Chief of Mission of an Organization of American States (OAS) Electoral Observer Mission (EOM) to Dominica, Adam Blackwell, has said that more time in a country prior to the date of its general election is necessary in order to do a balanced report on the election process.
Blackwell was part of the 6 man team from the OAS EOM who observed the process and made recommendations for improvement.
“It would have been nice if we had been invited to do these elections a little earlier,” he said, noting that two weeks would have been better.
“But that is one of the challenges of the parliamentary system everywhere,” Blackwell said. “You are not necessarily sure in those countries that haven’t got fix dates when the election is actually going to be called.”
He said this is one the mission’s recommendations.
“I think one of the recommendations that we have in here and it is something that we need to discuss. How much advance time do we need if we are to do as good a job of observing elections as possible is something we want to work on.”
The team consisted of observers from Antigua and Barbuda, Canada, Chile, the United States and Venezuela and arrived on Wednesday 3rd December 2014, some four days before the December 8, 2014 general election.
Blackwell said he believes that they did an excellent job.
“I think we did an exceptional job, we are a dedicated team to visit all the constituencies and 60 percent of the polling stations, it was not easy but we did it.”
Their objective was to observe that the electoral process is carried out with impartiality, transparency and reliability.
They were expected to focus on gathering information about the status of the recommendations made in the last mission in 2009, analyze the electoral organization, electoral-political financing and the equal participation of men and women in the electoral process.
This is their second mission to the island. The first was in 2009.
The findings of the Mission will be presented to the Permanent Council of the Organization in Washington, DC.
What kind of nonsense is that. You rush and give this corrupt government your total blessing. Now after they are way pass the gate you want to issue this bogus face saving remark.
The elections was corrupted and the OAS is just the same
Mr Blackwell I wonder how often your work comes under scrutiny. It seems you’re not Black, and you’re not Well either. Do you understand the dynamics of your work affects our children and therefore our future?
Venezuela is not a democratic state; it is a borderline Communist nation incapable of holding free and fair elections itself. Why are they part of the Electoral process in Dominica?
Mr Blackwell you seem to lack competence and should be reevaluated. What exactly is your S.O.P sir?
In my view, the hasty unqualified information provided immediately following polling day, that The Election was FREE and FAIR, coupled now with this statement “That More time is necessary for a balanced report”; suggests to me that the original statement was unbalanced, and showed a lack of professionalism.
As someone who has, in my professional capacity, conducted corporate governance audits, external and internal audits, examinations of financial institutions, including some of the largest in the world; if I did not have either sufficient time, and or sufficient information upon which to make an objective, and credible analysis, leading to an opinion; I would have stated upfront in any report or information provided preliminary, or otherwise, that time and the absence of sufficient information, I can provide a qualified report, meaning in effect, I cannot conclude with accuracy, that there was no exception.
I used this rather long process, to let the average reader, as well as the more informed,, that the observation process, is similar to conducting an audit, review, or examination of the process. And so, the explanation now, after stating categorically, that the process was free and fair raises more questions than answers, on the integrity, professionalism, and credibility of the statement, “That The Election in Dominica was FREE and FAIR”, and a disservice to the people of Dominica, and a grave insult to our intelligence.
Who determined the 60%? Were they fooled and charmed when they met Skeritt? Did they observe at the areas where DLP was handing out dollar bills? Did they observe when Fontaine votes were deliberately discarded?
Yet he immediatley announced it was fair!
This election was plaqued with corruption
– the inflated voters list
-flying ppl from overseas to vote ( bribery)
– Bribing ppl on line with money while getting ready to vote
– squandering 30 million doallars on campaign when the ppl are starving and unemployed
– Offering public servants raises last minute befor ethe election ( thats bribery to my friend )
OAS – you messed up big time.
Blackwell’s johnny come lately analysis is absolutely ridiculous and insulting to any intelligent people. If they did not have enough time, then on what basis, and grounds, could he and his seal team (4) have come to the conclusion that the election was fair. Do they want us to now believe they miss the Red Gravy train? Some of us Dominicans possess the capacity to analyze, and come to objective conclusions about the conflicting information emanating from the OAS observer team, which the UWP should have been observing! Blackwell should just hold his peace and go to Langley, and leave us in our struggle.
DNO are you correct ? is Blackwell of the OAS mission or the Commonwealth Mission? please clarify.
