The United Workers Party views with disappointment and dismay the pronouncement by the Prime Minister to hold a “snap” General Election on December 6, 2022. This call for national elections is seen as an outrage to all Dominicans, especially the residents of the East of the country who were reeling under the impact of a natural disaster. On the night when the country was expected to hear the Prime Minister lead the call to support those affected, Mr. Skerrit decided to place his personal interest ahead of the country.
This announcement must be condemned by all Dominicans as an affront to our democracy and an insult to our people. Dominicans cannot be asked at this time to participate in another national election without meeting at least two basic election standards:
- A clean Voters List reflecting the persons who can legally vote; and
- National ID Cards available to all the legitimate voters.
The Caribbean Court of Justice, the APEX court of this country, in a written Decision that in its opinion “…there remains areas of grave concerns about how the process of these elections (2019 General Elections) was conducted. Future Elections in Dominica ought not to proceed with these or similar taints…”
At the end of the 2019 General Elections, the Imminent Jurist, Justice Sir Dennis Byron was engaged by Skerrit’s Cabinet as a sole Commissioner to present the necessary amendments to our laws to Reform the Electoral Process. Over the past months, the United Workers Party has been in constant dialogue with Sir Byron who informed the Party of his intentions to expedite the presentation of his recommendations. Since Mr. Skerrit has another two and a half years remaining on his current mandate as Prime Minister and sufficient time to implement the long-awaited reform of the electoral process, then there are no justifiable reasons why he should be calling a “Snap Election” other than an abuse of power.
In the circumstances therefore, the United Workers Party has taken a decision not to participate in this fraudulent Election and therefore calls on His Excellency Charles A. Savarin, the President of the Commonwealth of Dominica to revoke the calling of election by the Prime Minister. We are convinced that the Electoral Reform as demanded by the Dominican population is needed to facilitate free and fair Elections in the Commonwealth of Dominica.
Under the circumstances this is the right decision. No more elections without comprehensive electoral reform!
Correct decision, NO FURTHER ELECTIONS WITHOUT ELECTORAL REFORM. It’s as simple as that. Any party that fight this election endorses Skerrits politics which are designed to keep him and his cabal in power for as long as possible. His politics don’t care for Dominicans and our country. They never have done. It’s all about him and it’s all about money.
Ok. Then, Alex’s party will become the Opposition Party and Alex Bruno, the Opposition Leader. Heheheh! What a ting.
Ki mele mello whether UWP contest or not the up coming election. Thats their choice to put the final nail in their coffin.
Why don’t you ring Kairi or DBS to talk your BS. At least you won’t get any opposition from them or their brain dead listeners.
UWP was formed 34 years ago,contested 7 general elections and lost 6,very bad ratio.They have never received the support of the majority of the Dominican people.Not even when they formed the government between 1995 and 2000 with 11 seats and 34.86% of the votes.They still do not understand,Byrone job is to make recommendations,suggessitios.Skerrit does not have to agree with Byrone recommendation.Instead of going on q95 talking BS,they should be on the ground.
Most Dominicans are not smart. Skerrit knows this and is using it against them. Right after election fuel prices will rise and the government can’t repay National Bank of Dominica the money it keeps borrowing. Continue pulling wool over your own eyes.
An election can only be genuine when each political party or individual politician compete on a level playing-field. This election that Roosevelt has announced is not genuine, it’s a pseudo undertaking.
The Dominica people should send a clear and unmistakable message to Roosevelt and his mindless surrogates by staying away from the polls. Enough is enough! No more of your foolery!
You know better IBO it may not be genuine but the key word. It is LEGAL there is nothing illegal about it so play another tune……Use your intelligence correctly by helping the opposition.
Some things can be legal but unethical and morally reprehensible. Slavery was once legal but was it acceptable? Racism was institutionalised but was t right?
This stunt by depraved Roosevelt to unscrupulously chalk up another dubious election can lead to instability and further economic headaches.
The evil he does often come back to haunt you. Karma is a B-word.
The refusal of the opposition to participate in this election is exactly what Skerrit wants. All opposition parties need to unite, join force, and stand up for the Dominicans who need proper representation and hope for a better future. It was as a result of a cohesion between opposition parties which got labour into office, and it looks like, it’s a cohesion between opposition parties again which is now needed to get them out.
No, it’s exactly what Skerrit doesn’t want. He wants every Tom Dick and Harry to run against him and he would still get all 21 seats because this election would be as unfair and illegal as the previous four. However, if he wins an election fought by one party only, the international community would look at this very unfavourably. If no other party participates in this election I personally believe that will be end of this French man.
UWP now recognizing Dennis Byron, thought they had discarded him as a waste of time. Roosevelt Skeritt has given the UWP a golden opportunity to win this election when it is called. Regardless of how you twist it there will be no election on the 6th of December. Skeritt and his bunch of jokers have given the UWP and other opposition parties a new lease on life. If Skeritt allows the opposition to set the tone of the reform by giving them legitimate reasons to demonstrate it will be a game changer. It has already started as the UWP is having no part of this election.
Skerrit doesn’t hand out ‘golden opportunities’. Stop talking BS. He just set a trap and fortunately the opposition parties so far have not fallen for it, apart from Bruno’s TUD. But Bruno was predictable and I would not be surprised if he defects to Skerrit after the election if the money is right! Remember the other traitor! Beware of that snake in the grass.
Dominicans have become so numb that they expect the UWP to alone can save them from this self inflicted calamity. The UWP is right, let Dominicans get some sense to rise up and fight against this abuse of power and injustice.
Otherwise it spells doom for all of us regardless where we put our X. It’s time to see Country instead of Party..smh!!..
