Observing Caribbean Elections During the Pandemic: Challenges and Best Practices

Vasciannie, Lisa

doi:10.18601/16577558.n37.12

Titulo:

Observing Caribbean Elections During the Pandemic: Challenges and Best Practices
.

Sumario:

Este artículo examina cómo la práctica de la observación electoral internacional en los países caribeños de la Commonwealth se vio afectada por la pandemia de covid-19. Muchos países se enfrentaron a la decisión de realizar o retrasar elecciones durante esta crisis. Entre marzo de 2020 y junio de 2022, 10 de los 12 países de la Commonwealth en el Caribe celebraron elecciones. Todos estos países, excepto Barbados, han tenido sus elecciones observadas por al menos una organización regional o internacional durante las últimas dos décadas. El cierre de fronteras y los diversos requisitos de cuarentena tuvieron implicaciones prácticas para mantener esta tendencia durante la pandemia. La mayoría de los países que invitan regularmente a observador... Ver más

Guardado en:

Revista:

Oasis

ISSN:

1657-7558

EISSN:

2346-2132

Autores:

Vasciannie, Lisa

Editor:

UNIVERSIDAD EXTERNADO DE COLOMBIA

DOI:

10.18601/16577558.n37.12

Año de publicación:

2022-12-05

Pagina inicial:

217

Pagina final:

237

Pais:

Palabras claves:

misiones de observación;

democracia;

pandemia;

gobernanza

Licencia:

Lisa Vasciannie - 2022

Esta obra está bajo una licencia internacional Creative Commons Atribución-NoComercial-CompartirIgual 4.0.

