WASHINGTON (CMC):

Representatives of an Organisation of American States (OAS) observer mission are due to begin arriving in Dominica today ahead of general elections in the Eastern Caribbean country next week, according to a report on www.cananews.net.

OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza appointed Steven Griner, the head of the Electoral Observation Section of the OAS Department for Electoral Cooperation and Observation, to serve as the chief of mission.

Work of the mission

Griner will arrive on Sunday and will meet with political leaders, govern-mental representatives and electoral authorities. However, some members of the team will arrive in Roseau today to prepare the transportation and communication infrastructure of the mission.

"The mission will number 12 people from eight different OAS member countries. These observers will visit polling centres in each of the 21 political constituencies of the country. The mission will remain until the promulgation of the final results. The chief of mission will report to the OAS Permanent Council the observations of the missions in early January," the OAS statement said.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said he had requested the observers from the OAS and the Guyana-based Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, so as to ensure that there would be no allegations of irregularities.

But the main opposition United Workers Party, which has welcomed the observers, said it wanted the teams to be in Dominica well ahead of polling day.

A record number of 62 candidates will vie for the 21 seats at stake in the general election.