All set for multipurpose ID cards

Chief election officer Steven LaRocque
Chief election officer Steven LaRocque

Chief Elections Officer, Steven LaRocque, has said all is set for the training of officers to use the equipment that will provide multipurpose identification card for Dominicans.

He also said the machine to be used for making the cards will be on island this week.

According to LaRoque, the authorities have gone a long way into putting everything in place for issuing the cards.

“We have put the necessary things in place and the equipment is due in Dominica this week for installation and training of officers to use the equipment in September and hopefully to start enrolling person into the system for the last quarter of this year,” he said.

He noted that the government’s share of purchasing the equipment is US$785,000 and they have also provided US$96,000 for the first 100,000 cards, which will be free to Dominicans.

Questioned about the requirements of the law as it relates to “voter ID” cards the Chief Elections Officer had this to say, “The law says that the Chief Elections Officer shall cause to be implemented a card to be used at elections to prevent people from voting more than once.”

“So, if there is a card that the Commission is comfortable with that meets the requirements we have no problems,” he explained. “Two of the main features of this card are that your finger prints will be captured and there will be a unique identifier number which will allow us to identify the individuals who present themselves for voting, are in fact who they are. So, it meets a lot of the criteria of what the Electoral Commission is looking at.”

The idea of multipurpose ID cards for voting has been criticized by the opposition United Workers Party who insists that voter ID cards are necessary since it was recommended both by the Chief Elections Officer in a report in 2009 and an OAS observer mission to Dominica.

But LaRocque stated that the opposition was briefed on the requirements of the law and all concerns were addressed by the commission. “They have seen what it (what the law states) … as to how they deal with it, that’s a matter for them,” he said. “We also continue our town hall meetings in Grand Bay and Portsmouth and continue sensitizing people and also getting feedback from them as to their concerns.”

He was quick to point out that “the Commission has taken the position that unless they are satisfied that persons have been given the opportunity to obtain the card they won’t make it mandatory for elections.”

“In order words, the persons who are entitled to vote, once they have been given an equal opportunity and reasonable time to get the card, they won’t say that the card is mandatory but the long term goal and mission of the Commission is that the card will become mandatory for all elections,” he remarked.

Meantime, outgoing political leader of the UWP Edison James is still expressing concerns about the “multipurpose ID cards.”

“I heard the Chief Elections Officer and quite frankly is a confusing piece that I have heard … anybody listening does not know where we are,” James said.

James noted that the desire of Dominicans it to go to the next elections using ID card and a cleansed voter’s list. “The list is bloated,” he said.

He stated that all the UWP is looking for is free and fair elections ‘occasioned by appropriate electoral reform.’

“Specifically in this case in Dominica that the people be provided with ID cards for voting and the list be cleaned up to represent the voting population in the country,” he said. “The Electoral Commission, the government, all of us, have a responsibility to ensure that these things happen.”

What the card will look like at the front
What the card will look like at the front

card back

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70 Comments

  1. September 15, 2013

    Please do not let this equipment fall into the wrong hands because you will have a battle on your hands. FRAUD, MISREPRESENTATION, CRIMINALS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES, etcetera.

  2. Taraji
    August 29, 2013

    I prefer “Identification Card” than “Multi-Purpose Identification card” we know its for multi-purposes.. you don’t have to write it on there

  3. long boy
    August 29, 2013

    dominican it time to stop the madness, labour party must go

  4. Distured
    August 29, 2013

    So… we wasted more money on more useless crap… sigh… Fall into your illuminati world by yourselves.

    All of you politicians is the same sht.

    No difference to me.

    Here is your political cycle:

    1st year) Address 1 or 2 things.

    2nd year) talks of projects (un-needed ones)

    3rd year) takes taste for the power.

    4th year) runs a bunch of bullshit claims and taxes.

    5th year) fixes roads and other things they should have looked at right of the bat.

    That my people is what ALL of them will do. I hope one day this foolish chain of greedy men is broken.

    Also, instead of increasing the taxes, first look at the useless projects, the politician saleries, the people we import into the country (who are said to be here for a reason… i doubt) and the change in their bank accounts (politicians and top of police alike).

    AUDIT THEM!!!!

    • Distured
      August 29, 2013

      should be done every 2 months and a supprise in between… just saying.

  5. Mamizoo
    August 29, 2013

    I am still waiting to hear how the electoral commission and the ID card system will insure that Dominicans who are ineligible to vote are prevented from voting. As admitted by Timothy and other Labor Party operatives many votes were imported. UWP has not been innocent about importing votes but two wrongs does not equate to a right and Mamizoo does not practise biasness – I call it as I see it.

