Opposition boycott will be a historic one

Dr. Lennox Honychurch/photo taken from: www.facebook.com

If the Opposition United Workers Party goes ahead with a plan to boycott parliament, it will be the first time in Dominica’s history that an opposition party chooses to exclusively withdraw its participation from parliament from the very first sitting.

“There have been walkouts in the past. There was once in 1931 elected members decided not to attend, but that is kind of sporadic. It’s not that people have decided not to attend from the beginning,” local Historian and former Member of Parliament, Dr. Lennox Honychurch, told Dominica News Online.

Following the Dominica Labour Party’s (DLP) landslide victory at the December 18 General Elections, the UWP announced that it would boycott parliament as a form of protest against the manner in which the DLP conducted its election campaign.

The UWP combined forces with other political parties and groups to form the Movement for Restoration of Democracy (MRD). The MRD has demanded fresh elections in 18 months and is helping to organize a ‘People’s Parliament’ which will take place on Thursday – the day scheduled for the first sitting of the state’s parliament.

According to Dr. Honychurch, although parliamentarians have walked out of the House of Assembly for a temporary period, there has never been a boycott in Dominica’s history specifically related to dissatisfaction with the results of General Elections or alleged improprieties during an election campaign.

“There have been other occasions when there has been boycotting of parliament in the past, but there’s not been a long term intention … there have been times when Parliament has been boycotted by certain members,” he explained.

Meanwhile, he recalled in 1979 when his party, the Dominica Freedom Party, walked out of Parliament because someone was killed downstairs in the vicinity.

“There have been times when people feel that the budget was going to pass anyway regardless of whether they were there and therefore they feel they have not been fully represented. There’re many different causes and reasons for walking out.” the historian added.

However, Honychurch said Parliament will continue despite the impending boycott.. According to him, the Labour Party election landslide of 1966 and the Patrick John landslide of 1975 did not affect the opposition parties attending the House of Assembly, though they were in the minority.

“I would just imagine that business would go on as usual,” he surmised.

Honychurch served as a senator in the House of Assembly of Dominica from 1975 to1979 as a member of the Dominica Freedom Party (DFP). When the DFP  formed the government in 1980 he also served as Government Press Secretary until 1981.

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25 Comments

  1. Misa
    February 3, 2010

    Who I am protesting that should not get paid is the Ministers with no qualifications for their portfolios, where you ever see such nonsense. Even a cashier at supermarkets need qualifications now, and our highest offices in the land don’t? Thats why I have cut down on my shopping, so I will not pay as much vat as I used to. Labourites, pay those ministers salaries because in my book and in any other book THEY DO NOT QUALIFY TO BE MINISTERS.

  2. bjohnrose
    February 2, 2010

    Max you need to stop being jealous of someone elses dual citizenship, after all, some of the disciples held Roman citizenship but Christ never turned them away. Instead their lives were spared after being put into prison.

  3. amused & giggling
    February 2, 2010

    But wait, I hearing things we! You mean to tell me them people doh overcome their LOPS gwopwel yet? …So is that those people spending their time doing instead of doing something for the country. Better luck next time.

  4. max
    February 2, 2010

    To all those who are running their mouths and talking trash, I ask you one simple question.

    When did Skerrit get his French citizenship? Also do you agree that a country is governed by laws and no one is above these laws?

    .. Stop talking trash and answer that question big boys and girls.

    The DLP should be planning to select another leader and DA will have another PM soon because Skerrit’s days are numbered.

    Keep on talking trash ……………

  5. Seaman
    February 2, 2010

    I hope my tax dollars are not going to these MRD clowns. I think DLP supporters should protest that these little boys of the uwp don’t get paid

  6. February 2, 2010

    “The Peoples Parliament”‘ !! Will they be appointing a Leader of the Opposition,a President,passing legislation etc. ? What a farce is this also the end of the UWP and DFP? This group sounds so much like the MND which went into oblivion,how are they going to influence the nearly 25,000 voters who supported the DLP. These guys are like puppets on a string but they must remember that the ..do not leave the $4000.00 salary of the opposition leader to follow a bunch of losers.

  7. anti-bobol
    February 1, 2010

    Where ignorance is bliss ’tis folly to be wise!!!!!!!! Haiti is as poor as it is because of fraud elections, support for dictators and leaders with no integrity.. Papa doc and Baby Doc were not born dictators. Those greedy, unscrupulous persons around him including doctors, lawyers,professionals of all sorts, and even those of the working class found nothing wrong with their oppressive, bad governance style. The elite class in Haiti in particular, loved their dictators to bribe and manipulate.

