The sole commissioner to advance efforts towards electoral reform in Dominica, Sir Dennis Byron, has assured the former leader of the United Workers Party (UWP), Lennox Linton, that he is working towards expediting the presentation of his recommendations.
In the letter dated November 6, 2022, Sir Byron – a former President of the Caribbean Court of Justice, former Chief Justice of the OECS Supreme Court, and Privy Councilor, who was appointed by the government to investigate and advise on the issue of electoral reform- revealed that he will be presenting his long-awaited report in two phases.
“Phase I will deal with the Registration of Electors and Phase II with the Election Process. I am in the final stage of the Phase I report,” he said in the letter copied to Mr Duncan Stowe, Chairman of the Electoral Commission.
The pending report, which Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said he’d promptly take to parliament to pass into law, is expected to be significant, therefore it’s no surprise that many including Linton, who previously wrote to Byron, are asking when will it be delivered.
In the said letter, Byron acknowledged that his engagement “carries the expectation of bridging the sharp divisions of opinion that have handicapped the completion of this reform exercise.”
Against this background, he declared that legislative support is required to give effect to the recommended reforms.
“The existing legislation relating to the registration of electors as well as the electoral process is quite old, and it has been a flashpoint for political disagreement and community dissatisfaction,” he said. “Merely amending the existing laws would not satisfy the goals of the reform exercise: new legislation is needed to modernise the electoral system and to bring it in line with international best practices.”
Sir Byron also highlights in the letter, that consultation took longer than anticipated as it was characterised by robust discussion and even resulted in several modifications to drafts of the proposed legislative instruments.
He went on to point out that the draft legislation which was presented to Linton has the consensus of the Commission.
As such the Caribbean jurist noted, “I will present Phase I report during the month of November 2022. Parliament tables the Register of Elector’s legislation in December 2022 with the plan to enact it in January 2023, so that the Register of Electors could be compiled in accordance with the recommendations during that calendar year.”
He noted further, “I will present Phase II of the Report, after a consultation process similar to that undertaken for Phase I in February/ March 2023. Parliament tables and enacts the Phase II legislation in March/ April 2023.”
During his Independence Day address, Skerrit reiterated that while the Government was the one who engaged Sir Dennis, the sole commissioner does not report to the Government.
“The Electoral Commission has been the coordinator of the activities of Sir Dennis, and he has been working very closely with the Commission in carrying out his responsibilities,” he said. “At the request of the Electoral Commission, Government made additional funding available to the Commission to enable the drafting of new Bills to address changes to strengthen our electoral Laws.”
According to Skerrit, when the process has been completed and the draft Bills are approved by the Electoral Commission, they will be shared with the Government, Opposition, and other stakeholders for consideration.
“While we recognize that our electoral laws have allowed for the proper conduct of our elections since our Independence, as with anything, there is always room for improvement. We, therefore, look forward to receiving and implementing the recommendations from this exercise,” the head of Government declared.
Byron, who spoke to state-owned DBS last year, revealed that the process has been taking longer than he had anticipated and will not be ready in 2021, as initially promised and instead gave a new target date of January 2022.
This present delay with the recommendation isn’t the first that the public has experienced since Skerrit broke the news of Sir Byron’s assignment at the swearing-in of his new cabinet in December 2019.
The process, which was originally due to commence in March 2020, finally got off the ground on February 1, 2021, with over 35 organisations, including political parties, recognised civic groups, and non-governmental organisations, invited to make written submissions by Thursday, February 11.
The Prime Minister had initially announced that Sir Dennis would visit Dominica in March 2020 on an “information-gathering exercise and once he comes into Dominica, he will be exposed to all the relevant stakeholders including the media.”
The onset of COVID-19, which led to the closure of borders, forced a change of plans, and the start of the process was rescheduled to September 1, 2020, with an end date in December of the same year. However, DNO was told that the eminent jurist refused to begin unless the Electoral Commission was properly constituted.
The original plan called for a series of town hall meetings with the public, but with COVID-19 many of the consultations and citizens’ surveys on electoral reform were held virtually.
At one of the meetings held in 2021 with the private sector and civil society Sir Byron, who heralds the future of Dominica’s democracy, made it clear that electoral reform is needed on island. Echoing one of the calls made by opposition members and other members of the public, he noted that the regulatory framework for the electoral process is old and is in dire need of modernisation.
Sir Dennis hinted that there is a need for a modern system with improved technology that will effectively reduce voter fraud during the general elections.
For his service, he is being paid EC$450,000, half of which was due at the beginning of the exercise and the remainder at the end.
Full text of Sir Dennis Byron’s letter to Linton is posted below.
This man, Dennis Byron, deserves our collective scorn. He gave credibility and credence to Roosevelt’s subterfuge. Seems very much to me that the money he was offered was too enticing to resist. The Commonwealth, OAS, and CARICOM had already diagnosed the illnesses with the electoral system and offered the appropriate solutions. There was no need for any intervention by Mr. Dennis Byron.
I don’t care how many letters you have to the front or back of your name, you only earn my respect by the way to reason or act. Actions speak louder than letters attached to your name.
Too late Sir Byron…
Keep it to wipe where the sun never shines…
How wicked these men are to be working for the devil…
More nonsense. At what point do we realize we are the laughing stock? After this election, i hope we know we cannot go back to the international community to cry foul. They have said our elections have been tainted since 2014 and have given recommendation after recommendation. It is up to the people of Dominica to ensure that the change asked for is done properly and effectively.