  6. tooo bad
    August 29, 2013

    :-D

  7. Rastar-Marn
    August 29, 2013

    But wait nuh,,,

    If all Man and WoMan just tell mista dem to go pound Sand wiff deir Foolishness about Identification Scheme what can dey do nuh,,,

    Garçon all man and woman should just tell mista dem dey doh need no plastic wiff a picture on it to say who they are where dey were born and where dey live,,,

    If dem officials really want to verify anytng all man and woman should juss go retrieve a Birth Certificate from the Registrar’s office, and wiff d rigamarole it takes to retrieve one of dem tings Mista dem should done know,,,

    People just don’t have to apply for noffing, and watch what happens,,,

    Dat Look like some population control device wi conjured up by some CIA operative for some kinna Census tabulation,,,

    Dred d Population on Dominica does not warrant soh much Scrutiny in it’s Political process,,,

    Doh Apply for noffin!!!

  8. Dominican by birth
    August 29, 2013

    BULL!!!!! Mr. LaRocque you are an educated man you should know better than that, That’s a waste of tax payers MONEY. One question i want answered why are you all afraid of voters i.d card??

  9. be wiser
    August 29, 2013

    Edison its you that don’t know where you are what is wrong with whats being done. come out directly and say what you mean. you want the Dominicans overseas names removed from the list, just man up and say so. In case you forgot the courts have ruled otherwise

  10. Concern citizen
    August 29, 2013

    The ID cards is a good idea. I would like to point out that the example of what the ID card of the young man’s details has been advertised for everyone round the world to see, ” don’t you all here of indentity theft”. This should have been blocked out before advertising it.

  11. inspector R
    August 28, 2013

    why do u all continue to full we Dominicans..70,000 people in dominica 100,000 ID’s..what about the voters list to clean up? Chines and Haitians going to get an ID as well ? Mr Larocque do your work and dont allow skerit to do it for u plz,,u can do better than that ,,

  12. kaktus
    August 28, 2013

    If you look at the sample card it is as shallow as the minds that produced it. I never knew that “Dominica” was a nationality. They’ve certainly started on the RIGHT foot.

  13. concern
    August 28, 2013

    what a waste its time to get this bunch of idiots from our offices steeling tax payers money

  14. %
    August 28, 2013

    This man seem to be quite “””””testicularless”””””. According to people from my village,a ‘testicularless’ man is one you can turn and twist like a piece of wire. A man who will do as you please.So are the 17 other pieces of plastic in the Skerrit cabal.
    WORKERSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!
    HOW LONG? NOT LONG!

  15. lord help us
    August 28, 2013

    I refer to this action of Mr. Skerrit as “The Pharaoh Mentality” as seen in Exodus chapter 5. The children of Israel asked for bricks and pharaoh gave them straw. In our case, the people of Dominica asked for voters ID and our Pharaoh gives us multipurpose ID.
    If what we needed to clean up the election voters list as suggested by the OAS observer mission to Dominica and the chief elections officer, was a multipurpose ID card as given by Skerrit then what sense it makes to pay a chief elections officer whose action clearly shows he is not the one in charge.
    Also, if a multipurpose card is good enough for the job, then why do we need the said card when most voters already have a paid drivers license? Would it not be cheaper for the government to send those who do not have a drivers license to get a ID card at the licensing department? Why spend so much money on something that will not get the job done?
    The fact is, whereas a voters ID will help trim line qualified voters from the list, it is not so with the multipurpose ID card. Anyone that possesses and presents a multipurpose ID card including Chinese nationals, can legally vote.

  16. T
    August 28, 2013

    No matter what, this lazy, GREEDY, incompetent and insultive government has to be KICKED OUT OF OFFICE BY THE ELECTORATE.
    Skerrit knows that his “Skerrit Labour Party” is PRESENTLY very unpopular with many people including labourites, so I guess the ‘hand our factor’ will play a major role in this election. Those of you who will be taking the hand out remember what you need, is SUSTAINABLE JOBS. The ‘Skerrit Labour Party ‘ is incapable of providing the required employment.
    VOTE THEM GREEDIES OUT!!!!!
    No more DIMPLES,NO MORE TALK ABOUT YOUTH.The man is an elderly citizen. No more talk about 18-3.
    THERE IS A SEASON FOR EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN.
    The worse enemy a country can ever have is CORRUPTION IN GOVERNMENT.

