In response to an official invitation extended by Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat has formally confirmed the deployment of a nine-member CARICOM Election Observation Mission (CEOM) to monitor the twin-island nation’s upcoming 2026 General Elections, scheduled to take place on April 30.
Headed by Maxine McClean, a sitting member of Barbados’ Electoral and Boundaries Commission, the mission draws seasoned electoral experts from across the Caribbean bloc to ensure impartial, comprehensive oversight. Herman St. Helen, Chief Elections Officer of Saint Lucia, serves as Deputy Chief of Mission. The remaining core observer team includes senior electoral and governance officials from five other CARICOM member states: Ambassador Felix Gregoire, Chairman of Dominica’s Public Service Commission; Rohan Porter, Acting Assistant Director of Elections for Field Operations in Jamaica; Stephanie Bram, a member of Suriname’s Electoral Bureau; and Karla Dayton Edwards, Commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago’s Election and Boundaries Commission. Three CARICOM Secretariat staff from the Foreign and Community Relations portfolio — Programme Manager Brian Bellevue, Project Officer Amos Lindor, and Administrative Assistant Denise Morgan — provide administrative and logistics support to the mission.
The advance core contingent of the mission touched down in Antigua and Barbuda on April 23, and has already begun laying the groundwork for its observation work by scheduling consultations with a broad spectrum of national stakeholders. These planned meetings include representatives from the Antigua and Barbuda government, opposition parties, the national Electoral Commission, and the Supervisor of Elections. Beyond official political and electoral bodies, the mission will also hold discussions with civil society groups representing marginalized and key community segments, including women, youth, persons with disabilities, the local business community, religious organizations, labor unions, and independent media outlets.
On election day, April 30, observers will deploy to polling sites across the country to monitor every stage of the electoral process, from the opening of polling stations and the casting of ballots, through the closure of voting sites, the counting of ballots, and the official compilation of poll statements. To produce a rigorous, evidence-based assessment, the team will gather both quantitative data to verify election results and qualitative observations to evaluate the conduct of electoral officials, the behavior of political actors, and the overall inclusivity and fairness of the pre-election and election-day environment.
Following the close of polls, the mission will first release a Preliminary Statement outlining its immediate findings and initial assessment of the electoral process. A full, comprehensive final report will be compiled at a later date, submitted to CARICOM Secretary-General, shared with Antigua and Barbuda’s government, opposition leader, and national Electoral Commission, and ultimately published publicly on the official CARICOM website. The full mission is scheduled to conclude its work and depart Antigua and Barbuda on May 3, 2026.
In the mission’s official arrival statement, released on April 25 and signed by Chief of Mission McClean, the team expressed sincere gratitude for the warm welcome and cooperation it has received since entering the country. Mission members reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the strengthening of democratic governance in Antigua and Barbuda through independent, transparent observation.
Founded in 1973 via the Treaty of Chaguaramas, CARICOM is a 15-member regional bloc with six associate members, representing roughly 16 million Caribbean residents. Revised in 2001 to establish a regional single market and economy, the organization centers its work on four core pillars: economic integration, coordinated foreign policy, human and social development, and cross-border security cooperation, with the overarching goal of building an integrated, inclusive, and globally competitive regional community that guarantees human rights, social justice, and shared prosperity for all citizens.