UWP in new court battle – looks to derail upcoming by-elections

UWP Leader Ron Green - skeptical of the legality of the call for by-elections

The United Workers Party (UWP) is looking to thwart the upcoming by-elections by taking the matter to court.

July 9 is the date set for the elections in the Marigot and Salisbury constituencies but UWP leader Ron Green insists there’s an issue with the manner in which seats were declared vacant by house speaker Alix Boyd-Knights in May.

The UWP leader has argued the decision may be unconstitutional and should be left to the courts to decide.

“If indeed the courts determine the seats are not vacated, there’s no need for by-election,” he said firmly.

Green says if elections must go ahead “we will contest and win”.

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30 Comments

  1. G_B
    June 24, 2010

    ITS TIME WE STOP FIGHTING AGAINST OURSELVES, GOD WORDS WILL NOT RETURN ONTO HIM VOID, THIS IS THE END OF TIME LETS FACE IT OPEN YOUR EYES AND FIGHT FOR A SOUL SALVATION ON JUDGMENT DAY. CHRISTIANS HELP SPREAD THE WORD OF GOD AND STOP JOINING SATAN AND HIS IMPS. THYE DEVIL DOES ALL KINDS OF THINGS TO DISTRACT US LET US BE WISE. NO ONE CAN CHANGE THIS COUNTRY OR WORLD. THE LORD'S COMING IS NEAR

  2. Guesswho
    June 24, 2010

    Antihate,
    You you are trying to sound intelligent and like you know it all…dont give away yourself with your lengthy statements of opinions…that does not win an arguement. We will learn through the processes in political and legal matters…the benifits are endless…they will remain long after you're gone

  3. sahlop
    June 24, 2010

    After all the court battles,at you all age…… Should be preparing to go to that place the sun never shine.you folks just need a permanent vacation.

  4. antihate
    June 23, 2010

    Yo Vipman, did it ever occur to you that the reason Astaphan is making money on the DLP is because UWP is always taking them to court? And guess what when they lose (as always), they have to cover the legal costs, so in reality Tony is making money on the UWP.

    And who says the Trini lawyers are sending their kids to college in Trinidad? Everyone wants to at least experience the US lifestyle and if UWP is financing it why not? lol

  5. John Brown
    June 23, 2010

    Ladies and Gents lets go back and read what the UWP lawyer is saying in comparison to what UWP leaders have been saying in the media.

    #1 Bribery. UWP leaders have been saying that people were bribed and plane tickets were paid for by the DLP for 4000 people to come vote in the last election; the wise men on Q95 (aka Fox News), said they knew the flight numbers and were going to contact the US Embassy to stop the flights. People on DNO said that the UWP has pictures of voters being escorted from planes wearing red shirts, but the lawyer said and I quote ” there was circumstantial evidence (key word CIRCUMSTANTIAL, not hard evidence or pictures or flights numbers), which could prove that transportation was arranged and paid for by the DLP for hundreds (not thousands or 4000 as the UWP is claiming but hundreds) of Dominicans to return to Dominica to vote on election day.” He continued ” presenting all the particulars for cases such as bribery is near IMPOSSIBLE since offenses like these are usually done in secret” ( meaning all we have is un-proven hearsay). Mendes said “It is possible to prove these fraudulent acts by circumstantial evidence”. Circumstantial evidence? No no no no, we want proof! That's what you all said you had.

    #2 Denial of access to DBS. UWP leaders have been saying in the media that the DLP denied them access to DBS, but their lawyer said quote “There is NO ALLEGATION that somebody from the DLP went to the DBS and say do not give broadcasting rights to UWP…What is pleaded is that the Corporation is under the control of the party by law…” end quote. No allegation? But this is what UWP leaders have been saying. Also, DBS has always been under the control of any party that's in power- DFP, UWP and now DLP, what's new here people?

