UWP plans to increase pressure on government on electoral reform

The Opposition United Workers Party (UWP) is not saying whether it will take on a new approach this year regarding its presence in Parliament.

Members have been emphasizing their call for reform of Dominica’s electoral process by staying away from sittings of the House of Parliament for some time.

The UWP has not told the nation whether it will change course this year, but  told a press conference Thursday it will “heighten pressure on government” for electoral reform this time around.

“We wrote to the Electoral Commission to have an audience with them – that is another direction that we’re heading. We’re also saying that we’ll have some more protests as well. We may picket the office of the Electoral Commission or continue to protest in different ways because that message needs to be out there. We need electoral reform…as a party we will be heightening our call for electoral reform and not necessarily boycotting the house,” said Opposition Leader Hector John.

“When we meet with the electoral commission, have an audience with them, we’ll see what direction they are heading as well and what they’re looking for and in the interest of the country and we’ll continue to make our decisions from those angles,” John added.

The UWP said it wants to make its contribution in the house, but according to John, Speaker of the House of Assembly Alix Boyd-Knights and the Dominica Labour Party government must help to create the enabling environment for UWP parliamentarians to fully participate in Parliament.

“That is what we are asking for. We are making a sacrifice on behalf of the country. 2005-2009 they (the UWP) were in the house. They were laughed at; they were thrown out; they were taken to court.”

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35 Comments

  1. scappy coco
    January 10, 2011

    ask u w p where is david bruney and the alligator lawyer

  2. FED UP DOMINICAN
    January 7, 2011

    Sorry spelling mistake. Should read naive.

  3. FED UP DOMINICAN
    January 7, 2011

    Electoral reform. Is this the plan for 2011.

    “We need electoral reform as a party we will be heightening our call for electoral reform and not necessarily boycotting the house”.

    Is that it, a press conference to tell us that.

    Am I disappointed, VERY. I was expecting a dynamic speech telling us that new year = new revamped party, with new goals. Was I being niave in hoping that with the current issues in Dominica that the opposition party were going to tell us how they would go about repairing things.
    I didnot expect them to have answers to every thing, but I expected MUCH MORE than electoral reform.

    Oh I almost forgot, they planned to continue their protests

  4. No Shame
    January 7, 2011

    WILL SOMEONE PLEASE INFORM HECTOR JOHN THAT IF HE WANTS TO CONTINUE THE “PROTESSES” HE NEEDS TO FIND THE CORRECT WORD. HE NEEDS TO CONTINUE THE “PROTESTS”.JEEZ WHAT DO WE HAVE AS AN OPPOSITION LEADER.

    • hm
      January 7, 2011

      AN IDIOT

  5. Sari sari falls.
    January 7, 2011

    These guys are a bunch of jokers, ask 4 Ron…. alas poor pee tee, Shirley Allan can u buy them some medication ? oh i 4get u crazy 2…… alas poor pee tee …….

  6. urban maroon
    January 7, 2011

    Don’t be discouraged!! The UWP should not give up their fight for electorial reform which is the
    foundation of the democratic process.They should employ any means necessary to achieve that goal. This is a fundamental issue. If elections cannot be perceived as being fair then we have a
    problem.When an election is held there should be no doubt about it’s outcome.
    If the labor Party feel they are so strong why don’t they just do right thing and implement the reforms. So next time around the UWP won’t have any excuses. The fight for governance will be fair.

    • scappy coco
      January 10, 2011

      wen u w p won the election it was fair and there was no need for reform now because they lost bad they looking for all reasons why they lost but they have to look within themselves and thier motives. they were to busy in CHARGE but we former uwp supporter knew wat was coming for den

  7. Lizavier4Jesus
    January 6, 2011

    I do not know anything about politics but common sense tells me that you guys need to focus on a method of building “man power” before you deal with electorial reform, though.

    I mean that the people chose a leading government through an overwhelming vote. This tells me that they are not concerned about, maybe, how the voting system took place. So how is electorial reform a concern to them right now? Who is there to vote for on your side, right now, even if you get your hearts’ desire concerning the matter of “electorial reform”?

    I do not know about the rest of Dominicans, but I would imagine it taking me quite a few years to learn to trust someone and to put them in rulership over me and my Dominica. Do you realize how quick four years can fly. How long will the issue of electorial reform take to be resolved? What if, in the meantime the DLP is serving our people to their satisfaction? What would “electorial reform” do for you guys by 2015 if continue to maintain a weak representative?

    But that is all you guys are talking about. And who is it to benefit? A 3-seats opposition? Can’t you guys understand why this is the last or most difficult matter or–whatever you call it in politics–to try to raise in parliament right now.

