CARICOM Observer Mission set for Friday’s Election in Curacao

CARICOM’s Electoral Observer Mission to Curacao’s General Election on Friday has arranged a full day of intensive coverage.

“On Election Day, the Team intends to focus on the opening of the poll procedures, the unfolding of the polling process, and the closing of the polls and vote count in the polling stations where the opening of the polls was observed,” Chief of Mission, Dr.  Steve Surujbally said in an arrival statement.  He said a significant percentage of the polling stations will be visited and  monitored.

Friday’s election was called after the Government of Prime Minister Hensley Koeiman collapsed on February 12 after just over seven weeks in office.  On the invitation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, CARICOM mounted the small Observer Mission to monitor the elections, which, in addition to Dr. Surujbally, include experts in electoral management from Barbados and Jamaica.

Since its arrival in Curacao on April 25, the CARICOM Observer Mission, in association with the  three-person Observer Team from the Organization of American States (OAS) has held pre-election day meetings with key individuals and institutions, including the Supreme Electoral Council,  the Prime Minister and Ministers of Government, the Governor, Civil Society stakeholders, and leaders and representatives of political parties.

This is the first time CARICOM has mounted an Electoral Observer Mission to a non Member or Associated Member State.

See Arrival Statement:

ARRIVAL STATEMENT

OF THE

CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY (CARICOM) ELECTIONS OBSERVATION TEAM

TO THE

GENERAL ELECTIONS OF CURAÇAO

 

Pursuant to the request made by the Kingdom of the Netherlands on behalf of the Government of Curaçao inviting CARICOM Observers to be present during the upcoming elections in Curacao, the Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) agreed to field a four-person Observation Team for the General Elections of Curaçao which will be held on Friday, 28 April 2017.

The Team is comprised of Chief of Mission, Dr. Steve Surujbally, former Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM); Mr. Ian Browne, Deputy Chief of Elections (Barbados); and Ms. Pauline Welsh, Director of Legal Affairs, Development and Research (Elections Commission, Jamaica). All the Team Members possess wide experience in election observation. Ms. Helen Marshall serves as the CARICOM Secretariat’s Administrative and Technical Support Officer to the Team.

Members of the CARICOM Team arrived in Curaçao on 25 April 2017 and immediately met to discuss its role and functions as well as the priorities pertaining to its performance at and around the Polling Stations, and other critical elements associated with Curaçao’s electoral processes.

Along with the three-person Observer Team from the Organization of American States (OAS), the CARICOM Team held informative meetings on Wednesday, 26 April 2017 with:

1. High-ranking Members of the Supreme Electoral Council of Curaçao;

2. The Prime Minister, Mr. Gilmar Pisas, Ministers of Government and other Members of his Cabinet;
3. Her Excellency, Madame Governor Lucille George-Wout;

4. Members/Stakeholders of Civil Society (including major Trade Unionists; the University of Curaçao academicians; a former Prime Minister; Civil Registry and Census Officers); and Members of the Consular Corps (including the Consul of the United States of America, and the Consul of the United Kingdom).

5. Leaders/Members of Political Parties, some of which contested the 5 October 2016 General Elections –

(i)        the Movishon Antia Nobo (MAN;

(ii)       Movementu Futuro Korsou (MFK);

(iii)      Partido Antia Restruktura (PAR);

(iv)      Movementu Progresivo (MP);

(v)       Pueblo Sobrano (PS);

1. vi) Korsou Hustu (KH;

(vii)     MGK;

(viii)    Korsou Promé (KH); and

(ix)      PIN.

The Team will continue meetings with other relevant Stakeholders, including Curacao’s Police Force, on Thursday, 27 April 2017.

Having received a copy of the 107 Polling Station locations, the CARICOM Team has been liaising with its OAS counterparts so that a large and significant percentage of polling stations can be visited and monitored.  The CARICOM Team intends to carry out a reconnaissance “dry-run” relative to the Polling Stations prior to Election Day.

On Election Day, the Team intends to focus on the opening of the poll procedures, the unfolding of the polling process, and the closing of the polls and the vote count in the polling stations where the opening of the polls was observed.

The CARICOM Team wishes to place on record its appreciation for the support and cooperation received from the Vice-Chairman and staff of the Supreme Electoral Council,  and other Public/Statutory Institutions of Curaçao.   It was especially appreciated that, during this frenetic electoral period, Her Excellency the Governor of Curaçao, the Prime Minister, Ministers, Politicians/Party Representatives, NGOs and active stakeholders who were approached gave of their time and accommodated the CEOM’s requests for Meetings.

 

DR. ROBERT STEPHEN SURUJBALLY

CHIEF OF MISSION

CARICOM Observation Team

CURAÇAO

26 APRIL 2017