{"id":307588,"date":"2023-09-01T15:30:13","date_gmt":"2023-09-01T19:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/?p=307588"},"modified":"2023-09-01T12:58:35","modified_gmt":"2023-09-01T16:58:35","slug":"hot-button-issues-get-debated-at-marigot-public-electoral-reform-consultations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/governance\/hot-button-issues-get-debated-at-marigot-public-electoral-reform-consultations\/","title":{"rendered":"Hot button issues get debated at Marigot public electoral reform consultations"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Gregory Riviere<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Former Minister of State in the Ministry of Blue and Green Economy, Agriculture and National Food Security, Gregory Riviere, has admitted that the voters list is bloated and needs to be cleansed. However, he believes it can be cleansed outside of electoral reform.<\/p>\n

He made the disclosure during a series of public consultations on electoral reform held in Marigot this week.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe we have to do something with the voters list. I think the voters list is bloated, but we can fix the voters list outside of electoral reform,\u201d he said. \u201cThere are procedures in place we can follow to fix the voters list.\u201d<\/p>\n

Riviere continued, \u201cWe have entities that are supposed to be doing their job.\u201d<\/p>\n

He called for the existing laws to be enforced.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do not have to be spending all these nights, consultations upon consultations to take a dead man off a list,\u201d he stressed. \u201cWe don\u2019t have to be spending all that money.\u201d<\/p>\n

Furthermore, he pointed out that he doesn\u2019t believe the constitution of Dominica should be tampered with.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis has served us well and I think it should continue as it is,\u201d Riviere noted.<\/p>\n

Riviere went on to state that he is not in support of two terms to serve as Prime Minister.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake for instance, I have been hearing a lot about two terms for Prime Minister. So that is what you want in Dominica?\u201d he asked. \u201cIf the people want you, they will vote for you. If the people do not want you, they will dump you. That is democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n

He is also not in favour of the increase of expanding the electoral commission.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are we going to achieve by expanding the electoral commission? The constitution gives us two from the government, two from the opposition and the President determines who will be the chair. That is okay. All we need to do is get the electoral commission to work and as long as the electoral commission works we don\u2019t have a problem,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

Building Contractor Stewart Paris asserted that there is a need for a voter ID Card during general elections in Dominica.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile I stand corrected I cannot think of one jurisdiction in the Caribbean region or subregion that does not have a voter ID Card to help in the safeguard of this electoral reform process,\u201d he stated. \u201cIn fact, I believe and I stand corrected again that Mr. Dennis Byron needs to have a voter ID Card on election day in his jurisdiction to cast his vote.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paris continued, \u201cSomeone needs to enlighten me on what it is that is so unique about Dominica that it must be the only one in this global jurisdiction in the Caribbean region that should not have a voter ID Card as a safeguard against fraudulent elections, fraudulent voting, and election rigging.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Representative of the Marigot Constituency, Anthony Charles has called for a fixed date for general elections.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou see this thing about, I feel to call it\u00a0and whole term people running campaigns I don\u2019t like that,\u201d he argued. \u201cSet a date.\u201d<\/p>\n

Charles further argued that the constitution is weak.<\/p>\n

\u201cBack in the day, people used to move on principle\u2026People don\u2019t have no principle no more\u2026sometimes I don\u2019t even have principle,\u201d he stated. \u201cI cannot even trust myself to keep a date\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

He added, \u201cWe need a set date because we cannot take people’s word.”<\/p>\n

Charles believes that the constitution has too many loopholes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is wrong with setting a date?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

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