DOCSLIB.ORG

General Elections in the Bahamas Electoral

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
General Elections in the Bahamas Electoral EOM/OAS ELECTORAL OBSERVATION MISSION FINAL REPORT Organization of American States GENERAL ELECTIONS GENERAL ELECTIONS , BAHAMAS 2012 IN THE BAHAMAS MAY 7, 2012 Organization of Secretariat for Political Affairs American States Department for Electoral Cooperation and Observation 17th Street & Constitution Ave., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20006 Electoral Observation Missions (EOMs) Organization of American States (OAS) USA ELECTORAL OBSERVATION MISSION FINAL REPORT GENERAL ELECTIONS IN THE BAHAMAS MAY 7, 2012 General Secretariat Organization of American States José Miguel Insulza Secretary General Albert R. Ramdin Assistant Secretary General Kevin Casas-Zamora Secretary for Political Affairs Pablo Gutiérrez Director Department for Electoral Cooperation and Observation OAS Cataloging-in-Publication Data Final report of the OAS Electoral Observation Mission to the General Elections in The Bahamas : May 7, 2012 / [Prepared by the Department for Electoral Cooperation and Observation]. p. ; cm. (Electoral Observations in the Americas series, no. 78) ; (OEA/Ser.D/XX SG/DCOE/II.78) ; (OEA/Ser.G CP/ doc.4801/12) ISBN 978-0-8270-5931-3 1. Elections--Bahamas. 2. Election monitoring--Bahamas. I. Organization of American States. Department for Electoral Cooperation and Observation. II. Series. III. Series: OEA/Ser.G CP/doc.4801/12. OEA/Ser.D/XX SG/DCOE/II.78 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.........................................................................................................................5 CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................7 CHAPTER II. POLITICAL SYSTEM AND ELECTORAL ORGANIZATION ................9 A. Historical Background................................................................................................................9 B. Political System..............................................................................................................................10 C. Electoral Legislation................................................................................................................... 11 D. Voting Procedure...........................................................................................................................13 E. Political Financing.........................................................................................................................14 CHAPTER III. MISSION ACTIVITIES AND OBSERVATIONS.....................................................17 A. Pre-Electoral Period.....................................................................................................................17 B. Election Day..................................................................................................................................... 19 C. Post-Electoral Process..................................................................................................................... 20 CHAPTER IV. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.....................................................23 APPENDICES............................................................................................................................................. 25 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY On April 3, 2012 the General Secretariat of the The final results of the elections gave 29 seats in Organization of American States (GS/OAS) received a the House of Assembly to the Progressive Liberal Party request from the government of The Bahamas to observe (PLP), and the remaining nine seats to the incumbent Free the General Elections, which were due to be held in May National Movement (FNM). Overall results showed that of 2012. This request represented the first time that The the PLP received 48.62% of the vote, the FNM 42.09% and Bahamas had invited the OAS to carry out an Electoral Democratic National Alliance (DNA) 8.48% of the votes. Observation Mission (EOM) as well as the first occasion in which observers of any kind would monitor the conduct of The Bahamas Constitution Party (BCP) captured an electoral process in the country. In order to permit the 0.06% of the vote while independent candidates collectively presence of international electoral observers, the Bahamian won 0.75%. On May 8th, the Honorable Perry Christie, parliament amended the Parliamentary Registration Act leader of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) was sworn in in February 2012, exempting accredited observers from as Prime Minister of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas. provisions that prohibit admission to polling places. On April 4, 2012, the OAS Secretary General accepted the The OAS Electoral Observation Mission wishes to invitation to deploy an EOM to The Bahamas. A few thank the government of The Bahamas, the local authorities, days later on April 10, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham candidates, party delegates, media, and members of civil dissolved the parliament and set May 7, 2012 as the date for society for the openness with which they received the the General Elections. Mission and to express its gratitude to the Governments of Argentina, Bolivia, Serbia and South Korea, as well as The Secretary General appointed Ambassador Mission Leadership Quebec and Université Laval of Canada Alfonso Quiñónez, Secretary for External Relations of whose support made the Mission possible. the Organization of American States, to lead the OAS Electoral Observation Mission in The Bahamas. Ana María Díaz, DECO Specialist, was designated as Deputy The Electoral Observation Mission would also Chief of Mission. The Mission, which was composed want to recognize the excellent support and cooperation of 12 international observers from 10 countries (Antigua provided by the OAS Office in The Bahamas and thank its and Barbuda, Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Guatemala, Representative, Juliet Mallet Phillip. Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Switzerland and the United States), arrived in the country on May 2, 2012 and concluded its activities on May 8, 2012. OAS observers and experts observed the voting process in 30 out of the 38 constituencies in The Bahamas and conducted extensive interviews with key stakeholders, such as the Parliamentary Registration Department, government actors, political parties, the Royal Bahamas Police, the Registrar General Department and members of civil society organizations, among others.1 1. Governor General; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs; Perry Christie, Leader PPL; Errol. Bethel, Chairman FNM; Branville McCartney, Leader DNA; Sheila McKintosh, Leader BCP; National Youth Council; Bahamas Human Rights Network; Chamber of Commerce; The Bahamas Broadcasting Corporation; Bureau of Women’s Affairs; Office of the Prime Minister; Bahamas Christian Council 5 CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION The Electoral Observation Missions of the work with the arrival of the Core Group on May 2, 2012 Organization of American States (OAS/EOMs) have and concluded on May 8, 2012. Regarding the gender become a key instrument for the promotion and defense composition of this OAS/EOM, 42 percent of the observers of democracy in the Americas. They help guarantee the were women, and 58 percent were men. integrity, impartiality, and accountability of numerous electoral processes and strengthen the credibility of The main purpose of the OAS/EOM was to observe democratic institutions in Member States. the Bahamian electoral process and to verify its compliance with internationally recognized principles and standards The presence of an OAS/EOM represents the and to ensure the organization of “free and fair elections,” solidarity and support of the Inter-American community as established in the Inter-American Democratic Charter.2 towards the efforts undertaken by democratic institutions Specifically, the objectives of this Mission were: in states that organize and administer their own electoral processes. OAS Missions promote the recognition of • To verify compliance with the election laws and political rights, particularly the right to suffrage, as the regulations in place in The Bahamas; to analyze the legitimate expression of the opportunity of every citizen to organization of the electoral process in the context of elect representatives and to be elected in an inclusive and standards adopted by the OAS Member States; and free manner. to make note of what was observed and inform the Secretary General and the Permanent Council. Since 1962, the OAS has observed more than 190 electoral processes in the Hemisphere, although the greatest • To work with the Bahamian governmental and advance in these initiatives has taken place in the last 15 electoral authorities, and with Bahamians in general, years. In that time span, the OAS has observed many different to ensure the impartiality, transparency, and reliability types of elections - general, presidential, parliamentary, and of the electoral process. municipal elections, referenda, signature validation and collection processes, as well as primary elections within • To help create an atmosphere of public trust and to political parties – always at the request of the Member State. encourage citizen participation. On April 3, 2012 the OAS received a request from • To serve as a channel to seek and build consensus in the Government of The Bahamas to observe the General situations of conflict among the different participants Elections that took place on Monday May 7th, 2012. Not in the electoral process, as requested. only did this invitation represent the first time that The Bahamas had invited the OAS to carry
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Commonwealth of the Bahamas General Elections
    The Commonwealth of The Bahamas General Elections 10 May 2017 MAP OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS ii The Bahamas General Election 10 May 2017 Table of Content Letter of Transmittal v Executive Summary viii Chapter 1 1 INTRODUCTION 1 Terms of Reference 1 Activities 1 Chapter 2 3 POLITICAL BACKGROUND 3 Background 3 Political Developments Leading up to the 2017 General Election 5 Chapter 3 6 ELECTORAL FRAMEWORK AND ELECTION ADMINISTRATION 6 Background 6 Legal Framework and Regional and International Commitments 6 Election Management Body 7 Delimitation of Boundaries 7 Eligibility and Registration of Electors 8 Candidate Eligibility and Nomination 8 Advance Voting 9 Complaints, Appeals and Election Petitions 9 Inclusive Participation and Representation 10 Women 10 Youth 11 Incapacitated Voters 11 Key Issues 12 Recommendation 16 Chapter 4 18 CAMPAIGN ENVIRONMENT AND MEDIA 18 Nature of the Campaign 18 The Police 18 The Media 19 Social Media 19 Campaign Financing 20 Recommendations 21 iii Chapter 5 22 VOTING, COUNTING AND RESULTS 22 Background 22 Key Procedures for Opening and Voting 22 Assessment of the Opening of the Polls and Voting 23 Key Procedures for Closing and Counting 24 Assessment of Closing and Counting 25 Parliamentary Results 26 Recommendations 26 ANNEX I: Biographies of Chairperson and Observers 26 ANNEX II: Deployment Plan 28 ANNEX III: Arrival Statement 29 ANNEX IV: Interim Statement 31 iv The Commonwealth Observer Group to the 2017 General Elections of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas Letter of Transmittal 14 May 2017 Dear Secretary-General, The Commonwealth Observer Group you deployed to observe the elections in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas held on 10 May 2017 is pleased to submit to you its final report.