    United Workers Party, I love Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, but I am not happy that Dominica is being ruled by an 18 seats government with a 3 seat opposition. Please, please, do something to increase your manpower. Stop walking out of parliament meetings. You are responsible to present suggestions or idea, you are responsible to approve or disapprove suggestions or idea, but opposing everything because of selfish interests will always be fruitless; and you are putting contiuous development of my homeland and the welfare of her people in jeopardy.

    United Workers Party, our Dominica’s future is at stake if her rulership continues to be a one-sided government. Again, I am saying, no matter how much I love the Prime Mininster of Domininca, I love Dominica and her people much more than that! I have dismissed that information as garbage, but you must have heard surveys finding Dominica to be higher than, and rising in corruption just as fast as the US of A It is not impossible for this garbage to become factual in the future.

    You need to rebuild your party and to come back with a strong opposition. You need to sit in parliament with the authority to object or approve what the ruling government has planned for Domininca and her people. Now are you guys not aware of that? Do you guys not understand that? Or do you guys care for the welfare of Dominica and her people at all?

  8. Overseas observer not a Dominican
    January 6, 2011

    Why don’t uwp get a brain surgeon to work on thier brains so that they can up with new ideas.Ron brains rusty he getting senile.Hector John mouth is like a toilet we know what is in a toilet his brains is like a mustard seed just shell his brain has.Empty vessel.I guess thier brain surgeons are Lennox,Matt,Jerry,Blessings,Paul Joseph,Michael Coipel Shirley Allan,Peter Carbon,Athie Martin,Trevor Johnson,Claudius for none of us Sanford,Angello and many of the others who spew hatred in dominica.

    • Deoborah
      January 7, 2011

      you are definitely an illiterate “dummy in a can”

  9. Just giving my 2 cents
    January 6, 2011

    It is a damn shame that the UWP gets so much press to no effect!!!! Come on guys …its 2011, and yet you are preaching the same shit, on a different day, in a brand new year.

    After all, if Dominicans haven’t gotten the message after so long, then you better abandon that method and switch it up!

    Who are advising these people? I honestly do not get a political party that is hell bent on negativity and has no real positivity to offer.

    I\ve heard it said that it is better to be thought a fool than open your mouth and remove all doubt – well, honestly, i think that right about now, the UWP should just shut the help up, if they can’t bring forward any positive ideas!

    It is also true that empty barrels make the most noise, and the UWP barrels are empty – there are just echoes coming out of the barrels which gets lost in the atmosphere.

    Time for the UWP to focus on presenting ideas on how to improve Dominica…but before they do that, the UWP needs a cleansing!

  10. To Mr. Peter C
    January 6, 2011

    Mr. Peter

    When last you ever see a radio or a transistor selling in Dominica?

    Everybody know from d days of Kairi that to get radio stations in Dominica is to put on your television.

    So much so when Krazy was Blue vex with Pierro after Rosie died and had two lawyers join him on his station regularly and d Old Marpin did take decision that radio stations will be heard on the higher channels like Ch 95, Ch 96, and Ch 98 d older lawyers from Harlem started to make noise and say how poor people that still have TV that going up only to Ch 13 cannot get to listen to Kairi and that was a ploy by d TV company to try and suppress information to d masses.

    This turned out to be a fat lie!!!

    For d amount of TV that selling in Dominica since Courts come in Dominica in d early 1990s most people have two and three TVs in their house and that be fact.

    Everybody that use to listen to Late night on a Tuesday and Thursday would ah listen on TV or computer for those with internet. People hardly have radio anymore except when is hurricane people going and buy batteries. Those radios does cause interference with TV and cell phones and that is why people using their TV more than their radio. Bus drivers is music they playing all day all night.

    In d days when fig was king in Dominica farmers use to have little radio with them to hear banana reception and cutting notice and community bulletin board. These days farmers hardly spending five hours on their farms and cannot be bothered with politicians especially UWP politicians. Farmers were the hart bit of the UWP ; they trusted UWP and have been disappointed to see how UWP make them loose their little holdings. There was talk about a land bank and that idea was bankrupt. There was talk about copper mining and UWP turn coat friends that back in UWP these days were against copper mining! UWP try and impress Roseau people that so dam crook with stadium and duty free transport and neglected farmers of this country and expected to form government again after January 2000 elections.

    And it was to see dem man d Tuesday morning after elections in 2000. “Where did we go wrong?” Water engineer get blamed, and all king of big man in Roseau get blamed for d UWP loss.

