![\"Commentary\"](\"http:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/commentary2.jpg\")
As the time for reckoning in the Soufriere constituency draws nigh between the two political tribes, it is reasonable for the Dominican population to ponder on what has transpired over the last few weeks and to make some serious self-evaluation of the state of the nation when it comes to morality, ethics and political and economical consciousness.<\/p>\n
To do so it is necessary to browse quickly at the reason for the by-election. The by-election is a result of an alleged inappropriate behaviour of the Dominica Labour Party\u2019s parliamentary representative of the Soufriere constituency, with a minor. He has been arrested, charged and is presently on bail with strict conditions such as having to report to the police regularly and restrictions on his travel. Had he not been on bail he would have been remanded at the state prison until trial. One can safely conclude that the individual\u2019s civil rights are restricted and he is not a free man like the average citizen.<\/p>\n
Due to the circumstances surrounding the individual it was appropriate for him to vacate his position as a cabinet minister, he had no choice. However, since he has not been tried in a court of law and the basic principle of our democracy assumes an individual to be innocent of any crime until proven guilty by a court of law, the individual was under no obligation to resign as a member of parliament thus creating the reason for the imminent by-election. The individual\u2019s decision to resign from parliament raises many questions and allows space for abundant speculation about his admission of guilt, the embarrassment to his leader and many other conspiratory theories that may all have an element of truth.<\/p>\n
In lieu of the pending trial, the individual could have simply sought leave from parliament, which he would have undoubtedly obtained, since his party controls two thirds of the parliamentary seats, and there would be no need for a by-election. Maybe the situation was a blessing in disguise to get rid of the individual who demonstrated the highest level of incompetence as a minister, which can be substantiated by the speed in which his replacement has embarked on the implementation of projects in the ministry. So there is much more to the situation than just the resignation, which many of his colleagues and his leader would like the population to believe. Like Masterlyn Labad would say; Time will tell.<\/p>\n
So back to the by-election; history is not on the side of the United Workers Party in the constituency having, unsuccessfully, contested six general elections since 1990 with five different candidates which included the late great Dennis Labasiere and the current president of the Dominica Football Association. Also the UWP is in opposition, so what convincing argument can they make to the electorate to persuade them to vote for a political party in opposition.<\/p>\n
During the 2014 general elections campaign the UWP developed a platform for \u201cchange is a must\u201d, and they rebranded the party as Team Dominica, a brand which captivated a significant section of the electorate, particularly in the urban and suburban constituencies. Electoral reform, campaign financing, importation of mercenary voters, corruption with the selling of Dominica\u2019s passports, creation of 5000 jobs and equal access to the state media were key to the UWP campaign. This time around it appears that the UWP has abandoned the Team Dominica concept and they have returned to their antiquated Fear No More mantra, a strategy that has not worked since 2000.<\/p>\n
UWP is incapable of competing with the Labour Party on all fronts except with the truth. UWP is unable to match Labour\u2019s financial purse, the promises, the dishing out of money and building materials, the propaganda machine, the band of opportunists who follow Labour. Therefore it was necessary for UWP to launch an education campaign based on truth, however, they chose to launch that campaign on Q95 which has a limited listenership and whom the Labour Party has instructed its supporters not to listen to.<\/p>\n
One expected UWP to prepare and circulate reading material to educate the people, get the information in every household. Another approach that UWP missed was to promote the campaign as an opposition mission for change, recognizing the fact that the constituency was dominated by the Freedom Party for almost three decades. The inclusion of the remnants of the Freedom Party in the campaign could have improved the possibilities of the UWP in the by-election. It appears that they do not recognize the role that the Freedom Party played in winning Roseau North, Roseau South and Roseau Central in the last elections.<\/p>\n
The Dominica Labour Party has perfected their winning strategy for elections in Dominica. The formula is simple, open the iron chest, flood the deprived villages with handouts, overwhelm them with noise, music, food, drinks, mepuis and a sea of red and that does it. The Dominica Labour Party has a bottomless pit of financial resources which will enable them to win elections for a very long time. It is important to note that the Dominica Labour Party does no fund raising, party members pay no dues and their only source of legal income comes from the contribution parliamentarians make from their salaries, which is barely sufficient to erect two billboards.<\/p>\n
It is quite evident that the Dominica Labour Party\u2019s financial resources come from perks for the sale of passports and profits from lucrative over- priced construction projects. Another source was from the Venezuelans but this one has quickly faded away just as the rhetoric about our mother land has disappeared. Now there is an embarrassing denial of the situation in Venezuela to the extent that the Bolivarian Republic is becoming a friend of the past.<\/p>\n
With a gullible and what appears to be a semi-illiterate electorate in the Soufriere Constituency, it does not appear that the Dominica Labour Party has much of a closing statement to make. A twenty dollar handshake appears sufficient for the voters on island and an airline ticket for those in the diaspora.<\/p>\n
The verdict may very well boil down to the two candidates, the very popular and apparently well-loved Higgs Adams, who may be able to clinch victory not because of UWP but because of his history of being with the people through thick and thin as a community man and his work with the Soufriere and Scotts Head village council.<\/p>\n
Denise Charles is an unknown in the constituency, though she is academically qualified, her chances as an individual against Higgs Adams would have been a ten to one licking, but unfortunately this is not the way Roosevelt Skerrit\u2019s politics work, he could have sent a broomstick and then immerse himself in the constituency like he was the candidate and he would pull it through.<\/p>\n
So the might of the Dominica Labour Party as a government has the advantage in this by-election but the political consciousness of the people of the constituency can create an upset of unimaginable consequences. For one to hold their breath on the latter can be considered a dreamer but that would awaken a part of Dominica that has been blinded and asleep for far too long, amidst all the ills which continue to plague the governance of Waitukubuli.<\/p>\n
So the closing arguments for this by-election are simple, the electorate in the constituency can send a message of change in direction that the island is going or they can endorse a dangerous path which leads to a corrupt dictatorship. The decision is in the hands of the jury, the voters of the Soufriere Constituency. If I were part of the jury my vote would be a protest vote against corruption.<\/p>\n
Opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. DNO takes no responsibilities for opinions expressed therein.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As the time for reckoning in the Soufriere constituency draws nigh between the two political tribes, it is reasonable for the Dominican population to ponder on what has transpired over the last few weeks and to make some serious self-evaluation…","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":39536,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-163934","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentary"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n