Dominica’s United Workers Party (UWP) has re-elected Dr. Thompson Fontaine as its leader. Fontaine secured 125 votes, defeating newcomer Senator Delbert Paris, who received 65 votes, during the party’s Delegates Conference on Sunday. Paris was subsequently elected as the party’s deputy leader.
Former Party Leader Lennox Linton will remain as president of the United Workers Party (UWP), while Ronald Charles has been elected as the new vice president of the party.
Dr. Thomson Fontaine has said with the delegates’ conference out of the way the party will continue to focus its efforts on the fight for electoral reform for Dominica.
In May 2024, draft legislation aimed at revising Dominica’s election laws was made public. This development came after months of extensive public engagements, rallies, and debates surrounding the need for electoral reforms in the country. The proposed changes reflect ongoing discussions about improving the electoral process and addressing concerns raised by various sectors of society.
“We will not relent in our campaign to get electoral reform legislation that is conducive, that we believe is the right way to go,” he told Dominica News Online (DNO) during an interview recently. “It must include a clean voters list, it must include voter ID and it must include access to the national radio station.”
He said the party will continue to pursue this campaign for the rest of the year and into next year, “until we have that legislation.”
Dr. Thompson Fontaine emphasized that beyond focusing on electoral reform, the United Workers Party (UWP) is actively strengthening the party by selecting potential candidates to represent various constituencies in the upcoming general election.
“We are starting with a series of public engagements across different constituencies in Dominica,” he explained. “This is something we began even before the independence season.”
Dr. Fontaine shared that the party had already held eight public meetings in areas such as Wesley, Roseau, Salisbury, Marigot, and Grand Fond, and plans to continue these engagements in the coming weeks and into the next year.
He also noted that the UWP is preparing for any eventuality, including the possibility of a snap election called by the Dominica Labour Party (DLP) government.
Dr. Thompson Fontaine also highlighted that the United Workers Party (UWP) is focused on strengthening its financial foundation. “We cannot run the party without financial support,” he explained.
He further noted that efforts are underway to build up the party’s revenue sources and to broaden its appeal, particularly among individuals who have not previously supported the UWP. “The key aspect of my role as leader is to attract new blood, new people, and new voters into the United Workers Party,” Dr. Fontaine said.
