Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has assured the public that government is expected to go to parliament during the first quarter of this year to give authority to the electoral commission to effect the reform agenda.
He made the announcement during DBS Radio’s ‘Talking Point’ Program recently. Government contracted the services of eminent Caribbean Jurist, Sir Dennis Byron to serve as a sole commissioner to advance efforts towards electoral reform.
His final report was presented to various groups and organizations including NGOs, media houses, churches, political parties, trade unions among others at a function held at the State House Conference Centre on Wednesday, June 21.
“We are hoping that in all things considered, we can go to parliament the first quarter of this year and give that authority to the electoral commission,” Skerrit said. “We contracted the services of Sir Denis Byron, his submitted report. We held extensive consultations across Dominica with stakeholders and everyone who [was] interested in being consulted showed up and spoke.”
He continued, “The documents were made public by placing them on the government’s website. We made hard copies to stakeholder representative organizations and institutions which we handed over to them and I indicated that the next step was to review the legislation and look at all of the points that have been raised in the consultations and to put forward what we believe would be the points to bring them back to share with the public in a limited way.”
He added, “Then have them sent to the electoral commission as required by law and then go to Parliament, so that Parliament can give authority to the electoral commission to effect the reform agenda.”
Skerrit made it clear that this is his government’s agenda for 2024.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister spoke on the visit of Opposition member of Trinidad and Tobago parliament, Senator Anil Oswald Roberts who visited Dominica last week and was the guest speaker at an organized Electoral Reform Coalition public Town Hall discussion on Electoral Reform and Caribbean Democracy.
The groups include the United Workers Party (UWP), the Dominica Freedom Party (DFP), Rosie Sparks, Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM), Civic Vibes, and The National Joint Action Movement (NJAM) among others.
Skerrit argued that anyone who invites someone to speak on electoral reform presently, “it cannot be to advance it.”
“It’s really to seek to make a political issue out of something and sensationalize the matter when there is no need for that,” the Prime Minister remarked. “This is a democracy, you can bring anybody to speak on anything and if you are going to bring somebody, then bring somebody who knows what we are talking about and who can add value to it.”
“Where was that person during the consultative process? Why wasn’t he consulted?” he asked.
He described the groups as a bunch of antigovernmental political entities that are seeking to create political mischief and to give the international community the impression that the government has forgotten about electoral reform, which is not true.
“Thank God the international community knows where we stand on it, because they were part of the consultative process,” Skerrit stated. “They were here to witness and to see in an unprecedented manner how democracy worked in Dominica, where government engages the public on a matter that is of interest to some in our society.”
He said there is nowhere in the world that one talks about electoral reform or changing of electoral laws where such public engagement was done.
“And that cannot be done by a government that’s not serious about advancing the process and I give the people of Dominica and the world the commitment that this Prime Minister and this government are absolutely committed towards advancing electoral reform process,” he stressed. “What we say, is that we are not going to engage ourselves in any matter which requires an amendment to the constitution in the first place.”
Furthermore, he said constitutional amendment will be dealt with in a separate consultative process, “to launch a process of engaging the public on constitutional reform and to start with the report of Dr. Liverpool and others who have done some work on electoral reform.”
“So, we are not starting with a blank slate, let us start with what Dr. Liverpool had presented,” Skerrit explained.
That he said will be done separately, “but we are not going to confuse the electoral reform process with constitutional reform.”
my brother, you have overstayed your time in government, give the people their electoral reform Boss.. I warning you….
I just love ❤️ the way Dr. Pm Skerrit, handles those so-called UWP b*****ds and idiots, as soon as he put any stories out you should see them like cats 🐈 on a hot tin roof jumping like mad after drinking hot Rum.
YOU clearly speak from experience. Dr. PM Skerrit…😂🤥
You are one crazy SOB if I’ve ever seen one.
Best hospital in the world, no other government consults with the public like skerrit, no one loves Dominicans like skerrit why he pays them so much to join him, best government in the western hemisphere…….and the list of self serving grandiose. The International community also know you have sold your country ‘s sovereignty to crooks criminal and vagabonds. the international community also know your are nothing but a thief who abused your power. I will quit my job and come serve as the prison warden if you ain’t use your rope pan lere temp a ou wive.
Skerrit you had confrontation all over where you wanted in dominica you set your goons where you wanted to disturb and talk out of context even politician were there doing your dirty deeds ,Skerrit what are you afraid off ? concern citizens really want to know.
Misier quick, kwack.
The legislation should allow all Dominican citizens to vote regardless of how long they have been away, provided the government makes provision for online registration and voting.
Demolition Roosevelt and his demolition crew, with their herd mentality, have demolished the electoral system, healthcare, economy, the middle class, civil service and national security. Nothing good has been left standing or in its original, solid state.
With electoral reform, he has defied the Commonwealth, OAS, CARICOM and the CCJ. His #1 priority is to ensure that he and his unlearned wife remain at the top of the food chain. He has no intention to reform the corrupt electoral system as this system, in its current parlous state, has worked superlatively well for the DLP.
We need fair electoral reform as the present system is set up not to serve the people but in the best interest of Roosevelt and his high maintenance wife.
In my opinion the opposition should even stop thinking, hoping or talking about election reform because we are not going to have any under Alibaba Jr, who has more than forty thieves in top positions to ensure election continue to remain tinted and stolen. Right now the only hope for Dominica is to organize what senior council Anthony Astaphan described as a “constitutional kool wosh bregade “. According to Tony it was legal back then and it’s still legal today so that looks like our only legal way right now
I am so disappointed with this labor carbal. I can never see myself walk in a poling station an vote an vote labor….I prefer to take a chance with a collusion.. than labor.. cow poo.. Dominica is at its lowest……
Roosevelt, Start Boy of Stupidity, is a veteran, inveterate Liar. No one should believe any word that escapes from his deceitful mouth.
If the DLP were to lose the next election, Roosevelt will be sporting a shiny pair of new silver bracelets from behind bars. He is mortally afraid of this. A corrupt electoral system is his only hope of avoiding lifetime incarceration.
As I’ve said repeatedly, only the determined and consistent efforts of the masses will loosen his ironclad grip on power. Awake Dominicans! Awake!
all other sht…you don’t need no one engagement….now u feeling d pressure….u gave your none working carbal a huge increase with no engagement….u giving your favourite labourite houses….do you engage?….hypocrite….
Shut up, Skerrit! It’s absolutely none of your damn business!!
Those of you who are expecting Roosevelt, the co artist, to help to create a fair and just electoral system, are sadly mistaken. His freedom is at stake.
Darkness cannot drive away darkness only light can do that. Roosevelt’s heart is as dark as asphalt and as hard as granite.It will take the majority of the business sector, the clergy, and the grassroot people to exterminate him from the political landscape in Dominica.
TAKEN FROM THE CONSTITUTION
Responsibility for elections
38. (1) The Electoral Commission shall be responsible for the registration of voters for the purpose of electing Representatives and for the conduct of elections of Representatives and Senators and shall have such powers and other functions relating to such registration and elections as may be prescribed by law.
It’s strange that all we heard from the Electoral Commission on the issues of electoral reform was the deafening sound of silence. Do they even know, much less understand their mandate?
I’m sure they have a good idea of their mandate but Skerrit would have told them to be quiet and allow him to take control. Naturally they would have been rewarded well for their deafening silence. All you don’t allow Skerrit to fool you any longer. If the electoral reform is done properly, it will cost Skerrit his political positions and with that it will cost him and his cronies their freedom. So, the stakes are high and that gangster from Morne Daniel only knows that to well. He won’t let go of this!