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Skerrit threatens by-elections in three constituencies
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has warned that the three elected members of the Opposition in the Dominica Parliament yet to be sworn-in since the December 18th general election could face by-elections in their constituencies if they miss three consecutive parliamentary sittings.
Prime Minister Skerrit made the statement while addressing the ground breaking ceremony of the new Delices Water Supply Project on Tuesday
Hon. Skerrit said parliament is for serious people and for serious business. “We cannot have side shows when people need their interests and their issues to be represented inside parliament. We are going to parliament for a second time on March 29 and April for a third time. We will go back for a fourth time and those who want to miss three sittings of the parliament and make the seats vacant, the DLP shall file candidates to contest by-elections in those constituencies and i have no doubt that the DLP candidates will be voted into parliament” he said.
Skerrit’s Dominica Labour Party (DLP) won eighteen (18) of the twenty-one (21) seats in the December general election, with the other three going to the United Workers Party (UWP).
The UWP has gone to court challenging some of the results, arguing that there were irregularities in the elections and electoral process. The party is boycotting parliament and its three MPs have already missed the first sitting. They vow to maintain the boycott until government calls fresh elections. In lieu of the national parliament, MPs Norris Prevost, Victor John and Edison James have opted to participate in what they have labeled The People’s Parliament.’ The People’s Parliament is organized by a number of political and civic groups including the UWP, the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD) in Dominica and the Citizens Forum. The latest installment of the People’s Parliament was held last night in Marigot.
Prime Minister Skerrit and other Labour Parliamentarians have heavily criticized both the boycott and the People’s Parliament however Athurton Martin, one of the persons who has supported the Opposition boycott of parliament and work of the MRD says the exercised is a very useful one for the Caribbean.
Activist Athie Martin, who heads a consulting firm, is involved in the so-called People’s parliament.
He said Caribbean the exercise was a useful one.
Okay, the latter part of this article is very unclear. What exactly is the writer trying to say here. “Athurton Martin, one of the persons who has supported the Opposition boycott of parliament and work of the MRD says the exercised is a very useful one for the Caribbean….He said Caribbean the exercise was a useful one.”
I am guessing the writer meant is saying that the boycotting of parliament is being called an exercise. If so, then why is it called an exercise and why is it deemed useful by Mr. Martin?