The group of Church, Business, Trade Unions and Civil Society that has been facilitating efforts towards electoral reform in the Commonwealth of Dominica and represented by the Dominica Christian Council, the Dominica Association of Evangelical Churches, the Dominica Business Forum, the Dominica Bar Association, the Dominica Public Service Union and the Waterfront and Allied Workers Union will host a panel discussion at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday 2nd May, 2019 at the Dominica Public Service Union Building on valley Road Roseau.
Members of the Electoral Reform group will lead the discussion with a presentation of the results of meetings held with the Chairman of the Electoral Commission, the Chief Elections Officer, His Excellency the President, Charles Savarin, the Attorney General, the Dominica Labour Party, the United Workers Party, the Dominica Freedom Party, the Concerned Citizens Movement, the Dominica Christian Council, the Dominica Association of Evangelical Churches and business organizations.
An invitation has been extended to the Chief Elections Officer, the Chairman of the Electoral Commission, the Attorney General and Senior Counsel Anthony Astaphan to join the panel to broaden the discussion on the way forward in achieving electoral reform prior to the next general elections that are constitutionally due on May 20th, 2020.
The main objective of the panel discussion is to help the general public understand the electoral process and the reform or enhancement requirements that are possible at this stage in lieu of the pending general elections.
The Electoral Reform Effort is considered to be a patriotic initiative undertaken by the group who is concerned about the possibility of going into another general election without the necessary reform as recommended by the OAS and Commonwealth observers of the last general election and the possible repercussions that may ensue if the next elections are perceived to be delegitimized.
The {electoral} list is however widely and publicly discredited and
Report of the Commonwealth Observer Mission, Commonwealth of Dominica General Elections 8 Dec 2014, page 20 (emphasis added).
despite, in the Mission’s view, being accurate and appropriate in the eyes of existing legislation, the Mission does not believe it necessarily reflects the reality or the wishes of Dominican society.
The Electoral Reform Effort group recognizes the authority of the Electoral Commission in ensuring a free and fair electoral process and appeals to the stakeholders, political parties and the general public to assist in whatever way possible to facilitate the process. The Electoral Reform Effort Group looks forward to a successful and educational panel discussion and participation is open all at 7:00 P.m. on Thursday 2nd May, 2019.
This article is copyright © 2019 DOM767
