In a recent conference, Lead Advisor of the Dominica Election Reform Commission, Sir Dennis Byron, stated that although a modernized national ID card would align with current trends in identity management this will necessitate additional legislation for the proper issue administration.
He made this comment at a review of draft electoral legislation for Dominica hosted by the Dominica Business Forum Inc.
At the meeting, Sir Byron states that in regards to national identification cards, as it relates to voters, the majority of Dominicans from a survey showed a preference for a multipurpose ID card.
“I believe that a modernized national ID card would align with current trends in identity management and consequently I’ve incorporated provisions in the draft bill for the issuance of national identity cards however this will necessitate additional legislation for the proper issue administration and distribution of these ID cards.”
He added that only those residing in Dominica are eligible for voter registration stating that over the years there has been concern about the bloating of the electoral register.
“In 2019 for instance there were 74,885 voters electors with only 40,762 casting their votes and it was considered possible that this was caused by deceased individuals and other ineligible electors remaining on the register.”
He said this led to the objective of introducing measures to cleanse the register of electors and that the registration of elector’s bill proposed solutions including mandating the chief registry officer to regularly remove individuals who became disqualified.
Byron went on to speak on the category of removal for those absent from Dominica for five years, noting that this requirement is part of Dominica’s currently enforced law. The chief registration officer indicated that he was severely limited in managing objections on this route due to difficulties in interpreting the provision, given that there was no definition of absence and in accessing evidence of absence.
Another significant measure noted to cleanse the voters list was the requirement to create a completely new register.
Meantime, Sir Byron spoke on the law of bribery which includes the payment or promise of payment to a voter of his traveling expenses on the condition expressed or implied that he or she would vote for a particular candidate.
“The House of Assembly elections bill very carefully addresses and stipulates punishments for a wide range of election offense with penalties up to $5000 or imprisonment up to six months,” he said.
He also spoke on media access to political parties during an election season noting that political parties and independent candidates participating in an election shall have access to state-owned media during election campaign periods under the guiding principle of total impartiality.
He said the Electoral Commission is required to monitor the equitable allocation of airtime during campaign periods and it may issue directives.
“It is understood and, in my view, reasonably so that access to private media is governed by business principles and rules of contract and consequently political parties and candidates who wish to utilize private media must pay commercial rates.”
Sir Byron said he is optimistic that a constructive approach by all stakeholders will lead to the success of the electoral reform and modernization process.
UWP and supporters are a bunch parrots with the five stages menopause symptoms, one could tell by looking at their faces 👹 from HELL always Vex and moaning to their self saying things like Skerrit, Skerrit ,🙃🤣😭 and no sense of humour.
Nobody could be possibly more crazy than a Man that bites dogs (and possibly get rabies in the process). Now get out of here, clown.
If these overeducated people are so smart,why has Starboy of Stupidity outsmarted them for so long,?As for you Ma Pot Clown is not a shameless,maltwavy parasite like you.You and yours hate Skerrit because you expect to get handouts crumbs from his table.Skerrit does not know the Clown.The clown has worked in and represrnted Dominica well.The clown is a Domincan- American,who unlike you Ma Pot,worked hard and built a beautiful and confortable house IN Dominica.Go work and work hard,instead of gossiping.Lazy parasite,stop blaming Skerrit for your failure.JACKA.You are one of those who dib not get a $400,000 FREE house from Skerrit.
I take it that everything that Sir Byron does or say has to be spelt UWP for you to support him. Right? All you folks do is play politics on this medium. What a shame,
We need to teach people like Byron, those Bajan advisors of Skerrit, those two lawyers from Trini that Skerrit paid our money to try to prosecute Mr Linton and and Dr Fontaine and not forgetting Anthony Hayden and others. We need to teach them a very strong message so the world will understand that Dominions are not as idiotic as Skerrit has them believing. No Dominican would be allowed to mess up their country.
Why don’t you teach yourself instead about climate change before the roseau river come running into your dilapidated shack.
I know, the most dilapidated one of them was once abandoned by you for a better live courtesy of Uncle Sam.
Marie, for your information, I came from a decent, good upbringing, well-educated family. Maybe that is you, not me. I do not think you can define either. If I moved to America it is because of the vast opportunities available in this country at the time that we lacked in Dominica. I thank God I got there around that time. I hope you did too.
I thought you might say that. Typical Skerrit supporter, many words but not an ounce of truth. Good family etc.? Why would you go and clean Uncle Sam’s latrines then??? Pull the other one, Dunce Soul.