    [Show full text]
  • PLP Wins Landslide Victory 29 Seats Give Powerful Mandate from the People the Progressive Liberal Party Under the Leadership of Mr
    May 15th, 2002 The Abaconian Page 1 VOLUME 10, NUMBER 10, MAY 15th, 2002 PLP Wins Landslide Victory 29 Seats Give Powerful Mandate from the People The Progressive Liberal Party under the leadership of Mr. Perry Gladstone Christie won the May 2 election in a landslide, win- ning 29 seats of the 40 seat House of Assem- bly. The Free National Movement won seven seats and independents won four seats. The PLP had been out of power since 1992 when the FNM defeated them for the first time since the independence of The Bahamas. They had been in power for 25 years under the leadership of Sir Lynden O. Pindling. They now have won 21 of the 24 Nassau seats, three of the six Grand Bahama seats and five of the seats in the other Family Islands. Two candidates who had previously been cabinet ministers in the FNM government ran independently and won. They were Mr. Pierre Dupuch, former Minister of Agricul- ture and Fisheries, and Mr. Tennyson Well, former Attorney General. Mr. Christie was sworn in on May 3 in a ceremony of pomp and pageantry at Govern- ment House. He pledged to “build a peace- ful, prosperous and just society for all our people.” He is the third prime minister since The Bahamas became an independent coun- try in 1973. He has already named his cabinet mem- Winner of the general election held on May 2, Mr. Perry Christie of the Progressive Liberal Party quickly organized his new bers and created two new ministries. Still to government and began his task of governing.
    [Show full text]
  • Flags of CARICOM. the Name of Each CARICOM
    MINISTRY OF EDUCATION. PRIMARY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMME GRADE SIX WORKSHEET: TERM 2 SUBJECT: SOCIAL STUDIES. LESSON: 1 Week 7 Name:______________________________ Date:_______________ FACTS/TIPS: TOPIC: Flags of CARICOM. The name of each CARICOM Member State, the flag, date of independence and head of state is shown below. Guyana, Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago were among the first to join CARICOM. As it relates to independence, Montserrat is the only country that is still a dependent State. CARICOM MEMBER DATE OF HEAD OF STATE STATE INDEPENDENCE Guyana 26th May, 1966 HE. Dr. Irfaan Ali Trinidad and Tobago 31st August, 1962 Keith Rowley St Vincent and the 27th October, 1979 Ralph Gonsalves Grenadines Dominica 3rd November,1978 Roosevelt Skerrit Bahamas 10th July,1973 Hubert Minnis Jamaica 6th August,1962 Andrew Holness St Lucia 22nd February,1979 Allen Michael Chastanet Belize 21stSeptember,1981 Dean Barrow Montserrat British Dependency Joseph.T.E.Farrell St Kitts and Nevis 19th September,1983 Timothy Harris Haiti 1st January,1804 Jovenel Moise Grenada 17th February,1984 Keith Mitchell Suriname 25th November,1975 Chan Santokhi Barbados 30th November, 1966 Mia Mottley Antigua and Barbuda 1st November 1981 Gaston Browne Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) was established: Located in Trinidad and Tobago, the CCJ Settles all CSME related disputes and acts as the final Court of Appeal for civil and criminal matters from courts within CARICOM member states. CARICOM Passports were established: CARICOM passports make intra-regional and international travel easier for citizens of CARICOM member states. The three colours of the passports are: dark blue for civilians green for government officials red for diplomats.
