The matter of voters ID cards versus national ID cards has been a subject of much discussion in Dominica and has been a long running contention between the government and opposition parties in Dominica.
The United Workers Party has made it clear that voter ID cards are necessary since it was recommended both by the Chief Elections Officer in a report in 2009 and an OAS observer mission to Dominica. Furthermore, according to the the party, voter ID cards will help “clean up the voter’s list” and make “voters of this country independent.”
On the other hand, the government is adamant that a national ID card is the way to go, arguing that voter ID cards will be too expensive for the country.
Dominica News Online sought the opinion of readers in a poll.
The poll asked, “Should Dominica introduce voters ID cards or national ID cards?”
A total of 1,024 readers cast their votes in the poll.
476 readers (46 percent) believe national ID cards should be introduced on the island.
432 readers (42 percent) think voters ID card should be introduced while 116 readers (12 percent) said it doesn’t really matter.
DNO’s poll is not a scientific one.
There are many arguments in favour of National ID Cards, many of them pointing out that they are useful for more purpose than one and so are more viable. I however argue that this is the exact strategy which the government is using to try to drum up support for N.I.D Cards but their motives are dishonest. Voter ID Cards would be for that purpose and that purpose only. National ID Cards are not necessary as we have passports and these can be used for the purposes for which they claim the National ID Cards would be used. Your Driver’s License can also be used for those purposes. I believe that the government wishes to promote National ID Cards in order to smokescreen their true intentions. If National ID Cards are introduced, the citizens will all be entitled to these cards, including those of us living outside of Dominica. As a result, the issue of distinguishing those of us Dominicans who are entitled to vote as opposed to those who are not, becomes a more difficult proposition. If we have Voters ID Cards introduced, the system will require much less infrastructure to monitor those who are or are not entitled to vote as you will be working, not with the entire Dominican citizenry but rather only with those who are entitled to vote. I believe that a Voter’s ID Cards should be introduced with a photograph and should be valid for a period of five years. They can then be monitored and the legal requirement for one to be resident in Dominica for a five year consecutive period in order to be entitled to the right to vote would be easier monitored. One would then have to seek renewal every five years, at which point one’s status in relation to that right to vote can be checked based on one’s passport record and the card can then be renewed or denied on that basis. On the other hand, if National ID Cards are introduced to be used for voting as well, it will be alot more difficult to monitor which of us Dominicans are entitled to vote. Very simple matter to comprehend. I believe that the government, based on previous abuses of the constitution and based on actions since, have every intention of abusing the ‘numbers game’ to their advantage in the use of National ID Cards. This is my contribution………
In the long run the National ID cards could prove less costly.
I am a voter I the United States and all I used to vote was a piece of paper card with my name and voters registration number. I think they can use the National ID Cards as long as there is a procedure to obtain it. Such as birth certificate, something verifying address, and someone who can vouch for you. If that is what the government wants to do then half a loaf is better than none. Election is upcoming, so if you guys are going to do something before then, now is the time to get going now.
Will they be able to issue National ID cards in NewYork and Jersey too?
I comprehend why the opposition wants a Voter’s ID card. Even having one it should be necessary to also have some sort of ID to prove that the elector is indeed the correct person, such as a utility, telephone or TV bill statement with the current address.
Voter ID cards serve a purpose for only at election time. A National ID card serves a year round purpose and they do not have to be renewed.
My suggestion is that a National ID card be issued with or without ‘a picture’ and with a certain number that it can only be used by the the one whom it was issued to and only once for voting at the time of election. Therefore, the National ID Cards appear to be more useful and are for life.
Yes, please
national id card, period.
I did not get a chance to vote. I am born and bred Dominican and I still carry a Dominican passport
I live in gwada presently, where there is a voter,s id card, but funny enough after u present the voter,s id u still have to present the national id before u can vote, so i believe one is suffice, and i VOTE FOR THE NATIONAL ID makes more sense,and more economical.
voters id card please
Voter id cards please.
I thought one’s passport would be a National ID card. Social Security card is a national ID card. ALL the request was for a VOTERS ID card.
