Antigua and Barbuda’s Supervisor of Elections, Ian S. Hughes, will lead the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Election Observer Mission to Trinidad and Tobago’s general elections scheduled for April 28.
The Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission (ABEC) confirmed that Hughes has been appointed CARICOM’s Chief of Mission, tasked with overseeing the delegation’s operations and ensuring that the mission adheres to its Terms of Reference.
The CARICOM team will observe the final stages of preparations before the polls open, engage with key stakeholders to assess the state of electoral readiness, and monitor the voting process on election day. The team will also collect qualitative insights on the conduct of electoral officials, political representatives, and the general political atmosphere.
In the post-election phase, Hughes will guide the team’s assessment of the election results and the immediate effects on the country’s social and political climate. At the conclusion of the mission, he will deliver an official statement on behalf of CARICOM and prepare the final report for submission to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.
This isn’t Hughes’ first time at the helm of a CARICOM observation mission. He previously led the delegation for the 2021 general elections in The Bahamas, and has participated in similar efforts in Turks and Caicos (2021), Belize and Suriname (2020), and Haiti (2015).
The Commonwealth and the US-based Carter Center are also expected to deploy observer teams for Trinidad and Tobago’s election, in which 161 candidates representing 17 political parties will contest the 41 parliamentary seats.
Observers say the race is likely to come down to a contest between the incumbent People’s National Movement (PNM) and a coalition led by the opposition United National Congress (UNC).
