The court matter between the leading opposition party the United Workers Party(UWP) and the government of Dominica has been adjourned to June 17 and 18, 2010.
In this matter, the UWP has filed five election petitions against the government of Dominica contesting the results of the December 2009 general elections, which resulted in a landslide victory for the Dominica Labour Party (DLP).
The UWP’s legal team comprises Senior Counsel Trinidadian Douglas Mendez, who was absent from today’s hearing, Stewart Young, also of Trinidad, Geoffery Letang and Gildon Richards.
The government was represented by Senior Counsel Anthony Astaphan and Attorney General Francine Baron-Royer.
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit was absent from the hearing today, on the grounds that he had not been served.
This was according to Senior Counsel Astaphan. Attorney-at-law Heather Felix-Evans, the prime minister’s junior accepted a request to being served on his behalf. This was formally done outside the courtroom by UWP’s lawyer Gildon Richards this morning- an action which was directed by Judge Justice Birnie Stephenson-Brooks following a motion by Astaphan.
In their petitions the UWP alleges the DLP’s was of 18 out of 21 constituencies was accomplished by bribery and unfairness.
Those constituencies are: the St Joseph constituency involving UWP’s John Abraham and DLP’s Kelver Darroux; the Roseau South seat involving UWP’s Bobby Frederick and DLP’s Ambrose George; the Salybia constituency involving UWP’s Claudius Sanford and DLP’s Ashton Graneau.
The seat of DLP’s Petter t. Jean, the parliamentary representative of the La Plaine constituency is also being contested by UWP’s leader Ronald Green. The Vielle Casse seat won by Parliamentary Representative Roosevelt Skerrit is also being contested by Maynard Joseph.
Judge Brooks ordered the applicants (UWP) and respondent (Government) to prepare and submit affidavits, submissions and applications to the court, ahead of the trial on June 17 and 18.
Following the hearing, amidst silent protests from DLP supporters outside the building, Senior Counsel Astaphan told reporters that the first step for government will be to ensure the order given by the judge is followed stating, that only then will the court decide “whether or not the petitions should go
ahead either in whole or in part.”
“At the end of that day we will be in a far better position to decide, and to make any decisions to the way forward from there; but we have to get these applications and submissions off the road first,” he added.
Astaphan said that his team is confident about the case and the government is not taking the matter lightly.
“We taking these petitions very ,very ,very seriously, but at the same time we intend to confront them and attack them quite seriously as well. We’re not gonna just leave them to just lie and leave them to lie there with all these allegations in there …. our purpose is to narrow the petitions down to either nothing or very little. Whether it works out or not I do not know,” Astaphan explained.
He also commented on the prime minister’s absence at the hearing.
“Now it can be settled now once and for all that the question of service or no service or even the inference that the prime minister may have been avoiding service is nonsense,” he stated.
Meanwhile, UWP Counsel Stewart Yong told reporters outside the court: “we certainly do feel confident with respect to the petitions”.
– Hermisha Rolle, Staff reporter
I look foward to a day when all a-holes will step back and let intelligent people with a proper plan for this country take the damn country foward. UWP is nonsense, labour is nonsense, skerrit is a disappointment who ran out of tricks 5 years ago.
Boy is time for a new party to form with some foward thinking people that not suffering from the greedy disease called ‘never-see come see’ because it seems our current crop of politicians getting dottish and salivating after tax payers money. For how de little country have debt and all kind of socio-economic and infrastructural problems, I doh understand how people so desolay to get in office, because if they really consider all what needs to be done to move dominica they wouldn’t be so enchasse to hold on to power….all they seeing is the opportunities to plunder de treasury and collect money under table….les ban voleh!
Since I am a God fearing Dominican i fed up with voleh, menteh, salop and ‘bom papas’ sitting down and calling themselves ‘de government’ and I referring to all sides. Our politicians have no morality they doh deserve people votes. Carry all of them straight to de labasse, they, their senior counsels, lawyers and all their ban ‘encente’.
SAd so sad, power corrupts, well the judge should adjourne and adjourne and adjourne. Skerrit denouces his French citizenship. Calls another election just to prove he is de peopls choice. Skerrit will win. Labour will win.
