DIRECTOR of Elections Danville Walker has confirmed that the August 27 general elections will be observed by representatives of the 35-member, Washington-based Organisation of American States (OAS), and the Caribbean Community (Caricom).

Speaking with the Sunday Observer following an Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) press conference at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston last Friday, Walker said invitations had been extended to five international agencies to observe the polls.

“I can tell you that observers will be here from the Organisation of American States and from the Caribbean Community .,” he said.

The acceptance by the OAS follows last month’s position of the assistant secretary general Albert Ramdin, that the body would respond positively if officially invited.

In June, during the OAS-sponsored seminar for Caribbean journalists in Washington DC, Ramdin told the Daily Observer that the organisation could, and would observe the polls, but said the invitation must come from the government.

According to the OAS official, until that time, no confirmation of intent could be given until the formal request was made by the Jamaican Government.

The country’s election director said Friday that the Electoral Commission had since mandated him to formalise the request, through Jamaica’s foreign ministry.

Walker said, too, that an invitation had been extended to the US-based and well-respected Carter Center, which is headed by former United States president, Jimmy Carter.

The Carter Center had on two previous occasions observed general elections in Jamaica, giving the results the organisation’s blessing, despite having a few concerns.

Walker said invitations had also been extended to another Washington-based organisation – the International Federation of Elections System (IFES) as well as the Commonwealth secretariat.

However, having no response from at least two of the three bodies, Walker concluded yesterday that it was unlikely that they would be participating.

Since its founding in 1987, the IFES has worked in more than 100 countries, providing developing democracies with technical advice, and sometimes tools they need to run democratic elections.

Other core functions of the IFES include helping citizens to participate in elections; increase politicians’ accountability to the electorate and strengthening government institutions.

Along with the OAS and Caricom, the elections will be observed by local group elections watchdog, Citizens Action for Free and Fair Elections (CAFFE), which has been observing national and municipal elections since their formation more than a decade ago.

Meanwhile, the EOJ said it will be using the Electronic Voter Identification and Ballot Issuing System (EVIBIS) in 13 constituencies.

Constituencies selected include some which experienced over-voting, stolen ballot boxes and voter-intimidation, and constituencies with garrison pockets, which, if not properly monitored, could swing an election in favour of either party.

At the same time, Walker believes the OAS’ participation in observing the polls, and a subsequent good review of the voting system would be a further boost to the EOJ’s efforts to clean up the electoral system, on which the EOJ boss said billions of dollars have been expended in the last 15-17 years.

Jamaica’s current electoral system is identical to that used in Haiti and Antigua, fellow members of Caricom.