Dominica: PM Skerrit Sworn in as OAS Recognizes Victory

The Dominican Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit was sworn in Saturday after his Dominica Labour Party successfully won the elections held on Friday, while the  Organization of American States (OAS) recognizes the victory.

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During his speech, Skerrit thanked his voters, "they never abandoned me and placed their trust for another five-year term at the head of the government (...) I thank my campaign team and party militants," he said.

The leader of the Dominica Labour Party (DLP) reiterated that all the people who voted, exercised their right without any problems and stressed that the island is a mature nation, which respects the rule of law.

"We fight as a team and win as a team thanks to the confidence placed by the people of Dominica in exercising their constitutional right to freely elect their leaders," the leader said, highlighting that the elections were fair and free.

The re-elected prime minister also contrasted that, despite the fact that many violent incidents occurred in the days leading up to the elections, the election took place in a peaceful atmosphere.

In his address, he also announced that he will begin an electoral reform process immediately, a process in which national and international jurists will be consulted to shape the reform focused on a rule to verify the real identity of voters.

Skerrit also called the leader of the opposition to talk about urgent issues that he said can be resolved together as structures that form part of the state.

“We have to get more involved with people, we have to create mechanisms to improve the relationship with the parliamentary opposition and all of us must understand that we have a responsibility that should take care of the interest of the nation. We have to work together, work for the peace and reconciliation of our country,” he said.

For his part, the opposition leader of the United Workers' Party (UWP) Lennox Linton, spread a message on social networks in which he expressed that his party "does not recognize the results of the electoral process, nor the winning government." According to Linton, there was an alleged "electoral fraud" orchestrated by the government and asked the population to demand new elections, without giving further details of the steps to follow.

On the other hand, the Organization of American States (OAS) also issued a preliminary report Saturday in which "congratulates the Government on its new    term in office    and notes that this reflects the will of the    people."

The OAS also called the leader of the opposition to "collaborate in bridging the political divide that currently exists in the    country."

The provisional results indicate that the DLP won 17 of the 21 seats in the National Assembly, the remaining four are part of the UWP.

Several regional leaders and organizations sent their congratulations to Dominica for its democratic process such as Caricom, Cuba and Venezuela.