This is obvious, but king skerit and his operatives, will not invite nobody early for them to see what is really going on in the country, all the money and building materials that was spreading all over the place, the fact that the airport was empty until people start pouring into the island, the fact that no attention was being paid to our bad roads yet millions of dollars was being spent on foreign artists, the fact that state resources was being used (vehicles, staff, LPO) in DLP campaign. No observer will be allowed to see that. Although as far as I am concerned they need not come, this is just a futile effort. They make recommendations five years later they passm back and its same O, Same O. Dictators dont listen to observers, people ask for observers , they give them observers but they being here makes not difference to King Skerrit as long as they continue to say Dominica elections is free and fair. Who knows maybe Zimbawe is the bench mark that they using to measure what goes on here. But trust me, we not far from that at all.
Me thinks that’s a lot of hogwash coming from this man who is obviously attempting to redeem himself after his controversial statements about the elections being free anf fair. How can one use one side of their mouth to say that the number of voters on the eletoral list is larger than the population and then on the other side of the mouth call the elections free and fair? More time needed my foot.
Didn’t he know that prior to elections civil servants were offered salary increase of 0,0,0, then 1,0,0 and on the eve of the elections it changed to 3,1,1? And who are the friendly governments that are bankrolloing another country’s public payroll? Where is the tranasparency? Sir, there was too much commentary to be read and absorbed before being entertained I presume at taxpayers expense, and to add insult to injury the man is acknowledging that the same issues that were raised at the previous elections still exist. In other words do your homework before taking on a task of such importance and magnitude. Free elections? with the rumors abound that non-residents were brought in to vote and taint the process?
Did any members of his team interview any of the voters pre and post the election? And what of the issue of campaigning taking place on election day in contravention of the election laws, which existed since I was a teenager? What kind of a leader is this man? and is his observations condoned by his peers? Woe is me and my people in the Caribbean, and a sad time for all who seek freedom to elect those who abide by the law and not those who are above the Law. Mr. Man we may be a “warm and friendly” people, but we are not coonomoonos, or maybe I am? Come better than that Sir. If you were duped, then just say you were.
You needed more time, yet you pronounced the elections were ‘free and fair’? How could you?
Adam, you need to shut up, and stop talking garbage!
You do not know what went on behind the scene. Are you aware of how many people were given shacks (houses) as bribes to influence their votes? Are you aware of how many many people who got vouchers to give to certain supplies of building materials in order to obtained building materials?
If the UWP indulged in the buying of votes, if both party’s had the same amount of sixty ($60,000,000.00) million dollars to bribe voters, and you could confirm that then your babbling might make a little sense; you need to give it up, stop defending the conduct, of Skerrit and his labor party.
The balance you are talking about is in your shallow mind! You are insulting those of us who knows for a fact what transpired, fool yourself if you so wish, but, do not come with your pile of garbage trying to insult the intelligence of our people!
The election was rigged, you know it; as well the rest of us who recognize dishonesty when we see it, you cannot defend or present any argument that can justify what transpired behind the scene: how the hell do you account for each of the Labor Party candidate; had more than a million dollars to give away to voters, hence bribing them: The election was bought.
The labor party won the election, we are not by any means arguing that; however, if you want to be fair, you would agree that they won by questionable, devious, and cynical means: Nobody want to hear your crap, take it with you!
It is people like you who continuously distort the truth, why so many people in the world lives in turmoil and poverty, your organization has been to countries where people vote with a gun to their heads, you leave and proclaim to the world “the election was fair.” That is the same crap you are doing to our country right now.
You are a sick man, and a liar too; leave our people alone, let us deal with our internal affairs as we deem fit, you talk nonsense which can’t even help a dog, what good are your stupid comments, the election is over, until Dominicans get to a point where the become volatile, and decide to do something to change the system, the garbage you speak cannot help us!
Life must go on in our country!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
he is only saying this because the Commonwealth mission show up how flimsy and nonchalant of a job they do. Excuses Excuses Excuses.
SERIOUSLY?
All what Mr. talking about is all what was WRONG with the electoral process and they have GUTS saying the election was free and fair? You got to be freaking kidding me! Talk about votes being stolen, and none of them DEMANDED that the lawyer back off and let the electoral mission do its work. THIS SHIT IS UNBELIEVABLE! From the time i heard about this mission, I said that’s a PAID group of HENCHMEN! A political GIMMICK!
The chief of mission need to be advised about the laws of Dominica before he makes his report in the future.