A pre-election public debate organized by the Dominica Business Forum Inc. for candidates in the upcoming Roseau Central by-election has been lauded as a landmark example of constructive political engagement, despite organizers voicing disappointment over chronically low youth participation at the event.
Hosted on July 29 at the Dominica China Friendship Hospital, the discussion brought together three contenders vying for the vacant constituency seat: Ashma McDougall of the ruling Dominica Labour Party, Danny Lugay from the opposition United Workers Party, and independent challenger Sherman Boston. In an official press statement released two days ahead of the forum on July 27, the organization extended public gratitude to the three candidates, moderators and broadcast journalists Kaywana Fontaine Wilson and Mathias Peltier Jr., and the general public for their collective contributions to making the event a success. Local media outlets DBS Radio and Dominica News Online also earned praise from the forum for their work broadcasting the discussion live over radio and streaming it online, opening access to the conversation for both domestic audiences and Dominicans living overseas.
The non-profit umbrella group, which has served as a coordinated voice for Dominica’s business community since its founding and registration in December 2012, says feedback collected from both in-person attendees and online viewers has been overwhelmingly positive. A large majority of respondents voiced explicit support for the organization to host more similar cross-party candidate discussions ahead of future elections across the country.
For the forum, the event successfully fulfilled its core stated goal: creating a structured, respectful space where political candidates with competing ideological and partisan perspectives could come together to debate issues of critical national importance. Organizers emphasized that the polite, professional demeanor all candidates maintained throughout the discussion proved the tangible public value of constructive political dialogue. The forum added that the exchange set a strong benchmark that all future candidates seeking public office in Dominica should aim to meet.
Despite the widespread acclaim for the debate, the organization highlighted one notable shortcoming that it says warrants urgent attention: the disproportionately low turnout of young voters at the event. In its statement, the forum expressed deep concern that a large share of the country’s young electorate missed a critical opportunity to watch leading political candidates debate the policies and issues that will directly shape Dominica’s future. To strengthen the country’s democratic processes, the group argues that targeted efforts must be made to boost youth engagement in future similar events, as higher youth participation fosters more informed civic involvement and enriches the quality of public democratic discourse.
As a reminder, the Dominica Business Forum stressed that it remains a strictly politically neutral and non-partisan entity. Its core mandate, it says, is to collaborate with all national stakeholders across the political spectrum exclusively to advance inclusive, sustainable economic development across the island nation.