Electoral commission to hold panel discussion to feature government and opposition

Electoral Office on Turkey Lane

The Electoral Commission, working in conjunction with the University of the West Indies Open Campus Dominica and the Dominica State College, is planning to hold a national panel discussion on the theme, ‘The Electoral Process : The Way Forward’.

According to information from the Electoral Commission, the event is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, May 22, 2019, at the Goodwill Parish Hall commencing at 6:00 p.m.

The information sent to the media states, “It is intended that the panellists will include the Chairman of the Electoral Commission, as well as two representatives of the Government side of the House of Assembly and two representatives of the opposition side. It is anticipated that the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Attorney General will represent the Government side.”

The release goes on to state, “One of the primary objectives of the panel discussion is to advance the Electoral Commission’s mandate to inform and educate the general public on electoral matters and it has proposed to have the event covered by multiple media houses to allow for maximum reach of the information presented at the event….It is in this regard that your participation as a media partner is critical.”

Each media house has been asked to assign one reporter, to ensure that all are accommodated.

The Electoral Commission says stakeholders from all sectors of the Dominica society will be invited to send representatives to sit in the audience and to participate in the discussions.

“These will include Parliamentarians, members of the Executive, church and civil society groups, social clubs and academic organisations,” the release states.

Regarding the format of the event, the Commission says that the discussion will begin with an overview of the topic by “the moderator(s)”. Each panellist will be provided a maximum of 15 minutes to make their presentation. At the end of the presentations, persons in the audience, as well as listeners and viewers via electronic and social media, will be invited to present questions to individual panellists, or to the entire panel.

Gerald Burton Chairman of the Electoral Commission

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26 Comments

  1. Bill
    May 18, 2019

    3. Will the names of the dead, those citizens not residing on the island permanently and have not returned to update their status annually, and the names of non citizens or anyone else not eligible to vote be removed from the voters list…. published by the Electoral Commission?
    4. Will VOTERS IDENTIFICATION CARDS be issued to every citizen or Commonwealth resident eligible to vote at the next General Elections?
    5. Will all political interests be given equal access to state run media like Dominica Broadcasting Corporation (DBS Radio) and Government Information Service (GIS News)?
    6. Will the Electoral Commission ensure the general safety of all political interests during the next general elction campaign?

    I recognize other people have other views and questions as well so i will pause here hoping to hear some answers from the Electoral Commission

  2. Bill
    May 18, 2019

    While I think the planned panel discussion is just a delay tactic in an effort to continue to stall the electoral reform process, I believe the discussion should be held because i have a few questions i want to ask the Electoral Commission as follows:

    1. Can the Electoral Commission assure/ guarantee the general population and in particular the electorate that the Electoral Reform long over due will be fully implemented by the time the next general elections are called? I understand the due date for General Elections to be called is March 2020, is that the case?

    2. Will the voters list of all electors be cleaned and sanitized in time for scrutiny by all political interests/ parties to allow for amendments/ corrections where necessary?

    3. Will the names of the dead, those citizens not residing on the island permanently and have not returned to update their status annually, and the names of non citizens or anyone else not eligible to vote be removed from the voters list….

  3. Lin clown
    May 17, 2019

    Our election process is governed by the Constitution and law.That is why the observers made certain recommendtions.The UWP want to discuss point of view.That is why the treating and bribery case failed.Certain changes needs to be made to the laws governing elections in Parliament.UWP is preventing it from happening.The will boycott the discussion.

    • RandyX
      May 20, 2019

      Now it makes sense to me! Remember, no law and no constitution… So much for law and constitution then!

  4. True Politics
    May 16, 2019

    Why did dno miss this very important part of the statement
    ““The ongoing discussions and debate in my view surrounding the electoral process in recent months, have unfortunately been mainly partisan in nature with little apparent efforts by the various sides of the debate to really listen to what the other is saying. Even where the efforts that engagement may be well needed, we have seen that it often fails to give proper consideration to the facts and to the law and is based on significant generalization and supposition ,” Burton said.”
    It is beyond me. They are trying to maintain the UWP narrative.
    Shame on you SON.

