GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj has assumed duties as Chief of Mission for the CARICOM Election Observation Mission (CEOM), deployed to observe the General Elections of St. Vincent and the Grenadines scheduled for 27 November 2025.

The ten-member mission, mounted by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), was organised following a formal invitation from the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines dated 2 October 2025.

The CEOM will operate in the country from 20–29 November, assessing preparations ahead of the polls and observing the conduct of election day.

Gunraj, who serves as a Commissioner on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), leads a team comprising senior electoral officials from seven CARICOM Member States, supported by administrative personnel from the CARICOM Secretariat.

The full delegation includes: Mr. Clovis St. Romain – Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission; His Honour Arthur Eugene Holder, SC, MP – Speaker of the House of Assembly, Barbados; Ms. Anthea Joseph – Chief Elections Officer, Dominica; Ms. Karina Nicola Thomas – Parliamentary Elections Office, Grenada; Mrs. Dorinnie Irma – Independent Electoral Council, Suriname; and Ms. Gillian Macintyre – Elections and Boundaries Commission, Trinidad and Tobago

They are supported by Secretariat staff Ms. Shae-Alicia Lewis, Mr. Irvin Brown, and Ms. Serojnie Seetaram, who form the Core Group along with Gunraj. This team arrived in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on 20 November, while the remaining observers are scheduled to be in place by 23 November.

Since deployment, the Mission has held meetings with key political and civil society actors, including New Democratic Party (NDP) Chairman Daniel Cummings—representing Opposition Leader Dr. Godwin Friday—and National Liberation Movement (NLM) Leader Dr. Doris Frederick. Discussions have also been held with the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers’ Union, the Voice of the Disabled, and representatives of the media.

In the coming days, the Mission will engage with Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Supervisor of Elections Dora James, and Commissioner of Police Enville Williams, among others. These consultations are expected to help the Mission gauge the pre-election climate and assess the state of operational readiness for the polls.

Gunraj noted that on election day, observers will monitor the full cycle of activities—from the opening of polls and voting procedures to the close of polling stations, the counting of ballots, the transmission of results, and the overall post-election environment.

Following the 27 November vote, the CEOM will issue a Preliminary Statement before departing on 29 November. A comprehensive Final Report, detailing the Mission’s findings and recommendations, will later be submitted to CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett and made available to the public.

Gunraj, expressed appreciation for the cooperation extended to the Mission since arrival and reaffirmed CARICOM’s commitment to supporting democratic processes across the region.