    So Nothing went wrong before and during the elections? A few persons overrode the parliament’s decision. The parliament decided for voter ID cards, budgeted an amount to produce those cards, yet the minister of finance refused to release not a cent to the Electoral Commission to do the job. The Commission which was not independent faltered by not cleaning up the electoral list and demanding ID cards. What about bribery? What does our laws say on that? Laws are for one set? Only the ordinary voiceless Dominicans break laws and get punished not those who play big wig ? The DLP Government is interested only in Dominicans overseas who will vote for them and spends millions in that bribery scheme, but is not willing to put things in place so that all Dominicans in the diaspora who would like to exercise their franchise to elect their representatives could have the opportunity to do so? Listen well to the calypsos. Most of the calypsos this year remind us Dominicans of the bobol, fraud. bribery and bad governance, and corruption that are plaguing our beloved country. We hear, sing, dance, jump up and wave but never take time to listen and react positively to the lyrics.

    Aristide and his Lavalas party won the election in Haiti in 2000 free and fair. He never bribe those Haitians in the diaspora with plane tickets and cheques. Is pass we passing. Can you all buy two more days of life with all the money bowling about, after you are called to the great beyond? How many more elections will you buy? How many more elections can you buy?.

  8. Misa
    February 1, 2010

    Well if you call the concern of 12,000 supporters who pay taxes in this country SELFISH, this is call MALAPROPISM.

    Ask for Mr. Honychurch: TO EVERY ACTION, THERE IS A REACTION.

    It is clear to see that the UWP is setting the example and respects the wishes of the 12,000 persons who voted them. You all seem to forget that the UWP is not a few men but over 10,000 strong. A set of people who develops this country so it can move forward. Hard working (workers) people whom you all meet every day on the street, who pay their taxes to develop Dominica and put bread on the table of these Ministers and some of allu who only know how to beg.

    My question is, why do Dominicans worships politicians who steals and lies for the world to hear but have a problem with people who stand on the side of truth and justice.

    Just a bunch of dishonest people. If you all were part of the leadership of the Olympics, I could just see who would be the winners. A set of junkies.

    And for you in the diaspora who thinks a barrel once a year is contributing, stop insulting the people who live here, that just says what you all think of them. Besides if things so nice with Labour why allu still out there. Allu doh here it have recession in the people country and allu still there?

    Again just shameful and dishonest.

    And for those of you who think that UWP has so much bad mind that Skerrit should watch them closely. Just ask Scrunter “WHO WILL GUARD THE GUARD”

  9. laplaine
    February 1, 2010

    everybody have a price

  10. New Jersey
    February 1, 2010

    Lisad,

    First of all ” desperadoes” as you put it, are all Dominicans just like you, and if we decide to come home and develop our Country not you or any other Dominicans can stop us, we have the right to our Country just like you like it or not, we contribute to our country every day and when you all need us you call on us to help but when its neccessary we should butt out, well guess what we are not going to butt out, we are here to stay so all you people in Dominica who have a problem with us Dominicans who live outside of Dominica, i say deal with it and grow up we are here to stay and we will continue to support Skerrit and his Labour party because he recognize us as fellow Dominicans. Long live the Dominica Labour Party.

  11. New Yorker
    February 1, 2010

    Well Balance,

    When the UWP won the election there was imported votes, infact they start the trend, so what good for the goose is good for the ganda. They need to grow up and deal with the issue and the issue here is the people of Dominica and all Dominicans in Dominica and abroad do not want the UWP in office to rule this Country they need to go back to the drawing broad and figure out how they can regain the trust of the Dominican people instead of waisting money in court and boycutting parliament for something they will lose again if it is called tommorow.

  12. Fairplay
    February 1, 2010

    when freedom was putting licks on labour ;they did not boycott the house. when workers did the same to labour and freedom;both parties attended the parliment.
    now it is labour turn again to give some licks; all opposition parties blue and green vex.

  13. Balance
    February 1, 2010

    When DFP won the elections with 17 seats in 1980, there were no imported votes. Labour was defeated fair and square, so there was no need for Mike Douglas to boycott or protest the election. In 2009 elections, can we say that there were no imported votes? Let’s be honest.
    If the opposition choose to protest, come on my people, they may have a case.

  14. Grand Bayrian
    February 1, 2010

    Now these guys are making me laugh. I thought the peoples Parliament is the House of Assembly?. Well I guess desperate time calls for desperate measures. These guys are really sour losers, If you can’t stand the heat why the heck do you guys go in the kitchen.

  15. Liberated
    February 1, 2010

    If these guys deliberately decide to bypass the the constitutionally arranged parliamentary process and engage in setting up their own parliament as they claim, shouldn’t this action be classed as seditious and potentially open to charges of treason against the state? Now we know why they did not want the the PM to appoint a commissioner and deputy commissioner. they reckoned that if these appointments were not made the Police would be disgruntled whereby making it easy to create anarchy and pave the way for them to set up their own illegal parliament. Skerrit should monitor these guys closely and deal with them severely if they stray too far out of line.

  16. Wait A Minute
    February 1, 2010

    Hey lisad, you need not worry. There is now way that these clowns can plan any sucessful coup in Dominica. Skerrit is a nice guy, but they better not test his resolve or else many of them will end up wearing blue uniforms and it won’t be UWP written behind the t-shirts. Even if it means opening up cells at the Cabrits we will deal with any attempt to overthrow the legitimately elected government of this country. These people must understand that in any democracy there is a winner and a loser and that the loser must learn to accept defeat graciously.

