Election Cases Will Cost the Government about $2.5 Million in Court Fees
Election cases will cost the government about $2.5 million in court fees, said PM Roosevelt Skerrit. The national leader said the huge amount of money that will go into settling electoral cases in courts is best channeled to developmental projects across the island. The DLP leader made this assertion in response to the election petitions filed by the UWP challenging the victory of the DLP at the December 6 general elections.
The UWP filed election petitions challenging the victory of the DLP in the 10 constituencies of Saint Joseph, Mahaut, Morne Jaune, La Plaine, Castle Bruce, Salybia, Roseau Valley, Roseau Central, Roseau South, and Wesley. The opposition contends that the election was marred by several irregularities and that it was not free and fair as generally touted.
“There have been 10 petitions filed in the courts of Dominica challenging election results in 10 constituencies in Dominica,” Skerrit said. “That is part of the democratic process and I respect that, but I would have thought that we would have put the election results behind us, put the election campaign at the back of us and focus on the development of Dominica.”
The prime minister said the election cases in the courts will bring distractions to the projects of constructing an international airport, a cruise village, a cruise port, modernization of agriculture, electoral reform agenda, and reclassification exercise to raise the remunerations of public servants.
He revealed that while the legal fees of his 10 colleagues will not be paid from the treasury, that of other public servants involved in the petitions must be paid from the national treasury.
“In the next few weeks I must find $18 million to send to the schools in America and the University of the West Indies to pay for our students studying abroad; and if I have a legal obligation in the courts that I must pay for this and I must pay for that, then I have to focus on this [court case].”
According to the prime minister, it does not make sense that an election held for only one day should be contested over a five-year period of government.
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