    ADMIN: This press release was prepared by the Electoral Commission unless you are suggesting the Electoral commission is pushing the UWP’s narrative?

    Additionally, the full audio clip of Burton’s statement was included in the story.

  5. TeteCarlbass
    May 16, 2019

    Great event, why cant we have a debate or a similar discussion between the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition.

  6. Free
    May 16, 2019

    Tooo much bloody talk … what discussion that again …all you doever tired waste time!!! Too much damn talk talk talk … give the damn reform .. foolish set of people

  7. Dr. Sam Christian
    May 15, 2019

    We enthusiastically welcome the panel discussion on the electoral process. It promises to be a thrilling exchage. At minimum it is acknowledgement that that the people through their civil society organizations will no longer tolerate the Commission dragging its feet. We demand action on basic recommendations of overseas democratic institutions we all respect.

    We view very seriously the many efforts to frustrate the process. We want voter ID cards and cleaning up of the grotesquely bloated list. We want clarity on the voting status of the mass importation of Haitians being pre-positioned in various constituencies. Failure to do so result in certain individuals being held personally responsible!

    • Ibo France
      May 16, 2019

      Dr. Sam, nothing will become of this particular discussion. It’s only a photo opportunity for government to declare that they held consultations and discussions on this critical issue of electoral reforms. Everything this regime conjures up is fraught with deception, corruption and entrapment. The issues surrounding electoral reforms are well ventilated, there is nothing new to be discussed or learnt. The chairperson of the Electoral Commission is one of the PM’s most servile and slavish enablers. He has zero credibility. When Skerrit tells him to jump he doesn’t ask why, he asks how high. Nothing organized by Skerrit and his bandits is done with noble and honorable intentions but with the intention to deceive. The man is an avaricious autocrat who is strongly convinced that Dominica was willed to him.

  8. KID ON THE BLOCK
    May 15, 2019

    Boy Matt is a dangerous MF you know. He so like to jump to conclusion without facts he done say the Commission and the Government boycotted the discussion held by the churches, private sector and other individuals etc. which was held recently on Electoral Reform. Mr. is a real Media politician campaigning the UWP .

    • Anonymous
      May 18, 2019

      I just get $2000 there from Skerrit, I going to form the ar$e on the block.

  9. %
    May 15, 2019

    Why has all other countries in our Caribbean space has given reform to their people, to include ID card and purging of their electors list, and this man is talking about panel discussion, even at the eleventh hour??
    I don’t trust this guy!!!!
    Time is bring frittered away purposely, while these guys are being paid to do nothing!
    We need to carefully read deceipt and deception by people who have conflict of interest. Stop the false pretence!!
    We need our ID Card, and purging of the electors list before the general election.
    Skerrit Must Go
    Skerrit Must Go
    LAZY Skerrit Must Go Now

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      May 16, 2019

      So, if there was  nothing to ill gain from not implementing electoral reform, the crooks who benefits from it would themselves have long ago called for some sort of reform.
      Dating back when the coalition government ( a bunch of waste of time incompetents ) form a government; since after that there has never been a fair election!
      So, why break the vicious cycle of the Labor Party stealing the elections?
      Roosevelt first win, was decisive I cannot argue, but since then, he has bought his way to become prime minister of the country.

      He lie constantly, he bribes people with money and food.

      The meeting they are talking about nothing significant will come of of that  it will be all talk, everyone involved will try to prove they are the better speaker, and who’s the most perfect; in the interim they will clap themselves on their back: ” and that’s all she wrote.”

  10. Ibo France
    May 15, 2019

    I would like these to be done to create a level playing field for all political parties.

