Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has publicly condemned the Electoral Commission of Dominica for what he characterizes as a severe administrative failure in maintaining the nation’s voter registration system. During a parliamentary session on Monday, the Prime Minister asserted that the Commission created an artificial impasse to justify its non-compliance with statutory obligations under the newly enacted Registration of Electors Act, 2025.
The controversy stems from the Commission’s decision to suspend all voter registration activities for approximately twelve months, citing necessary technological upgrades mandated by the 2025 legislation. This Act requires the implementation of an advanced computerized system incorporating biometric facial and fingerprint recognition capabilities.
PM Skerrit revealed that the Commission had previously procured a technology-supported registration system from Semelex International in 2017, which already possessed the biometric capabilities now required by law. Despite this existing infrastructure, the Commission procured a second system from the same vendor in June 2025 following the Act’s passage.
The Prime Minister challenged the Commission’s justification for the prolonged suspension, arguing that even without the preferred technological systems, the Commission remained legally obligated to continue registration through manual or legacy methods. He emphasized that Section 17:1 of the Act explicitly mandates continuous registration without provision for interruption based on administrative convenience or technological readiness.
Skerrit highlighted the particular impact on young citizens who have reached voting age during this suspension period and have been unable to exercise their constitutional rights. The Dominica Labour Party, which Skerrit leads, has reportedly been prevented from bringing new voters into the democratic process for the past year.
The Electoral Office has announced that voter registration will finally resume on March 9, 2026, in accordance with the provisions of the 2025 Act, ending what the Prime Minister describes as an unjustifiable year-long interruption of a statutory process that Parliament intended to be continuous.