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2

id	metarevistapublica_uexternado_oasis_70_article_8427
record_format	ojs
spelling	Observing Caribbean Elections During the Pandemic: Challenges and Best Practices Observing Caribbean Elections During the Pandemic: Challenges and Best Practices Este artículo examina cómo la práctica de la observación electoral internacional en los países caribeños de la Commonwealth se vio afectada por la pandemia de covid-19. Muchos países se enfrentaron a la decisión de realizar o retrasar elecciones durante esta crisis. Entre marzo de 2020 y junio de 2022, 10 de los 12 países de la Commonwealth en el Caribe celebraron elecciones. Todos estos países, excepto Barbados, han tenido sus elecciones observadas por al menos una organización regional o internacional durante las últimas dos décadas. El cierre de fronteras y los diversos requisitos de cuarentena tuvieron implicaciones prácticas para mantener esta tendencia durante la pandemia. La mayoría de los países que invitan regularmente a observadores internacionales no lo hicieron en esta ocasión. Este artículo considera las razones de la ausencia de observadores en algunas elecciones y explora los ajustes que los grupos de observadores han tenido que hacer durante los últimos dos años. También explora cómo los países del Caribe pudieron manifestar su compromiso de celebrar elecciones libres y justas en ausencia de observadores. Para los países que tenían observadores, la discusión examina cómo estas misiones se enfrentaron a problemas de costos, periodos de invitación más cortos, desafíos en viajes internacionales, reclutamiento de observadores adecuados y protocolos y limitaciones pandémicas locales. This paper examines how the practice of international election observation in the Commonwealth Caribbean was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many countries were faced with the decision on whether to conduct or delay elections during the pandemic. Between March 2020 and June 2022, 10 out of 12 Commonwealth Caribbean countries held elections.1 All these countries, except for Barbados, have had their elections observed by at least one regional or international organization during the last two decades.2 The closure of borders and the various quarantine requirements had practical implications for maintaining this trend during the pandemic. Most countries that regularly invite international observers did not have their pandemic-held elections observed. This paper considers the reasons for the absence of observers in some elections and explores the adjustments observer groups have had to make during the last two years. The discussion also explores how Caribbean countries were able to indicate their commitment to holding free and fair elections in the absence of observers. For the countries that had observers, the discussion examines how these missions navigated issues of cost, shorter invitation periods, challenges in international travel, the recruitment of suitable observers and local pandemic protocols and conditions. Vasciannie, Lisa Caribbean; Commonwealth; Elections; Observation; Democracy; Pandemic; Governance Caribe; Commonwealth; elecciones; misiones de observación; democracia; pandemia; gobernanza 37 Núm. 37 , Año 2023 : Enero-Junio Artículo de revista Journal article 2022-12-05T00:00:00Z 2022-12-05T00:00:00Z 2022-12-05 application/pdf text/html text/xml Facultad de Finanzas, Gobierno y Relaciones Internacionales Oasis 1657-7558 2346-2132 https://revistas.uexternado.edu.co/index.php/oasis/article/view/8427 10.18601/16577558.n37.12 https://doi.org/10.18601/16577558.n37.12 spa http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0 Lisa Vasciannie - 2022 Esta obra está bajo una licencia internacional Creative Commons Atribución-NoComercial-CompartirIgual 4.0. 217 237 Barrow-Giles, C. (2005). Political Party Financing and Women ́ s Political Participation in the Caribbean, http://www.oas.org/sap/publications/2005/fiapp/grassroots_airwaves/doc/pbl_grassroots_004_05_eng.pdf Charles, J. (2020). Surging COVID in Jamaica, leads Holness to change course. Miami Herald, 24. Election Observation Missions Requested by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago (s. f.). Trinidad and Tobago Government News, http://news.gov.tt/content/election-observation-missionsrequested-government-trinidad-and-tobago#.YOtcgOhKg2x Geisler, G. (1993). Fair? What has fairness got to do with it? Vagaries of election observations and democratic standards. The Journal of Modern African Studies, 31 (4), 613-637. General Elections (2020). Government of Belize Press Office (October 2020) https://www.pressoffice.gov.bz/general-elections-2020/ (accessed February 2022) International IDEA (2022). Managing Elections During COVID-19: The Republic of Korea’s First Crucial Test. IDEA. Lynge-Manguiera, H. (2013). Why ‘Professionalizing’ International Election Observation Might Not be Enough to Ensure Effective Election Observation. International IDEA. Matlosa, K. (2021). Pouring Salt into the Wound:The Crisis of International Election Observation and COVID-19 in Africa. Journal of Asian and African Studies, 56 (8). Norwegian Refugee Council (2020). Election Observation During the Pandemic. https://reliefweb.int/report/myanmar/election-observation-during-pandemic Organization of American States (OAS) (1948). Charter of the Organisation of American States. OAS. Organization of American States (OAS) (2001). Inter- American Democratic Charter. OAS. Organization of American States (OAS) (2007). Procedural Manual for the Organization of Election Observation Missions. OAS. SKN (2020, May 22). Supervisor of Elections Elvin Bailey delivers address in relation to General Election 2020. NIA - Nevis Island Administration. https://nia.gov.kn/41522-2 