KINGSTON, Jamaica— The Citizens Action for Free and Fair Elections (CAFFE) paid tribute to former United States President James Carter who passed away at the age of 100.

READ: Former US president Jimmy Carter dies aged 100

The organisation, in a media release on Monday, noted Carter’s influence on the world, stating that his major contributions to the cause of human dignity, justice, peace and democracy came after he demitted the US President’s office in 1981 after one term.

CAFFE went on to express gratitude for Carter and the Carter Center— which was founded along with the former president’s late wife Rosalynn— for the assistance they provided during the initial months of the organisation’s operations.

“We at CAFFE are particularly grateful to President Carter and the Carter Center. At the time of our founding in 1997, the Carter Center provided advice and support to assist our fledgling organisation through our first difficult months. In particular, President Carter and the Carter Center used their considerable influence to convince those in Jamaica who were sceptical about the viability and even the impartiality of a local election monitoring group to accept CAFFE,” CAFFE said.

“President Carter himself visited Jamaica for the December 1997 General Elections during which his team consulted with CAFFE. His presence provided important encouragement and additional support for our work in the furtherance of Jamaican democracy,” it added.

CAFFE stated that the late president’s work in the cause of freedom, justice and democracy led to his being awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2002, over 20 years after he left office.

“CAFFE celebrates his life and salutes his contribution to a better world. We join with others in offering our sincere condolences to his family and to the people of the United States on his passing,” the release added.