I am a Certified Public Accountant with a Master Degree in Finance, living well and enjoying himself. My daughter is also well educated with a Master Degree and has a good job making making good money. What do you have to show? Nothing but pure bull-dust. I have no doubt that you have been a prostitute all your life. I did all what you said that I did to get a good education and a good job so that my daughter would not have to go through what I went through. What have your kids achieved in life? Nothing but mama manger waisen zenfants dans glasse. You are a prostitute and so are your girls.
You are nothing, absolutely nothing! By your own admission you used to clean the white mens latrines. What would you know about me? Nothing, absolutely nothing! Talking about prostitutes… NO BIGGER PROSTITUTES THEN ALL YOU SKERRIT FOLLOWERS! People that live in a glass house should never throw rocks. Dunce Soul.
I hear you loud and clear ! The time is drawing neigh when who cant or did not hear will feel the wrath of the patriots. They better listen up now or face an angry people tomorrow. I rest my case
Lol. Why such foolish, silly threats, laughable, Here is a question to you. What if someone is ellegible to vote and his or her name is on the voter’s list and shows up at the polling station without the special voter’s ID card, but produces a Government issued ID like a passport or
Dominica Drivers Linsece would that person be turned away
and be unable to participate in the electoral process.
An ID card issued specially for voting is a waste of taxpayers
money and not needed on top of all the other Government issued ID’s with photos needed to identify a rightful person whose name is on the voter’s list eligible to vote. Now bear in mind there may be people who do not have a Government issued ID like a Passport or Driver’s license, a National Issued would work for them also at variable situations where needed.
The only foolish people are you and your fellow Skerrit worshippers.
If this ‘legal luminary’ was honest, he would have rejected this $650K offer from the well-known kingpin of corruption. He would have referred him to that which was proposed by the Commonwealth, CARICOM and the OAS.
When money talks, nobody cares about the kind of grammar it uses.
@lbo, 🤣😭 Is it crying time again ha ha ha take that salted suckers with a slice of lemon, or lime silly b*****ds what will be you all next step now no election reform? Do not worry we’ll give it to you all just to show we the majority of Dominicans can wipe the floor from your smelly feet at any given time of the day.
@Man bite dogs
It’s not something that the Starboy of Stupidity is giving..He has no role in that, other than making my taxpayer money available for the reform. It’s something that the people are demanding. Put that in your empty head and learn.
Me, if you had any brain in your box you would not be following monsters such as Ibo, Ugly Lenny, and that Sudanese Boy that is now taking bread out of refugees mouths, I will not be mentioning my good friend Francisco, on this occasion.
@Msn bite dogs
😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄Your name is next to mo brain in the dictionary.
Ibo, just three words for you, “get a life”.
@ds
But do you have the capacity to write more?
If I had the capacity to write more which I don’t, it would be for you and “me” and the dog name boo.
I sure do not have a life of exclusive opulence like your demigod, star boy of stupidity. But I live a reasonably comfortable one.
He talks the same English Grammar all the time. For you everything has to be written and spelt UWP for you to concur with him. Stop running on a wild goose chase. The UWP will never form the government of Dominica.
This guy should be made personal non grata. He is an undesirable. In my humble opinion, what this man did with his electoral reform exercise, if implemented, would be tantamount to a ballot box coup.
Dominicans should NEVER allow a “Starboy of Stupidity” to take them into another election with this overly bloated, compromised and corrupt VOTERS LIST….With NATIONAL ID CARD, i still see this corrupt list will help the incumbent, since everyone is entitled to a National ID Card…
There must be total and complete RE REGISTRATION of voters, to stop ALL the shenanigans and corrupt practices that the bloated list is used to exploit.
There should be NO overseas registration or re registration. This will be fraught with corruption, and it will disenfranchise some voters. Registration or re registration must be done in Dominica!!
The Starboy of Stupidity is on a deliberate trajectoty to slow down or even stall the process, but he shall not succeed.
By the way i want ELECTORAL REFORM first..After it is obtained, then i will accept ELECTORAL MODERNIZATION!!
MEME
I’m in full agreement. Well stated!
ID cards are very important but so are many other concerns surrounding a national election. New voters’ list, campaign finance reform, complete re-registration in Dominica only, equal access to the state radio station, etc.
The rat nest proposed by the money glutton (Byron) will only manufacture more conflict and cheating.
I take it that everything that Sir Byron does or say has to be spelt UWP for you to support him. Right? All you folks do is play politics on this medium. What a shame,
Everything this legal eagle does or says is dictated to him by you political master. I know it, you know it and a fair number of Dominicans know it. The problem is that all you Red Ants haven’t got the testicular fortitude to go openly against it. What a shame.
Who are you calling red Ants, lol, Do you really think that it is The PM whom you referred to as the political master that gives directive to Sir Dennis Byron, do you have proof of such thing, I t appalling that you believe such nonsense.
