Electoral Reform Group member Anthony LeBlanc cannot understand why the Dominican passport does not contain biometric data if they are so important. He wonders why voter ID cards must contain biometric data if the passport does not have it. LeBlanc is coming up with this position in response to comments made by Attorney General Levi Peter that biometric data is crucial for national and personal security.
LeBlanc articulated his position at a public discussion program organized by the Electoral Reform Group at the Dominica Public Service Union building. Both LeBlanc who is also the BCAD president and Levi Peter among others were the panelists at the conference.
The panelists articulated their views on the voter ID cards, the use of indelible ink, cleaning the voters’ register, and verification of voters domiciled abroad. Attorney General Peter in his submission said it is necessary for existing laws to be modified to accommodate the use of voter ID cards. He said changing the law would empower the government to introduce voter cards and also compel the electorates to use them in line with electoral processes everywhere.
Peter further averred that the law amendment is not important for the adoption of indelible ink.
“We seem not to recognize that for the introduction of identification cards to work, it has to be that the prospective voter is compelled to engage in its use,” Attorney General Peter said. “In other words, if you are not obliged to use an identification card, some people will choose to use it and some will not, and then the whole purpose as I understand it for seeking to ensure as far as possible that a person votes, once and only once, in an election may well be undermined.”
In his response, LeBlanc said that since the passport is a superior document to voters’ cards, why would biometric data be necessary for voter cards and not for international passports?
“The question is why has the commission not passed the required regulation so that it may issue the ID cards?” LeBlanc asked. “And another question is: is parliamentary amendment required to enable ID cards to be a suitable method?”
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