    [Show full text]
  • Roberts: Idbfinanced Survey Good News for Christie Today's Fr
    4/29/2015 The Nassau Guardian Date: Sign Up Subscribe Advertise About Us Contact Archives search... Search News Business National Review Opinion Sports Op­Ed Editorial Letters Lifestyles Religion Obituaries Health & Wellness Education Pulse Arts & Culture Spice 2014 Hurricane Supplement Home & Fashion Today's News WEATHER The Abacos Light Rain Max: 91°F | Min: 78°F Roberts: IDB­financed survey good news for Christie CANDIA DAMES Print Managing Editor [email protected] Outlook Published: Apr 14, 2015 Gmail PrintFriendly In light of the customary “mid­term blues” among voters, the results of an Inter­American Development Share This: Twitter Bank (IDB)­financed survey reported on in National Facebook Review yesterday are “very good news” for Prime Minister Perry Christie and “very bad news” for Rate this article: Tumblr Opposition Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis, according to More... (293) Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Bradley Add To Favourite Roberts. Settings... The results showed that 9.5 percent of those surveyed viewed Christie’s job performance as “very good” AddThis Privacy and 37.4 percent as “good”. The results show that 9.6 percent viewed Christie’s job performance as “very bad”. Today's Front Page Another 11.3 percent viewed it as “bad”. 32.2 percent said Christie’s job performance was neither good nor bad, but “fair”. National Review also revealed that more than 45 percent of the Bahamians surveyed said they would vote for a candidate or party different from the current administration if an election were held this week. Another 24.5 percent said they would not vote at all.
    [Show full text]
  • US Department of Commerce , 2006
    Doing Business In The Bahamas: A Country Commercial Guide for U.S. Companies INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT, U.S. & FOREIGN COMMERCIAL SERVICE AND U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, 2006 . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES. • Chapter 1: Doing Business In … • Chapter 2: Political and Economic Environment • Chapter 3: Selling U.S. Products and Services • Chapter 4: Leading Sectors for U.S. Export and Investment • Chapter 5: Trade Regulations and Standards • Chapter 6: Investment Climate • Chapter 7: Trade and Project Financing • Chapter 8: Business Travel • Chapter 9: Contacts, Market Research and Trade Events • Chapter 10: Guide to Our Services 4/20 /2007 Chapter 1: Doing Business In The Bahamas • Market Overview • Market Challenges • Market Opportunities • Market Entry Strategy Market Overview Return to top • The Bahamas offers potential investors a stable democratic environment, relief from personal and corporate income taxes, timely repatriation of corporate profits, and proximity to the United States with extensive air and communication link s, and a good pool of skilled professionals. The Bahamas is a member of the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI), Canada’s CARIBCAN Program, and the European Union’s LOME IV Agreement. The Bahamas officially welcomes foreign investment in tourism, banking, agricultural and industrial areas that generate local employment, especially white -collar or skilled jobs. The vast majority of successful foreign investments, however, have remained in the areas of tourism and banking. The Government reserves retail and wholesale outlets, non - specialty restaurants, most construction projects, and many small businesses exclusively for Bahamians. • Nearly 60% of The Bahamas’ Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is derived from tourism. Financial services constitute the second most important sector of the economy and accounts for up to 15% of GDP.
    [Show full text]
  • The Bahamas 2018
    FREEDOM IN THE WORLD 2018 The Bahamas 91 FREE /100 Political Rights 38 /40 Civil Liberties 53 /60 LAST YEAR'S SCORE & STATUS 91 /100 Free Global freedom statuses are calculated on a weighted scale. See the methodology. Overview The Bahamas are a stable democracy where political rights and civil liberties are generally respected. However, the islands have a relatively high homicide rate, and migrants do not always receive due process under the law. Key Developments in 2017 • The opposition Free National Movement (FNM) party won general elections held in May, and FNM leader Hubert Minnis became the new prime minister. • A wave of harsh immigration raids took place after Minnis announced a December 31 deadline for irregular migrants to obtain regular status. • Rights groups reported that a number of migrants were detained without being granted access to legal counsel, and that many of their cases were not heard by a judge within the legally required 48 hours. • A long-awaited Freedom of Information Act was approved, but it lacked some key provisions, including whistleblower protections. Political Rights A. Electoral Process A1 0-4 pts Was the current head of government or other chief national authority elected through free and fair elections? 4 / 4 The Bahamas are governed under a parliamentary system, and the governor general is appointed by the British monarch as head of state. The prime minister is head of government, and is appointed by the governor general; the office is usually held by the leader of the largest party in parliament or head of a parliamentary coalition.
