Dominicans are casting their votes in national elections today.
They are deciding whether Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit and the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) get another term in office...
Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerritt, is hoping for another term in office. He is political leader of the Democratic Labour Party
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Or whether Lennox Linton and his United Workers Party (UWP) will get the mandate.
Political leader of the United Workers Party, Lennox Linton, hopes to win the mandate, this time around (GP)
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74, 895 persons are eligible to cast ballots at the 255 polling stations across the country. The polls opened at 7 this morning, and should close—as scheduled—at 5 pm.
Thus far, there have been no indications of anything untoward happening.
This, after protests marred the pre-polling day climate, up to as late as yesterday.
The opposition United Workers Party (UWP) has been staging protest demonstrations in two constituencies over the past few days, demanding electoral reform.
Around four o’clock on Thursday morning, protesting villagers in Salisbury had a dust up with security forces and were tear-gassed. The action reportedly involved regional security service personnel.
The opposition condemned that action, describing it as “a chemical warfare assault” on residents in the area.
T&T attorney at law, Keith Scotland, who was recently in Dominica for a court matter, says the protest action which recently occurred is not the norm.
“What is happening now is something that was strange for Dominica," he told us. “By the start of this week, protests increased, and particularly from the airport in the Marigot area. There were heightened protests. In order to go to the airport, roads were blocked; and in order to come from the airport, the same road blockages obtained.”
According to Keith Scotland, the police and security forces appeared to exercise a great deal of restraint, in order to control and contain the protesting crowds.
Within recent times, there has been some unrest in two key strongholds of the opposition—Salisbury and Marigot.
However, yesterday, Marigot residents were seen clearing the roads of blockages from recently held protests, to ensure that they could vote unencumbered in today’s general election.
Marigot residents clean up in time for today's elections
DOMINICA NEWS ONLINE
Election officials were able to make the necessary preparations in the constituency for the elections.
Also, a last ditch plan to have the elections halted via court injunction failed, when judges on the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court ruled that the court “will not disturb the decision of the trial judge”. A High Court judge had ruled previously that the court does not have the jurisdiction to grant an injunction to stop the elections.
Dominicans brave the rain, waiting to cast their ballots in national elections
DOMINICA NEWS ONLINE
Because of the recent elections-related unrest, the US and Canada have issued travel advisories against the country, and cruise lines and one airline have decided not to go there until after the elections are over.