Caribbean jurist Sir Dennis Byron, the appointed commissioner for electoral reform in Dominica, recently submitted his final report, marking a new chapter in the long-debated subject. However, the proposal has not been universally accepted, igniting further discourse. Notably, prominent jurist Justice Irving Andre, serving on the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario, Canada, has expressed dissenting views.
Andre criticizes the recommendations as a “recipe to continue holding elections in the very same way.” He contends that the proposed reforms effectively normalize corruption and lead to the “catastrophic implosion of Dominica’s democracy.”
Byron, in his report, acknowledged the need for new legislation to modernize the electoral process to conform to international best practices. He highlighted issues with the current system, such as outdated legislation, lack of efficient voter identification, and process automation.
Byron proposed four major legislative changes, including the Electoral Commission Bill 2023 to enhance the capacity of the Commission. He explained that these proposals aim to cleanse the voters’ list in Dominica, modernize the current electoral system, and regulate election campaign financing.
The report is divided into two parts. The first focuses on voter identification and the voter registration system, while the second deals with the electoral process and the Electoral Commission, addressing issues like equitable use of Government media during election campaigns and electronic voting.
Byron emphasized the advisory nature of his role, stating his recommendations were independently, impartially, and objectively formulated. The responsibility now falls to the government to review the recommendations, conduct national consultations, and present the bills to Parliament for enactment into law. Despite Byron’s explicit clarification, Andre maintains that the proposals lack sufficient depth and has laid out his own recommendations.
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