PORT OF SPAIN: 11TH APRIL 2025
The Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs advises that it has received correspondence confirming the presence of Election Observer Missions fromthe Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Commonwealth, for Trinidad and Tobago’s General Election which is set to take place on April 28th, 2025.
Dr. Keith Rowley, the then Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, by letter to Dr. Carla Barnett CBE, Secretary-General, Caribbean Community (CARICOM), dated December 10th, 2024, requested the presence of a CARICOM Electoral Observer Mission for the 2025 General Election. In response to the request, the CARICOM Secretary-General, by letter dated January 13, 2025, informed that the Secretariat was prepared to undertake the necessary administrative arrangements for the deployment of an Electoral Observer Mission.
Subsequently, The Honourable Stuart Young, S.C., Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and Minister of Energy and Energy Industries, by letter to the Rt. Honourable Baroness Patricia Scotland, K.C., the then Commonwealth Secretary-General, dated March 19th, 2025, requested the presence of an Electoral Observation Mission from the Commonwealth, to observe the 2025 General Election. Baroness Patricia Scotland, K.C, via letter dated March 25th, 2025, informed that arrangements would be made to deploy a Commonwealth Electoral Mission and that contact would be made with the relevant Officials to coordinate planning and deployment of the Mission.
A third entity, the Carter Centre, was also invited by Prime Minister Stuart Young, via letter dated March 21st, 2025, to Dr. David Carroll, Director, Democracy Programme, to observe the elections. Unfortunately, the response thus far and to be confirmed has been inability to deploy a Mission.
The Observer Missions are expected to commence and complete the exercise in Trinidad and Tobago during the period the April 21st to April 30th 2025. They are also expected to share their observations and make recommendations for future electoral processes with relevant authorities, stakeholders and members of the public.
The Chief Election Officer has been officially written informing of the presence of the Missions and of the request from the CARICOM Secretariat for meetings with key stakeholders. Details with regard to the Commonwealth’s team are being addressed. Facilitation of the Electoral Observer Missions is in keeping with international best practice and reflects Trinidad and Tobago’s longstanding commitment and adherence to democracy and the rule of law, to the promotion and protection of human rights and the country’s universally-acknowledged tradition of free and fair elections. Letters related to the presence of the election teams are attached.
Attachments:
Letter to CARICOM Secretary General
Letter from CARICOM Secretary General
Letter to Commonwealth Secretary General
Letter from Commonwealth Secretary General
