OAS observer mission urges Bahamas election reforms after general vote

The Organization of American States Electoral Observation Mission has called for wide-ranging changes to shore up elections in the Bahamas following the recent general election.

The team, headed by a former St. Kitts and Nevis diplomat, urged creation of an independent electoral authority that sits outside direct government control. It also pressed for stronger financial, technical and staffing support for the parliamentary registration department.

Among its proposals are an electronic system to transmit results, wider use of biometric voter identification cards, online tools to verify voter status, and tighter cyber security around electoral data.

On the global health front, 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 authorities report that at least 80 people have died amid more than 200 suspected cases linked to the surge. No approved vaccines or treatments exist for this rare strain of the virus, fuelling worry about possible spread across borders.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said it will hold an urgent meeting to step up surveillance and coordinate the response.