    #3 Dual citizenship. UWP leaders and supporters have been saying that the PM has dual citizenship and should be disqualified from being a representative in the house and Prime Minister. DUAL CITIZENSHIP, remember that!! The lawyer said, and I quote,” the UWP case was not based on citizenship but on the prime minister owning a French passport.” end quote. Whaaaaaaat? Does that sound correct to you? Is this what UWP leaders have been saying? Brothers and sisters lets not be fooled!!

  6. Hmmmm
    June 23, 2010

    We say that the UWP old men trying to convince you that Dominica is a dictatorship of which you disagree. But from reading your comments I get the impression that no rational into the situation and the providence of goodwill or democracy comes into play in any situation to do with the rights and privilege of the the opposition in Dominica.
    It is their legal right to contest anything/situation deemed wrong to them personally for the party or for Dominicans on a whole. So why do I hear so much hate in your words its almost as if you would like to put a bullet in their heads for even standing up for their rights . something our fore fathers fought for with the lives.

  7. Vipman_13
    June 23, 2010

    Mr. Astaphans doing it big time on DLP…. and by the way in Trini Tuition is FREE…..Trini not D/a

  8. Notafraidtodie
    June 23, 2010

    iNTERESTING COMMENTS… MAY THE BEST MAN, WHO EVER HE OR SHE IS, WIN!!!

  9. Truth B Told
    June 23, 2010

    Fripfrap –

    Are you crazy? You obviously haven't been to Zimbabwe… or even Jamaica for that matter or you wouldn't be so foolish to compare them to each other as their problems have nothing in common. To further compare them to our beloved Dominica is an insult to every Dominican. Get you facts together and try again, oh that's a problem for you UWP supporters – you just cannot deal with facts you much prefer fiction generated by the lazy old men you call your leadership.

  10. John Brown
    June 23, 2010

    They are looking to thwart the upcoming by-elections by taking the matter to court because it may be unconstitutional but at the same time they have nominated candidates to contest the very same unconstitional by-election . Wow can someone get me some tylenol i got a headach trying to figure this out.

  11. John Brown
    June 23, 2010

    I like that UCP

  12. LMAO
    June 23, 2010

    haa haa haaa.. a bunch of cry-baby politicians…. LOL

  13. LMAO
    June 23, 2010

    DAMN!! I'm kicking my own butt for going to law school… I could have been a contendah to be a UWP attorney…. easy money!!!! LMAO…

  14. Fripfrap57
    June 23, 2010

    And what level is that he is taking us to?,has he told you?, they only level he is taking us to is the Jamaica & Zimbabwe level.

  15. Truth B Told
    June 23, 2010

    What is the UWP really trying to accomplish… they seem to love going to court, even though they lose every case. Maybe they think if they keep wasting the courts time eventually they will win.

    I agree with the majority of comments, the UWP is a bunch of grumpy old men who just cannot get over the fact that they lost the December 2009 elections. The Dominican public spoke LOAD & CLEAR – and said NO to the UWP (failure, incompetence and corruption) and YES to DLP (competence, integrity, development and progress).

  16. antihate
    June 23, 2010

    Sunshinegual, if you're intelligent as you sound then you can't honestly be supportive about this sham being carried out by the UWP??!!
    Sunshinegual do you know what is propaganda? Propaganda is what is used to mislead the masses and thus control them by persons in authority. It is most commonly found in authoritarian societies where they also closely control access to information. Think places like N Korea and and the former Soviet Union.
    The UWP is attempting to use propaganda to fool Dominicans. PRETENDING that Skerrit is a dictator. PRETENDING to be crusaders for democracy. All types of crap about Chavez having a military base in Dominica and that Skerrit is a French agent.
    Lennox Linton is the Minister of Propaganda and Matt is his right-hand man.
    What they're desperately hoping for is to capitalize on person's fears of ending up in a dictatorship so people will vote for them. Well guess what? 3 seats in the house shows that Dominican's aren't buying that crap.
    Tell your party to show a credible alternative to the DLP. Obviously they can't which is why they took the route of insulting the intelligence of Dominicans

  17. John Brown
    June 23, 2010

    I like the name keep up the good work

  18. Mosesbethelmie
    June 23, 2010

    ediots like ron green.thats all i can say.

