GRENADA, OAS SIGN ELECTION AGREEMENT     

ST GEORGE,  July 4, 2008 - Grenada has signed an agreement with the Organisation of American States (OAS), formalizing the terms under which the Washington-based hemispheric organisation is fielding a team of observers to cover the island's July 8 general elections.

Grenada's Permanent Representative to the OAS, Ambassador Denis Antoine, said that signing the agreement is "a demonstration of commitment to the democratic process".

He explained that by inviting the OAS to observe the country's electoral process, the government was also stating its openness for the member states and for the world to see that Grenada has a fully functional democracy.

"Grenada is indeed a member state of the OAS that has demonstrated consecutive free and fair elections and this one is going to be another demonstration of the process of democracy at work in our country," Ambassador Antoine said.

The OAS Electoral Observation Mission in Grenada is being led by Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin. About 30 observers are expected in the island which is gearing up for next Tuesday's poll, which was preceded by police officers' voting today.

OAS Executive Secretary for Integral Development Ambassador Alfonso Quiñónez said the team for the Grenada election will be the largest electoral observation mission that the organisation has ever sent to a Caribbean country.

Ambassador Ramdin recently said that the contentious nature of the poll had prompted the OAS to increase the numbers.

The election in Grenada is a straight fight between the governing New National Party (NNP) of Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell, which is seeking an unprecedented fourth consecutive term, and the Tillman Thomas-led National Democratic Congress (NDC).