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PRELIMINARY STATEMENT OF THE CARICOM ELECTIONS OBSERVATION MISSION TO TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

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PRESS STATEMENT:  Pursuant to the request made on the 31 January 2021 by the Office of the Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands for a CARICOM Elections Observation Mission (CEOM) to be deployed to observe and monitor the conduct of the General Elections scheduled to take place in the Turks and Caicos Islands on 19 February 2021, a three-member CEOM was deployed to observe the pre-, peri-, and immediately post-elections occurrences associated with its electoral processes.

Pre-Election Day Observations

Virtual meetings were held with a number of stakeholders to identify concerns for the general preparedness of the elections. In its preparation to observe activities on Election Day, the CEOM conducted a preliminary reconnaissance of the polling station locations in Providenciales, the island which had the majority of the polling station locations.

Election Day Observations

The members of the CEOM visited 25 out of 33 polling stations across the ten polling station locations, specifically all polling stations in Providenciales, North Caicos and Middle Caicos.

With regard to the opening of the polls, the members of the CEOM observed that the polls opened late, however, they closed later to ensure that the designated amount of time allotted to the voters to exercise their franchise was strictly adhered to.

With regard to voting, despite some variations in process across the polling stations visited, the process was relatively smooth and efficient. In general, the polling clerks explained the voting process in detail, and first-time voters were oriented appropriately.

There were no incidents of intimidation of voters inside or outside of the polling stations.

It was felt that more measures could have been taken to have poll workers prepared to handle elderly and differently- abled voters, particularly as these voters were encouraged to visit the polling stations to vote at a specific time on election day.

Special Conditions – The COVID-19 Pandemic

The CEOM highly commends the measures taken by the Elections Department of the Turks and Caicos Islands for implementing, in its view, extensive public health protocols which were well executed to ensure the safety of both voters and election day workers, with due consideration for the COVID-19 pandemic. Voters and election day workers observed the protocols which included social distancing, the wearing of masks and regular sanitisation of polling stations throughout the course of the day. Polling stations visited were spacious and well-ventilated at all times.

The efficiency of the vote was not greatly impeded by the COVID-19 health protocols implemented.

Conclusions

Overall, the CEOM is of the view that the General Elections which took place in the Turks and Caicos Islands on 19 February 2021 were free and fair and the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands must be commended for this.

The peacefulness of the elections that transpired on 19 February 2021 reflected the tranquility of the society of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The CARICOM Elections Observation Mission values the opportunity to contribute to the democratic process in the Turks and Caicos Islands and appreciates the support and cooperation received throughout the process. We congratulate the voters, electoral officials and election day workers for their discipline and commitment to advance the democratic process in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Dr. Robert Stephen Mahadeo Surujbally

Chief of Mission

20 February 2021

CAPTIONHead of Mission Dr Robert Stephen Mahadeo Surujbally (2nd right) is joined by Mr Ian Hughes (right), H.E. Felix Gregoire (2nd left) and Ms Valique Gomes (CARICOM Secretariat support) for the start of Elections Day monitoring

Caribbean News

CANARI outlines climate priorities ahead of Cop28

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Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

 

The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) informed that the Caribbean Climate Justice Alliance, in preparation for the upcoming annual COP28 in 2023, launched its “Caribbean Climate Justice and Resilience Agenda,” outlining the priorities for climate justice and resilience in vulnerable Caribbean small island developing states (SIDS).

 

In a press release, CANARI highlighted that the agenda recognizes the major threat of climate change to the region as well as aims to louden the voices of the at-risk groups “on the frontlines of the climate crisis and catalyze actions for climate justice and local resilience in the Caribbean SIDS.”

 

The priorities stated under the agenda are:

 

  1. Curbing emissions to limit global temperature

increase to 1.5 ̊C

 

  1. Scaling up locally-led solutions for adaptation and

loss and damage

 

  1. Improving access to and delivery of climate finance

for frontline communities, small and micro enterprises, and civil society organizations as part of a ‘whole of society’ approach

 

  1. Scaling up just, nature-based solutions for resilience

 

  1. Supporting a just transition for pro-poor, inclusive,

sustainable and resilient development

 

  1. Promoting gender equity and social inclusion

approaches to climate action

 

  1. Promoting youth and intergenerational equity as

core to the climate response

 

  1. Integrating a rights-based and earth-centered

approach in addressing all these priorities and ensuring climate justice

 

The at-risk groups referred to in the release include small-scale farmers and fisherfolk, rural women producers, income-poor people, elderly and disabled people, Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities, migrants, and LGBTQIA+ people.

