Dominica: The opposition United Workers Party’s (UWP) decision to review its boycott of the parliament has caught the attention of the governing Dominica Labour Party (DLP), according to a report on the Dominica NewsOnline.
The UWP has made brief appearances but has largely stayed away from the House of Assembly in protest against the alleged biasness of Speaker Alix Boyd-Knights, and to press for electoral reforms the party says the government’s not keen on introducing. Party officials said at a public meeting this week that the UWP is in the process of reviewing its strategy of non-attendance in parliament.
The DNO report said that Deputy Leader of the DLP, Ambrose George, has been commenting on the opposition party’s announcement about the proposed review. “The Dominica Labour Party notes news reports that the UWP delegates’ convention of January 15, 2012 has unanimously passed a resolution calling on the UWP parliamentary caucus to review its decision to boycott the house of assembly in anger over the DLP’s landslide victory in 2009,” George said.
He noted in a statement that “even this commitment to a review – small as it is – is a big victory for commonsense, justice and the hard working people of Dominica because in this case boycotting parliament was a hot headed response to political defeat”.
According to the DLP Deputy leader, news of the resolution means that the UWP “would exercise commonsense and would be putting an end to the comedy of lame excuses for boycotting parliament which now stands at 27”.
The DNO report said that George labelled the UWP’s boycott a failed strategy to frustrate the will of Dominica’s majority. “The resolution would also be an act of justice for the people of Dominica because for two years the UWP parliamentarians have continued to receive full pay for no work at the expense of hard working people of Dominica and at the height of a global financial economic crisis,” he said.
The DLP also wants the UWP to review other practices it alleges the opposition party is encouraging, including the denigration of judges and the court system.
George also took issue with the so-called “people’s parliament”. He contends that these activities are geared at doing harm to Dominica.
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