GEORGETOWN, Guyana, May 2, CMC – The Guyana-based Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat said Wednesday that a 12-member CARICOM team will observe the May 7 general election in the Bahamas.

It said that the team from 10 member CARICOM countries and the Secretariat will be led by the Director of Elections in Jamaica, Orrette Fisher, as well as Gasper Jn. Baptiste, the Deputy Chief Elections Officer in St. Lucia.

The two officials have already arrived in the Bahamas and they will be joined by the rest of the team on Thursday. The CARICOM will leave on May 9.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said this is the first time ever that general elections are being observed by missions from the United States of America and from the Organization of American States. The US Mission comprises 36 observers.  The OAS Observer Mission comprises 16 representatives from a number of member states including Guatemala, Colombia, Antigua and Barbuda, the USA, Canada, Argentina, Grenada, St. Lucia, Jamaica, Switzerland, Peru, and Barbados.

At least three political parties including Ingraham’s ruling Free National Movement (FNM); the main opposition Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and the Democratic National Alliance are contesting the 38 seats at stake in the polls.