Commonwealth Expert Team commends Belize for conduct of elections
13 March 2008
A Commonwealth Expert Team to Belize has commended the government and people of Belize for the conduct of the General Elections which took place on 7 February 2008.
In the official report released on 13 March the Expert Team noted that, “Belize enjoys a mature democracy and a well-functioning electoral process.”
The report said the voting and counting were carried out efficiently and the team is of the view that the 2008 General Elections were credible.
The report has proposed a number of improvements which can be made to the electoral structure, process and environment in Belize. This included the establishment of a single independent management body.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon in releasing the report said, “I am happy to receive a positive report on the conduct of the elections in Belize and I encourage the new government of Belize to seriously consider our recommendations.”
The report has already been handed to the Prime Minister of Belize, the Chairman of the Belizean Elections and Boundaries Commission, the Acting Chief Electoral Officer of the Elections and Boundaries Department, the main political parties in Belize, and Commonwealth governments in line with norms governing observer groups.
The Commonwealth Expert Team was chaired by the former Foreign Minister of Jamaica, Senator K D Knight, and comprised Dr Nemata Eshun-Baiden, founder of the 50/50 Group of Sierra Leone and civil society activist, Robert Patterson, former Chief Electoral Officer of British Columbia, Canada, and Commonwealth Secretariat support staff.
Click here to download the report
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