  19. Sunshinegual
    June 23, 2010

    These comments are reflective of the thinking of people who have nothing substantial to share. Let the process take its course. PM Skerrit wants take Dominica to the next level but how will he succeed when our people demonstrate so candidly through their comments that they are not ready.

    The issue here has to do with the constitutional provision for declaring seats vacant. Obviously there is a misunderstanding in the interpretion of the law. If the court is where the matter can be clarified so be it. allow that to happen and we as Dominicans will benefit from the dialogue and submissions. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER MY PEOPLE don't be so opposed to that.

  20. cautious
    June 23, 2010

    lol..this is really a cat and mouse game.UWP you guys need to get your acts together and come to realize that you all have reached the end of the road,you wanted to prove a point to your self and your followers and you did so and now u have to accept the consequences of your action…you all need to grow up ,as age able as you guys are,you all should have a little respect for your self and loyalty to your said followers ,have some respect,and then you come talking bout democracy..check you party ..stop trying to bring about confusion and hear say facts …be real man

  21. YOUNGER MAN IN DOMINICA
    June 23, 2010

    BUT WHAT HAPPEN TO DEM GRUMPY OLD MEN DERE NA !!!!!!!!

  22. Observer
    June 23, 2010

    WHEN WILL IT EVER END?? FACE RELIATY YOU PEOPLE WILL NEVER GET BACK IN OFFICE. SO STOP CRYING FOULE.

  23. antihate
    June 23, 2010

    So all lawyers just paying off their mortgage, buying new rides and paying their kids colllege tuition on UWP pocket??!! LMAO!!

    I honestly can't remember the United Worthless Party winning any court cases. It's always some embarrassing losses or their cases being dismissed as a waste of the court's time.

    What a pathetic sham the UWP has become!! In the next election they will have one stronghold left(Marigot). I feel sorry for my country because due to Ron Green's incompetence, Edison James haughtiness and Lennox Linton's man-crush aka obsession of Skerrit, we have no credible opposition in Dominica.

    Freedom Party please try a thing, recruit the young professionals including the disillusioned young UWP who realize that the political dinosaurs in their party are keeping them from making their contribution to the country.

  24. Jepter
    June 23, 2010

    It would seem that you haven't noticed that run has never been in charge of the party. Edison is boss

  25. jon brown
    June 23, 2010

    Why don't power hungry men grow up and act their ages and not their shoe size , they were told if they missed 3 seating they were out, now they are taking the matter to court, bloody hell the UWP has more court cases in Court than anyone else no wonder the murders and child molesters are walking free in Dominica, they cannot get a court date because the UWP have them all, has anyone notice the UWP always have Lawyers from another Island?

  26. Genius
    June 23, 2010

    If you know you will win the bye-elections, why go to court? UWP are just a set of disgruntled old men. Dominicans are no fool.

  27. Dancea2010
    June 23, 2010

    Party leaders need to be given safe seats to contest. That's the trend in parliamentary democracies. Given that Salisbury and Marigot are safe UWP seats I wonder if any consideration was given to having Ron contest one of them. That would have been a show of respect for the leader. Right? Or does the leader not command that level of respect within his party?

  28. john Charles
    June 23, 2010

    Are they DRUNK…..Please Ron stop being a fool, the more you open your mouth the more you make a fool of your self

  29. DosEquis
    June 23, 2010

    Were UWP old men formed by lawyers? I cannot believe that them man spend so much time in court.

    Not even John McCain causes so many problem.

  30. my my
    June 23, 2010

    Those old guys are so trouble some. They have lots of money it seems. Court again

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