I have to say this the UWP dont love Dominica. They dont have anybody that can lead, they are not proud of Ron … but they are using him because they know is only marigot voting for Eddison, but they want dominica to fail, so dey dere in court trying to bring the country dowm.
Well done UWP u are able to exercise your democratic right in dominica against Skerrit the man u calling a dictator, zos par febe, well Dominicans love their Skerro, just how de marigot had love dey eddi, but Laplain duh love ron de rasta bourgoise no more,because stay tune not there to campaign for him.
This time in JUNE every labourite going to be outside the court dress in Red with placade saying we the people voted for Skerrit in December, and we will vote for him again. His place of birth is Vielle Case Dominica.
Stay tune u think everything is about Skerrit that is why all u trying to bring him down just how all u did patrick and Leblance, well Dominicans smart too, and all u will get what all u looking for, all u will get Eddison the marigotain for PM again . this time Dominica will end up cranana.
A few United Workers Party members and supporters are trying to drag the Labour party leader Roosevelt Skerrit down. They are behaving like hungry wild dogs after a single animal. If they succeed the Labour government will be next and then the country. These people can not do any better for the country than those in power; they simply don’t want Roosevelt Skerrit or the Labour party to have what they can not. This is just typical of the ignorant behaviour you see in Dominican (Crabs in a barrel). They must have things their way at all cost; forget country, development, politics, party, people, god, self respect, fanny by gas light or how this looks internationally.
These people will never tire, because they have a mental sickness. They truly believe they are right and every body else is wrong. If you see them foaming at the mouth, shoot them.
The scary thing is these people are going all out to try and bring down Roosevelt Skerrit. They don’t even care if there is anyone capable to replace him, so the country and people are not even an after thought for them. The reputation of Dominica, Dominicans and Dominican politics is being dragged through the gutter and hug up on a close line for all to see, for what? Just so these people can stand proudly on the street corner and boast, “they brought down the Prime Minister”.
Take a good look at jealousy, envy, maliciousness, madness obsessive behaviour and self destruction. Don’t allow them to infect you with their sickness, because there looks to be no cure.
I need to know the account number for the UWP assistance fund to pay the Lawyer?
call your uwp counterparts and you will get it. Can’t help you.
I wonder myself on whose pocket this court nonsense is. Man…politics crippling Dominica. we need to start working to build our country…too many yrs of politricking and still we nah move on. PLEASE LET US STOP REINVENTING THE 3-KING WHEEL.
i believe in the rule of law and all that, but DA is too small for it to be so litigious. Damn every time run into an old friend they tell me they are a lawyer. The competition must be good for those who couldn’t get representation before. Then again many hungry lawyers will be doing an Earl Williams on their clients or urging people to sue for anything.
Let’s get this country moving and stop all the lawyering. enuff already.
There are some many more important things to concentrate on in Dominica…This is utter foolishness by BOTH UWP and DLP.
Personally, right now I am only interested in moving the country forward. But these polititians have to realise that they must not put up fights only when fighting is convenient for them.
Members of the UWP have second citizenships, including the leader Ron… Edison I understand has a second passport too. But anyhow…mon pa sav.
Now…
So if the UWP wins this battle, what happens? PM Steps down, UWP steps up because they win and happy, and they keep their dual citizenship as representatives?? Somebody please explain.
Because if something is wrong it is wrong, and all of these technicalities that these politians are giving us about their mother give them passport when they were babies, like Ron, not different from Skerritt, needs to STOP. Change the d*& law and remove the technicalities. These men …. none is different from the other.
My take is: RULING: All polititians, DENOUNCE! Simple.
And I truly wish that if DLP lawyers dont argue out this point, that the courts will. We need to resolve the issue once and for all and shut everyone up.
This vicious political cycle of fight against something today and defend it tomorrow, whilst Dominicans are fighting against themselves and the country’s development remains hindered and undermined because of political division, needs to come to an end. Fr*%^&*# hell man.
alas….your mind not telling you if what you hear about uwp have dual citizenship too was correct, the dlp would have said that and challenge it in court too? Think….think…get the facts….not what you hear people say.
