Dominica part of global deterioration of rule of law, despite comparative security in key areas of governance

The World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index 2024 reveals a concerning trend, as the rule of law has deteriorated in a majority of countries for the seventh consecutive year. In this latest assessment, 57% of the surveyed nations, including Dominica, reported a decline in their rule of law scores. Dominica’s score fell by less than 1%, placing it 53rd out of 142 countries globally. Within the Latin America and Caribbean region, Dominica ranks 11th out of 32 countries, with Uruguay leading the region at 24th globally. Notably, 20 out of 32 countries in the region experienced declines, with 13 of those also having faced similar setbacks in the previous year.

The global landscape since 2016 has been marked by a significant recession in the rule of law, impacting 77% of the countries studied, Dominica included. This decline has been largely attributed to rising authoritarianism, with the Index indicating that Fundamental Rights have decreased in 81% of countries during this period. However, Dominica stands out as it is not among the 63% of countries where Fundamental Rights fell in the past year, nor is it part of the 59% where Constraints on Government Powers diminished. This suggests that while global trends are troubling, Dominica has managed to maintain a relatively stable position regarding these critical aspects of governance.

Despite the overall global backsliding, there are signs of progress in certain areas, particularly in the fight against corruption. The WJP report indicates that 59% of countries improved their scores for Absence of Corruption between 2023 and 2024, with Dominica also being a part of this positive trend. William H. Neukom, Co-founder and President of WJP, emphasized the importance of recognizing these achievements while continuing to strive for improvements in justice systems worldwide. As Dominica navigates these complex challenges, its ability to uphold the rule of law over time, amidst global declines remains to be seen.

Factor score rankings:

FACTORGLOBAL RANKREGIONAL RANK*INCOME RANK**
Constraints on Government Powers70/14216/3217/41
Absence of Corruption46/14211/326/41
Open Government72/14219/3223/41
Fundamental Rights51/14213/3211/41
Order and Security72/1428/3221/41
Regulatory Enforcement57/14211/3212/41
Civil Justice58/14212/3212/41
Criminal Justice44/1427/325/41

(1 is best in WJP Rule of Law Index rankings)

To see Dominica’s performance across all 44 sub-factors the Index measures, visit: www.worldjusticeproject.org/rule-of-law-index/country/2024/Dominica

Explore the full rankings and findings of the 2024 World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index at: www.worldjusticeproject.org/rule-of-law-index/.

  • Find the global press release and all 142 country press releases by region here.
  • Access the complete 2024 WJP Rule of Law Index and “Insights” booklet here.
  • See graphics (regional rankings, global rankings, and comparative maps) here.

Copyright 2012 Dominica News Online, DURAVISION INC. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.

Disclaimer: The comments posted do not necessarily reflect the views of DominicaNewsOnline.com and its parent company or any individual staff member. All comments are posted subject to approval by DominicaNewsOnline.com. We never censor based on political or ideological points of view, but we do try to maintain a sensible balance between free speech and responsible moderating.

We will delete comments that:

  • contain any material which violates or infringes the rights of any person, are defamatory or harassing or are purely ad hominem attacks
  • a reasonable person would consider abusive or profane
  • contain material which violates or encourages others to violate any applicable law
  • promote prejudice or prejudicial hatred of any kind
  • refer to people arrested or charged with a crime as though they had been found guilty
  • contain links to "chain letters", pornographic or obscene movies or graphic images
  • are off-topic and/or excessively long

See our full comment/user policy/agreement.

7 Comments

  1. weh
    October 24, 2024

    When you have a house speaker who gets his charges dropped and promoted to the house speakership just for crossing the floor what do you expect?

  2. Bob The Cat
    October 24, 2024

    More people get knifed in London on any given weekend than any 10 year benchmark of crimes in Dominica will show. So, this is cooking numbers, typical bullying.

  3. derp
    October 24, 2024

    ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
    ░░░░░░░░░░░░░▄▄▄▄▄▄▄░░░░░░░░░
    ░░░░░░░░░▄▀▀▀░░░░░░░▀▄░░░░░░░
    ░░░░░░░▄▀░░░░░░░░░░░░▀▄░░░░░░
    ░░░░░░▄▀░░░░░░░░░░▄▀▀▄▀▄░░░░░
    ░░░░▄▀░░░░░░░░░░▄▀░░██▄▀▄░░░░
    ░░░▄▀░░▄▀▀▀▄░░░░█░░░▀▀░█▀▄░░░
    ░░░█░░█▄▄░░░█░░░▀▄░░░░░▐░█░░░
    ░░▐▌░░█▀▀░░▄▀░░░░░▀▄▄▄▄▀░░█░░
    ░░▐▌░░█░░░▄▀░░░░░░░░░░░░░░█░░
    ░░▐▌░░░▀▀▀░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░▐▌░
    ░░▐▌░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░▄░░░░░░▐▌░
    ░░▐▌░░░░░░░░░▄░░░░░█░░░░░░▐▌░
    ░░░█░░░░░░░░░▀█▄░░▄█░░░░░░▐▌░
    ░░░▐▌░░░░░░░░░░▀▀▀▀░░░░░░░▐▌░
    ░░░░█░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░█░░
    ░░░░▐▌▀▄░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░▐▌░░
    ░░░░░█░░▀░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░▀░░░
    ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

  4. Ibo France
    October 24, 2024

    The data and statistics for this specific evaluation/ assessment are had from official government sources. It’s unreliable and misleading. The real data collected is also sanitized.

    In this assessment of Dominica, the facts don’t fit the truth. Here are the unvarnished facts.
    *Opposition members are routinely dragged before the court for years on bogus charges
    *Billions of CBI dollars are in escrow accounts unknown to the public
    *police tear-gassing, arrest and brutality of peaceful walkers nd protesters
    *rampant thievery throughout the public service
    *ruling politicians cannot legitimately account for enormous material wealth

    Dominica is the epicenter of CORRUPTION in the Caribbean and probably in the entire Western and Northern hemispheres.

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 3
  5. Labour power
    October 23, 2024

    Boy derp you are just a jack a just like Lennox Linton,typical UWP,reading and cannot understand.

    Hot debate. What do you think? Thumb up 2 Thumb down 12
  6. The old prophet
    October 23, 2024

    I find this article is misleading because the rule of law in Dominica has not deteriorated but rather, rule of law does not even exist. In fact to be fair the rule of law in Dominica is Roosevelt Skerrit and every single institution knows damn well that their job is to protect Skerrit and keep him in office at all costs.
    So Skerrit selects a loyal commissioner and the police commissioner knows his job is to protect Skerrit and to hell with Dominica .
    Skerrit selects his his judges and magistrates and they all know their job is to protect Skerrit at all costs.
    Skerrit selects his President and he/ she knows that their job is to protect Skerrit and to hell with Dominica
    Skerrit selects his Electoral Commissioner and his job is to protect Skerrit. In fact although Skerrit has not announced an election date yet I really wouldn’t be surprised that his supporters have already voted because it’s a corrupt system where
    The law is Skerrit, constitution, religion, the voice is his & for…

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 3
  7. derp
    October 23, 2024

    but of course them police and judges self useless and only bending the knee for Skerrit

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 8

Post a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

:) :-D :wink: :( 8-O :lol: :-| :cry: 8) :-? :-P :-x :?: :oops: :twisted: :mrgreen: more »

 characters available