In the wake of the recently concluded September 7 Roseau North by-election, independent contender Sherman Boston has raised sharp criticisms over widespread organizational failures in the electoral process, claiming that systemic missteps led to voter confusion and disenfranchisement across the constituency.
Speaking exclusively to investigative journalist Richie Ferrol on September 8, one day after polls closed, Boston argued that the Electoral Office had ample time to prepare for the by-election and failed to deliver a smoothly coordinated voting process. He emphasized that procedural inconsistencies and poor planning eroded public trust in the island’s electoral system, going as far as to note that some registered voters were ultimately blocked from casting their ballots entirely due to the disarray.
Boston singled out the Goodwill Primary School polling station as a primary example of these failures, where large numbers of voters struggled to locate their assigned voting areas. He recalled that the chaotic situation only prompted emergency intervention late in the day: “Actually at three o’clock on polling day, Mr. Duncan Stowe, the chairman of the electoral commission, and three young ladies came in and took two photos of the middle with signs to the Goodwill Primary School grounds, providing proper signage, as people appeared confused as to where to find the polling stations. This was done to reduce the chaos that was developing.”
The independent candidate stressed that issues with election organization were not limited to his own on-the-ground observations, noting that multiple other stakeholders and voters had also submitted reports of similar problems across other polling locations.
Beyond logistical failures, Boston outlined the broader structural challenges independent candidates face when competing against nominees from established political parties. He explained that a large share of voters still rely on major political parties for information and political guidance, creating a high barrier to entry for non-partisan candidates looking to build support. Boston also accused major parties of treating voters as tools to advance their own ideological goals and consolidate power, rather than prioritizing the long-term well-being of the general public.
Boston went on to detail the inherent structural advantages he claims his two opponents held in the race. He alleged that the winning candidate, from the governing Dominica Labour Party (DLP), gained an unfair edge through the ruling party’s access to state infrastructure and public financing, which the party used to build and maintain its popularity among voters. “I mean, out of the three candidates, one had the backing of a political party that literally bought its popularity through government structures. The current government has access to the country’s financing; you cannot shy away from that,” Boston alleged.
As for his other opponent, Boston noted that the United Workers Party (UWP) nominee benefited from decades of built-up support and a long-established political base in Roseau North, where the UWP has historically been considered the dominant political force. “The other opponent had an inherited popularity in the UWP and was supposed to be a stronghold in the Roseau North Constituency. It ended badly for them because, I mean, certain times you have to look outside yourself,” he asserted.
These existing partisan power structures, Boston argued, created a fundamentally uneven electoral landscape that put an independent candidate like him at an unavoidable disadvantage from the start of the campaign.
Despite the final outcome that saw DLP candidate Ashma McDougall win the seat and retain the party’s majority in parliament, Boston says the results should push major political parties to engage in serious introspection. He specifically pointed to the UWP, noting that the party had what could have been a clear path to victory but made strategic choices that undermined its chances.
McDougall’s win closes the latest chapter in Roseau North’s political history, cementing the DLP’s continued parliamentary control in the constituency.