Permanent Mission of The Bahamas to the OAS

On May 5th,2026, Ambassador Chet Neymour was a featured panelist, in his capacity as Chair of the Management Board of the Inter-American Agency for Cooperation and Development (IACD), in a panel on “Strategic Partnerships for Development” , which was a part of a broader Special Session to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI) at OAS Headquarters in Washington DC.

On May 5th, 2026, during a Special Session of the Inter-American Committee on Culture (CIC), Director of Culture in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, Dereka Deleveaux-Grant, was elected by acclamation to the position of Vice Chair for the term 2026 - 2028 at OAS Headquarters in Washington DC.

The Organization of American States (OAS) has deployed its Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) to The Bahamas ahead of the 2026 General Elections.

Leading the Mission is former High Commissioner for Saint Kitts and Nevis to Canada and Ambassador to Mexico and Panama, Sherry Tross. The OAS/EOM team of 21 experts and observers from 14 nations will focus its observation on electoral organization and boundaries, electoral technology, electoral justice, political-electoral finance and the political participation of women.

Leading up to the May 12 polls, the Chief of Mission and the OAS team will meet with government officials, electoral authorities, candidates, civil society leaders, among other actors to gather information on the electoral process. On election day, observers will monitor polling stations from the opening of the polls through the voting process and the tabulation and transmission of results.

Following the vote, the EOM will issue a first report detailing its findings and recommendations to strengthen Bahamian democratic institutions.

This Mission—the fourth of its kind in The Bahamas following deployments in 2012, 2017, and 2021 — is funded by contributions from Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, France, Republic of Korea, Peru and the United States.

Credit: Photo- ; Press Release - Organization of American States

The Permanent Mission of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to the OAS notes with deep regret the passing of Mr. Andrew McKinney, former Chief of Protocol.

Throughout his tenure in the public service, Mr. McKinney was entrusted with responsibilities central to the conduct of official and diplomatic affairs of the State. In carrying out these duties, he demonstrated a consistent regard for order, precision and the discipline that underpins effective protocol. His work contributed meaningfully to the presentation of The Bahamas in both national and international settings and he has left a distinguished legacy of service.

The Permanent Mission extends sincere condolences to his family and loved ones, as well as to all who served alongside him.

May he rest in peace.

The Permanent Mission of The Bahamas to the Organization of American States (OAS) and the OAS General Secretariat today signed an Agreement establishing the privileges and immunities of the Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) for the General Elections scheduled for May 12, 2026.

At a ceremony held at OAS Headquarters in Washington, D.C., H.E. Chet Neymour, Ambassador/Permanent Representative of The Bahamas, noted that this will be the fourth consecutive occasion on which The Bahamas has welcomed an OAS Electoral Observation Mission, describing it as a clear demonstration of confidence in national institutions and a commitment to continuous improvement.

He further stated that “free and fair elections demand more than procedure. They demand the confidence of citizens that their voices are unassailable, that their choice will be respected and upheld, and that the will of the people shall prevail.” In that regard, “The Bahamas views this collaboration with the OAS as a meaningful contribution to preserving the integrity and credibility of our democratic process, strengthening public trust, and reinforcing the legitimacy of electoral outcomes.”

OAS Secretary General Albert R. Ramdin stated that even well-organized electoral processes provide opportunities for continuous improvement across the Hemisphere, reaffirming representative democracy as the region’s guiding governance model as set out in the OAS Charter.

He also designated Ambassador Sherry Tross of Saint Kitts and Nevis as Chief of Mission for the Electoral Observation Mission.

The EOM will be supported through voluntary contributions from OAS Member States and Permanent Observers and will observe key phases of the electoral process, including advanced voting in select overseas polling stations and polling day procedures across constituencies in The Bahamas.

The Organization of American States celebrated Pan American Day on April 14 by convening a Protocolary meeting in the Hall of the Americas. Pan America Day is commemorated every April 14th to mark the First International American Conference.

The Permanent Mission of The Bahamas delivered remarks during the commemorative occasion and marked the importance of preserving the Americas as a Zone of Peace and working together to combat the diverse and urgent realities of all Member States.

The staff of the Permanent Mission held a courtesy meeting with a visiting delegation from the Office of the Attorney General of The Bahamas. The delegation was visiting Washington, DC to participate in an OAS Workshop on Cybercrime for Prosecutors from April 8 - 10, 2026. The event was a joint initiative of the OAS and the Government of the United States. The participants noted that the workshop was extremely informative and look forward to engaging further on the topics discussed.

(L-R: Ron Sands, Mychele Jones, Christy Lightbourn, Karine MacVean, Ambassador Chet Neymour, Tennille Bain, Akire Nicolls)

On Thursday, March 26, at a meeting of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development(CIDI) under theme “Energy Integration and Interdependence: Strengthening Energy Security and Resilience in the Americas,” Minister Counsellor Mikhail Bullard delivered remarks to discuss the New Energy Era in The Bahamas.

During his remarks he noted the energy challenges of The Bahamas due to the high costs, environmental challenges and the challenges of providing energy across an archipelago State. He noted the Government of The Bahamas has met these challenging demands with financial support from the IDB, through a New Energy Era, which is the most intentional and comprehensive effort to tackle long-standing challenges in generation, transmission, and distribution in the country’s history.

He further noted that the key focus of the ongoing work is investing in modern transmission and distribution systems, including an underground transmission line, and high-efficiency gas-fired generation units - all a part of a comprehensive reform of the national grid. The focus on legacy infrastructure has helped drive down energy costs.

The work of the OAS Secretariat was commended as they work with Member States to support their energy ambitions.

On Wednesday, March 25, Second Secretary Ron Sands delivered remarks at the special session of the Permanent Council to the OAS to commemorate the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

In his remarks he noted the need to not just commemorate the day but to ensure that remembrance informs action.

The Permanent Council meeting was part of the IX Inter-American Week of People of African Descent in the Americas, which includes several events including cultural displays, art exhibitions, innovative collaboration and panels.

On Monday, March 23, Ambassador Chet Neymour was elected by acclamation to serve as the Chair of the Management Board of the Inter-American Agency for Cooperation and Development for the 2026 - 2027 term concluding after the 57th Regular Session of the General Assembly in 2027.

The Management Board consists of nine OAS Member States. The Board works to promote, coordinate, manage, and facilitate the planning and ex*****on of programs, projects, activities and partnership for development activities including the OAS Scholarships and Training Programme.

During his remarks upon assuming the Chairmanship, Ambassador Neymour spoke about the ambitious work plan emanating from the Meeting of High Authorities of Cooperation in 2024 and the need for Member States to work together to ensure reliable funding for Development Cooperation Fund and towards the common goal of augmenting cooperation across the development pillar in a more cohesive and results-oriented manner.

The 45th Meeting of the Committee of Experts to the Mechanism for the Follow-Up on the Implementation of the Inter-American Convention against Corruption (MESICIC) was held at the Organization of American States from March 9-12, 2026.

At the meeting, Mrs. Kenrah Newry, Lead Expert of The Bahamas to the MESICIC Committee of Experts, and Deputy Director of Legal Affairs, Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Legal Affairs was elected by acclamation to serve as Vice-Chair of the Committee of Experts for the 2026-2027 term.

Mr. Julio Enrique Flores Reyes, Lead Expert of Guatemala to the MESICIC and Executive Director of the National Commission against Corruption was elected to serve as Chair of the Committee for the same term.

We extend congratulations to the newly elected Chair and Vice Chair of the Committee of Experts.