The Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) will be hosting a national consultation on the need for Electoral Reform in Dominica on Tuesday 24th April 2018.
The CCM said in a release that the consultation will “bring into sharp focus” the recommendations made by the Organization of American States (O.A.S) and the Commonwealth Secretariat regarding the adherence of best practices in all aspects of Dominica’s Electoral System. Another objective of the consultation, according to the organizers, is to chart a way forward towards the creation of a more level electoral system in Dominica, thereby “safeguarding the principle of a true and vibrant democracy.”
“During 2018, Concern Citizens Movement has been focused on active advocacy for comprehensive electoral reform before the next general election and subsequent elections and have already and will continue to undertake various activities in this regard,” the CCM stated in its release.
It said activities will include building awareness about electoral reform in communities across Dominica and building partnerships and awareness in the international community about the indispensable value of what the advocacy group describes as long-overdue electoral reform in Dominica.
The president of Concerned Citizens Movement, Loftus Durand, said of the CCM’s program for 2018:
“The implementation of complete electoral reform has been on the cards for some time now, and therefore we see the need to give this aspect of our electoral process the necessary publicity and more importantly the “teeth” that it truly deserves. In that, once implemented, the citizenry of Dominica will now be able to enjoy the benefits of being part of a true democracy”
The parliamentary opposition United Workers Party as well as the Dominica Freedom party have also been advocating for electoral reform in Dominica for several years. They have been calling for an accurate register of voters via a total re-registration, the cleansing of the electoral list by removal of the dead and persons living outside Dominica for five years, the issuing of voter identification card to all eligible voters and enforcement of provisions in Dominica’s electoral laws against bribery, illegal voting and election offenses.
A number of stakeholders have been invited to participate in Tuesday’s national consultation which begins at 10:00 a.m at the Goodwill Parish Hall; they include:
- The Chairman of the Electoral Commission
- Dominica Labour Party
- Dominica Freedom Party
- United Workers Party
- Peoples Party of Dominica
- Dominica Hotel and Tourism Association
- Dominica Association of Evangelical Churches
- Dominica Association of Industry and Commerce
- Dominica Trade Union
- Dominica Teachers Association
- Dominica Bar Association
- Dominica Public Service Union
- Builders and Contractors Association of Dominica
- Waterfront & Allied Workers Union
- Police Welfare Association
- National Youth Council of Dominica
- The Kalinago Chief, Charles Williams
- We Are Dominica
- Dominica Christian Council of Churches
More talk more consultation more discussion more advisory. What is being done? Elections will call and there will be no reform. Like i said, this reform process will only really start to be put in place after the next election. Wait for it still. Sit and discuss about it still.
Way to go guys we have to educate the masses; a tall order but there are ????????? marks as to weather a people with a “mouton batallie” mentality are ready to accept this vital information; bearing in mind that Ignorance and Stupidity are first cousins.
Much a do about nothing. Can someone present the following:
1) Show that there has been an unusual number of people voting in the past 2 or 3 elections
2) present a list of all the dead people who voted
3) present a list of all the people who voted illegally
4) present a list of all the names on the voters list that have been challenged
If the Concerned Citizens Movement (UWP) was seriously concerned about the voters list they would have begin by presenting the proof of voter fraud. Repeating it a million times doesn’t make it true. President trump said 3 million undocumented people voted in the US election without any proof but does that make it true because he repeated it daily? This cry for election reform is just a excuse the weak leadership. The UWP needs strong leadership to run an effective campaign. Not one based the propaganda by SCL.
There are people that have been deceased 0ver 30 years and still on this list..
Am also fully aware ad families that have left Dominica since I was a kid and their names still on the list..i am talking over five decades..
People in authority do the right thing before the next election. Let the duly registered voters use their democratic rights and elect the people of choice to run our beautiful country..
I cannot understand why cleaning up the voters registration list is such a problem. I have seen the list. I does not make any sense that people whom have been out of Dominica for 40 years are still registered to vote in Dominica, most of whom hold foreign citizenship. CHANGE IS A MUST.
Until Dominicans can show action there will only be talk. not rioting and chaos, not yet at least. But action with impact that will shake things up. We sit and grumble daily with no action. We are afraid of the repercussions. We do not want to lose the little that we have or to be ostracized. Yet we are dissatisfied. All i want is for them to fix these roads. that is all i ask for for the next 5 years.
CCM = UWP
UWP = CCM
This is a fact and here is the proof: http://www.q95da.com/news/ccm-raises-11000-towards-opposition-leaders-legal-fees-so-far-through-radio-thon-on-q95fm-radio
UWP and their supporters are so out of touch it is a crying shame. READ MY LIPS(WELL MY POST) Dominica and Dominicans have no time for your foolishness. We are busy trying to build back our homes and country in a resilient way before the next hurricane season. People pounding nail and casting roofs you coming and talk about electoral reform? Garcon move dere eh
FOR all these things you all are doing God id watching, you all should be praying for protection for the next hurricane season. Maria and Ericka did not teach you all anything.
We are Dominica And So-called workers idiotic party are the same old propaganda party,Any chance of myself Man bites dogs, coming to that comedians show ? Got one or two things i might want to say.
Wzifing to see how many of these institutions will show up
By the time you all stop talking, and the image of Roosevelt flash in your minds’ all the talk of electoral reform will be forgotten; amnesia will set in, and your song and dance will become; “god bless Roosevelt Skerrit.”
Note: I wrote god in lower case letters, this means I am not indicating God Jehovah, the Trinity!
Now, here is the joke about this: Roosevelt has no interest in electoral reform; he is the labor party, he is Dominica one man government.
So, whereas Roosevelt is the Labor Party, and he is an obstacle in the way of any form of development in the country, including the issuance of voter identification cards; what make someone believe the Labor Party second on the list will be interesting in any form of electoral reform?
The proposition here is nothing more than wishful thinking, or a delusional fantasy!
I am really looking forward to the ‘clean up’ of the voters list and voters ID card.
The same list workers won with you mean?
So, by your logic what is broken should not be fixed if someone else used it while broken. WOW.
— Over 6 million years of evolution and the human have failed to come up with structured reason. Back to Alpha Centauri! Abort! Abort! Abort Operation first contact! —
Ok, and give Skerrit a deadline (6 months) and an ultimatum, if he try and call election before, then he must resign, NO MORE TALK; NOW IS ACTION, either the carrot or the whip
And give Skerrit a deadline? Boy it have to be allu mad yes so hungry for power that your supporters talking crap
Great move CCM, it’s long overdue and timely. We needed organizations and people to stand up for Waitukubuli…