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Chief of the OAS Electoral Observation Mission Delivers Message ahead of Elections

A smiling Maricarmen Plata
By Maricarmen Plata

As Chief of the Electoral Observation Mission from the Organization of American States, it is my great honor to be here in Saint Lucia at this very important moment.

I lead a team comprised of 12 experts and observers from 10 different countries. Since our arrival, we have met with government and electoral authorities, political leaders, candidates, and representatives of civil society.

Our goal is to gather relevant information, hear all perspectives and analyze the process in a comprehensive and rigorous manner in order to make recommendations that will further strengthen electoral processes and institutions here in Saint Lucia.

Our experts are evaluating a range of issues related to the electoral process, including electoral organization and technology, electoral registries, political finance, and the political participation of women. We observed the advance vote and will be visiting polling places across the island on Election Day.

I take this opportunity to invite all of you to participate and vote this coming Monday. Elections are a wonderful opportunity to make your voices heard and have a say in the construction of the country you want for yourselves and your families.

Please be mindful of the sanitary protocols in place and follow the guidelines designed to stop the spread of Covid 19. Wear your masks, maintain social distance, sanitize your hands frequently and act responsibly to protect your health and that of others. Also, please remember to check that you are registered and look out for any changes in your voting sites.

In the coming days we will present a preliminary report with our findings and recommendations. In the meantime, I thank the authorities, political leaders, candidates, and representatives of the civil society for their openness, and the poll workers and other essential personnel for their commitment and hard work in organizing these general elections.

I wish you all a very successful Election Day.

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