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Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit announced that cabinet has approved the engagement of eminent Caribbean Jurist, Sir Charles Michael Dennis Byron who will serve as a sole commissioner to advance efforts towards electoral reform in Dominica.

He made the announcement during his Anou Palay Programme on Sunday night.

In December 2019, Skerrit revealed during the swearing-in ceremony of his new cabinet that Sir Byron had been invited to perform that duty.

“Cabinet last week approved of the engagement of Sir Dennis Byron, retired Chief Justice of the OECS Supreme Court and retired Chief Justice of the Caribbean Court of Justice, who will serve as a sole commissioner to advance efforts towards electoral reform,” he said.

Skerrit continued, “This was a further commitment which we gave and notwithstanding the COVID period, we felt it was important to advance efforts towards electoral reform and Sir Dennis has indicated to us that he will commence the exercise in the month of September, and he should be in a position to submit the final report by the end of December 2020.”

The Prime Minister described what he believes to be good news for Dominica, as “a commitment to us.”

“Electoral reform for this government is important; it is important for the country and we are hoping that once Sir Dennis would have submitted his report, then we can go to the Parliament to effect the necessary changes as he will recommend to the country to move forward,” Skerrit stated.

He said Sir Dennis is a Commonwealth citizen.

“The respect that Sir Dennis has beyond the Caribbean shores is really exceptional and I don’t think that there is any better person our country could find to conduct this exercise,” he indicated.

Sir Dennis Byron is a former President of the Caribbean Court of Justice, a former Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court and former President of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. He currently serves as President of the Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute.