Since leaving office in 1981,

the 39th president of the USA has busied himself

traveling the globe

to improve the quality of life of citizens

living on virtually every continent.

No sooner than he left the White House,

Carter mobilized to build houses for the poor.

After launching Habitat for Humanity,

he and teams of volunteers constructed homes

they gave to citizens that might otherwise never own property.

Perhaps he was motivated by the fact

he is the only president to have

ever lived in public housing,

he identified with the plight of not owning a dwelling

and relying on government subsidies in order to survive.

One year after serving

in the highest capacity of leadership in America,

President Carter and his wife Rosalyn

founded the Atlanta-based Carter Center

which has helped to improve the quality of life

for people in more than 70 countries.

Committed to advancing human rights and

alleviating unnecessary human suffering,

they have relentlessly exemplified

the motto of the Carter Center —

“Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope.”

This week the 90-year-old former president —

from 1977 to 1981 —

will lead an observer mission

to monitor the May 11

regional and national elections in Guyana.

They will be joined by a larger delegation

of election observers next month and

for the fourth time the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize winner

will lead the monitoring team.

“I look forward to leading our delegation

to observe Guyana’s elections on May 11,”

the former president said.

The election is regarded as a contest

between the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)

which is seeking to extend its

more than two decades hold on power

and the coalition alliance

comprising the main opposition,

a Partnership for National Unity (APNU)

and the small Alliance for Change (AFC).

“The Carter Center has a long history in Guyana

and great respect for the Guyanese people.

These will be the fourth elections

we have observed there since 1992,

and we trust they will be

peaceful and inspire hope for the future.”

It was Oct. 5, 1992

when Carter’s Council of Freely Elected Heads of Government

observed presidential elections in Guyana.

Two years later, on Sept. 28, 1994

the Carter Center opened an office in Georgetown, Guyana

to support the country’s efforts for economic development,

electoral reform, and preservation of the environment.

After that, the former Plains, Georgia,

peanut farmer met with Guyana President Cheddi Jagan

on April 23, 1996

to discuss implementation of Guyana’s comprehensive

long-term development strategy.

Earlier that year he headed delegations to

Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic

and  prior to that Guatemala, Liberia,

Ethiopia, Guinea, Sudan, China,

Chile, Burkino Faso, Nigeria,

Mozambique, Uganda and

numerous countries in the sub-Saharan regions of Africa.

Perhaps, best remembered

for returning the Panama Canal Zone to Panama,

the one-term Democratic president

has been actively involved in

eradicating diseases throughout Africa.

In partnership with the Organization of American States (OAS)

Carter as head of the Center

also monitored elections in Belize, Haiti and Jamaica.

Once again invited by the Guyana government to monitor the polls,

the Carter Center along with collaborating groups

will assess the voting,

counting, and

tabulation processes.

In a statement released by the Atlanta-based organization,

reportedly the core team of experts

will be joined this week by six medium-term observers,

together representing nine countries.

The Center’s observers will meet regularly

with representatives of the

Guyana Elections Commission,

political party candidates,

civil society organizations,

the international community,

and citizen election observers

to assess electoral preparations

and the pre-electoral environment,

including election administration,

campaigning,

voter education

and other issues.

Catch You On The Inside!

PRESIDENT CARTER,

A TRUE FRIEND OF GUYANA,

VISITS AGAIN.

AFC-APNU welcome

President Carter to Guyana

xxxxxxxxxx

Committed to advancing human rights and

alleviating unnecessary human suffering,

they have relentlessly exemplified

the motto of the Carter Center —

“Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

My Friend Rev

President Carter

Coming to Guyana to

“Waging Peace. ....Peaceful Elections

Fighting Disease..... Jagdeo Thiefing

Building Hope.”....Swearing in New Govt