ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – The Dominica Parliament Wednesday approved electoral reform legislation as police fired teargas and rubber bullets at opposition supporters who claimed that the government had not been transparent enough in dealing with the matter.
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit was not present at the parliamentary session, having flown to the French island of Saint Martin to attend the 76th meeting of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean (OECS) leaders that ends there on Thursday.
The Dominica government tabled three bills late last year: the Electoral Commission Bill 2024, the House of Assembly (Elections) Bill 2024, and the Registration of Electors Bill 2024. Parliament was meeting today to approve the legislation that the relevant individuals and groups had reviewed since Sir Dennis Byron, the former president of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), submitted his report on electoral reform on June 12, 2023.
The ruling Dominica Labour Party (DLP) enjoys a 19-2 majority in the Parliament. Even with Skerrit and two other legislators being absent, the bills were always guaranteed to receive parliamentary approval on Wednesday.
During the debate, one of the two opposition legislators, Anthony Charles, supported the measure, telling legislators that electoral reform has been an “ongoing debate” for more than 17 years.
“I stand for the bills to be passed,” he said to loud applause, adding, “We have to start somewhere. We must give and take; this is not about political parties showing their strength. This is not about the government flexing its muscle but about democracy.”
“I want to record that I recommend that we start it, and I will start it…by passing this bill today.
Attorney General Levi Peter acknowledged at the start of the debate that the bills did not have “everything that everybody would want.”
“Does this bill have most of what most people would want? The answer, Mr. Speaker, is yes,” he said, agreeing that the legislation is a significant improvement on the existing bills and will contribute to “the modernization of the registration of electors in Dominica.”
“Electoral modernization and reform is not a one-time event. Instead, Mr. Speaker, it is a continuous process that requires review and intellectual and legal rigor, fortitude, and diligence to address identified issues, shortcomings, and improvements promptly.
“The objective always, Mr. Speaker, being to establish and maintain an electoral system and process, which is free, fair and free from fear and which ensures that as many people are qualified and lawfully entitled to exercise, their franchise can do so.”
But outside the Parliament building, the UWP, which boycotted the last general election over electoral reform issues, has hinted at continuing the “struggle” to get the government to meet other aspects of electoral reform, such as campaign financing debated.
UWP leader Dr. Thomson Fontaine told reporters that the “people of Dominica are saying that the reforms as contained in the legislation are not good enough.
“We believe that what the prime minister is attempting to do will not improve democracy; it will make it worse. We are at the point where we have been extremely patient. We have waited very long for electoral reform, and they are asking him to do the right thing.
” People are here because they are not happy with this government. They are not satisfied with what they have been doing as far as taking away some of the safeguards we have in our legislation,” he added.
Fontaine said that the opposition had “several” options should the three pieces of legislation be approved in the Parliament, “which I can’t go into now, but let’s be very clear: This will not be the end.
“This is the beginning; this is not the end, and so this is something we will have to fight through until we get it, and whatever happens in Parliament today, we will continue our struggle,” he added.
Police fired teargas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd that had gathered outside the parliament building, and Acting Police Commissioner Davidson Valarie insisted that no permission had been given for any protest action to be held.
“The Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force advises that the Electoral Reform Coalition, officials of the United Workers Party, among other organizers, have been planning protest action on High Street near the House of Assembly.
“I wish to inform you that no permission has been sought from the Chief of Police, nor has the Chief of Police granted any permission for any protest action. Therefore, any protest action in Dominica on Wednesday…is unlawful.
He said the Public Order Act clarifies that protest action could only occur after permission has been given, adding, “The Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force is advising the public from participating in any unlawful or protest action in Dominica on Wednesday.”
He warned that those involved in organizing the “illegal protest or march…will be held criminally liable for any public disorder that may arise from this illegal protest action”.
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