Commonwealth to Observe General Elections in Guyana

A team of 14 Commonwealth Observers, together with a supporting team from the Commonwealth Secretariat, will be present in Guyana for the General and Regional Elections which are to be held on 15 December 1997.

In making the announcement today, Commonwealth Secretary-General Emeka Anyaoku said that the Commonwealth was responding to a request from the Government of Guyana for a Commonwealth Observer Group to observe the General and Regional Elections. An assessment mission from the Commonwealth Secretariat which visited Guyana in October established that there was widespread support for a Commonwealth presence during the elections.

The Commonwealth team for Guyana will be led by H E Mr Ali Hassan Mwinyi, former President of Tanzania. The other observers will be:

Ms Jeannette France
Former Public Servant,
St Vincent and the Grenadines Ms Bience Gawanas
Ombudswoman, Namibia
Rt Rev S. Tilewa Johnson
Chairman, Independent Electoral Commission,
The Gambia Mr Stanley Martin CVO, JP
Former Diplomat, Britain
Ms Mary Murphy
Election Officer, Canada Dr Heatherwick Ntaba MP
Member of Parliament, Malawi
The Hon Neil Pickard
Former Minister, Australia Dr Bharati Ray MP
Member of Parliament, India
Mr Hensley Robinson
Chief Electoral Officer, Barbados Mrs Camille Robinson-Regis MP
Member of Parliament
Trinidad and Tobago
Ms Dorienne Rowan-Campbell
Consultant on Development Issues
Jamaica Sir Anthony Siaguru KBE
Former Minister and Commonwealth
Deputy Secretary-General
Papua New Guinea
Sir Peter Tapsell MBE
Former Speaker, House of Representatives,
New Zealand

The Group will be supported by an eight-member team from the Commonwealth Secretariat, led by Mr Carl Dundas, Special Adviser, Economic and Legal Advisory Services Division.

Issued by the Information and Public Affairs Division, Commonwealth Secretariat,
Marlborough House,
Pall Mall,
London SW1Y 5HX,
Britain.
Tel: 0207-839 3411;
Fax: 0207-839 9081;
Telex: 27678

97/61 02 December 1997