ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) — An 11-member team from the Caribbean Community (Caricom) will observe Thursday’s general election in Antigua and Barbuda.

The Caricom Electoral Observer Mission is led by Jamaica’s Director of Elections Orrette Fisher, and includes Ian Browne, deputy chief elections officer of Barbados; Barrette Woodye of the Belize Elections and Boundaries Department; former Dominica government minister Henry George; and Chester Humphrey, trade unionist and former senator in the Grenada Parliament.

The supervisor of elections in St Kitts and Nevis, Windgrove George and Lena Champa Sahadeo, deputy chief elections officer of Trinidad and Tobago are also part of the team.

Apart from the Caricom team, the election here is also being monitored by a team from the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Organisation of American States.

The ruling United Progressive Party (UPP) is seeking a third consecutive term in office, but faces a strong challenge from the main Opposition Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP).

In the 2009 general elections, the UPP won nine of the 17 seats with the ABLP winning seven. The other seat was won by the Barbuda People’s Movement.