UWP Candidate for Morne Jaune, Dr Thomson Fontaine told, ‘Go To Court’
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UWP Candidate for Morne Jaune, Dr Thomson Fontaine told, ‘Go To Court’


December 17, 2014 7:51 A.M


Roseau, Dominica (TDN) At a meeting with the Chief Elections Officer on Monday15th, UWP candidate Dr Thomson Fontaine contended that the rejection of valid votes cast for him came on the heels of massive bribery of electors in Grand Fond up to the day before elections.

However, while the Chief Elections Officer promised that the Electoral Commission will investigate the concerns of the United Workers Party (UWP) in relation to the conduct of the Returning Officer and Elections Clerk for the Morne Jaune Constituency, UWP were told that only a court order could force a recount of the ballots.

The UWP met with the Chief Elections Officer Steven LaRocque on Monday following a failed attempt to engage with top Electoral Commission officials last Friday.

Monday’s meeting was facilitated amidst armed police officers in the immediate vicinity, prompting concerns by the UWP’s Leader that Dominica has become a police state.

Dr Fontaine said the party’s delegation expressed concern over the conduct of the Returning Officer and the Elections Clerk for the Morne Janue Constituency during the vote counting exercise.

“He assured us that an investigation had been launched into their conduct and that a report would be forwarded to the Chairman of the Electoral Commission,” Dr Fontaine said.

UWP Leader, Lennox Linton who was part of the delegation, said LaRocque promised to conduct the investigation within the next seven days.

Dr Fontaine said that with regards to the vote counting, the UWP delegation was informed that only a court order could force a recount.

“We are therefore in the process of asking relief from the court to allow a clean and fair count of the ballots,” Dr Fontaine said.

Other issues raised with Laroque included that of the bribery and treating of voters by the DLP in addition to other irregularities that took place during the elections.

“We also requested that work begin immediately on the cleaning up of the voters list and the issuing of voter ID cards for voting in any future elections,” Dr Fontaine said.

Fontaine had earlier called for a full investigation of why valid ballots cast in his favour in the December 8 national elections were rejected by a particular Returning Officer for reasons outside of the electoral laws.

Last week, following the announcement of the December 8 General Elections results, Dr Fontaine said he witnessed the Returning Officer Gwyneth Anselm and attorney-at-law Lennox Lawrence attempting to deny him votes that he considers rightfully his.

He accused Anselm of rejecting the ballots on Lawrence’s instructions, despite the fact that UWP representatives presented copies of relevant electoral laws that clearly validated the votes.

The UWP candidate contended that the rejection of valid votes cast for him came on the heels of massive bribery of electors in Grand Fond up to the day before elections, in addition to the fact that 42 persons who received bribes and were brought from overseas by the DLP, voted against him.

Fontaine questioned why 13 legitimate votes cast in his favour in his stronghold, River Cyrique, were rejected for frivolous reasons on the night of the preliminary count. While he got back 10 of these votes, the Returning Officer insisted on rejecting the other three for no valid reason.

For more information, please contact the following :

UWP Leader, Lennox Linton : Tel – 1-767-275-4567; e-mail - [email protected]
Dr Thomson Fontaine : Tel – 1-767-245-7719; e-mail - [email protected]
UWP Trustee, Norris Prevost : Tel – 1-767-275-3420 ; e-mail - [email protected]


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