Parliamentary Registration Department, https://www.elections.gov.bs/np-registration-centres St Kitts-Nevis (2020, May 29). PM revokes OAS/EOM invitation for June 5 elections. Caribbean News Global. https://www.caribbeannewsglobal.com/st-kitts-nevis-pm-revokes-oas-eom-invitationfor-june-5-elections/ The Commonwealth (2020). Commonwealth Observer Group to the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Interim Statement. The Commonwealth The Commonwealth (2021). Report of the Commonwealth Observer Group, Saint Lucia General Elections. The Commonwealth The Commonwealth (2022). COVID-19 and Election Management in the Caribbean: Challenges, Innovations and Opportunities. The Commonwealth. The Gleaner (1997, August 8). No International Observers for Elections – PM. The Gleaner. UN Women (2015). Women’s Political Leadership in the Caribbean. UN Women. United Nations (2005). Declaration of Principles and Code of Conduct for International Observers. ONU. United Nations (2015). UN Sustainable Development Goals. ONU. Vasciannie, L. A. (2002). International Election Observation: The Case of the December 1997 Jamaican Election. Social and Economic Studies, 51, 117-154. Vasciannie, L. A. (2017). International Election Observation in Guyana: 1964-2001. Commonwealth and Comparative Politics, 5, 141-1645. https://doi.org/10.1080/14662043.2017.1283476 Vasciannie, L. A. (2018a). International Election Observation in the Commonwealth Caribbean: Race, Aid and Democratization. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-59069-1 Vasciannie, L. A. (2018b). The Organization of American States: Evolution of Election Observation in the Inter-American System 1962-2017. Caribbean Journal of International Relations. Vasciannie, L. A. (2021). Jamaica and Covid-19: issues of law and policy in the first year. The Round Table. https://doi.org/10.1080/00358533.2021.1956756 World Health Organization (WHO) (2020). Public health considerations for elections and related activities in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: interim guidance. WHO. https://revistas.uexternado.edu.co/index.php/oasis/article/download/8427/13613 https://revistas.uexternado.edu.co/index.php/oasis/article/download/8427/13614 https://revistas.uexternado.edu.co/index.php/oasis/article/download/8427/13615 info:eu-repo/semantics/article http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501 info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion http://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2 Text Publication
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country_str	Colombia
collection	Oasis
title	Observing Caribbean Elections During the Pandemic: Challenges and Best Practices
spellingShingle	Observing Caribbean Elections During the Pandemic: Challenges and Best Practices Vasciannie, Lisa Caribbean; Commonwealth; Elections; Observation; Democracy; Pandemic; Governance Caribe; Commonwealth; elecciones; misiones de observación; democracia; pandemia; gobernanza
title_short	Observing Caribbean Elections During the Pandemic: Challenges and Best Practices
title_full	Observing Caribbean Elections During the Pandemic: Challenges and Best Practices
title_fullStr	Observing Caribbean Elections During the Pandemic: Challenges and Best Practices
title_full_unstemmed	Observing Caribbean Elections During the Pandemic: Challenges and Best Practices
title_sort	observing caribbean elections during the pandemic: challenges and best practices
title_eng	Observing Caribbean Elections During the Pandemic: Challenges and Best Practices
description	Este artículo examina cómo la práctica de la observación electoral internacional en los países caribeños de la Commonwealth se vio afectada por la pandemia de covid-19. Muchos países se enfrentaron a la decisión de realizar o retrasar elecciones durante esta crisis. Entre marzo de 2020 y junio de 2022, 10 de los 12 países de la Commonwealth en el Caribe celebraron elecciones. Todos estos países, excepto Barbados, han tenido sus elecciones observadas por al menos una organización regional o internacional durante las últimas dos décadas. El cierre de fronteras y los diversos requisitos de cuarentena tuvieron implicaciones prácticas para mantener esta tendencia durante la pandemia. La mayoría de los países que invitan regularmente a observadores internacionales no lo hicieron en esta ocasión. Este artículo considera las razones de la ausencia de observadores en algunas elecciones y explora los ajustes que los grupos de observadores han tenido que hacer durante los últimos dos años. También explora cómo los países del Caribe pudieron manifestar su compromiso de celebrar elecciones libres y justas en ausencia de observadores. Para los países que tenían observadores, la discusión examina cómo estas misiones se enfrentaron a problemas de costos, periodos de invitación más cortos, desafíos en viajes internacionales, reclutamiento de observadores adecuados y protocolos y limitaciones pandémicas locales.
description_eng	This paper examines how the practice of international election observation in the Commonwealth Caribbean was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many countries were faced with the decision on whether to conduct or delay elections during the pandemic. Between March 2020 and June 2022, 10 out of 12 Commonwealth Caribbean countries held elections.1 All these countries, except for Barbados, have had their elections observed by at least one regional or international organization during the last two decades.2 The closure of borders and the various quarantine requirements had practical implications for maintaining this trend during the pandemic. Most countries that regularly invite international observers did not have their pandemic-held elections observed. This paper considers the reasons for the absence of observers in some elections and explores the adjustments observer groups have had to make during the last two years. The discussion also explores how Caribbean countries were able to indicate their commitment to holding free and fair elections in the absence of observers. For the countries that had observers, the discussion examines how these missions navigated issues of cost, shorter invitation periods, challenges in international travel, the recruitment of suitable observers and local pandemic protocols and conditions.