    The problem was never a lack of awareness of d issues in d Country. The problem was that UWP again tried to campaign on radio and not visit their individual constituencies because they were shame to face the people that gave them their support. Now we know the typical Dominican does never vote just like that. Election campaign is always an extended Christmas and carnival atmosphere in Dominica and d rest of d Caribbean.
    It does leave people to wonder if d governments that was there before doh never spend money to educate d citizens dem.
    You will swear it doh have priest and pasta on d island when is election campaign to reinforce the virtues of ethics and morals to d electorate. People does loose all sense of reason generally and is dog eat dog that does take place.

    The solution is within the political parties to ensure that the basic morals and dignity of the electorate are maintained. Village Councils fail to see their role as the main facilitators of bringing their villagers or residents together where issues can be debated in an environment of civility and respect for each candidate.

    All my life voting in Dominica I have never seen where the candidates of a particular constituency shake hands in a Community Hall on election night with all supporters sitting down like civilized persons respecting the outcome of their collective democratic right to vote for the candidate of their choice. This is where the healing takes place.

    But NO!!!! Dominicans and the politicians cannot get to that level. The winner takes it all; losers loose jobs as cleaners in ministry , the hospitals, Inland Revenue, Botanic Gardens cutting grass. Messengers lose jobs at the court, in the various ministries. Employees at Public Works lose jobs and those at Dowasco same thing. You can now understand why persons can take their death for a political party in Dominica. And doh talk about the pressure that does follow. Your child not getting scholarship, your mother not getting a piece of land, your old granny not getting no help from welfare division. Everybody circumvents the public service and goes straight to their Parlrep if he is a minister or worse goes to see the Prime Minister.

    I wish the UWP speaks about these issues and begin the process of healing in 2011 to make Dominica become a kinder, gentler Nation that UWP wanted when they were in power between 1995 to 2000.

  11. grumpy
    January 6, 2011

    the trouble with the uwp supporters is they are so humourless, they are forever moaning and complaining. that poor man from st joseph, does he ever laugh, is there any joy in his life, for it would seem that his whole life is taken up with politics. i get quite concerned for his health. the one on saturaday afternoon is so full of himself, takes himself soooo serious, thinks he’s an intellect (i don’t think so) i pity them.
    at least when i listen to astaphan and savarine they have the intellect to argue and put a point of view across, and they do so with humour. they make good listening,not that i always agree with everything they say, but at the same time i am being informed educated and entertained. so all you on q95, take note and try to emulate. and stop your bellyaching.

    patat you made me laugh so much, you know what they say laughter is good for the soul.

  12. yep
    January 6, 2011

    Thank to the media, i had d opportunity to see for myself the ill treatment from Alix Boydd Night

    I actually saw her cook up stuff from her head and pretend dat it in d book she suppose to follow

  13. who voted?
    January 6, 2011

    Next = lowest level
    2010 Haitians demand I’d cards for voters!
    1Has Dominica surpassed Haiti as having the lowest standards?
    2. Did It not take a coalition to change the results of the Dominican vote?
    3. In 2005 did not the opposition got more votes in actual numbers than the coalition despite being barred from access to DBS? But more seats for the DLP.
    4. So desperate in 2009 did it not copere lapere by our press freedom?
    5. Did the imported voters identify themselves?,
    6. addition of hundreds of chinese, Haitians, Spanish…,
    7. Who was to stop Anyone could vote for any one with a lack of I’d cards?
    8. Where is the inland revenue declaration of millions of external $?

    Has Dominicans been overthrown in their own country?
    Are not the sons and daughters of the Slaves and Kalinago now third class citizens in Dominica?
    Employed and lorded over by Chinese, Lebanese, French men…?
    Have we been forced to accept an illegal PM?
    Is this Government ligitimate?

    If this is not Treason then what is?

  14. A Voice from the Wilderness
    January 6, 2011

    i wonder y people are not fed up with skerrit nonsense–they just hate the uwp for no apparent reason. Skerrit has told u all go to hell, ITs not all damn business,, no law, no constitution can stopme. if Ron had said these words, dominicans would have murdered him

    Voice fr wilderness

    • scappy coco
      January 10, 2011

      voice from the bush and please go send your comments to the wild hogs and beast of the land you make no sense and your language is for animals not for sensible humans so bring it to lennox and crew

  15. Gorillaz
    January 6, 2011

    Just as i said last night the same sheet talk by UWP , it’s not surprising to hear their plan thought it would be said to find online , what koshuni . Hell with UWPweeeeee.

