Grenada’s elections: The OAS deploys observers for November 5 vote

The Organization of American States (OAS) will deploy an electoral observation mission to Grenada for the country’s November 5 general election, after signing an agreement on the mission’s privileges and immunities on October 23.

OAS Secretary General Albert R. Ramdin and Ambassador Tarlie Francis, Grenada’s permanent representative to the OAS, signed the accord at the organization’s headquarters.

Ramdin praised Grenada’s commitment to democracy. “It is not the size of the country that matters, but the quality of its elections and the value they hold for its people,” he said. The mission will publish a report with observations and recommendations to strengthen the country’s electoral processes and democratic institutions.

Francis reaffirmed Grenada’s commitment to constitutional democracy, the rule of law and electoral transparency. Independent observation, he said, is now “a very important part of the inter-American democratic tradition,” its value resting on observers’ impartiality and the integrity of their assessments.

Sherry Tross, a former St. Kitts & Nevis ambassador, will lead the mission. The OAS has observed Grenadian elections since 1984; this will be its ninth deployment to the country.