Ssshhhhhhh. I really do not care. And I’m not interested in defending UWP or Skerritt. Yo toot ka mati. They should all sign a declaration stating they dont have 2nd passports, and you must stop being biased if you truly care about this country. Your brown a*&^% just sit down there remarking on people’s comments. And Im sure you der grinning your teef like a heehaw.
Are you 17 or thereabout on facebook or mobile chatting whole day? You seem so turned on and eager to share your ‘sense’ on all this crap. Please stop making the UWP lose supporters. lol. Idiot.
Bad political strategy. Some people will just never learn. Alass.
wi bordiay….i in political campaign nuh?…u telling me about bad strategy and making who loose support? I running for election man? hahahaha
soooo muccch rubbbiisssh those laybahrats posting on that site why you doesnt tell them how stupid their brown a@#$% sounding?
My fence low man?
UWP loose 4000 supporters they say….so u would just make it 4001 ok darling….
so booo..
…. Good luck skerro.. 99 days 4 the volehh.. 1 day 4 the police…
Now that the hearing for the election petition is set for June, three months after the UWP would have vacated its duly elected seats in the House. What’s going to happen? If the PM sticks to his word to have three more seatings of the House before the end of April and the UWP continue with their political shenenigan, to stay away, looking for public sympathy, then the constitution mandates the holding of bye-elections in the three seats that would have become vacant by virtue of the absenteeism of the duly elected members. Bye-elections for Marigot, Roseau Central and Salisbury would be due within 90 days . Are we going to see more court petitions asking for a stay on holding the bye-elections untill the election petitions are heard? ‘
Oh! Ron stop the nonesense. Eddy would have never continued for so long. He would have found a way to come back to the House, as I suspect you all intend to do real soon or else Prevo, after waiting for all these years to be top man in Roseau will never forget you all. Because there is no way that UWP can win Roseau again in such a situation – and Prevo knows that.
This is so typical of the justice system in Dominica. A matter of such significance is adjourned till June, six months after the election is called.
I agree, justice should not only be done but must appear to be done. Justice delayed is justice denied. Either way!
I may have a difference of opinion with you but i will defend your right to an opinion to the death.
We must all seek to preserve the fundamental rights of each other….. Those rights include the right to speak, and the right to justice.
This judge is wrong! These lawyers have had three months to prepare for a case …. three months !
This is not a matter of Labour , Freedom , Workers ! This is a shining example of our justice system … this is the next level of the asininity that pervades the court system in dominica.
Possiecan,
your comment makes no sense about our justice system. All over the world cases of greater significance are adjourned to later dates, so why do you think that this is justice denied. Is it becuase it is not in your favor? You seem to be intellegent, then think of your reasoning before posting on here.
Mahaut man…Shut ur backside….de Possie man is soooo right….De whole thing is such a damn joke……….sets of jokers………………………..
@ Possiecan:
Did someone die? Was murder commited? Cases where death is involved are of paramount importance and yet those cases are sometimes adjourned for over a year. That is just how the justice system works in every country that I have lived in so far. Bearing that in mind, I therefore see no justifiable reason why this court case should be given priorty over other cases which I am certain are of greater importance….or is it that we just want to appease Ron Green and her little girlfriends to stop them from becoming impatient.
“or is it that we just want to appease Ron Green and her little girlfriends to stop them from becoming impatient.”
I love That….
Braveheart,,,or ASSHEAD……plse.,….advise me…………..and name the Countries you have lived in so far?………………….Jackbackside!……….
Well put. I’m in total agreement.
THE prime minister NOW A FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE . . . THEY STILL KETCH HIM DOH …. YOU JOKING WITH U W P???
Ron, sad 2 no u are leaving. Its time 4 a long rest, u look very tired.
Ron, its time 2 pack up-u are making a big fool of your self.
Ron, who laugh last, laugh the best. We all gonna laugh u BIG TIME.
