OAS observers urge Bahamas electoral reforms after general election

The Organization of American States has outlined a package of electoral reforms for the Bahamas after its observation team followed the archipelago's recent general election.

Former St. Kitts and Nevis diplomat Sherry Tross led the OAS Electoral Observation Mission. The group recommended creating an independent electoral authority that operates outside direct government control, while channelling greater financial, technical, and staffing resources to the Parliamentary Registration Department.

Among the mission's proposals were an electronic system to transmit official results, wider use of biometric voter identification cards, online tools for verifying voter registration, and stronger cybersecurity safeguards for electoral data.

In separate international developments, the World Health Organization has classified the latest Ebola outbreak in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo as a public health emergency of international concern.

Health officials report more than 200 suspected cases in the current surge, with at least 80 deaths recorded. No approved vaccines or treatments exist for the rare strain involved, heightening concern about possible cross-border spread.

The Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention said it will convene an urgent meeting to reinforce surveillance and coordinate the regional response.