ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC—Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit says he favors state entities offering protection to all political events and impartial candidates as the primary opposition celebration, the United Staff Celebration (UWP), continues to boost considerations over electoral reform in Dominica.
Skerrit, talking at a public discussion board, mentioned he’s supportive of the electoral reform proposals. The problem of state media offering equal entry to political events has been broadly mentioned within the nation.
“We agreed that the state-owned entities shall cowl all political events, together with impartial candidates, and permit them to unfold their phrases, to say who they’re and what they’re providing the nation, and supply that point equal to what the celebration in authorities would obtain.
“We agreed to that, and I feel that’s truthful. We should not let partisanship or misinformation derail the progress we’re making. That is the time for unity, a second to reveal collective dedication to the method that serves the curiosity of all Dominicans no matter our political affiliation.”
Skerrit mentioned that the nation must be conscious that electoral reform requires collaboration, understanding, and compromise.
“In addressing this concern of electoral reform, we’ve to acknowledge that no single facet will obtain all of its needs, outcomes, or pursuits. As an alternative, everybody concerned should make compromises in order that the ultimate choice is truthful and places the widespread good above particular person preferences.”
Final December, the federal government tabled laws permitting for “the efficient operation of the Electoral Fee” and a invoice making new provisions for elector registration.
Skerrit offered laws for a primary studying solely to offer for the election of members to the Home of Meeting.
In Could, the federal government mentioned it had supplied the Electoral Fee (EC) with copies of the proposed electoral modernization laws as a part of the electoral reform course of.
It mentioned that the submission to the Electoral Fee follows in depth public debates, discussions, written suggestions from people and entities, and extended government-initiated electoral reform session.
The federal government mentioned that copies of the proposed laws have additionally been supplied to President Sylvanie Burton and shall be revealed on the federal government web site and different media platforms for public assessment.
However talking at a information convention, UWP chief Dr. Thompson Fontaine mentioned he had written to Prime Minister Skerrit elevating considerations over three electoral reform payments, that are to be handed in Parliament within the first quarter of this yr.
“We wrote to the Honourable Prime Minister on the thirteenth of January, outlining the shortcomings we noticed within the laws and making some very optimistic suggestions to repair these deficiencies. “
Within the letter, Fontaine mentioned that the celebration had reviewed the payments for the Electoral Fee Act, the Revised Home of Meeting Election Act, and the revised Registration of Electors Act and that the UWP “believes that the reforms to be facilitated by the proposed election legal guidelines are insufficient and don’t go far sufficient in making certain truthful, free, and credible elections in Dominica.
“We’re due to this fact requesting an pressing assembly with you at your earliest comfort to debate our considerations and to current formally our suggestions to amend the proposed legal guidelines within the curiosity of making certain that they successfully meet the heightened public expectation of real electoral reform,” Fontaine mentioned, saying that the UWP will embark on a sequence of electoral reform conferences beginning subsequent week.
“Let me guarantee the Dominican public that we are going to not stand idly by and see this specific piece of laws go unopposed as a celebration. We are going to proceed to do what is critical and what we predict is essential to make sure that that is completed.
“So whereas we is not going to disclose at this level what we plan to do sooner or later, simply be assured, we is not going to relaxation, we is not going to relent, till and until this laws is corrected,” Fontaine mentioned, including, “it is a battle that have to be waged…and it is a battle that have to be gained”.
In June 2023, Sir Dennis Byron, the previous president of the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court docket of Justice (CCJ), submitted a report on electoral reform to the Dominica authorities.
Sir Dennis had been the only commissioner advancing the efforts in direction of electoral reform, a big concern with the opposition events, the UWP, and the Dominica Freedom Celebration (DFP) boycotting the final common election.
The boycott led to the ruling Dominica Labour Celebration (DLP) securing 19 21 seats, with the rest going to impartial candidates.