 

Being cognizant of the severity of the effects of climate change on the Caribbean, CANARI referred to the fact that the very existence of the region is on the line.

 

“If greenhouse gas emissions continue unabated and global temperature exceeds 1.5 ̊C, the impacts of rising sea levels, more intense hurricanes, rainfall variability, ocean acidification, and other changes threaten the very existence of our way of life in the Caribbean and other SIDS that have contributed the least to global emissions.”

 

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Bahamas News

CARICOM Sec Gen speaks on Gender Based Violence

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Rashaed Esson

 

Staff Writer 

 

“Everyone must continue to invest in preventing violence against our women and girls (VAWG). It is an investment in our shared future,” were the words of Dr. Carla N. Barnett, CARICOM Secretary-General, as she reiterated the need for solutions against VAWG.

 

She called attention to VAWG as she gave a speech surrounding the annual campaign “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence,” which runs from November 25 to December 10, 2023.

 

Barnett expresses the well-known fact that VAWG is one of the most prevalent issues affecting all corners of society.

 

“VAWG remains one of the most pervasive forms of human rights violations in the world and cuts across all races, cultures, genders, and educational backgrounds,” she maintained, as she continued to point out the sad reality that this is still a major issue despite regional and global policies.

 

“Despite the existence of regional and global policies and legislation to combat VAWG, weak enforcement and discriminatory practices remain significant barriers to ending VAWG.”

 

The Secretary-General highlighted statistics for VAWG, bringing attention to how serious and embedded this issue is in society.

 

She said that globally, 736 million women—nearly one in three—have experienced violence—physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or even both.

 

For the Caribbean region, she said surveys conducted between 2016 and 2019 inform us that one in two women experience intimate partner violence, which is higher than the global average. 

 

In continuation, Barnett expressed that the campaign calls everyone to action against VAWG, including “development partners, civil society organizations, women’s organizations, youth, the private sector, and the media.”  Also, world governments are being asked to share how they are investing in gender-based violence prevention.

 

Ending her address, the Secretary-General urged everyone to wear the color orange for the duration of the campaign, as well as on the 25th of each month, “as a symbol of hope for a brighter future where women and girls live free from violence.”

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Caribbean News

Support for Flood-Affected Farmers

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#Kingston, November 26, 2023 – A total of $157 million is to be provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, to support farmers affected by the recent heavy rains from Potential Tropical Cyclone 22.

Portfolio Minister, Hon. Floyd Green, made the announcement during a National ‘Eat Jamaican Day’ ceremony in Portland on Friday (November 24).

The Minister lamented that the country had moved from a period of harsh drought to the next extreme – flooding.

“A number of our farmers suffered tremendous loss and the team from RADA (Rural Agricultural Development Authority) has been out since last week Saturday, trying to quantify what has been the losses that have been suffered by our farmers,” he said.

According to the Minister, preliminary figures reveal that $274 million in damage was done to the agricultural sector, with livestock farmers suffering about $25 million in losses; equipment loss of over $10 million; $173 million in crop loss; and $64 million in damage to the farm road network.

“The good news is that we are not going to leave our farmers alone and we know, as they said to the Prime Minister when he toured last week, that once they get some support, they are willing to go back out and farm,” Mr. Green indicated.

The $157 million support package from the Ministry will be used in several ways. A total of $70 million is to be provided for crop support – inputs, seeds, and fertilizers – and another $8 million for equipment support.

A total of $15 million will be expended for support to livestock and $64 million will be used to rehabilitate farm roads.

Minister Green also announced that resulting from a gift from the Kingdom of Morocco, 24,000 bags of fertilizers will be distributed among farmers over the next two weeks.

The Minister informed that the parish that was most affected by the recent weather event was St. Thomas and that, “almost every farming community in St. Thomas suffered from flood damage.”

Farming communities in St Andrew were also cut off because of landslides.

 

Contact: Mickella Anderson-Gordon

 

Photo Caption: Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green.

Photo by Mark Bell

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