Opposition Leader Lennox Linton sees no resolve by Government to effect ‘electoral reforms’ any time soon, and whilst Dominica dilly-dallies, the rest of the Caribbean is making strides ahead with reforms. The Electoral Commission of Dominica hosted a National Panel Discussion on May 22, 2019 at the Goodwill Parish Hall from 6pm, entitled ‘The Electoral Process: The Way Forward’, in collaboration with the Dominica State College and the University of the West Indies Open Campus Dominica. The Commission in a release said, “We believe there is a need to soberly discuss the issues surrounding the Electoral Process with a view towards public education, and these discussions ought to be held by those charged with shaping our legislation.” The commission release also said “We are encouraging all persons to lay down, for a moment, any entrenched positions and openly, freely listen and on the basis of that, participate in the discourse via the radio, television and social media. This process is too important to be examined with bias and we want to encourage doing so in an open forum that values the exchange of ideas on this issue.” Before the discussion began, a buss arrived filled with police special forces officers armed with guns, helmets and what appeared to be full riot gear who controlled who were allowed to enter the premises and who were disallowed. They remained on the premises throughout the discussions. There was confusion in getting into the building, for ordinary stakeholders who wished to attend and view the discussion which was to deal with the topic of free and fair elections, and the process or way forward. Many of them were denied entry into the building. In essence the sober environment was transformed into a police guarded semi-hostile environment, and the open forum which was advertised as open, became a gated affair. However, Foreign & CARICOM Affairs Minister Francine Baron insisted that the electoral process has been providing accurate results from inception and hinted at the possibility of maintain its structure. Meantime the Attorney General Levi Peter said that the bills required to effect reforms are drafted and ready to be enacted, but there have been orchestrated obstacles in its way, including action by the Committee of Concerned Citizens (CCM). Peter gave no details of such obstacles, and did not acknowledge that the DLP Government had a clear majority in Parliament, and could therefore at any time, pass any such legislation it desires in the House of Assembly. In his remarks, Leader of the Opposition UWP Lennox Linton stated that there has been a history of ‘no electoral reforms’ here in Dominica, and whilst we wait, the rest Caribbean is making strides ahead with reforms. He says it is not rocket science to just give people ID cards. Leader of the Opposition UWP, Lennox Linton.
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Q95 NewsCurrent and past news stories. Archives
March 2024
Categories |