Attorney-at-law Gildon Richards said he believes that elections in Dominica should be held at a fixed date and month every five years. He was delivering remarks during the government’s first group consultation, organized for members of the legal fraternity, which was held at the State House Conference Center on Monday night.
“I believe there should be a fixed date for election at a fixed month every five years,” he said. “I believe that this is one of the most fundamental changes we need to make if we are going to have true control as a people for our election process.”
Attorney Richards continued, “I do not believe, and it’s not personal what I am going to say, I do not believe the Prime Minister should hold the election date in his pocket at his convenience to be declared whenever he so chooses.”
He added, “Anybody could see the unfairness in this because the Prime Minister is likely to choose the date that is more suitable for him, but most inconvenient to his opponents.”
He said serious consideration should be given to this recommendation.
Furthermore, Attorney Richards indicated that he is in favour of the use of identification cards for elections but said he favours voter ID cards as opposed to multipurpose national ID cards.
“Because voter ID cards are the only cards the commission has jurisdiction to issue,” he stated. “We cannot go into a next election without giving effect to the laws on the books now.”
Cleaning up the voters list is another point he raised.
“The law is there, it’s the enforcement of the law that is being delayed and is being delayed by a re-denial of resources to the electoral commission to do those simple things for us to have free, transparent, and honest elections,” Richards remarked.
The attorney said he failed to understand why Justice Dennis Byron would recommend National Identification Cards after he made some strong points against it.
“I respect Justice Byron very much, but I think in this regard he has made a fundamental error,” Richards contended.
Justice Byron was tasked by the Government of Dominica to be the sole commissioner to advance efforts towards electoral reform in Dominica. His final report was presented to various groups and organizations including NGOs, media houses, churches, political parties, trade unions, among others at a function held at the State House Conference Centre on Wednesday, June 21.
Attorney General Levi Peter explained that the report is presented in two phases.
The first phase focuses on cleansing the voters list with emphasis on voter identification and the voter registration system and the second aspect includes a legislation framework comprised of two bills, namely the Draft Registration of Electors Bill 2023 which repeals the Registration of Electors Act, Chapter 2:03 and the consequential Draft Registration of Electors Regulations, 2023.
“In his [Sir Dennis Byron] opinion, these pieces of legislation are necessary to modernize the current electoral system and to bring it into conformity with international best practice,” Attorney Peter explained.
He continued, “Sir Dennis described phase 2 of his report as addressing the electoral process and 1. That focuses primarily on access to the media and campaign financing. 2. The electoral commission, and that focuses on the composition of the commission as he proposes it should be, its financial autonomy, its staffing, appointment of committees, the process for resignation from that commission, and the protection of its members from suit, and the 3rd aspect is new legislation which sir Dennis, accompanying his report, has provided four pieces of legislation that he proposes should be enacted.”
These are the House of Assembly Act 2023, the House of Assembly Regulations 2023, The House of Assembly Elections Petition Rules 2023, and the Electoral Commission Bill of 2023.
We love starboy cause he is a star that shines a bright light on Dominica and brings out the best of it unlike Ugly Lenny and Chicken-box Fontaine and grizzly Ibo.
“There is a saying! And I quote ” If you put a hog in a palace it still remains a pig” I am talking about guys going to America or leaving in America pretending to know it all but being stupid and talking crap “I believe there should be a fixed date for election at a fixed month every five years” this is what you get from a man playing clever, not even Trump, would come up with something stupid as that, Having said that anyone that is dabbling with Ugly Lenny, and friends have got to be a prat.”
To Whom It May Concern: Stop wearing your ignorance like a badge of honor and think your are being cool. A fixed date for election is not something stupid even for Mr. Trump because America does have a fixed date for general elections at a fixed month every four years. One was under the impression that this was basic general knowledge. Anyone dabbling in maypuis on this forum and does not know this basic fact needs to go back to school.
Talking about going back to school, when referring to a person you say, “anyone who is dabbing with Ugly Lenny” and not “anyone that is dabbing with Ugly Lenny”. We all know Ugly Lenny was a Grammar School drop out and a vagabond. Also, there is no such thing as a fixed date for elections, maybe a fixed date to rid the country of people Ibo, Telemakak, Petes, and the so-called Accountant.
Shameless St.Jean,you have been living out of Dominica for more than 40 years.What have you done for Dominica with your agriculture degree?Respect from you for Sir Byron mean nothing.The constitution say’s what the electoral commission can and cannot do,to change their function LAWS must be passed in parliament.The commission is limited as to what they can and cannot do according to law.Every Jacka know that except you.
