Grenada formalises agreement with OAS to observe general elections on June 23

Grenada: The nation has formalised an agreement with the Organisation of American States (OAS) to observe general elections on June 23. This will be the eighth electoral observer mission mounted by the OAS to Grenada.

Grenada’s Permanent Representative to the OAS, Yolande Smith, signed the agreement last Friday with the Secretary-General of the hemispheric institution,

Luis Almagro, at the signing, Ambassador Smith reiterated the sentiments expressed by Prime Minister Keith Mitchell.

The latter had previously underscored the government’s support for the transparency of the electoral process and the inherent value of having overseas missions observe the process, particularly organisations like the OAS, which continues to advocate for democracy and the strengthening of our institutions within the hemisphere.

An OAS press release quotes the Secretary-General as saying, “The agreement we are signing today is an indispensable tool for the Mission to fulfil its functions. I congratulate you, Ambassador Smith and your government for your democratic conviction and for the openness shown in inviting an Electoral Observation Mission for the upcoming general elections.”

The OAS observer mission will be led by Rosina Wiltshire, a former United Nations Resident Coordinator and United Nations Development Programme Resident Representative for Barbados and the OECS.

Currently, the prime minister of Grenada is Dr Keith Mitchell, who filled the nomination with 41 other candidates on June 1, 2022. Dr Mitchell, the incumbent candidate for St George Northwest, has been the parliamentary representative for that constituency since 1984.

In 2018, there were 78,122 Grenadians registered to vote.