{"id":294399,"date":"2022-11-18T15:05:46","date_gmt":"2022-11-18T19:05:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/?p=294399"},"modified":"2022-11-18T15:28:29","modified_gmt":"2022-11-18T19:28:29","slug":"crowd-gathered-at-peaceful-protest-on-electoral-reform-told-this-is-only-the-start","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/elections\/crowd-gathered-at-peaceful-protest-on-electoral-reform-told-this-is-only-the-start\/","title":{"rendered":"Crowd gathered at peaceful protest on electoral reform told ‘this is only the start’"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Hundreds of citizens who were gathered at last evening’s peaceful protest to demand the calling off of the upcoming general election in the absence of electoral reform were given the assurance that last evening’s gathering was only the start of what’s to come.<\/p>\n

Last evening- November 17- 2022, marked the start of what the Electoral Reform Coalition (ERC), which comprises opposition parties and civil society organisations in Dominica, said is the first of a series of actions that will be taken in an attempt to get the Prime Minister to call off the snap election which is scheduled to be conducted on December 6, 2022.<\/p>\n

Addressing the attendees, Executive Member of the National Joint Action Movement (NJAM) and General Secretary of the Dominica Freedom Party (DFP) Johnson Boston declared that \u201cwe are saying to the Prime Minister that we want electoral reform and we must get electoral reform.\u201d<\/p>\n

“Jump high jump low Dominica must get electoral reform. And whether they get nominated tomorrow the movement continues. We are not stopping this movement. This movement is to clean the nonsense in this country and that is what we are about,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n

Airing that the group is standing to defend Dominica\u2019s democracy, Boston noted the \u201cfight to save\u201d Dominica cannot be left to a selected few and called on all citizens irrespective of their political affiliation to also take a stance with them.
\n\u201cThe police, the public servants, the farmers, the unions, the youths, every Dominican, should stand up for Dominica because, at the end of it, a party may come, a party may go but our country must remain intact,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd when we
\nare attacked by those who use our democracy to be in government, when we are attacked by them we have to stand up and we have to resist the attack so they know that we here in Dominica, we are not asleep and we will not stand for nonsense.\u201d<\/p>\n

While he says that some may use the \u201cexcuse\u201d that the Prime Minister has the right to call an early election under the constitution, the DFP and NJAM executive member stressed that one must not take advantage of such rights irrespective of their position.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mustn’t be a nuisance with the right. you mustn’t be a foolish man with rights. You mustn’t be a wicked person with the right. You have to administer the rights for every citizen. What Skerrit has done is to declare war on democracy in Dominica. What he has done is to defy Dominicans, Labour against the rest, but we are about unity,\u201d Boston said.<\/p>\n

He noted that the team is just gearing up for the days ahead,\u00a0 and he encouraged all citizens to lend their support by showing up in massive numbers which he opines will send a clear message to the present regime that enough is enough.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are not going to sleep and you must not sleep, you must be with us because at the end of the day victory will be ours,\u201d Boston asserted.<\/p>\n

Echoing similar sentiments, Social Activist and member of NJAM Paula Celestine, expressed the organization’s disgust for what she labelled as a disregard by the Prime Minister for the people\u2019s desire for a free and fair election.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are here today with one voice saying no electoral reform, no elections. However, we know that the manner in which our corrupt electoral system is designed 21 Labour Party stooges will be nominated. So ladies and gentlemen that are here we have many options… which we will not disclose,\u201d she made known.<\/p>\n

She pressed the need for those gathered and listening to join forces and unite to demand that there will be no election in Dominica without reform.<\/p>\n

\u201cI say to each and every one of you that are here, this does not end here and it should not end here\u201d Celestine stated. \u201cWhatever the outcome is, we are saying that we are in a democratic country and we should not stand for what Roosevelt has imposed on the people of Dominica.\u201d<\/p>\n