What kind of deception is this. Byron is saying one thing to this forum and he presented another thing to the prime Minister. As a matter of fact the Business Forum and the stake holders in Dominica should immediately stand their grounds that the Prime Minister has nothing to do with Electoral Reform. That’s the primary objective. He has nothing to do with this. He has no consultation to hold. Stop allowing this man to use his position breaking the law and deceiving the Nation. Now this Part is for Dr. Thompson Fountain, you accepted a responsibility and you need to start fulfilling this mandate. I am in no way suggesting to leave your job but you need the population to see you are working now is not the time to sit back and relax. You need to lead the building of a united force to rescue Dominica
Exactly, it’s none of Skerrits business and it’s not the business of the government either. Don’t allow him to take this over. He would love nothing better. Kick him out!
The Starboy of stupidity and his corrupt Judge Mr Runby better know that they are not going to give us what they think they want to give us in the name of Electoral reform. The Starboy of stupidity was a child during the constitutional cool wosh bregade and Runby was not on island to experience it. But both the Starboy of stupidity and Runby better be remembered that Dominica has more stones than guns and no one requires a license to have a stone and the cool wosh bregade is so cool that it can fall down like landslide on the evil system from strange places
Do you want them to give you all UWP and you will be happy again? Not on this earth. The Labour party is here to stay today and forever. Get a life and remind yourself of what is good for you. We not going anywhere until the sun come up next day.
The majority of Dominicans in a survey showed a preference for NATIONAL ID CARD???????? Really!!!!!
When and where was the survey conducted? I am totally out of the loop with this so called” survey….SEEM to have been with selected people with leaning to ONE political party.
I am sure (100% ), that MOST DOMINICANS want VOTER ID Card, and that is what should be obtained!!
It’s a deliberate piecemeal approach to delay and frustrate the process. While Byron may get even more money, to safeguard the integrity of the voting process, VOTER ID CARD is the preferred choice!
MEME!
MEME is indeed,an educated individual.But what MEME does not understand is out of this world as to what is happening in Dominica.
The majority of Dominicans are NOT interested in electoral reform and voter id cards.Carry out a survey,go in the ghetto,in the rum shops,boathouse,on the highways and byways and you will see.People who once paid hundreds and even thousands of dollars in rent are now rent FREE.Skerrit invented the NEP and Yes We Care,with almost 5,000 employed.Skerrit is paying more than 2,700 Senior citizens $300 monthly.UWP campaigned on a platform of stopping all those programmes.Skerriit was and is able to convince the PEOPLE,the opposition is their enemy.Where ever Skerrit go the PEOPLE will follow.UWP has been tried,tested and failed.In Dominica the Starboy of Stupidity has proven over and over again he is outsmarting them in everyway.Starboy of Stupidity is outsmarting the educated,what a shame.
@Lin clown
When did you do the survey to conclude that the majority of Dominicans are not interested in electoral reform? Seem like you did not expect Starboy of Stipidity to do anything. So why is he being paid?
5000 employed people after 23 years of Labour rule is a gigantic failure.
EC$300.00 to elderlies while the Starboy of Stupidity rakes in EC$74 000.00 a month is a huge failure. It’s only a greedy and heartless leader who will do that..
So stop it clown.
He didn’t. He just waffling as usual. That clown hasn’t much grey matter between his ears. Skerrit likes them so.
Wow, what a wow!
Reading this simply highlights the damage that the Labour Party has done to the Commonwealth of Dominica, its democracy and decency. The lack of impartiality in the national media such as DBS, and worst of all the fraudulent payment of tickets for individuals living abroad to come home to Dominica for the sole purpose of voting and immediately returning where they came from has damaged our politics and sense of fairness.
If you say you are a good, God loving christian, in your heart you must know that these practices are wrong. They are the equivalent of cheating, stealing, and lying, all the things that we teach our children not to do, we have a Government and adults doing and supporting these wrongs.
Dominica Labour party has destreoyed our country. They put party before country and are the real unpatriotic Dominicans, enriching themselves while impoverishing the Commonwealth of Dominica and its people. Shame on Labour! Time to put Dominica and Dominicans first!
All I have to say is that you all are shameless, worthless UWP fish mongers. You all asked for an International Airport, we are giving to you and you are still whining. You asked for Electoral reform, we are giving it to you and here you go again whining like old people with no purpose. Take it from me brother, the useless UWP party that you support will never ever be in Government anymore, not in this world, not in the next world. We gave you an opportunity and you squandered it depleting the government treasury purse and the Labor party was left to inherit an empty treasury.