Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has said that he will hold a consultation with Sole Commissioner, Sir Dennis Byron next week to have a first look at the report and the associated legislation for electoral reform.
Sir Byron was selected by Prime Minister Skerrit in 2020 to serve as the sole commissioner to advance efforts toward electoral reform in Dominica.
Over the years the United Workers Party (UWP), and various groups and movements have held protests advocating for electoral reform. The topic has since become a firebrand issue following the calling of the snap general elections last year.
“I will hold a consultation with the sole commissioner, Justice Sir Byron on Monday 23rd of January to have a first look at the report that he has presented and the associated legislation, so I will have a meeting with him on Monday the 23rd,” Skerrit said while addressing a press conference held at the Ministry of Finance Conference Room on Monday.
According to him, Dr. Kenneth Darroux is already at work to carry out the national coordination of all aspects relating to electoral modernization.
“Our hope is that very soon we will start engaging the public on the various aspects of electoral modernization,” he stated.
He also hopes that the process can be efficient in terms of the country agreeing on exactly what are the elements of the reform, “and that we can go to parliament as quickly as possible to enact the legislation and start the process of affecting the issuance of the national ID cards and to go through the process of verification of voters on the elector’s list.”
Prime Minister Skerrit continued, “And so I am hoping that the dissonance that may exist could be eliminated very quickly so that we have electoral modernization in Dominica and this one thing can disappear very quickly in this new term.”
Sir Byron is a former President of the Caribbean Court of Justice. He also serves as President of the Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute, is former President of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and former Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court.
Electoral Modernization? Well if that is the case, the government is not needed. That is a job for the Electoral Commission; the government should just have to fund what ever the Commission needs to get modernized.
DNO all you self not easy. There should be a follow-up story with the Chairman of the Electoral Commission on this one.
seriously? this is still an issue? PM will do what he want when he want only if it benefits him. Why are we still beating a dead horse.
I though the whole point was to implement the electoral reforms BEFORE and not after the elections…???
hence why calling 2 years ahead of time? Obviously something isnt right.
In my humble opinion the Prime Minister is exceeding his remit in discussing matters of electoral reform and reach consensus with an outside source or adviser when our constitution makes it clear that this is the exclusive reserve of our electoral commission, which is supposed to be independent and not subject to any pressure from any outside sources, governmental or otherwise. In other words it is none of his business and meddling like this is unconstitutional.
When you are writing you history book don’t forget,Skerrit destroyed UWP in 5 out of 5 general elections.A 5-0 win.
That so called reform is already tinted and is already calling for national unrest before it’s even out in the public. Skerrit calls it election modernization and he as political leader and pM planning to meet with Mr Byron instead of allowing him to meet with the electoral commissioner. So that tells me Skerrit is already trying to buy the reform that he has already named modernization
Dominican stop skerrit in tracks that guy full of it, and you all talking to dam much in this country . Since 2009 you all asking these guys for electoral reform we in 2023 another BS again and just talk talk talk, dominicans hit the streets on tuesday send skerrit a serious message.
What are you all waiting for? Byron, that guy get paided he dont give a rats behind.
Ignorance begets Arrogance. Arrogance fosters Intellectual Shallowness and Mediocrity.
This once dynamic island, Dominica, has been led by an individual (Roosevelt Skerrit) who is manifesting the limits of his personal capabilities. Chronically flanked by “Yes Persons”, the opportunity for growth and creativity has been stifled and replaced by arrogance that is blaring. The statement, “ I will hold a consultation with the sole commissioner, Justice Sir Byron on Monday 23rd of January to have a first look at the report that he has presented and the associated legislation” reflect a lack of understanding of constitutional democracy. Likewise, to state that ‘Dr. Darroux is already at work to carry out the national coordination of all aspects relating to electoral modernization’, before input from the Electoral Commission or Parliamentary passage, further reflects shallowness of logic and thought. Dominica deserves better!
But where is the election commissioner in all of that? Why the prime minister? It’s absolutely foolishness and to hell with Skerrit and Dominica
Exactly! Skerrit took over even though it’s none f his business.
Here goes LIAR Skerrit again!!
IT’S ELECTORAL REFORM, not any dam Modernization, we DEMAND!!!!
The sham election of 2022 in which most people did not vote is over, so what is the haste all about,to go to parliament with the recommendations? A coco makak???
Dominicans from all constituencies should discuss the recommendations before it goes to parliament.
Secondly, what the HELL Kenneth Darroux (a politician) grovelling to you, should have to do with coordinating all aspects of Electoral Reform?Another Coco Makak?
You Skerrit think its only drunken labourites with red trumpets you are addressing, but you are dead wrong.
The people need to take reform, includung campaign finance reform if you dont want to give it.
LIAR!!
So now that it is a one party parliament they going to make up their own version of “electoral modernization” obviously leaving out aspects that will affect them and they going to pass it unchallenged
lol lol lol ..pray for all the sheep in this country
The great philosopher Immanuel Kant posited that “by a lie, a man annihilates his dignity as a man.” The dissonance in this saga is exemplified by the leader talking down the importance of electoral reform in his pronouncements and announcements and reflected by going ahead with a general election right before the presentation of the Sole Commissioner’s report. Actions speak louder than words.
What good does it do for Roosevelt to hold court with Mr. Dennis Byron on the most pertinent topic of electoral reforms?
Mr. Byron, one of the most prominent jurists in the Caribbean, has diminished himself. It seems to me that $500k was too much to resist for tarnishing his reputation by working for the most corrupt Caribbean ruler at present. You lie with dogs you get fleas.
He promised that he will implement electoral reforms before the last election now he is promising this for the umpteenth time after it.
Roosevelt’s lies are legendary. The man is a tooth fairy.