Kejan Haynes
Newsgathering Editor
kejan.haynes@guardian.co.tt
The Commonwealth Observer Group’s final report on Trinidad and Tobago’s 2025 General Election has raised multiple concerns about the country’s electoral environment, highlighting allegations of bribery, gaps in campaign finance laws, voter disengagement, unequal media access, and underrepresentation of women in Parliament.
The observers were in T&T from April 19 to May 5, 2025, to monitor the election, which was held on April 28. In their assessment, they found the overall process to be credible and peaceful but pointed to key areas that require urgent reform.
Among the most serious issues flagged were reports of bribery on election day. The Observer Group said it had received accounts of alleged vote-buying and other electoral offences. While specific cases were not detailed in the report, the group urged authorities to promptly investigate and prosecute any violations. It warned that failure to act could undermine public confidence in future elections and called for swift legal action to ensure accountability and deter similar conduct.
The report also examined the country’s campaign financing rules and found significant regulatory gaps. While individual candidates are subject to a $50,000 spending cap under the Representation of the People Act, political parties are not bound by any such limits. Nor are they required to disclose the sources of their funding or provide audited financial statements.
The observers repeated a recommendation first made by their counterparts a decade earlier: that Parliament should pass the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill 2020. This bill includes provisions for donation limits, mandatory disclosures, registration of political parties with the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC), and equal access to state and private media during campaigns. Despite being introduced in 2015 and revised over the years, the legislation has not been enacted.
In addition to calling for the passage of the amendment bill, the report recommended that a formal system be established to monitor campaign spending by both parties and individual candidates. This would include mandatory declarations of the source of funds used during the campaign. The observers argued that such measures were essential to creating a level playing field and enhancing transparency in political financing. They also urged Parliament to give the EBC the legal authority to enforce spending limits and investigate violations.
Turnout falls to 20-year low amid growing apathy
The report also flagged a sharp drop in voter turnout, which fell to 54 per cent—the lowest in two decades. The group described this as part of a wider trend of disengagement and declining confidence in the political system, particularly among young people.
“This declining voter turnout in elections corresponds with an increasing sense of apathy, as heard by the COG, among the citizenry in Trinidad and Tobago, particularly among the youth.”
It urged the EBC to intensify civic education and expand outreach efforts to reverse this trend and promote greater participation in future elections.
EBC visibility and boundary changes under scrutiny
The EBC was also singled out for its limited visibility and public engagement during the election period. While the commission was praised for its logistical handling of the poll itself, observers felt it needed to do more to educate voters and communicate with the media.
The report also raised concerns about the EBC’s handling of boundary changes. In December 2024, the Commission redrew the boundaries of 16 constituencies and renamed five others. While done in accordance with the Constitution, the report said the EBC should improve the transparency of this process.
The report recommended regular press briefings, public education campaigns, and improved coordination with journalists to keep the electorate well-informed throughout the electoral cycle.
It also raised concerns about the EBC’s handling of boundary changes. In December 2024, the commission redrew the boundaries of 16 constituencies and renamed five others. Although the process was carried out in accordance with the Constitution, the report urged the EBC to enhance transparency in how such changes are made.
Concerns over state media bias and lack of regulation
The report also examined the role of the media in the election and found that while the press in T&T operates freely and is generally respected by the public, there were concerns about unequal coverage during the campaign. Specifically, it found that the governing party received disproportionate exposure on state media platforms. Observers recommended the introduction of legislation to guarantee equitable access to state-owned media for all parties and independent candidates.
In addition, the report highlighted the lack of a binding media code of conduct. It proposed that the Telecommunications Authority collaborate with media houses to develop clear professional guidelines for election coverage. Media professionals were also encouraged to revive the Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago and to create a voluntary code focused on ethical political reporting.
Gender gap persists
On the issue of representation, the report acknowledged the historic achievement of having women in the country’s three top political positions—President, Prime Minister and Opposition Leader—for the first time. However, it noted that this symbolic progress did not extend to Parliament as a whole. The share of women elected to the House of Representatives and appointed to the Senate remained below the Caribbean average of 41 per cent.
Observers pointed out that the overall number of women in elected office had declined since 2015. While the legal framework allows for equal participation, the group said structural barriers continue to limit the ability of women to engage meaningfully in politics. To address this, the report recommended that Parliament establish a consultative committee to explore strategies for increasing female participation.
It also urged the government to adopt and implement the National Policy on Gender and Development. The policy is intended to support full participation by women, men and girls in all aspects of political and civic life and to guarantee equal access to progress.
These findings formed part of the wider section of the report that dealt with participation and inclusion. Observers also examined the engagement of civil society, people with disabilities and citizen observers, and found shortcomings in each area. They called on the Government and the EBC to take more proactive steps to integrate these groups into the democratic process.
The report concluded that while the 2025 General Election reflected the will of the people and was conducted in a generally peaceful and orderly manner, there are critical institutional and legal reforms needed to safeguard the integrity and inclusiveness of future elections.
The observers said their recommendations were offered in the spirit of strengthening T&T’s democracy and called on all stakeholders to take them seriously.
Guardian Media reached out to EBC’s Chief Election Officer Fern Narcis for comment. She said she was currently out of the country and had not yet read the report, but assured that she would do so upon her return and provide a response.