The Organization of American States (OAS) and the Government of the Republic of Guyana have signed an Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) for the general and regional elections in Guyana to be held at the end of this year.

In a ceremony held at OAS headquarters in Washington, DC, Secretary General José Miguel Insulza and the Permanent Representative of Guyana to the OAS, Ambassador Bayney R. Karran, signed the document, while at the same time expressing their wishes for the elections in the Caribbean nation to take place in an environment of normalcy and transparency.

Secretary General Insulza thanked the Government of Guyana for the opportunity it brings to the OAS to observe this electoral process and recalled the strong presence the country has had in regional and international relations.

“I hope that all this international activity will now be accompanied by a very good coop in matters that are really of concern for the Guyanese democracy,” he said. “Your country has a solid democratic vocation and a clear will from its authorities to carry out an election that is transparent and satisfactory for everybody.”

For his part, Ambassador Karran recalled that since 1992 his country has achieved great progress in the strengthening of electoral democracy, and that “the Organization of American States has played a very important role in that area.”

He said he was looking forward to having elections that “express the free will of the Guyanese people and establish the bases for the continuing strengthening of democracy”.