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Dominica's New Government in 2009 December 18th is your Choice
Dominicans have been given less than one month to get to the polls to elect their next government. Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit declared Friday 18th December 2009 as the date for the upcoming general election.
Prime Minister Skerrit made the surprise announcement just moments ago to the delight of thousands of jubilant party supporters at a Dominica Labour Party (DLP) Rally at the Teasa grounds in Mahaut. The address was carried live via radio and Television.
“In accordance with the powers vested in me as Prime Minister of this country under section 54 of the constitution of Dominica I have today instructed His Excellency the President to dissolve the Parliament of Dominica with immediate effect and to issue a writ for the calling of general election in Dominica.” He said.
The Prime Minister continued “Fellow Dominicans at home and abroad, Nomination Day in Dominica will be the 2nd day of December…[and] Friday the 18th of December 2009 shall be elections day in Dominica.”
Skerrit was widely expected to call a snap election and he did not disappoint
The much anticipated announcement of the December 18th polling date officially kicks off the start of what is expected to be an intense and hard-fought election campaign. The DLP however has been in unofficial campaign mode since June. United Workers Party, Dominica Freedom Party and others have also ramped up their political activities over the last several months.
Five political parties – DLP, UWP, DFP, People’s Democratic Movement, the Dominica Progressive Party and the Real Labour Party are expected to contest the December polls. Many however see only the DLP and the UWP as having any real chance at forming the next government.
It is however much too early, despite the fact that election day is less than thirty days away, to predict with any degree of certainty the outcome of the 2009 polls. Skerrit however predicted a landslide victory for the DLP. UWP has also predicted victory in the upcoming general election. And while few expect the once mighty DFP to post a strong showing at the polls, it is hoping (as well as the other parties) at least, after a five0year hiatus, to return to the nation’s next parliament.
In the present scheme, the circumstances seem to favour the incumbent Labour Party which holds twelve (12 ) of the twenty-one seats in parliament. The other eight seats are held by the UWP. But in Dominica anything is possible and many of the opposition parties are confident they will be able to unseat incumbent Labour MPs in marginal constituencies.
Wow, that was a shocker!!! Elections, Cabinet dissolved. Now the whole country is in a state of excitement. Boy that really caught the UWP of guard and DFP… I will be watching this closely.
Only skerrit could pull something like dat. Bit that won’t trick the responsible citizens and those who want a fair electoral process. We must be ever aware and be prepared for the low-down-handed affairs that may be introduced to win at any cost by the DLP. Government reform, electoral reform, due diligence, and accountability are my watch words for Dec 18th 2009.