The PM has nothing to fear, Ron is acting worse than a little spoil girl with tutus. Ron is not Prime Minister material, I am trully ashamed of UWP right now
I beleave as citizens of this country we should not lash out at the DLP or the UWP, for what this is just politics. It is time that we dominicans understand that the events that are unfolding now is what politics is about and we should not get caught siding any side over this leave it to the court.We should now focus on being a united citizens of dominica championing for the same cause love ,respect and help each other in anyway posible and not try to pull each other down.A devided nation is weak .I hope in my life time here I see an election here where the political paties have no colour and the people suppoting there party waving one flag the Donimican flag.
If the UWP PARTY had taken matters into their own hands, they would be considered mad.
..but the matter is taken to court , labour-ites say they are crazy. How to please some….
What is the issue here? Ashamed that I supported DLP. The issue the parties are engaged in court has to do with PM being a citizen of France and also a citizen of Dominica. The PM himself agreed only after the people were told so by a prominent journalist, and there is much proof to show that he holds dual citizenship. Otherwise Dominicans would never know. He was caught red-handed, hence the reason for his outburst that no lawyer, no constitution could prevent him from being nominated.
Imagine, someone stealing a tin of sausage at Astaphans, and when he is caught, he shouts that no police or law can convict him? They could do what they want, I do not care.
The other issues deal with bribery, that is inducing people by buying tickets for them to travel for the purpose of voting for a particular party. Is bribery, in that form as it occurred, against the laws of Dominica? … Ask any lawyer, judge or police….
No voter ID cards? In this day and age, there is no mechanism in place, like voter ID cards to properly identify a voter? Was it deliberately not done although the Chief Elections officer recommended ID cards five years ago? Certainly money was not the problem.
In a population of 69000, a national voters list have 67000 names registered to vote? Do the maths. So tell me about free and fair election process without ID cards to identify voters correctly? How many dead people’s names were still on the list to vote?
What about DBS radio. No equal access for people to be informed about the issues concerning them. DBS reneged on its responsibility to educate the public.
Just listen to some arguments and you must conclude that the PM and others are in big problem …. Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and numerous other activists were persecuted for struggling for justice and equality. They faced daily strife and ridicule but never gave up.
No one can chastise Ron for wrongdoing as it concerns the election process leading up to December 18th. It is those who did wrong against the law who must face the wrath of the courts. Let justice prevail. This case is being closely followed by the entire region. PM and DLP are not comfortable. One can fill it in the air. 99 times for the thief, one time for the police.
You all are a bunch of hypocretes! Since when who was born where mattered?
You all need to stop acting like Americans. You are losing your identity.
You all sound like those stupid Republicans who are after President Obama.
Shame on you all. Why is it a concern to the UWP after Skerrit been there for all these years? Don’t let them pull that wool over your eyes.
There goes the need for all revolutionary force take over the country and get rid of all these AH (s) once and for all.To much shit going on in our land. Down with DLP ,UWP DFP all theses ball heads.
The UWP has guts to say the Salybia constituency was obtained by bribery??? Graneau won by 300 plus votes and that was not a seat where Caribs from overseas came in to vote… what if we had, if ppl like me had went down with my entire family not to mention rounded up my Carib labourite friends, Sanford would not see where Graneau passed. Get real here… UWP move on, the people have spoken and the Carib ppl are no different. We have brains and common sense too! Magway sa!!
The UWP has a very interesting legal team who do not look confident at all!!! I would hope the media would do some back ground checks on these persons. In particular Mr. Yong. This matter has been adjourned to June, which is some three months away. I thought it was one of constitutional importance. Now seeing as the matter is before the courts, will the UWP use this as an excuse to end their boycott?
Wonder if they bad like this for there wife..D.L.P win big let’s move on bro.stop wasting government time .
now the pm has something 2 hide why he was not at the court today
Didn’t they say he wasn’t served, that’s why he didin’t appear in court today??? Read people, english isn’t that hard to understand
boy r u people in dominica is somethin else lolol always backward not going forward
Amen to that ma brother
I agree with Ron Green on the Justice Delayed and the case not being heard expeditiously….. this case should be heard soon, particularly as it pertains to the December Elections (Held 3 months ago). The Judge is joking on this, and he/she should have taken it up right away and began the proceedings.
