As campaigning enters the final stretch ahead of the upcoming Roseau North constituency by-election, a leading Dominican business and civic organization is stepping up efforts to boost democratic engagement by bringing all declared candidates together for a public, moderated policy discussion.
Dominica Business Forum Inc. announced this week that the event will take place on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at 7:00 PM at the Fond Cole Community Centre. This forum forms a core part of the organization’s longstanding commitment to voter education, cross-stakeholder dialogue, and increased public participation in the island nation’s electoral processes.
Formal invitations have already been dispatched to all candidates who have publicly confirmed their candidacy for the by-election, the organization confirmed. Three candidates have been publicly identified so far: Ashma McDougall running for the Labour Party, Edline Harris representing the United Progressive Party, and Daniel Lugay of the United Workers Party.
During the open public event, candidates will get dedicated space to lay out their policy priorities for the constituency, exchange perspectives on key local and national issues, and directly respond to questions from community members. The discussion will be steered by two experienced professional journalists: Kaywana Fontaine-Wilson and Matthias Peltier Jr., who will ensure structured, respectful interaction between candidates and audience members, per the Forum’s official press statement.
The organization emphasized that the forum is designed to deliver tangible value to Roseau North voters and the Dominican public at large. By creating a dedicated space for open, fact-based and constructive conversation ahead of the vote, the event aims to help constituents make more informed choices at the ballot box.
This is not the first time the Dominica Business Forum has led democratic engagement initiatives on electoral issues. The organization has a proven track record of convening critical national conversations on governance and electoral reform: it previously hosted high-profile national consultations on electoral reform led by Sir Dennis Byron, collaborated with the Dominican government and civil society groups to shape discussions on updated electoral legislation, and most recently organized a public forum featuring the island’s Chief Elections Officer.
Building on this extensive experience, the Forum reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to fostering opportunities for respectful, productive dialogue across the political spectrum, while working to expand public understanding of and participation in Dominica’s democratic institutions.
Any candidate that has not yet received an invitation but wishes to take part in the July 29 discussion is invited to reach out to the Forum directly via WhatsApp at 615-6924 or by email at info@dominicabusinessforum.dm to register their interest.