Dennis no one can produce a perfect document since there are forces pulling in different directions but your tardiness shows that you are either too damn busy or incompetent. Jamaica and other countries in the region had electoral reforms done and put in place in less than the two years it’s taken you so far. As a result an educated man like you should be able to read the type of person that Skerritt is yet you allowed him to play you like a fool. Now you are promising a report which doesn’t solve the problem it was designed to address because timing is everything as you ought to know for an educated man. I’m holding you responsible alongside Skerritt for the raping of democracy in Dominca. Now go enjoy your blood money.
By associating yourself with Roosevelt; by taking an eternity to submit the report; by speaking after Roosevelt has set a date for an election before you can even submit a page of the reforms that you were so handsomely paid to do; you have tainted yourself.
You, Mr. Byron , knew that three reputable organizations had a!ready done a comprehensive report reforms needed for the electoral system in Dominica. There was no need to reinvent the wheel. None whatsoever! Yet, you jump into waters where you cannot swim.
You, Mr. Byron, taking this job from a congenital LIAR appears to me to be all about the money.
I couldn’t agree with you more. This is just another one of Skerrits little games combined with the obligatory smoke screen. Never ever take anything from Skerrit at face value! There is always a hidden agenda!
You have stated it quite succinctly. ABSOLUTELY the unadulterated truth.
Dear Sir Dennis,
You should resign this commission forthwith and not collect one cent of consulting fees in the face of your failure to deliver your commissioned report earlier this year.
Sir, your delay in providing your recommendations in January 2022 as you previously committed to do now, in my opinion, renders you complicit in the continuing issues for which you were retained to address. For shame.
For however stellar your legal and judicial career has been, rising as you did to the apex court of the Caribbean and being honoured by a Knighthood as a result, your failure to deliver timely electoral reform recommendations to Dominica will hereafter blemish your reputation, in my eyes and perhaps others’ as well.
But, in the end it is the Democratic institutions of Dominica which will suffer. You may well have delivered the coup de grace.
Why would it take that long to give a report as to the electoral reform needed in Dominica. Dominica does not have a sophisticated election machinery, we got such a small population with a small electorate, I’m bewildered. Now, let us not be naive and believe such a report will make our election process infallible. The talk of modern system with improved technology needed to effectively reduce voter fraud during the general elections, wow, is this what is really needed to safeguard our electoral process, relative to our population and our small electorate.
We need to understand that there will always be challenges in any electoral process. Look at US who pride themselves on Democracy and today in the 21st century their electoral system is plagued with problems. The integrity of any electoral process depends on it participants and the overseers.
Lazy, sleepy Byron, you wait until skerrit call a “pap” election to inform the opposition leader of this report whick you had in your possession over two years now.. Thus is unacceptable….
another one bought and paid for?
That corrupt and lying piece of crap. Why is now he wants to present this nonsense. He clearly engaged in a conspiracy against the people of Dominica, and we should hold him responsible. I am just so tired of these foreigners interfering in our politics with impunity. Mia Motley was the first. It is time for mass action according to Malcolm X, by any means necessary. We should send a message to the Lin Clowns’ and Man bites dogs’ that we are not afraid of them or anyone else.
I have been saying for long time that we should be preparing for the return of RSS, lets end all the talk and prepare because it is going to happen again, and this time they may be worse than Putin!
RSS can come all they want but this time we will NOT be intimidated by them. They will run away from us when they see our determination and fighting spirit. The blood of Jacko, Balaa, Congoree, Pierre Collaire and others run in our veins. Tell the RSS to come proper!
It is clear that the Roosevelt Skerrit administration sees how close this process is to completion and are therefore taking no chances. Little wonder that a snap election is being put in place as they try to achieve one more term in office before having to face an election that is properly governed by globally accepted standards. I can see their concern as they feel that their dynasty may now be coming to an end. About time too
Lets us roll Bawie! No more talking because we have done that enough. Time to hit the streets.
None of this is making sense, and I hope that ALL DOMINICANS, regarding their political affiliations stand up against the illogicaly called elections that Skerrit has declared next month.
Everything that Sir Bryon is stating about the reforms and it being enacted etc, how will this progress if that PM is steaming ahead with the hastly called elections? This is absolutely madness.
None of this is making sense, and I hope that ALL DOMINICANS, regarding their political affiliation stand up against the illogicaly called l elections that Skerrit has declared next month.
Everything that Sir Bryon is stating about the reforms and it bring enacted etc, how will this progress if that PM is steaming ahead with the hastly called elections? This is absolutely madness.
We the people need to organize with or without opposition parties involvement. If it means we all to jail then so be it. My land is crying out for liberation and justice. Lets roll people! Hit the streets..
In Your Words you are calling for unrest. All these TRIGGER LANGUAGE should not be taken lightly. Had this been in a big country you would be questioned…. It seem like you want something bad to happen to DOMNICA then you are saying that you care…..Come on let us do it the correct way. Stop all your babbling BWA…..Full of crap…..How can you love a country and calling for war….Rise up BWA
Why don’t you set the example, talk, talk, talk, are you not tired. What are you waiting for, keep fantasizing looking through the wrong end of a telescope, neglecting reason. Not everything a man willing to die for is true. I will tell you this, keep hoping people will hit the street.
Total BS people like you need to be ? that’s what you call a house slave .
Total BS people like you need to be ?