    [Show full text]
  • JIB (Aug 2013)
    EMBASSY OF JAPAN IN PAKISTAN & CONSULATE GENERAL OF JAPAN AT KARACHI August 2013 Vol. 58 H.E. Mr. Taro Kimura, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Japan, paid courtesy call on H.E. Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, at Prime Minister Offi ce on 21st August, 2013. THE JAPANESE ELECTION OBSERVER MISSION VISITED PAKISTAN FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION STATEMENT BY THE ELECTION 3. This was the fi rst general election in Pakistan OBSERVER MISSION TO PAKISTAN that was conducted after the completion FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN of the full fi ve year-term of the National Assembly. The election was a key test for the Islamabad: May 14, 2013 consolidation of democracy in Pakistan. In light of its signifi cance, the Government of Japan 1. The Election Observer Mission of the extended a grant aid worth $2 million through Government of Japan observed the election United Nations Development Programme process in Pakistan from Thursday, May 9 to (UNDP) to support the electoral process in Saturday, May 11 2013. The mission was headed Pakistan, including (i) polling staff training, (ii) by Mr. Nobuaki Tanaka, former Ambassador of development of elections results management Japan to Pakistan, and consisted of 16 members; system, and (iii) voter education and public two offi cials from the Ministry of Foreign outreach. Affairs of Japan, two experts from the University of Osaka and Hitotsubashi University, and eleven offi cials from the Embassy of Japan in Islamabad and the Consulate General of Japan in Karachi. The mission was divided into seven groups and conducted the observation in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Murree, Jhelum, Lahore and Karachi (two groups for Karachi).
    [Show full text]
  • Communiqué Issued at the Conclusion of the Twenty-Ninth Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community
    COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE TWENTY-NINTH INTER-SESSIONAL MEETING OF THE CONFERENCE OF HEADS OF GOVERNMENT OF THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY 26-27 February 2018, Port-au-Prince, Haiti The Twenty-Ninth Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) was held at Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on 26-27 February 2018. The President of Haiti, His Excellency Jovenel Moïse, Chaired the proceedings. Other Members of the Conference in attendance were Prime Minister of The Bahamas, Honourable Dr. Hubert Minnis; Prime Minister of Barbados, Rt. Honourable Freundel Stuart; Prime Minister of Grenada, Dr. the Rt. Honourable Keith Mitchell; Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Most Honourable Andrew Holness; Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Honourable Allen Chastanet; Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. the Honourable Ralph Gonsalves; and Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. the Honourable Keith Rowley. Antigua and Barbuda was represented by His Excellency Ambassador Colin Murdoch; Belize was represented by Senator the Honourable Michael Peyrefitte, Attorney General; Dominica was represented by the Honourable Francine Baron, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Guyana was represented by His Excellency Vice President Carl Greenidge; Montserrat was represented by the Honourable Delmaude Ryan, Deputy Premier and Minister of Education, Health, Youth Affairs, Sports and Social Services; St Kitts and Nevis was represented by the Honourable Vance Amory, Senior Minister; Suriname was represented by His Excellency Vice-President, Michael Ashwin Adhin. Associate Members in attendance were British Virgin Islands represented by Dr. the Hon Kedrick Pickering, Deputy Premier; the Turks and Caicos Islands represented by Hon.
    [Show full text]
  • Communication to Parliament Hurricane Dorian the Most Hon. Dr
    Communication to Parliament Hurricane Dorian The Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis Prime Minister Wednesday, 2 October 2019 1 Mr. Speaker, I rise to give the first in a series of communications to Parliament in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian. Next week I will report on a number of other critical matters related to hurricane recovery and reconstruction. Mr. Speaker, 2 It was a month yesterday that Hurricane Dorian struck The Bahamas, devastating Abaco and Grand Bahama. The official number of dead is 60. There are still approximately 600 people missing. May we bow our heads for a moment to remember those who have lost their lives. Mr. Speaker: As we celebrate the 290th anniversary of our parliamentary heritage, it is my privilege 3 to rise in the People’s House to thank the scores of Bahamians and residents of goodwill, who have joined hands and hearts to help their brothers and sisters on Abaco and Grand Bahama. A friend sent me a photograph of the Bahamian flag flying overseas, on top of a building, all the way in Sweden. It is one of many displays of solidarity with The Bahamas in our time of need. 4 May we at home, demonstrate this same spirit of solidarity as we respond to one of the greatest challenges in our nation’s history. Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise the House that I will return to Abaco this afternoon to meet with more residents affected by Hurricane Dorian. I will meet with recovery and reconstruction officials and will remain overnight on Abaco. 5 I will also be there to once again thank those on the ground who are working day and night to assist with recovery and reconstruction.
