Caribbean News

Linton blasts Chairman Electoral Commission for bowing to Prime Minister Skerrit’s manipulation of Voter ID Cards

Despite recommendations for electoral reform from the OECS and CARICOM observer groups, Dominica’s Electoral Commission has chosen to accommodate Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit’s manipulation of national elections to benefit the Dominica Labour Party (DLP).

This is the view of Leader of the United Workers Party (UWP) Lennox Linton, who expressed grave concern that the Electoral Commission has not found it fit to implement a voters identification card system.

He condemned the Commission for opting to continue with the same archaic and seriously flawed system in which voters will be identified by polling officers and will not be required to produce valid identification documents.

The UWP leader also denounced the Commission for proceeding with elections with outdated and inaccurate voters’ lists bearing the names of dead people and overseas-based Dominicans who have lived abroad for more than five years.

He noted that elections under this arrangement had been manipulated to the benefit of the DLP over the past years with overseas-based Dominicans lived abroad for more than five years being allowed to vote.

Linton pointed out that people have also been known to vote in the name of dead persons because of the flawed list. He added that the UWP also understands that arrangements are being made for foreign nationals to cast ballots in the names of deceased Dominicans.
Linton blasted the Electoral Commission for choosing to maintain this course of action despite the fact that its independence is guaranteed under the Constitution.

The UWP now has the additional responsibility to provide an additional level of security and monitoring to curtail plans to cheat the elections, he said.

The UWP Leader maintained that it is time for change from a government that has done well for itself while failing to address the problems that plague Dominica amidst excuses for under performance and corruption.
Linton is satisfied that the party has assembled a competent and capable team. Additionally, an internal poll shows that the party will win at least 15 seats, he said.

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