US funds local, hemispheric electoral observer missions

Last Updated on Wednesday, 8 April 2015, 11:40 by GxMedia

The United States is funding local and hemispheric observers to the tune of US$300,000 to help boost confidence in the electoral process and acceptance of the results of the May 11, 2015 general and regional elections, the American embassy said.

“It is our hope that international and domestic observation will increase public and stakeholder confidence in the electoral process, culminating in all political parties’ acceptance of the ultimate results,” the diplomatic mission said in a statement.

The US says the money would be used to to support the monitoring programmes of the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the Electoral Assistance Bureau (EAB). “These resources will assist in their efforts to ensure fair, free, and credible elections in Guyana on May 11th.”

Both the OAS and EAB have a proven track record of successful election monitoring missions and are widely respected.  “The U.S. Government is pleased to support the two organizations in bringing their credible and critical analysis to Guyana’s 2015 electoral process,” the embassy added.

The embassy says the United States of America continues to advocate globally for the expansion and strengthening of democratic governance.  Regular free and fair elections are critical in this regard.  

The US notes that the Guyana Elections Commission has established a strong track record of ensuring ‎free, fair, and credible ‎elections for the people of Guyana, and “we have full faith and confidence in its ability to do so once again in 2015.”  The United States says it remains committed to engagement with all stakeholders to help ensure a free, fair, credible, and peaceful electoral process.

Guyana’s Private Sector Commission (PSC) had lobbied US Secretary of State, John Kerry to support a full-fledged observer mission by the Carter Centre in an effort to garner widespread acceptance of the results. The US has not said whether it would support an observer team from the centre.