  16. Peter Carbon
    January 6, 2011

    History will recall the action you took to save Dominica from the Dictator. Do what ever it takes to inform Dominican. Everyone in Dominica know what took place during the election. UWP was barred from using the two radio station which covered the entire island, illegal voters, and bribery.
    The role of the Specker is to ensure that the opposition have their say, but she is playing the role of protecting the government. Honest, hard working Domincans need a voice.

    • da
      January 6, 2011

      Shame on u the same dictator u talking about is a member of your party U think Dominican don’t have brains ask Lennox Linton if that same dictator was coming at his home during the election time.Kairi fm is private station and they can do what they want.All u used crazy and never paid up till now and then kick him instead.Skerrit never used DBS.U forgot all u wanted to credit DBS airtime and all u had to pay cash.All u had the toilet q95 that wasn’t enough for all u.When uwp was in power no one could use it except uwp.All u fire people because they were not uwp supporters.U forgot the state of Emergency and the curfew u all had in Mahaut during a by election.What has taken over ur brains.U should keep ur mouth shut. u abandoned the Woodfordhill people and went overseas.Drawing salaries under false pretenses.U forgot the bias house speaker u all had.What goes comes abound the evil that uwp did is haunting them now and they crying foul.U forgot all gave a ticket to come and vote praise god i did’nt vote for all u.I crook all u and some of the other people u all gave tickets I conveince them not to vote for all u.Most of the people u all gave tickets accepted them and voted for Labour instead.U particularly gave people ticket toooo fooooool.We took u all for a ride

    • Come back to WESLEY.
      January 6, 2011

      PETER CARBONO! were at thou? You were one of the guys who screwed up DA’s mentality.
      Now that you ran away shut the……………………………up.

    • Just an Observation, Sir
      January 7, 2011

      Mr. Peter Carbon my Cousin

      Guess you’ll remember that famous statement that banana farmers would get $1.00 for a pound of Banana, whatever happened to that maybe you can tell us, and by the way can you now inform Dominicans what if anything happened to the famous Geest Boat your party claimed you purchased to transport the farmers produce? Did your party sell it or was it taken from you.

      Surely, past employees of GIS like the Augustine boy, Cecil and the others especially the camera boy all can tell you, that you and your team (Edison) were the biggest threat to democracy when it came to you all using GIS and DBS.

      Edison and Ron cannot do anything to you now, tell the nation what the instructions were to those GIS employees especially when covering public functions and the opposition were in attendance.

      It’s amazing how the shoe hurts when it is placed on the other foot. You have a lot of pain to go through before you get relief, be of good cheer, my cousin Peter.

  17. Patat
    January 6, 2011

    2005-2009 they (the UWP) were in the house. They were laughed at; they were thrown out; they were taken to court.”

    Who looked for all that trouble upon themselves?

    They were laughed at: Well that is the joke of the week. When Hon. Earl Williams became the Leader of the Opposition the crasz in Parliament was this: That will be the highest position Earl will ever have in the Parliament of Dominica! And boss everybody started to laugh in d house and Earl started to rock nervously from right to left ever since; I doh know if he was nervous that somebody had already discovered his ways as a chancellor of the exchequer and he did want to go light on Skerrit with d land transfer mistake seeing that he was in deeper boiling water. AA , after that d man Earl start call Skerrit to resign – a call that was more than likely set in motion to cover some major tracks that was beginning to get exposed by a grandmother of politics in Dominica!!! And we done know that lady good for herself. Brumant d comedian that can call d lady name as he want!!!

    So because Earl doh get higher position in Dominica Parliament Ed and Upee mad up to now!!! Why ? Because d plan Ed had with Earl at d front did not materialize. Alas d man play humble, eat humble pie and make Ron get leada just to show that he “not greedy” for leadership. And on top of that he have to make further papyshow to have Spags as Leader of d Opposition to give another impression that Upee have a combination of youth and old men in d camp.