    1. Complete re-registration of electors
    2. Voter’s ID cards
    3. Campaign Finance Reforms
    4. A set date for elections
    No Prime Minister, whether DLP or UWP should carry around the election date in their back pocket and use it for an unfair advantage.

  11. Peace
    May 15, 2019

    Great initiative. Education is empowering. Let’s educate and inform our people with facts … not rhetoric.

  12. Ibo France
    May 15, 2019

    ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Is this just an exercise in futility? Is the electoral commission going to use the salient information gathered and act on it? If not, what’s the point? Sorry, but everything that is done by this regime has to be viewed with skepticism. All things are said and done for the governing party to gain a political advantage and more things would be said than done. The public is well informed about the issues concerning electoral reforms. The time for talk is over; this is time for implementation. Stop the political shenanigans. I repeat, issues related to electoral reforms have been well ventilated for many years. No need to rehash them.

    • Rupert Sorhaindo
      May 15, 2019

      Your rabid partisanship has been exposed in your distasteful comment about the Chairman of the Electoral Commission – a very honorable gentleman . You are obviously not interested in participating in an honest, sober debate on a very important issue.

      • %
        May 15, 2019

        @Rupert Sorhaindo
        Rupert why can’t you shut the hell up! The chairman of the Electoral Commission himself knows that he is doing a disservice to Dominica and Dominicans, but you find it necessary to come out of the bushes,poke your grey head and try to bat for a corrupt system, which has failed my country.
        Your shameless soul, and bad example!!!
        Skerrit Must Go
        Skerrit Must Go
        LAZY Skerrit Must Go Now

      • Ibo France
        May 15, 2019

        My comments about the chairman was meant to be a light moment. Everything is view through the political prism by political diehards of the corrupt regime. For the chairperson of the electoral commission to convene a meeting to discuss electoral reforms is grotesquely disingenuous. The pertinent issues about electoral reforms have been extensively documented. There is nothing new to discuss or add. This meeting is a sham as with most things organized by this failed EXPERIMENT. Stop your whimpering.

      • Bwa-Banday
        May 15, 2019

        Sing Sokoro sing until you are heard above the cries of the sisserou exploring for food up Morne Diablotin. Rest assured that Skerrit knows you are at the trough so keep singing until BIGGER crumbs start falling.

      • LANGSAL
        May 16, 2019

        boy you have guts, honorable, really

      • RandyX
        May 17, 2019

        Rupert, your comment doesn’t carry any weight at all. You are well known to be on Skerrit’s salary list and to be a member of his propaganda department. Nothing more to be added!

    • TomE
      May 16, 2019

      It is obvious that UWP does not want a fair debate. They are going to kybosh the whole thing, just watch. I find it strange that the DNO allowed such harsh language against the chairman. I’ve said much less about the leader of the opposition and have been censored…smh.

      ADMIN: We recognize your point about the harshness of the comment and have removed the most offensive part.

  13. Jonathan Y St Jean
    May 15, 2019

    The time for all these games and gimmicks is long gone. What is required now, so close to the election is real action towards cleaning up the voter’s list and the commencement of the issuance of the voter id cards. After 10years it’s time for these gimmicks to end.

    • i
      May 15, 2019

      You’ve hit the nail on the head. This is political gamesmanship, nothing else. The issues surrounding electoral reforms are well known. This proposed meeting is nothing but subterfuge. This should be totally boycotted as the organizers’ intention is to deceive. It is to give legitimacy to trick the international community into thinking that meetings were held to discuss this burning issue. Implementation now, no more ‘counterfeit’ discussions. This proposed meeting reminds me a counterfeit note. It’s only purpose is to fool the unsuspecting.

  14. REAL!!!!
    May 15, 2019

    NO, we don’t need a panel discussion organized by the Electoral Commission to discuss Electoral reform.

    This is what we need from the Electoral Commission::
    1. Voters ID CARD issued
    2. Re-Registration of voters and cleaning of the voters list.

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