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ELECTORAL COOPERATION IN THE CARIBBEAN WAS HIGHLIGHTED AT OAS PERMANENT COUNCIL MEETING

The Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) last Wednesday heard the results of the Third General Meeting of the Association of Caribbean Electoral Organizations (ACEO). The meeting, which took place in Jamaica last November, was cited as an example of the high-level electoral cooperation among Caribbean countries.

The report was presented by Pablo Gutiérrez, Director of the OAS Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation, during a regular meeting of the 34 country representatives. Gutiérrez said the meeting served as a unique forum to discuss issues related to electoral processes in many Caribbean countries, including electoral technology, voter registration, and regulation of political parties and campaign contributions.

The report highlighted the importance of civil society in democracy-building and the advantages of mutual support in strengthening voter registration, election monitoring and financial accountability. Gutiérrez concluded highlighting the challenges faced by electoral systems in the Caribbean, as well as the importance of the commitment expressed by the participants to reinforce and guarantee ACEO’s sustainability as a forum for sharing best practices and discussing election management processes in the region.

OAS Assistant Secretary General, Albert Ramdin, explained that “in the past couple of years many Caribbean nations have requested the General Secretariat for assistance in many areas with regard to electoral processes in areas such as campaign financing, electoral and constitutional reforms, and political party legislation. All of these are critically important if you look at what has happened over the past couple of years in electoral processes in several Caribbean countries. This third meeting of the ACEO, and the agreements reached, contribute to strengthening democracy and electoral systems in the region.”

“We are very pleased to see that the main objective of this meeting was achieved—the revitalization of the ACEO as a channel through which we could facilitate the support we would want to provide to members states in Caribbean. We hope that member countries will be amenable to providing financial support in carrying the program, which supports the fundamental purposes of this Organization,” said Ramdin.

In the same session of the Permanent Council, Dr. Peter Koenig, World Bank consultant for Latin America and the Caribbean, made a presentation regarding the financial crisis and its impact on the rest of the world. Dr. Koenig covered issues such as globalization, the world economic system, nature of the free trade agreements in the region, and the decrease of remittances to Latin America and the Caribbean as a consequence of the current economic situation.

The Permanent Council also bid farewell to the Permanent Representative of Barbados, Ambassador Michael I. King. OAS Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza (through a recorded message), Assistant Secretary General and other Ambassadors recognized the human and professional qualities of the Caribbean diplomat.

Insulza spoke about the importance of Ambassador King’s contribution to the Organization in terms of always being helpful to reconcile opposing views. “We hope we will always be able to count on your lucid and intelligent collaboration in the common cause of democracy and Panamericanism in the hemisphere,” said the Secretary General as he asked King to continue collaborating with the OAS.

In thanking his colleagues for their words of acknowledgement, King reminded the Council members of the importance of being open to diversity of opinions. “Diversity is the main reason for the existence of this Organization,” he stressed.

Reference: E-458/08