Really?unbelievable u guys jus show d Dominican population u allu are a set of pus…
UWP, wow, they never concede to their mischievous methods of mayhem and propaganda despite coming to their last days as a dysfunctional political Party. To use the statement, attributed by The Caribbean Court of Justice, as a means to justify their case, is somewhat dishonest, this is an allegation on which no findings have been made by any court of law. https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/no-record-of-fraudulent-voting-in-dominica-but-id-cards-advisable-says-baron/
https://news.gov.dm/news/828-multi-purpose-identification-card-to-be-issued-in-october
A commentary worth reading https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/features/commentary/law-sanitizing-electoral-list/
O well, you just handed him the whole island on a plate.
Some are on other posts saying the three UWP elected members would never surrender their seats by staying away from SNAP 2022 if they won’t know where their next pay check will come from since they will no longer be members of Parliament. They go on to say that the UWP has never been serious about electoral reform and that it was always a dishonest ploy, a strategic political tool to frustrate The Government.
“Oh Really?”
So you do not think that we have a bloated voters list in need of purging?
With regard all the garbage mentioned, I give 100% support to the United Workers Party on their decision – because I am personally not ready for SNAPPY General Elections at this moment, and I will not be heading to any pole to cast vote.
In fact, I will not recognize or pay attention in any way to upcoming campaigns of fanfare and rhetoric that will be taking place in the coming days and weeks.
At this time my family and business comes first.
Good luck with that & Good bye!
When you say you give 100% to The UWP, what does that support translates to, nothing, they are not in Parliament to represent you. A decision made by a Political Party based on a perception they created and used as a political tool in a strategy to frustrate the Government, is this what you support, wow. This is not about a bloated voter list that need of purging if you think there is one or not, it is the legal procedure within the Constitution that matters.
You’re either clueless or bold or something. It cannot be my fault when you misconstrue so deliberately.
With this current regime, it won’t matter if they are in parliament or not – Makes no difference when a party in power misuses and abuses it’s power.
You speak about the Opposition (UWP) wanting to frustrate the Government? Isn’t the Snap Election to frustrate the Opposition Parties and the entire country by extension?
It seems to me that you embrace an impromptu General Election which was called because of *YOUR leader’s sole interest – something that’s got nothing to do with me or my kids future and wellbeing
Why are you that passive, as a Dominican this is not the time to be passive. I will tell you this, the PM calling a snap election is a choice made as he said to reset his Government plans for the future after going through turbulent times, it is not an abuse of power to call a snap election, go read the Constitution.
Now the best part, it is the people who can decide if they will allow him to do so by reelecting him. If the Opposition does not want to participate in the process, on the grounds of a perception that the election will not be fair calling for electoral reform, a mischievous political tool they have been using in their agenda, that is their choice and choices have consequences.
Look at the Opposition, do you really believe that they are not running because of what they are alleging, are you that incompetent to figure it out, think stop making passive statements, “Makes no difference when a party in power misuses and abuses its power.”
He cannot revoke the PM’s decision. Something similar so happened in Jamaica years ago. The ruling party under Edward Seaga had called a General Election and the Opposition party under Michael Manley refused to participate in the General Election for whatever reason it was.. However the Election was carried out and the Seaga party won the Elections unopposed. The same can happen here in Dominica. If the Opposition parties refuse to participate, Skerrit can go ahead carry out the General Elections and win back unopposed.
In fact that is exactly what is going to happen
“The Caribbean Court of Justice, the APEX court of this country, in a written Decision that in its opinion ,,,“. The opinion referred to was not a decision of the Caribbean Court of Justice. It was an opinion, gratuitously expressed, by one of the sitting judges.
But this opinion counts for a lot!
Pm Skerrit, should tell these useless nasty so-called workers party if they don’t like next month December 6th
20-22 general election they better eat cake 🍰🍰🍰
Now let’s see what the other parties are doing. In reality there is only one way to go, boycott this fraudulent election, we all have to stop Skerrit and dispose of him.
Shame on you BETA dispose of him is not a good phrase…….he is human first… See what happened in the US. All trump endorsed candidates lost. They wanted a RED SUNAMI… A WAVE.. Never happened in so many words BIDEN proved to be a better President. Be careful what we ask for.
Dispose of him is just the right phrase. This man doesn’t deserve any mercy after what he has done to Dominica and its citizens. Human being or not!!! Perhaps HE should have started thinking about the consequences. Or did he think he would rule forever? Having said that, he lives in a phantasy world and quite possibly he thought he would get away with it. Aren’t you one of his chamber maids?
Maybe I am!!!!!! but right is right and stand for the truth. If he has wrong the people of Dominica let the Lord judge him. Honestly he could not be there without God’s intervention……Only God gives life.
UWP can’t accept reality. They can’t work with what is available. they keep living in a fantasy land. what a let-down
I fully support the United workers party and any other party that there should be no more elections in Dominica without electoral reforms.. let skerrit run his “papa doc” elections…
I usually do not agree with the UWP, but this move by Skerrit to ignore Sir Byron’s report on electoral reform is certainly an abuse of power. But, the world is going to hell because that self-professed bastion of democracy, the USA, is slowly becoming a dictatorship if Donald Trump and his MAGA acolytes have their way.
The overarching question at this time is whether the Dominica Team Unity Party (DTUP) was specially commissioned for this cause.??
I fully support this stance/position/decision by the UWP!!!
One is pleased to note that decision. This election is a charade. The opposition parties should not give it a modicum of credibility. Let the region and the rest of the world please take note. Democracy is at stake in Dominica!