I continue to stand by my decision to offer myself as an independent candidate-Wayne Norde

PAID Press Political Statement from Independent Candidate for Roseau South Wayne Norde

Two months ago, the last thing on my mind was participating in general elections in Dominica. After the Prime Minister announced that he had instructed the President to dissolve Parliament and that we would go to the polls on December 6th, 2022, my close friend, in what I would call a joke, indicated that I should consider running for office and proceeded to make a flyer, stating that I was a candidate for the Roseau South constituency.
This joke, much to my surprise, immediately gained traction and I began receiving calls from various people in the Roseau South constituency. The constituents were complaining of their plight and voicing concerns that they had been forgotten and simply lacked Parliamentary representation. The thought of me offering myself as a candidate in the general election appeared to have brought some relief and renewed hope to the people of the Roseau South constituency.

The calls came from friends and also people that I hardly knew however, their cries were consistent. They were facing
hard times and they felt like they had no representation in the House. The following day I became aware that the position of the main opposition parties was to boycott the elections and not offer themselves as candidates for the December 6th Elections. Based on the calls I had received, I considered carefully the statements made by the opposition parties justifying their decision to boycott the elections and their call for protest action from the people.

I understand and respect the decision of the opposition as it relates to their consistent position on the issue of electoral reform
and their reputation/beliefs. After looking closely at the letter from Sir Dennis Byron to Mr. Lennox Linton dated the 6th of November 2022, I also reviewed the relevant laws of Dominica, including the Constitution and the judgments referred to by the opposition. I
am not convinced that this approach if employed by everyone except Dominica Labour Party (DLP) candidates, would be in the best interest of the people of Dominica.
I agree that there is a need for electoral reform of the nature suggested by Sir Byron in his letter to Mr. Linton. I also agree that the integrity and motives of the Prime Minister MUST be called into question in light of his decision to have the President dissolve
Parliament before such reform could have been implemented and despite his assurance that another election would not be held before electoral reform. However, while I note that Sir Byron’s letter made various proposals for electoral reform, there was no mention that a legitimate election could not be held under the current legislation. I also noted that the final court of appeal (the CCJ) did not state that
another election should not be conducted under the present legislation.

There are very limited circumstances under which the President could amend (not revoke or rescind) the writ. Therefore, if the Labour candidates are nominated unchallenged, a new legitimate government would be duly elected as of November 18th, 2022. Most
importantly, I do not believe that the people of the Roseau South constituency, or of Dominica as a whole, have the luxury of being able to wait for electoral reform before they can be properly represented. There’s an urgent cry for help!

The people of the Roseau South are tired of this political environment and are fed up with the political discourse that always places them as pawns on the chessboard of each political party instead of in the driver’s seat of their own destiny.

The people of the Roseau South, and I dare say of Dominica as a whole, are tired of voting for representatives hand-picked to do the bidding of a party leader. They are ready to chart the course of their own destiny. Therefore I continue to stand by my decision to offer myself as an independent candidate charting a new way for the people.
On November 18th, 2022. We will challenge the current political environment of party politics by nominating me, Wayne Norde, to contest the 2022 general elections. We must not sit this one out!