CCM calls for resignation of Electoral Commission Chairman

Gerald Burton is the chairman of the Electoral Commission of Dominica

The Concerned Citizen’s Movement (CCM) has called for the resignation of the Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Gerald Burton, saying the people of Dominica has lost confidence in him.

In a letter to Burton, the organization said he has failed in his duty and lacked the commitment for electoral reform in Dominica.

Further, and critically important, is our loud and unwavering call, on behalf of the people of Dominica, for your resignation as Chairman of the Electoral Commission with immediate effect,” the letter stated. “For clarity, you have lost the confidence and respect of the people of Dominica for your gross failure and lack of commitment to lead the indispensable process for comprehensive electoral
reform.”

The letter stated that under Burton’s stewardship, the commission “has yielded very few positive outcomes directed at comprehensive electoral reform that would ensure that our electoral machinery can foster future general elections that are free and fair.”

The letter said that despite recommendations by the OAS and the Commonwealth Secretariat Electoral Observer Mission, little or nothing has been done.

“The Commission has taken no reforms as recommended by international organizations, and is mired in partisan divisions which militate against consensus decision-making and makes it difficult for the Commission to get anything done,” it said.

The letter pointed to the cleansing of the “bloated voter’s registry” which the Commission said would have been commenced on July 01st, 2018.

“The general public is still waiting for actions to be taken in this venture, and to date, no explanation, not even an apology has been issued by the commission in this regard, which is a level of insolence to the people of Dominica,” it stated.

The CCM made a number of recommendations to be enacted by the commission, including, Implementation of a Voter Identification system,
a comprehensive update of the Electors List, among others.

The full letter is below.

Download (PDF, 148KB)

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23 Comments

  1. Da
    October 4, 2018

    First of all Gerald look slow , I used to him much more active looking. And I hope you are not selling passports because all the names are in the records books the the FBI have in there investigative files. You were not raised like that my boy so leave them man cabal alone.

  2. TOM TOM
    October 4, 2018

    Just another arm of the UWP. No independent individual is going to take them seriously. UWP will support them. DLP will castigate them and the independent people will just laugh. Get it right. You all aren’t representing the majority of Dominicans but those who share your political persuasions that is those aligned with UWP.

  3. Dalit
    October 4, 2018

    If anyone believes Loftus Durand wrote this letter they better burn a blue spliff with Lennox.

    Loftus Durand is as impartial as Q95.

    And that is why they will be ignored not just by this Government but any credible body.

    Bunch of conspirators.

    • viewsexpressed
      October 7, 2018

      Dalit, that is the same nonsense preached about mamo and she won handsomely and prettily. Mamo and her honest professional team, fought hard for Dominica, saved Dominica and served Dominica well. Decent, honest, open, Transparency, social development, economic development, employment, Creole Festival, etc. etc.
      Try to compare this with this corrupt sitting Labour government and their incompetent waste of time Questionable PM, Skerrit. Skerrit is a failure. He has failed Dominica and Dominicans and has blind illiterate Dominicans saying they love their failed ridiculous PM. Love, love to hate, love to Bobol, Love to failure. Yes, that’s it, that’s the love they condone as Dominica suffers ever day. Skerrit must Go, Get Lost, Get Out, we are fed-up of your failures and y9our boyish leadership. You have us in poverty, as beggars while you and your failed friends travel the world and talk BS nonsense on DBS, the only audience you al have. Skerrit Go, Get Lost. Labour corrupt to the…

  4. Concern Citizen
    October 4, 2018

    Durand go and look for work to be productive.

    • viewsexpressed
      October 7, 2018

      This is certainly not the pen of a Concerned Citizen, it appears to be one of many Blind loyalist associated to the most corrupt Labour Government in the Caribbean and the world. It is led by a failed Skerrit and his failed 18 jokers called ministers. All of you Must Go. You have shamed us and the name of Dominica.

      Skerrit Go….Just Go. You have failed us, we have gone nowhere, we are going no where but stuck in your poverty and foolish talks. Enjoy your travels and we will soon see, time will tell.

  5. Ibo France
    October 4, 2018

    Public confidence in the Electoral Commission is severely stunted as with all other organizations, institutions and organs where government has a vested interest. Most, if not all appointees to these posts are not placed in these significant positions meritoriously but solely for political considerations. These malleable persons stymie the progress of the country by being acquiescent to the wishes and demands of their leader and his political party. I firmly and unequivocally declare as long as DLP and Skerrit hold on to the reins of power Dominica will remain a deeply indebted, shabbily governed country where the survivability of citizens and residents will be gravely threatened. This leader and his party had eighteen years to prove their worth. They have proven themselves to be an abysmal failure. Why should these people be given more time? Is eighteen years on the job not enough time to prove yourselves? Their time has expired!