That National ID card is full of trickery. That mean folks in Germany/Russia/China/Venzuela/USA and much more can have a national Id card ship to them and they will be down on the next fight to vote. THAT IS NATIONAL TRICKERY!! Get voters ID card. All democratic society has national ID and voters ID card…..those guys are up to No GOOD!!
No need to ask your political affiliation, your bad grammar, lack of an objective opinion and incorrect comment that all democratic societies have voter ID cards shows it quite clearly. That is not true, I have never needed anything more than a picture ID to vote in the UK and neither have any family and friends in the US. People who support your party should learn that embellishing or the outright creation of facts causes you lose credibility and makes you a joke in the eyes of every educated Dominican youth. Also I cannot understand why Dominicans who live in the island are under the impression that nationals living outside of the island cannot vote, dual citizen expats or not all Dominicans have the right to vote
Why do we need a national I D card when we already ђa̲̣vẹ̷̥̊ passport social security ά̲̣̣̣̥ŋd license? Some labourite Šǿ ingorant, anything skerrit tell them they believe. ¢ǿûŋτ̲̣̣̥rÿ̲̣̣̣̥ b4 party people
The National ID Card is ok and the voter registration no should also be included. One ID Card serving various purposes.
Why do you guys even have this poll? The outcome would not be accurate at all. Why ?
simply because one person can vote many times all they have to do is switch IP addresses or computers
How to do that nah?
just go with you blackberry at all hot spots is one.
what we need are VOTER ID CARDS. With the national ID card it would mean that you are entitled to vote as Dominican whether you live here or not. I do not believe this to be fair. The people who deserve the right to vote in dominica are those who are actually on island feeling the heat. Nonsense!
Hahahah, your comment is nonsense. Dominicans have a right to vote for their government, whether they live here or not, read your constitution and check the laws. By right we should be providing absentee ballots; living in the island does not make your more Dominican or give you more rights than anyone living overseas. Once again there is no need to ask your political affiliation as it is obvious which party attracts the empty barrels. I think we sorely need an opposition party but until we have one whose supporters include more than disgruntled, uneducated and ignorant it doesn’t seem likely
voters I D cards please
Can anybody give a definition for both national n voters I’d cards ! What I mean is like , what is d difference betwwen the two? Is is that voters I’d card are for citizens of a country, n is residing in dat country? And for national I’d cards, is it for citizens abroad to use in other to come n vote? Help needed please n e one?
Voter id shows you are eligible to vote and have been contributing locally to the development of the country, national id is a hoax/ scam as this government has been selling passports to all kind of criminals worldwide and will just come to fulfill skerrit’s communist plan to be there till 2050.
imagine this
70,000 people on island at present
estimated eligible voters should be around 45,000 difference should be juveniles.
however this government has it at
70,000 eligible to vote
150,000 national ids to be prepared (passports they sold to criminal, in U.A.E, IRAN, CHINA,& one of the worlds most wanted criminals – Dawood Ibrahim).
You can only use the voter card every five years when you can use the national id card for so many different thing, u should be able to travel, purchase items, us as an id, temporary passport and it still contains the voting features….
I think that people need to register to vote and then receive a card. otherwise fraud is more likely.
clean the voters list
Why don’t we say “A vote to remove KFC from our Country”. There’s to many obesity in children and adults which is causing diseases.
i bet u one of the fat ones er that want kfc gone
Admin we want a recount. “it doesn’t really matter.”
National ID CARD MAKE4S MORE SENSE.
Wait! I did not vote.
You can add me to the list. I did not vote too.
the national id card is good with me.. don’t see the force for voters id, they can implement two in one and make national.. the voters and the national together so it can be one card to act as both, simple as abc, and stop wasting time auguring about that
DNO could you please put these polls in a more conspicuous place? I never know about it till the results are posted and i am on this site umpteen times a day.
ADMIN: Strange that you missed the poll…it was up for more than a week with a story. Also all active polls can be found on the bottom right hand corner of the homepage….so check there occasionally. There is a poll on right now.
In statistical terms the difference is not significant. Therefore, your poll is a dead heat.
Of course we know it is an unscientific poll, as you explained, and unreliable because only your readers, and not a representative sample of the Dominican population was polled.
Consequently, readers are advised not to take the results as representative or true.
Are you saying that DNO readers are skewed and do not come from a cross section of Dominica?
National ID cards it is