DOMINICA: parliamentary elections House of Assembly, 2000

DOMINICA
Parliamentary Chamber: House of Assembly

ELECTIONS HELD IN 2000

<<< Return to the Historical Archive page of parliamentary election results for DOMINICA <<<

Chamber:

House of Assembly

Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):

31 January 2000

Purpose of elections:

Elections were held for all the directly elected seats in the House of the Assembly following the dissolution of Parliament on 3rd January 2000. General elections had previously been held in June 1995.

Background and outcome of elections:

In the 2000 general elections, the ruling centre-left United Workers' Party (UWP), led by Prime Minister Edison James, was primarily opposed by the Dominica Labour Party (DLP), headed by Mr. Rosie Douglas.
The electoral campaign was dominated by the Dominica Labour Party's charges of corruption including that the government's selling of passports to wealthy foreigners was besmirching the island's image. Like several Caribbean countries, Dominica began selling passports under programmes linked to offshore banking centres in the early 1990s, in order to offset a decline in revenues resulting from the drying-up of traditional aid sources and the collapse of the banana industry.
As for the ruling UWP, it tried to focus attention on its record of building new homes, schools and roads, as well as the 3.5% economic growth recorded in 1999, despite troubles within the banana industry, the biggest foreign exchange earner.
About 60 000 people were registered to choose 21 legislators among the 56 candidates.
The DLP was elected to office, winning ten of the 21 seats in the House of Assembly while the Dominica Freedom Party (DFP), won two seats. These two parties were partners in the opposition and between the 1995 and 2000 general elections had agreed to alternate the office of Opposition Leader. The UWP, which had won the 1995 general elections with a slim one-seat majority, won only nine seats this time around.
On 7 February, the new Prime Minister, Rosie Douglas, and his coalition Cabinet comprising the DLP and DFP, were sworn in.

STATISTICS

Round no 1 (31 January 2000): Elections results

Number of registered electors 60 266

Voters 36 264 (60 %)

Round no 1: Distribution of votes

Political Group Candidates

Dominica Labor Party (DLP) 21

United Workers' Party (UWP) 21

Dominica Freedom Party (DFP) 12

Others (appointed) n.a.

Round no 1: Distribution of seats

Political Group Total

Dominica Labor Party (DLP) 10

United Workers' Party (UWP) 9

Dominica Freedom Party (DFP) 2

Others (appointed) 11

Distribution of seats according to sex:

Men: 26

Women: 6

Percent of women: 18.75

<<< Return to the Historical Archive page of parliamentary election results for DOMINICA <<<

Chamber:
	House of Assembly
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	31 January 2000
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for all the directly elected seats in the House of the Assembly following the dissolution of Parliament on 3rd January 2000. General elections had previously been held in June 1995.
Background and outcome of elections:
	In the 2000 general elections, the ruling centre-left United Workers' Party (UWP), led by Prime Minister Edison James, was primarily opposed by the Dominica Labour Party (DLP), headed by Mr. Rosie Douglas. The electoral campaign was dominated by the Dominica Labour Party's charges of corruption including that the government's selling of passports to wealthy foreigners was besmirching the island's image. Like several Caribbean countries, Dominica began selling passports under programmes linked to offshore banking centres in the early 1990s, in order to offset a decline in revenues resulting from the drying-up of traditional aid sources and the collapse of the banana industry. As for the ruling UWP, it tried to focus attention on its record of building new homes, schools and roads, as well as the 3.5% economic growth recorded in 1999, despite troubles within the banana industry, the biggest foreign exchange earner. About 60 000 people were registered to choose 21 legislators among the 56 candidates. The DLP was elected to office, winning ten of the 21 seats in the House of Assembly while the Dominica Freedom Party (DFP), won two seats. These two parties were partners in the opposition and between the 1995 and 2000 general elections had agreed to alternate the office of Opposition Leader. The UWP, which had won the 1995 general elections with a slim one-seat majority, won only nine seats this time around. On 7 February, the new Prime Minister, Rosie Douglas, and his coalition Cabinet comprising the DLP and DFP, were sworn in.

Round no 1 (31 January 2000): Elections results
Number of registered electors	60 266
Voters	36 264 (60 %)

Round no 1: Distribution of votes
Political Group	Candidates
Dominica Labor Party (DLP)	21
United Workers' Party (UWP)	21
Dominica Freedom Party (DFP)	12
Others (appointed)	n.a.

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total
Dominica Labor Party (DLP)	10
United Workers' Party (UWP)	9
Dominica Freedom Party (DFP)	2
Others (appointed)	11

Distribution of seats according to sex:
Men:	26
Women:	6
Percent of women:	18.75