the hemisphere because democracy and good governance are fundamental to the development agenda.” The O.A.S. has observed elections in Guyana in 1997, 2001, 2006 and 2011.  On May eleventh, a total of sixty-five representatives of the National Assembly and members of the ten Regional Democratic Councils, as well as a new president will be elected.