The DAIC encourages the Private Sector and other stakeholder to actively fulfill their responsibility in the electoral process by being adequately informed and understanding the process in order to utilize the system to achieve the desired result.
On Tuesday, DAIC hosted its second Eggs & Issues Breakfast for 2019 on the theme “The Electoral Process: Our Collective Responsibility” featuring Mr. Gerald Burton, the Chairman of the Dominica Electoral Commission.
It was evident through the presentation and discussion, that all stakeholders inclusive of individuals and representative bodies must take active part in ensuring the most optimal electoral process.
It was discussed that updating and cleaning voter lists is a collective community and diaspora responsibility in helping provide information towards improving the accuracy of the list of electors. Importantly, the Act provides for a review process to bring to the attention of the electoral process any objections and the Electoral Commission is soliciting the participation of all Dominicans in helping to clean voter lists. Upon publication of every list, notices are issued to the general public to review and to register any claims of omission, or other inaccuracies.
Mr. Burton noted that one of the difficulties has been to uniquely identify the voter who turns up to vote. He declared that this difficulty would be remedied by the introduction of voters’ identification cards containing specified personal information. He further stated that it is important to implement an electoral system where voters would not opt out of critical aspects of the process; hence, it is essential to have this critical process embodied in law. Additionally, he emphasized that the missing action for the success of this is the implementation of a statutory amendment for bringing the system into effect given that all equipment and logistics for implementation are available.