  17. bjohnrose
    February 1, 2010

    I do not listen to mr. honeychurch because he is not a true Dominican historian but more of a story changer like in the Dominica Conte. Why can’t he mention the results of the 1980 elections when the freedoom party won 18 seats and question democracy then. As a people we must learn to accept defeat and move on, lest we remain in stagnancy or we regress. HIP HIP HIP HOORAY for the labour party. I see no fault in them. In my opinion the freedoom party was most represive and the UWP party the most selfish. Trust me I know what I am talking about, I went to school for five years under their regime, first they gave me one geometry set for five years, under the Labour party my sisters were able to get just by visiting the Head Quarters, Then I went to school for five years, doing two years at St Joseph Campus(D.G.S), and comleted the last three at the Roseau branch, and in the end these criminals gave me a three year high school diploma; how cool is that, it affects me up to today. And if you want proof my name is Brinsley John Rose.

    Main Entry: self·ish
    Pronunciation: \ˈsel-fish\
    Function: adjective
    Date: 1640
    1 : concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself : seeking or concentrating on one’s own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others
    2 : arising from concern with one’s own welfare or advantage in disregard of others
    3 : being an actively replicating repetitive sequence of nucleic acid that serves no known function ; also : being genetic material solely concerned with its own replication

    — self·ish·ly adverb

    — self·ish·ness noun

    Main Entry: re·press
    Pronunciation: \ri-ˈpres\
    Function: verb
    Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French represser, from Latin repressus, past participle of reprimere to check, from re- + premere to press — more at press
    Date: 14th century
    transitive verb
    1 a : to check by or as if by pressure : curb b : to put down by force : subdue
    2 a : to hold in by self-control b : to prevent the natural or normal expression, activity, or development of
    3 : to exclude from consciousness
    4 : to inactivate (a gene or formation of a gene product) by allosteric combination at a DNA binding site
    intransitive verb
    : to take repressive action

    — re·press·ibil·i·ty \-ˌpre-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

    — re·press·ible \-ˈpre-sə-bəl\ adjective

    — re·pres·sive \-ˈpre-siv\ adjective

    — re·pres·sive·ly adverb

    — re·pres·sive·ness noun

  18. NYBOO
    February 1, 2010

    If these parliamentarians were really concerned about their constituencies, then they wouldn’t even be thinking of boycotting. They need to realize that it is not about them but their constituencies development. Agree to disagree, afterall Hector left the United States to come down for the election like one month before the date and nobody said anything, then people complain about the Labour Party which in my opinion is the best party for the country.

  19. NIKE
    February 1, 2010

    I have one question Dr HonyChurch,

    will the boycotters be getting a salary? NO WORK NO PAY!!

  20. belbagay
    February 1, 2010

    Dr. Honeychurch, you must go on to say to the dominican people during the labour party victory in 1966 and 1975 there was not the importation of votes in a particular constituency to affect the results, if it was so the deceased Dame Eugenia would challenge the results in the courts, and i submitt to you if she was alive today she would do the same even if she was not a candidate, it baffles me to see persons like you who have served Dominica well and continue to serve Dominica well can support the actions …, as Mr Labad would remind us with the Bell “TIME WILL TELL”

  21. Jude Nicholas
    February 1, 2010

    The next election will be due by April 04 2015. The House will meet on February 04 2010.
    I clearly recognised that election is held every five years.

    Jude

  22. Dominican lover
    February 1, 2010

    What is this people parliament. They lost the election, if they beleived in democracy they would be working on developing thier public support base, for the next election. They must grow up and behave responsible. Why are they acting in this manner.

  23. .............
    February 1, 2010

    Correct Jude if I’m wrong but I think the elections are every 5 years right? So the next elections would be?

  24. Jude Nicholas
    February 1, 2010

    When the DFP won 17 seats in 1980 and the DLP won two (2) seats, the two Freedom Party independent candidates who won their seats ( Cyrus and Armour of Blessed Memory) came together to prevent the DLP from forming the Official Opposition thus preventing the DLP from naming four DLP senators.

    Did the DLP boycott the House? Dr. Honychurch the historian can inform. Was Democracy at stake in Dominica?

    The DLP behaved maturely and MIke Douglas of blessed memory alone took on nineteen (19) Freedomites in the House. The DLP went on the ground and for fifteen years Laboured in the trenches. It was hard work to take the party where it is today.

    UWP do not want to do the hard work to win an election, They have done absolutely nothing to improve on their political support base. Instead the Party lost about 5,000 votes in the last election.

    18 to 3 is a very huge whopping and the opposition has to learn to live with that. They must now strategise for the 2020 elections. Barring any major misshap, I do not see Labour loosing the 2015 election. Electoral reform or not.

    Jude

  25. lisad
    February 1, 2010

    They are organizing a “People’s Parliament”.I wonder what that is? I hope it’s not a coup these desperadoes are planning you know..

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