  6. Peeping Tom
    October 4, 2018

    Does CCM/UWP realize that they are requesting things that are already at an advanced stage of planning?

    History will show that the real impediment to electoral reform is not the Skerrit administration but the UWP (CCM is part of UWP) because whenever the State has tried to advance reform, the UWP has delayed the process. Money has been provided by Cabinet, legislation has been drafted and even taken to Parliament, and still the UWP keeps shifting the goal post at each turn. The Government has been very accommodating and patient in the process, but i would advise action by the Cabinet to advance the process because it is clear that the UWPwee does not want real reform; it wants seeks ONLY to create the structures that it believes will favour it.

    • Ibo France
      October 4, 2018

      Your statement is a complete joke, I’ve never laughed louder. If Skerrit wanted real electoral reform, he would have contracted the assistance of the LAS and that of the Commonwealth for free. These two organizations have made numerous suggestions and recommendations directly to the government specifically concerning a fairer and stronger electoral system. The government has stubbornly and fiercely rejected all recommendations from these two independent, notable and internationally respected organizations. This regime’s singular purpose is not people oriented, it’s all about power grabbing for self preservation. What a bee hive if corruption the day Skerrit and his subservient disciples are ejected from their present seat of power.

    • viewsexpressed
      October 7, 2018

      I will not, shall not attempt to be nice to this illiterate comments, or garbage written by a blind loyalists who knows not of Dominica and the struggling lack of socio-economic development in Dominica. While our people have no prospects of jobs, these clowns, bosses travel the world, feel nice, have niceties for their families as our people are deeper abused by poor governance. This is real abuse and thievery in government, the Bobol still haunt us, the lies haunt us and the lying blind acolytes continue to talk BS on DBS radio and Kairi, two failed stations. We are watching and monitoring Skerrit and his failed blind ministers. We watch them climb the steps of the Financial Centre, sit at meetings and hide their faces from the truth but spew out lies and false projects.

  7. Massacre
    October 4, 2018

    The whole DLP cabal should resign

  8. Ou fou compere
    October 4, 2018

    Cc: H.E. Mr. Charles A. Savarin, President of the Commonwealth of
    Dominica
    Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of
    Dominica
    Hon. Lennox Linton, Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition
    Mr. Kent Vital, Political Leader, Dominica Freedom Party
    Mr. Pappy Baptiste ,Leader of the Dominica Pappy Party
    The Media: National, Regional and International

  9. Paul Rossnof
    October 4, 2018

    This man has never worked for the good of the citizens of DA but rather for the good of Skerrit. It’s frightening to see how many people in DA are singing for their supper.

  10. Laplaine Observer
    October 4, 2018

    Gerald has become part of the problem by not correcting the deficiencies in our elections system. With such blatant disregard towards our electoral laws by this administration, why should they change the laws that would place them at a disadvantage in a general election?

  11. Ras
    October 4, 2018

    Mr Durand, lay the blame for lack of progress in the electoral reform matters that you have listed in your letter, on the leader of the UWP and others like yourself, who have been responsible for undermining efforts at enacting legislation that would address the “cleansing” of the voters list and the issuing of voters ID cards!

    • Bee
      October 4, 2018

      :oops:
      Ras I can tell you already to far gone to understand.

      • Johnnie Boy
        October 5, 2018

        Maybe the Ganga kill all the brain cells in Ras head

  12. jamie
    October 4, 2018

    Skerrit lapdog,Dominica will be free from all the corruption soon,God is in control.

  13. %
    October 4, 2018

    I am prepared to put my boots on the ground in support of the call for his resignation . This man is not working in the interest of Dominica,but in the interest of the evil DLP.
    He is a total and absolute failure ..
    Skerrit Must Go
    Skerrit Must Go
    Lazy Skerrit Must Go Now

  14. ALIBABA & His 40 THIEVES
    October 4, 2018

    Is Gerard Burton a passport seller? I hope not and I do believe he is NOT, but if he is a passport seller that would be considered as conflict of interest because every damn passport seller want Skerrit in power so they could continue to deal. Look at Monfared that was wanted by Interpol. Yet he was given a Dominican passport so he could more effectively continue to do his nasty work and hide in Dominica with a Dominica CBI passport.

  15. I Must admit
    October 4, 2018

    I must admit that this letter should have been copied to CARICOM, OAS, Caribbean Media Association, BBC, CNN, FOX , ABC,NBC, Associated Press, FBI just to name a few, just so that the world knows we have a rogue government that is bent on doing what it takes to stay in power. All in all a very strong letter I must admit

    • Stealth Critique
      October 4, 2018

      I must admit, that your post highlights the heights of stupidity, and partisan politics in Dominica.

      • viewsexpressed
        October 7, 2018

        stealth, Thanks for proving your stupidity on social media. Skerrit cannot, w8ill save your stupidity, because that is where he is too,
        sad.

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