    [Show full text]
  • View Profile
    The Bahamas Vegetation: The soil is thin, and generally infertile, but cultivation has produced exotic flowers (as well as subtropical fruit and vegetables) on the more developed islands. Some islands have large areas of pine forests. Forest covers 51 per cent of the land area and there was no significant loss of forest cover during 1990–2011. Wildlife: Animal life is restricted to small species, such as agouti, frogs, iguanas and bats. The Inagua National Park on Great Inagua Island is the home of more than 50,000 flamingos, the largest flock in the world and The Bahamas’ national bird. Main towns: Nassau (capital, pop. 241,200 in 2010) on New Providence; Freeport (44,300), West End (13,100) and High Rock (3,900) on Grand Bahama; Cooper’s Town (9,300) and Marsh Harbour (5,800) on Abaco; Freetown (4,300) and Spanish Wells (1,800) on Eleuthera; Andros Town (2,300) on Andros; and Clarence Town (1,700) on Long Island. Transport: The total road system extends to some 2,700 km, about 60 per cent of it paved. There are almost 1,000 km of roads on New Providence (some of which are privately owned), 209 km of roads on KEY FACTS city of Freeport. The other islands are known Eleuthera, 156 km on Grand Bahama, and collectively as the Family Islands or Out Joined Commonwealth: 1973 more than 885 km on the Out Islands. Islands. The islands lie on a submarine shelf Population: 377,000 (2013) which rises steeply from deep waters in the Main ports are Nassau (New Providence), Freeport (Grand Bahama) and Matthew Town GDP p.c.
    [Show full text]
  • From Grassroots to the Airwaves Paying for Political Parties And
    FROM GRASSROOTS TO THE AIRWAVES: Paying for Political Parties and Campaigns in the Caribbean OAS Inter-American Forum on Political Parties Editors Steven Griner Daniel Zovatto Published by Organization of American States (OAS) International IDEA Washington, D.C. 2005 © Organization of American States (OAS) © International IDEA First Edition, August, 2005 1,000 copies Washinton, D.C. The opinions expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Organization of American States or the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. Editors: Steven Griner Daniel Zovatto ISBN 0-8270-7856-4 Layout by: Compudiseño - Guatemala, C.A. Printed by: Impresos Nítidos - Guatemala, C.A. September, 2005. Acknowledgements This publication is the result of a joint effort by the Office for the Promotion of Democracy of the Organization of American States, and by International IDEA under the framework of the Inter-American Forum on Political Parties. The Inter-American Forum on Political Parties was established in 2001 to fulfill the mandates of the Inter-American Democratic Charter and the Summit of the Americas related to the strengthening and modernization of political parties. In both instruments, the Heads of State and Government noted with concern the high cost of elections and called for work to be done in this field. This study attempts to address this concern. The overall objective of this study was to provide a comparative analysis of the 34 member states of the OAS, assessing not only the normative framework of political party and campaign financing, but also how legislation is actually put into practice.
    [Show full text]
  • Republic of Suriname / República De Suriname Electoral Law of 1987 Ley Electoral De 1987
    Suriname: Electoral Law of 1987 http://pdba.georgetown.edu/Electoral/Sur/suriname.html Republic of Suriname / República de Suriname Electoral Law of 1987 Ley Electoral de 1987 Last updated / Última Actualización: July 14, 2005 MINISTERIE VAN ONDERWIJS EN VOLKSONTWIKKELING Afdeling Vertalingen vrt/1644.2 1987 No. 73 OFFICIAL GAZETTE of the REPUBLIC OF SURINAME Resolution of 23 October 1987 No. 6944 concerning the publication in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Suriname of the current text of the "Electoral Law" (Official Gazette 1987 No. 62, as last amended by Official Gazette 1987 No. 71) THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SURINAME, IN VIEW OF the State Decree of 14 May 1986 concerning the establishment and tasks of the Departments of General Administration (1986 Decree on Establishment and Tasks of Departments of General Administration), Official Gazette 1986 No. 23. CONSIDERING that it is desirable to publish the current text of the "Electoral Law" (Official Gazette 1987 No.62), as last amended by Official Gazette 1987 No.71, in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Suriname in order to facilitate reference thereto. HAS DECIDED To determine that the "Electoral Law" (Official Gazette 1987 No.62), as it runs after the amendments made therein by General Decree A-25A of 17 October 1987 (Official Gazette 1987 No.70) and General Decree A-25B of 19 October 1987 (Official Gazette 1987 No.71), as well as a copy of this resolution, be published in the Official Gazette of the republic of Suriname. Paramaribo, 23 October 1987 L.F. RAMDAT MISIER The Minister of Justice, S.F.
    [Show full text]