O.A.S. Observers Arrive in Belize Ahead of General Elections

Jacinth Henry-Martin

Members of the Electoral Observation Mission of the Organization of the American States began arriving today in Belize ahead of the November fourth elections.  There are thirteen members to the delegation, headed by Ambassador Jacinth Henry-Martin, Chief of Staff to O.A.S. Secretary General Luis Almagro. Henry-Martin and her team will meet with officials of the Elections and Boundaries, representatives from the political parties, the government, civil society and the media. Belize has traditionally held peaceful elections, but the mission will be paying keen attention to the electoral process. The last time the mission was here was for the 2012 General Elections, so it will be following up with recommendations it made then. Following a training session, members of the mission will be deployed to the districts. The O.A.S. says that on November fourth, observers will visit polling stations across the country from the opening of the polls to the counting of votes and the publication of results. A report of its preliminary findings will be released at a press conference and subsequently to the Permanent Council of the Organization in Washington. Members of the team are from eleven countries including Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, El Salvador, France, Mexico, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and the United States.