If this ruling comes down in Ron/UWP’s favor then a by election has to be called. This amounts to more time wasted and more delays before the people have a legitimate representative.
Ron, boy! They doh like you pal!….
Keep Hope alive
But Ron, should you lose, doh cry and malpalay people…take your licks and move on.
You want the Courts to side with you….
If the PM has to step down, a Care taker PM will be appointed by DLP Brass. PM will let go of France Citizenship, if not done so by this time as I write. Then PM contests, wins in a BIGGER blowout and returns to Throne.
If Ron wins, then By-Elections and he may prevail, returns to Opposition Leader and may enter Parliament.
The rest does not change much!
The idiots here who are trying to insinuate that the government is about to fall simply as a result of a few silly election petitions filed by disgruntled sore losers must stop believing their own propaganda and start behaving like educated individuals which many of them profess to be. It is clear to even a firstgraderr that if you remove 5 from 18 you are left with 13 NOT 10, which would be the number which would force the present government out of power. Therefore it is safe toi say that, even with the best results in favor of the opposition I.e if they were to win all 5 petitions, they will still remain in opposition. It is therefore an excercise in futility to go ahead wirth these petitions and will only serve to increase the political tensions in the country and I am certain that at the end of the day, like was the case in previous elections, the majority, if not all of these frivilous, petty petitions are again going to be thrown out by the court.
lol….u seem to be forgetting everything is built and is centered around skerrit…..
who do u want for PM when skerrit lose? tell me…lol
ambrose?…how long will he last?…
Austrie?…how long?…lol
the caribbean must be laughing cuz what tony fighting against in st kitts he fights for in dominica.oh my goosh this labourites aint easy nah.power taste so good they don’t want to let go or are they afraid that all skerro little skeletons will be let out the closets.i waiting to see the outcome.
My friend!! Just in case you did not notice…it is the UWP who is fighting for power here. There is no need for the DLP to fight for power because they already have it.
Well well I was hoping that by tomorrow morning Dominica would have a new prime minister, but then again Ron did not even win. Maybe we should give them the 18 seats and let the dlp take the 3 I wonder if they would think it is enough.
AYE ALL YOU THEM LAWYERS DERE WHEN THE CASE OVER DONT JOKE WITH WORKERS YOU KNOW..MAKE THEM PAY ALL YOU CAUSE THEY DOE HAVE MONEY..
Let them wait till June. Is court they want to go. The court will decide the case but the people will decide who forms the goverment. That is democracy.
LOL….oh lord
why we as dominicans cannot vote in da but uwp can call on us to help to pay for there court case.we are all dominican and if we come home to make adicision that we will have to live with sooner or later why this is a problem.as dominican living abroad we are on work permits ,contracts and some of us that went away on visa ….how they are going to lead us now .
go to court to prove your are right an wine your case
Local lawyers….Gildon and Geoffery???? UWP serious? what is the track record of these guys? You mean of all the big shot lawyers in Dominica…thats your team? Gildon, Geoffery a Chinese and ah Trini? Dat sound like a bad joke!!!!!!!!!!!
BTW where are all the workers who thought the DLP would be out of power by today? I guess some people are ignorant about the due process of law….today was preliminary stuff people….PRE-LIMINARY!!! Now they have to find their evidence and file it….let me see if the will use the same recycled hacked email as their evidence.
To Really? Geoffrey and Gildon are Dominicans. Just because they are from country doesn’t mean they are not good lawyers. Both were police officers. They are patriots and hard workers. stop bringing down your own people. The Trini lawyer is a Caribbean brother. we are one people–no matter what the ethnicity–a Caribbean man is a Caribbean man.
hahahahaha…alas…alas..alas….some people just have no idea what they talking about….
SEE THEM FIGHTING FOR POWER BUT THEY KNOW NOT THE HOUR. Ron give it a rest man ,enough is enough .
You mean UWP went to get a Chinesse lawyer? Where he from Red China or Black China? Republica or Taiwan? Those people have gutts.