    When Earl was in Upee , Skerrit was shaking – no lie. Boss Earl was not playing. Skerrit started to ball on radio and in Parliament about d rate of implementation of public sector investment programs. After making some big time pontifications and shaming man and woman and showing the statuesque that he will get the best no matter political leanings initially to join his camp Skerrit started to lead Earl by three points, then by five points , and ten points became consistent. Boy, bridge start to build, roads started to construct, stadium get finished, Portsmouth start to get sidewalk. Tim Tim join DLP, and a set of people with brains start to walk into the DLP. Nanthan was pleased, Doc was pleased, Bannis was pleased, Skerrit was pleased and Labor start to look revived and ready to take on UWP. Because d Public Sector Investment programs started to get implemented at a rate never before seen in d history of Dominica and all man and woman started to take note of Skerrit and his achievements in government and d man not disappointing when it come for tangible development and Red Clinic Development and YES we Care Program. Never before did a Prime Minister of Dominica make it his business to empathize with the poor and vulnerable like Skerrit has done.
    And is because of that UWPeee blue vex. Electoral reform or no electoral reform Skerrit will still win because poor people not ungrateful. Poor people can have bottle gas like rich people at an affordable price. All hire purchase stores in Dominica selling gas stove like is shoes that selling. When last you ever see people selling coals and cutting down trees illegally to make coals? Coals that selling is for those people that selling BBQ Chicken on d road side and most using bottle gas to BBQ d chicken these days.
    Just think of it under UWP you use to see plenty people selling coals in Lagoon Roseau in butter tin, cheese tins, and plastic pails and now that is thing of d past. Next Level right there for you people.

    When workers look round , a lot of people that was in workers just start to report absent from workers and worse Earl was no more Leader of UWP and people start to see Ron as a man that would not even say howdee to people on d road far less to give them a vep on d 4by4 pickup.

    D other joke is that Ed does like to give crasz and he cannot take crasz. He so know what Charlo and Blackmore and Austrie would do him after the 2009 Election results he fraid to even sit down in d House. All Charlo would say in d house before d speaker enter is “Three” and Austrie would follow “Blind” and Blackmore would baygayyeah “Mice” and all man and woman would fall down laughing to their hearts content. Water would even come out in some of dem eyes for valleh laugh they would laugh. And d speaker would give a remark when she enter and say, Honorable Members of this House, Parliament is not the place to recite nursery rhymes such as “three blind mice” That would further upset Ed big time. So Ed decide dem man not going and make him feel small with his little three seats. Instead he going and show dem he in charge!!!!!

    • ?????
      January 6, 2011

      A LONG PIECE OF NONSENSE !!!!!!!

      • Anonymous
        January 6, 2011

        And you were entertained with the truth!!!

        Patat you on a roll.

      • c bruce
        January 6, 2011

        i agree

    • .Chronicle reader(weekly just for N&I
      January 6, 2011

      Sure you not part of Nabes & I?

    • Mahaut
      January 7, 2011

      that make my day…
      thanks for the laugh Pata

    • Hey just giving my two cents
      January 7, 2011

      Patat I on the floor and water actually running down my eyses. I cannot stop laughing! Boy Patat that was vey hilarious. You nearly let me wet myself.

      You not easy… You always in the house ???

      Laughter is good for the soul! Nice one for 2011.

      • Patat
        January 8, 2011

        I always well dress in d House and making my contribution.

        So up to now you doh figure I reping for d twenty-second constituency in Dominica.

        lol

  18. Cathy
    January 6, 2011

    As for that last sentence in the article: Who took who to court?

  19. Patriot Dominican overseas
    January 6, 2011

    People fed with all u.the same thing over and over.What’s wrong with all u fellars crying like little children about democracy.Ask Edison when he was Pm what did he try to do to a particular constituency and court rulled against him.Dominica is the most Democratic contry in the world.UWP supporters saying what they want about people and one worry to make them pay like Miss Charles made Edison pay.I would ammend the constitution and make an offence for parl reps not to attend Parliment if they don’t no salary and even jail.Ron u are just a failure, leader of a defunk party take a rest.UWP taking the highest court in the land for a joke.When u have people like arrogant Lennox Linton,Blind Matt Peltier and Groovy Bat the most foolish ex-police officer in the world,Don C,Bernard Wiltshire everybody knows who he is and what he stands for,Athie Martin opportunist,Blessings the most illeterate man that ever existited in St.Joseph.Sherley Allan who never came back to Dominica when her mother died what a shame,Michael Coipel who doesn’t know wether he is male or female,The man himself who doesn’t know what he is speaking about and many others which will too much time to type campaing for the party u don’t expect anything better from the leaders namel Ron Green Hector John Edison James Norris Prevost.I wonder if they cna do a better job than the government.No alternatives for people just the same crep over over again.What do u expect Dominicans to do?.Is that the way u want to get Skerrit out of power.Tell the people what u can do better not crying like babys that pee pee or shit on the fools.

  20. knowledgeable
    January 6, 2011

    so sad,bodering on pathetic and idiotic

  21. bourne girl
    January 6, 2011

    eddison uwpeee when are you all going to take lossssss… give up man we were never in your tank so.. instead of u sit and think on what should be ur next move in the next election cause there is nothing more u can do right now u there talking … give them a break man chaaaaaaa

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