DOMINICA-PM says the country is waiting on Sir Dennis Byron for a report on electoral reform

ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit Thursday said he remains “frustrated” over the delay of a report examining electoral reform in Dominica, brushing aside as a “sideshow” the rally organized by the opposition and other stakeholders on Wednesday night in support of electoral reform.

“I have work to do, but I can’t bother myself with these sideshows. We are very strident on the issue of electoral reform; once I get the report the next day, I make it available to the public,” Skerrit told a news conference.

Former president of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Sir Dennis Byron, has been appointed as the sole commissioner advancing the efforts towards electoral reform and is due to submit his report soon.

Skerrit told reporters that “everybody knows, and the UWP (United Workers Party) knows that we are all waiting for the report from Sir Dennis Byron,” he said, adding that he is aware that the opposition members are in touch with the eminent Caribbean and international jurist on the issue.

“I know that he has indicated to them that very soon he will submit the report, and what the seeking to do is crn unnecessary perception or situation in Dominica…because every Dominican knows it is people outside they are talking to.

“But the people outside also know what’s happening, and so we are waiting on Sir Dennis Byron’s report (and) once we receive the information, as we have indicated, it will be made available to the public, there will be a public consultation, and then we will take it to the Parliament.

“Nobody in this country is more frustrated about the report delay than me. I want this report and to have the matter dealt with swiftly and certainly so that there will be no other issue that opposition elements in Dominica can use against myself and this government”.

The main opposition UWP and the Dominica Freedom Party (DFP) boycotted last December’s general election over the electoral reform issue, with the ruling Dominica Labour Party (DLP) securing 19 of the 21 seats, with the remainder going to independent candidates. The opposition parties had been calling for electoral reform, including a clean voters list and identification cards.

Former opposition leader, Lennox Linton, speaking on a radio program here last week, had urged the Dominican public to turn out in massive numbers on Wednesday night for the “peaceful” rally, even as the government warned it would not allow a repeat of the disturbances that occurred on February 7, 2017, when stores were looted and destroyed.

“Even the police were expecting us to come here with offensive weapons…and we were going to be using offensive language…and we were going to be insulting people…I am sure they are disappointed,” Linton told the rally.

“I am sure that the reinforcements of the Regional Security System (RSS) would be coming to us from other islands where they have reformed, have ID cards for voting, and regularly clean their voter’s list.

“Nonetheless, these government from other RSS countries send their soldiers into Dominica to reinforce the police for this peaceful meeting of the patriots of Dominica,” he said, adding that a drone was “hovering” over the location where the rally is taking place.

“They took many pictures; I don’t know what they were looking for; I hope they find it,” Linton said, as supporters called for electoral reform and a clean voters list, among other issues.

Linton, former prime minister Edison James, the new UWP leader, Dr. Thomson Fontaine, attorney Joshua Francis, Nicholas George, and the Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Isaac, were all charged with obstruction of justice.

But while the matter against James, Francis, George, and Isaac has been adjourned since die, Linton and Fontaine have been appearing before the courts here, with Linton doing so on April 27 this year.

Skerrit told reporters that Dominicans are aware of the progress being made by the island despite the global slowdown and its effect on developing countries.

“Several wonderful things are happening in the economy, and I want to put the issue of the electoral reform at the back of the country so that I could focus our energies on everything,” Skerrit said, adding that the turnout at Wednesday night’s rally showed Dominicans were not interested in what the opposition and other stakeholders are saying.

“People know what’s happening in Dominica; people know what’s happening in the rest of the world,” he said, hinting that the rally was more a less an internal battle between Linton and Fontaine, who is serving as an economic advisor to the government in South Sudan.

Regarding campaign finance and Voter ID cards, Skerrit told reporters his administration is involved in establishing “a national ID card, adding, “I don’t know of a voter ID card.

“We have passed this argument about a voter ID card. It is a national ID card the government will put in place. That’s what we always agreed on, and that’s what we are discussing.

“The issue of campaign financing is a matter for the Dominica people to understand carefully,” he said, adding, “The taxpayers may have to foot the bill of political parties.

“Do we want a tax imposed on us or part of the little income tax we pay in Dominica to go to political parties to campaign…One thing about campaign financing is that it is not only where you get your money from but you as a state; the Parliament imposes stuff on the people, then the treasuries of these countries contribute.

“The people who are pushing that do not pay any takes in Dominica,” Skerrit added.