STUPESSSSSSSSSSSSSS… i would like to see the bi-elections take place and they lose those 3 seats of theirs.. now lets see wat catastrophe the UWP will say was the cause. and lets see what will they create from all the none sense they doing.
Well if they lose their 3 sits then we will have a catastrophe in d.ca, cause absolute power CORRUPTS and … den we will be in for a hell of a ride… …
Why are they torturing Ron so? i am sure he was expecting to be PM by the end of today. LOL. Now he have to wait until June for the case to actually begin and for him to know the end result. Poor guy.
I u are really a Kalinago den poor u. The Kalinago people were the easiest set of people to bribe during the 09 elections cause all u had to do was bring dem to a rum shop & get dem drunk & they voting for u… I saw it happen for sure so i kno wat I talking about so poor u.
After the spending on the kalinago in bribes there was a lot of change left since they were so cheap to get to vote for u. LOL
People not stupid anymore, you think Rum and money can buy people’s vote. They will accept what you give them, but when they making their cross in the ballot box, are you in their with them to see who they voting for. So stop that foolishness about bribing people.
Very interesting developments! Didn’t kno this Rasta guy was appealing didn’t he get soundly beaten? Same with the St.Jo workers guy. Ron McCain again i could understand cuz 2 votes is well within any margin of error.
I guess UWP’s last gasp has been extended.
wat’s up ‘stay tuned’? lol
ah force allu love STAY TUNED…
My posts does hit a nerve…
it will continue to…..
I thought the case did not have merit?…
why is it goin on trial?…lol
Who laughs last will laugh the best…
The Laplaine tally sheets are not balancing….STAY TUNED MY PEOPLE….
Why is it that when opposition parties of any country lose the general election to the governing party the election results are always labelled “unfair, bribery, rigging, misconduct” by the opposition? Why can’t losers accept defeat graciously and move on? It seems to me that if the UWP had won the general election by a mere two seats, the party would not have contested the results in court for the mere fact that it has won and will govern. I do believe that Edison James, Ron Green, Norris Prevost, and Hector John need to do just what Earl Williams did – bow their heads and head for New York – the big apple – to start a new life. According to the legendary Jimmy Cliff “Nyam Bashi”, ‘Time will Tell”. Majority Wins, in are England, in are America, in are Africa, in are Jamaica, in are Canada, in are Russia, in are Trinidad, in are Antigua, so why not in are Dominica?
you are so right
Very good point. I wonder how much respect they are gaining from their supporters by doing this and more-so how much respect is being lost. But its their democratic right to make a fool of themselves, so let them do just that.
Garcon, especially uwp doing it . They just want attention. I want their lawyers to eat all their money.
Just wasting the government and people time. Burn it burning them , that we Dominicans will never ever vote for them again.
I want the case to drag for the next 5 years. By the time the open their eyes , is time for fresh elections. Is then they will agree.
Kamem , give and take.Fair is fair. UWP zor ped and allu will never recover…
alas…poor Kelver…Mr. get a taste…he doh want to let that go at alllll…hahaha
But you doh find Workass too wicked to claim that they lost in senjoe??
lol i know them man not easy nah boi
Astaphans isnot calling this one nonsence he said he is taking this serious because the UWP has a strong case and the evidence to be tendered will defenitely cause great change in the country. It will defenitely take us to the next level. UWP has 2 x police officers defending them as attorneys plus Internationallly known Senior counsels. PM YOU HAVE BEEN SERVED….
UWP fini bat. Who is Gildon?????
ANDDDDDDDDD?
serve with what, nonsence wow we are going to laugh and laugh hard when they lose again and lose all thier money they have remaining, so be prepare because all the seats that we won were won fairly and they are going to remain as they are.
having 2x police officers means nothing because they are not the greatest of lawyers and furthermore, why didn’t the experience lawyers come and represent at the front instead of staying in the background? what are they afraid of?
Mr. Astaphans is far better at representing his clients than the… trinidadian lawyers workers get. We are not paying this high cost for nothing at the end.
So UWP, wait until June 18 for your case to be heard which is exactly six months since DLP gave you a sound beating.