@Lin clown
Can’t you observe that this man is just not your peer. It gives joy to read this man’s contribution. His sentence structure and command of the english language is what i would recommend to any child to read. He should be one of the FIVE most gramatically sound contributors here. I won’t mention the others. He seem to be an independent and free spirited person as well. He is independent of any politician, and calls a spade, a spade.
What about you??? I would ‘cut my child tail’ for reading your junk. I sure most people don’t read your contribution, but just thumb you down. Shameless!!
Attorney Gildon Richard’s has respect for Dennis, that’s his prerogative but I have no respect for Dennis Byron. He didn’t ensure that the law of Dominica which says that the Electoral Commission is who is responsible for electoral matters in the country, instead he grabbed the money and ran. If he put in his report that he’s against voter I’d cards but now he’s advocating for it tells volumes that he is not the most qualified man to have been given the task. After consultations with interested parties in Dominica and having taken a long time to present his report how can he bungle things like that. That’s what Square pegs in wrong holes end up doing. Even Skerritt was not happy with the length of time he’s report took. Also include in the amendments that no politician should be allowed to cross the floor unless he faces the constituents in a by election.
There is a saying! And I quote ” If you put a hog in a palace it still remains a pig” I am talking about guys going to America or leaving in America pretending to know it all but being stupid and talking crap “I believe there should be a fixed date for election at a fixed month every five years” this is what you get from a man playing clever, not even Trump, would come up with something stupid as that, Having said that anyone that is dabbling with Ugly Lenny, and friends have got to be a prat.
The foolishness about the blues is,they do not read the constitution.Sir Byron report is not law.The constitution is.Skerrit is always operating according to the constitution.That is the reason the blue bugs continue to be losers.
@Lin clown, Bozo knows that the current cabal has desecrated and prostituted the Constitution of Dominica, so how come you are the one who doesn’t know that. The supreme Court of the Caribbean wrote a scathing report about the corrupt conduct of elections in the country and said that must not ever happen again. Who was the report chastising? Tony A**-ta-phan says that the 5 year residency requirement is in the Constitution yet Labor party operatives including the AG tried to spin and confuse the public about the law requiring the 5 years. Don’t get me and Bozo started about the many other acts of the cabal which were ultra vires to the Constitution.
Very well spoken Mr. Richards. The only item missing is that no person should be allowed to serve more than 2 consecutive periods, i.e. no longer than 10 years. If we had that law, we would not find ourselves in the position we are in today. The CM has outstayed his welcome. He has to go now!
That is the American system not the British system that we are modeled under. We like it so staying in power for over 20 years and still going strong. The PM is going nowhere not until we put him out which does not appear anytime soon.
Former police sergeant,now turn attorney at law GILDON RICHARDS,the man who helped UWP turn the police force into a political force.Voter ID card is only in the heads of the blue baboons like MEME,IBO and Francisco.It is an ID card can be used to determine whether somebody is a legal voter.People may have the same name but,not the same face and voter number.A card to be used once every five years is BS
To get a fixed date for election you would have to amend/strike out sections 54 and 55 of the constitution.
An thats fine. Useless having a clause in our constitution that is not fit for purpose in this day and age.
Yes but it is the same clause that exists in the constitutions of the UK and 99% of it’s former colonies including our region. Countries like Israel also operate under the same system.
It’s only when these politicians are in opposition that they see issue with this system. When they’re not the one calling “the shots” so to speak.
For a fixed date of election to work you would have to separate the executive(cabinet) from the legislature. In other words adopt an executive President like Guyana.
We seem to forget that constitutionally we the people do not elect a Prime Minister or ministers of government. We elect members to the house of assembly(parliament) who then forms a government.
I am deliberately going to be like a stuck record. As long as star boy of stupidity illegally occupies the Office of Prime Minister, real and positive reforms to the electoral system will not happen.
We are dealing with a overly dark, and desperately evil and demonic character. There is not even one good cell in this man’s body.
Just look at who is chairing this debate. It’s a mammoth diehard of the despot. Where is the Electoral Commission in the scheme of things. Its absence speaks loudly.
Only the collective power and combined efforts of the masses will effect real change. A lactating lioness will fight to death to defend her cubs. Just so, Roosevelt will do anything to hold on to power.
You are a stuck record going nowhere that is why the Labor party will continue to dominate at election time whilst you stay stuck in the mud like a pig wallowing in mud. I am happy to know that you are stuck. Let me know if you are on the elevator all stuck.