Media and Elections in the English-Speaking Caribbean

1
Media and Elections in the English-Speaking
Caribbean

• Wesley Gibbings
• President, Association of Caribbean MediaWorkers
• SECOND INTER-AMERICAN ELECTORAL TRAINING SEMINAR
• FROM SEPTEMBER 28 TO OCTOBER 2, 2009
• MEXICO CITY, MEXICO

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Vigilant Media

• Transparency
• Accountability

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Media Access

• Private Media/State Media
• Access of the Media to Information
• Access to the Media

4
Longstanding Parties in Power

• UWP St Lucia - 1982 - 1996
• PNM Trinidad Tobago - 1956 - 1981
• PNC Guyana - 1964 - 1992
• PLP Bahamas - 1969 1992
• ALP Antigua Barbuda - 1976 - 2004

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Government Changes 2006 - 2008

• Belize
• Jamaica
• Barbados
• The Bahamas
• Grenada.

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Electoral Boards and the News Agenda

• The delimitation of boundaries
• Voter registration
• The registration of political parties
• Nomination of candidates for elections
• Training of electoral staff
• The conduct of polling
• Vote counting and declaration of the Counting of
  the final results

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Observer Missions and the News Agenda

• Locations of polling stations
• Seating arrangements at polling stations
• Accuracy of the list of electors at polling
  stations
• Distances travelled by voters to polling stations
  in rural areas
• Time voters waited to cast their votes
• State of readiness of polling stations

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Observer Missions and the News Agenda (2)

• Availability or otherwise of adequate supplies of
  ballot papers, sealing wax, etc.
• Security of ballot papers prior to the elections
• Steps taken (if any) to ensure the secrecy of the
  ballot paper
• Performance of election officers at the polling
  stations visited
• Procedure followed at the opening of the polls
• Adequacy or otherwise of polling stations
  facilities

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Observer Missions and the News Agenda (3)

• Comments of contesting party agents on the
  electoral arrangements
• Procedure for the use of indelible ink
• Incidence of loss of voters cards
• Procedures in place to ensure proper security of
  ballot papers, ballot boxes and official seals
• General environment at the polling stations
  visited
• Intimidation of voters by security officers
  and/or others

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Public Opinion Surveys

• Need for more rigorous standards
• Public education on surveys

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Media Monitoring

• The Guyana Experiment 2006
• GECOM
• Media Monitoring Unit
• Media Referees
• Self-Regulation Code of Conduct

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• Thank You