  17. John
    August 28, 2013

    The quote said the cards will be free to all Dominicans how are they going to determine who and who is not a Dominican the only people who be allowed to vote or get ID cards should be true Dominicans and not someone who bought a passport who has never lived on or been to Dominica they should have to prove their legal status by birth or residency for at least 10 years i.e. naturalization before getting a card and voting.

  18. Pedro
    August 28, 2013

    My right to VOTE is based on the Laws of the country. No amount of tricks will take away my rights. I will sue all those who is trying to manipulate the election system. The results of the poll spoke, UWP 13; Labour 8.Nothing will change that.

    • Gary
      August 29, 2013

      It has always been said that talk is cheap because supply exceeds demand.

  19. UWP not yet ready
    August 28, 2013

    They can do what ever they want with the list clean it dirty it put it upside down wat ever they do wit it UWP not going and win. i eating a bag of salt.
    PS. Lennox face to hard dat man not approachable..
    put d doctor and yah allu mean business

  20. KISAA
    August 28, 2013

    they should charge us all $1.00 FOR THE CARD AND WHEN THEY SELL ALL THEY WILL HAVE $100,000 that they can use to buy something for the hospital.

  21. Aratzio
    August 28, 2013

    seems like a waste of money….. passport… ID, drivers license…. ID, social security…. ID….. all of which already multi purpose. we need to stop wasting money on gifts that do not give back when we when we already do not have money to give……

  22. VOTER
    August 28, 2013

    What is the point of asking Edison James to repeat the same nonsense every time that ID Cards are mentioned? The man has bowed out. Good riddance and spare us his rubbish.
    The process to begin to clean the list is clear, but obviously some persons want to continue to use the list as an excuse for their electoral defeat, so they will not do what is necessary.

    • >>>>>>>>>
      August 29, 2013

      At least he is honourable enough to bow out,as clean as a whistle. Those in the rubbish bin are soaking in corruption, and you are stupid enough to think that they will be there for ever. Fools and no brainers like you need to change the slavish mentality that you have.If Skerrit can fool you well well well. Anybody can! I can sense your uneasiness now that LINTON WILL BE OUR NEXT PM.

  23. interesting
    August 28, 2013

    How can someone living outside of dominica who visit home every two years obtain a card?

  24. faceup
    August 28, 2013

    Labour must GO

  25. stupes
    August 28, 2013

    100,000 cards and d.a population is only 70,00 and not all can vote …It seems like plenty people overseas will be coming down to vote labour when skirret give them free tickets ……in my opinion thats not fair cause when we in d.a with five years of hardship and corruption they oversea living happily as ever

  26. marion
    August 28, 2013

    there are more chinese with da passports.how can any other org win in da. skeritt got 144 mil us for himsejf when he joinrd.it was deposited in cayman.all u dominicans too love a bobol.

    • marion
      August 28, 2013

      sorry 14 mil.

  27. Lougaoo Mem
    August 28, 2013

    All I’ll say now is “Time will tell.”

  28. Asterix
    August 28, 2013

    100,00 ID cards to be issued initially? What is the population of Dominican citizens living in Dominica right now? Do you see where this is going? Cards will be issued beyond the shores of the country. Who knows how many persons out there hold Dominican passports besides bonafide Dominicans.
    Mr. Larocque said “the Commission has taken the position that unless they are satisfied that persons have been given the opportunity to obtain the card they won’t make it mandatory for elections.” In other words we may still have a situation where persons can vote twice if it is decided by whoever that the card is not mandatory?
    Be vigilant all who believe in the words of our anthem” Come ye forward sons and daughters do the right, be firm, be fair”

  29. Doc. Love
    August 28, 2013

    All I will say to Skerrit and Larocque, they can make as many changes to the I.D. cards for voting as they wish. There is a famous song Mr.Lennox Linton, the future Prime Minister of Dominica I hope, likes to play during his Saturday Talk Show, “be careful what you hope for.” I hope that nonsense they are doing does not come back to bite them, because when Skerrit looses the next General Elections, he might be on the other side of the fence and the same kokomakat he now enjoys , he might think differently, but it will be to late.

    • cohenval
      August 28, 2013

      Correct my creole, “Epois mal papie” . But it a good exercise to engage in a a little “mental masturbation”. After our thoughts are free and unlimited. One love.

    • T
      August 28, 2013

      It’s his SUNDAY Talk Show!