author	Vasciannie, Lisa
author_facet	Vasciannie, Lisa
topic	Caribbean; Commonwealth; Elections; Observation; Democracy; Pandemic; Governance Caribe; Commonwealth; elecciones; misiones de observación; democracia; pandemia; gobernanza
topic_facet	Caribbean; Commonwealth; Elections; Observation; Democracy; Pandemic; Governance Caribe; Commonwealth; elecciones; misiones de observación; democracia; pandemia; gobernanza
topicspa_str_mv	Caribe; Commonwealth; elecciones; misiones de observación; democracia; pandemia; gobernanza
citationissue	37
citationedition	Núm. 37 , Año 2023 : Enero-Junio
publisher	Facultad de Finanzas, Gobierno y Relaciones Internacionales
ispartofjournal	Oasis
source	https://revistas.uexternado.edu.co/index.php/oasis/article/view/8427
language	spa
format	Article
rights	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0 Lisa Vasciannie - 2022 Esta obra está bajo una licencia internacional Creative Commons Atribución-NoComercial-CompartirIgual 4.0. info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
references	Barrow-Giles, C. (2005). Political Party Financing and Women ́ s Political Participation in the Caribbean, http://www.oas.org/sap/publications/2005/fiapp/grassroots_airwaves/doc/pbl_grassroots_004_05_eng.pdf Charles, J. (2020). Surging COVID in Jamaica, leads Holness to change course. Miami Herald, 24. Election Observation Missions Requested by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago (s. f.). Trinidad and Tobago Government News, http://news.gov.tt/content/election-observation-missionsrequested-government-trinidad-and-tobago#.YOtcgOhKg2x Geisler, G. (1993). Fair? What has fairness got to do with it? Vagaries of election observations and democratic standards. The Journal of Modern African Studies, 31 (4), 613-637. General Elections (2020). Government of Belize Press Office (October 2020) https://www.pressoffice.gov.bz/general-elections-2020/ (accessed February 2022) International IDEA (2022). Managing Elections During COVID-19: The Republic of Korea’s First Crucial Test. IDEA. Lynge-Manguiera, H. (2013). Why ‘Professionalizing’ International Election Observation Might Not be Enough to Ensure Effective Election Observation. International IDEA. Matlosa, K. (2021). Pouring Salt into the Wound:The Crisis of International Election Observation and COVID-19 in Africa. Journal of Asian and African Studies, 56 (8). Norwegian Refugee Council (2020). Election Observation During the Pandemic. https://reliefweb.int/report/myanmar/election-observation-during-pandemic Organization of American States (OAS) (1948). Charter of the Organisation of American States. OAS. Organization of American States (OAS) (2001). Inter- American Democratic Charter. OAS. Organization of American States (OAS) (2007). Procedural Manual for the Organization of Election Observation Missions. OAS. SKN (2020, May 22). Supervisor of Elections Elvin Bailey delivers address in relation to General Election 2020. NIA - Nevis Island Administration. https://nia.gov.kn/41522-2 Parliamentary Registration Department, https://www.elections.gov.bs/np-registration-centres St Kitts-Nevis (2020, May 29). PM revokes OAS/EOM invitation for June 5 elections. Caribbean News Global. https://www.caribbeannewsglobal.com/st-kitts-nevis-pm-revokes-oas-eom-invitationfor-june-5-elections/ The Commonwealth (2020). Commonwealth Observer Group to the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Interim Statement. The Commonwealth The Commonwealth (2021). Report of the Commonwealth Observer Group, Saint Lucia General Elections. The Commonwealth The Commonwealth (2022). COVID-19 and Election Management in the Caribbean: Challenges, Innovations and Opportunities. The Commonwealth. The Gleaner (1997, August 8). No International Observers for Elections – PM. The Gleaner. UN Women (2015). Women’s Political Leadership in the Caribbean. UN Women. United Nations (2005). Declaration of Principles and Code of Conduct for International Observers. ONU. United Nations (2015). UN Sustainable Development Goals. ONU. Vasciannie, L. A. (2002). International Election Observation: The Case of the December 1997 Jamaican Election. Social and Economic Studies, 51, 117-154. Vasciannie, L. A. (2017). International Election Observation in Guyana: 1964-2001. Commonwealth and Comparative Politics, 5, 141-1645. https://doi.org/10.1080/14662043.2017.1283476 Vasciannie, L. A. (2018a). International Election Observation in the Commonwealth Caribbean: Race, Aid and Democratization. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-59069-1 Vasciannie, L. A. (2018b). The Organization of American States: Evolution of Election Observation in the Inter-American System 1962-2017. Caribbean Journal of International Relations. Vasciannie, L. A. (2021). Jamaica and Covid-19: issues of law and policy in the first year. The Round Table. https://doi.org/10.1080/00358533.2021.1956756 World Health Organization (WHO) (2020). Public health considerations for elections and related activities in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: interim guidance. WHO.
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Observing Caribbean Elections During the Pandemic: Challenges and Best Practices
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