  30. Anonymous
    August 28, 2013

    How are u going to determine who has visited Dominica in the last five years? I am from Grand Bay and registered to vote in Grand Bay. When I visit Dominica I spend one week in possie. I never passed Grand Bay. Who are you to say I can’t vote in the Next Election or I don’t qualify for my ID Card. :mrgreen:

    • Ben Dover
      August 28, 2013

      LOL….u mal honet eh….u coming DA and you not even visiting your village Grand Bay, not even to see your nenen? hehehehe

      I guess all your relatives in Possie, or probably you not from Grandbay as you saying. lol lol

    • macdo
      August 28, 2013

      fool they will check your records at the immigration .unless u come backdoor.

    • Asterix
      August 28, 2013

      @Anonymous There are persons who know very well what the argument is re voter ID cards but yet they continue in arrogance to try and bring in all sorts of innuendos to side track the real issues but for the ignorant ones (those who genuinely don’t know)this is why a voters ID card is being requested because if you return within the five years and you live anywhere in Dominica even in the woods; your passport will be used to determine if you qualify for a voter ID card whenever you would apply for one because to qualify for one the five year rule is a requirement. With the national ID card this is not a requirement as you will receive one once you hold a passport irrespective of the length of time you stayed overseas before returning.

    • grandbay girl
      August 28, 2013

      Y u neva pass Grand Bay nah? Grand Bay nice we lol just joking

  31. ..................
    August 28, 2013

    100,000 cards on island but they must tell us how many will be located in the various embassies and offices outside of Dominica where people are being influenced to come down to vote.

    • August 28, 2013

      you mr. larocque you think dominica is you and skerrit own. we dominica need voters ID cards not international

  32. Observer
    August 28, 2013

    Mr. James, you and your party can in a real and practical way assist in cleaning up the “bloated’ voters list. The final voters list for 2013 will be published on November 30th 2013. Here’s is how it can be done.

    You can summon your party’s machinery to scrutinize the voters list across every constituency, Polling Division and even the known Polling Stations. Their reviewers job would be to identify those names on the list that the your party think ought not to be on the list – these are dead and migrated. In the case of the migrated ones, the UWP must be in position to provide evidence that “Mr. John Doe” for example has been resident away from Dominica and has never, ever returned to the jurisdiction for five consecutive years. Once the names have been identified at the various local levels, then a comprehensive list can be drawn up by the party and present the same to the Electoral office for review and further action.

    Any action to review the voters list with the sole intention of removing the names of registered voters who are considered to be in contravention of existing legislation must be informed by a recent Court of Appeal Ruling in St. Kitts & Nevis. In that ruling the highest court of the land laid down the procedures and guidelines that must be employed must before a duly registered voter can be removed from the list.

    Following the court decision in St. Kitts, there was much rejoicing in Dominica particularly among the supporters of Mr. James’ party, precisely because the court had ruled the way it did. If the ruling of the Appeals Court brought joy to supporters of the UWP, I would like to beleive that the rejoicing was not only because Tony Astaphans lost. In fact, it is my understanding that Tony Astaphans was actually litigating a similar argument as the UWP in terms of how unilaterally the names of voters could be removed from the voters list. I am sure the lawyers among the UWP will know better, that is in keeping with the spirit and strict letter of the law.

    I rather suspect that it would be a better argument to call for a review of the voters registration law to make the process for removing registered voters from the list more simple, less legalistic and more practical in efforts such as what Mr. James is calling.

    • anonymous
      August 28, 2013

      couldn t agree more. the lists ARE put up for review. Do people even bother to look at them? Just to have a debate going on forever?

    • marion
      August 28, 2013

      mr lawrence….i know you wrote this article.

    • Papa Dom
      August 28, 2013

      I hope DNO will not delete this. You are a real jackass you know, this process is severely flawed. How many cards will you issue to a teen who is 17 today and 18 in six months time, as one example?

      • UWP not yet ready
        August 29, 2013

        Just wait when ur 18 jackass.what is 6 months to wait

      • Joe
        August 29, 2013

        Papa Dom you mustn’t call people your name, when a person reaches 18 years doesn’t necessarily mean they will register to vote, however if they decide to register the registration number will be included on their card…. Why you ppl so damn thick, how difficult is that to understand???

        I will be lining up for my card!!!

  33. dr who
    August 28, 2013

    why wont you buy normal equipment for the hospital instead of wasting almost 1mio USD on piece of plastic?

  34. PetProjects
    August 28, 2013

    I have no problem with this multipurpose card, What I take issue with, is that this commission refuse to clean up the Electoral list…..
    Oh well why not just use it against them ( Skerrit) if they refuse to clean the list!! Thts what as a citizen who want Skerrit out by all means started doing…

    I hav already contacted my family from Guadeloupe, SXM, AXA, SKB Bahamas, USA) … Aunts, Sisters, Uncles,cousins, former schoolmates, friends, brother, Step family members and Whoever tht’s Dominican who hav registered to vote 4-35 yrs ago for assistance to come down to vote…

    Our organization will be up on FB soon… Skerrit I am determined that you have to GO!!! Dominicans I am doing my part because I want change r you??? Plz encourage others for change and vote the United Workers Party !!!

  35. Anonymous
    August 28, 2013

    they back up id cards just because there is a mistake with id card

  36. Just Curious
    August 28, 2013

    So .. seeing that this card is a Multipurpose ID Card , what is the required age to own one ? Anybody knows ?

    • u dont no
      August 28, 2013

      only reason u dont no is cuz u only listen 2 wat u wanna hear and not wat u need 2 hear. they told u in the past that every1 will have their own even from a lil child but u wont have the code that will allow u 2 vote until u turn 18 thats wen it will be inserted

  37. 2 CuTe
    August 28, 2013

    as it come out i want mine

  38. John
    August 28, 2013

    This voter id card without a cleaning of the list is nothing but a scam.. Vote UWP… Lennox Linton for pm. He will clean up this mess of a government.

    • RElion
      August 28, 2013

      My friend, if this is a “scam”, then when Lennox Linton is “voted in”, it would have been on the basis of a “scam”!!Are you sure that is what you intended? Or is it you are just “darn stupid”?

      • anonymous
        August 28, 2013

        hehehe. good response

    • I DIE NU
      August 28, 2013

      Lennox for PM!?…Now a-days no qualification is needed to be PM in Dominica.Even a drop-out from school can be;but to work by Brisbane to bag customers groceies One needs to have a GCE certificate.Oh boy!”UWPeas.”

  39. ArAb
    August 28, 2013

    Who will design the software and what will it cost the country.

    There are other countries within the region who have built similar systems by utilizing there human resource talents. What road will Dominica walk.

  40. Anonymous
    August 28, 2013

    Stupesssssssssssssss! man

  41. coyote
    August 28, 2013

    100,000 id cards for a population of 70-80 thousand,
    hmmm.whats gonna happen to the remaining 20 thousand.I suspect they might go missing.watch this space.

    • Juan Pablo
      August 28, 2013

      There might be 70-80 thousands on mainland DA, but there are thousands more outside of DA…Guadeloupe, Antigua, SM, St Thomas, US, Europe….you get the picture.. A Dominican by Birth is a Dominican for the rest of his life

      • IamHis
        August 28, 2013

        Agreed 100%. I want my ID card too. Yes Sir. I am Dominican are you? When I return to the island, I’ll be in the line for my Dominican ID card. The article did say “multipurpose identification card for Dominicans”. My interpretation: it can be used whenever ID is required.

      • coyote
        August 28, 2013

        juan pablo, we are talking about voters,if you are not 18 and over u cannot vote, if you have been out of Dominica for 5 consecutive years you cannot vote.so if you take that into consideration then i am sure Dominica does not have 80 thousand voters.by the way why do we even need a national I.D card does your passport or you social security card serve that purpose?

      • Asterix
        August 28, 2013

        A Dominican by birth is a Dominican and I agree but for the purpose of voting there is a requirement that whoever lives overseas had to have returned within five years prior to an election and lived in Dominica for a specified period of time, in order to be eligible to vote. So someone who has not returned in five years is therefore ineligible to vote but may very well receive an ID card and may get away with voting; since the only way that a violation can be determined is with the showing of their passport. According to how things are being set up now, that ineligible person doesn’t need to show said passport, bearing in mind that now every citizen can receive the national ID card. This is why a voter ID card is essential as it will be issued to only persons who are qualified to vote.

    • Attitude
      August 28, 2013

      Bear in mind that when the census was taken, some persons were not on island. Also too, a certain section of our population are immigrants who cannot vote.

      • Asterix
        August 28, 2013

        Immigrants who are not eligible to vote are those who live on Dominica for less than five years and anyone living on the island for less than five years will also be ineligible to hold a Dominican passport and therefore by the same token should also be ineligible to hold a national ID card since they are not yet Dominican according to our constitution.

    • August 28, 2013

      They are for the immigrants in D’ica and for those who will be comming down to vote, only in D’ica

    • John
      August 28, 2013

      The extra 20,000 ID/voter cards may wind up in the illegal alien Chines friends of Skerrit so they will vote for him better lock them up in the courthouse under international security. Only legal residents by birth residency or naturalization should vote.

    • kuba.
      August 28, 2013

      my exact thoughts but u made one mistake it is a 100 000 for less than 40 000 voters where are the other 60000 cards going to

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