Dominica: Ashma McDougall wins Roseau North Bypolls for DLP 

Roseau, Dominica: Ashma McDougall won by-elections for Dominica Labour Party (DLP) from Roseau North with 1407 votes and became the parliamentary representative. She succeeded Miriam Blanchard, who resigned from the constituency and retained the seat for the party.

Notably, Ashma McDougall is known for her works in different fields such as entrepreneurship, leadership and women empowerment. She retained the seat for DLP as she lauded Blanchard for her work for the constituency and promised to work in different sectors.

She outlined her vision for the improvement in road infrastructure, health sector, education sector and women empowerment. McDougall added that she will work for the betterment of Roseau North and run her campaign with a motto, “Ashma will deliver.”

On the other hand, Danny Lugay, candidate from the United Workers Party who received 974 votes and failed to secure the seat that historically belonged to his party. He won the Roseau North seat in the 2014 and 2019 elections before losing it to Miriam Blanchard in 2022. His defeat marked the loss of a constituency that had historically been held by the United Workers Party (UWP).

This situation has once again prompted questions about the UWP, declining fortunes over the past decade, with the party’s electoral performance showing a noticeable downward trajectory since 2014.

The latest defeat therefore suggests that the UWP’s political graph has fallen even further than it was before. One of the reasons being pointed to is the party’s association with controversial and criminal-type individuals, such as Gregor Nassief. People who speak against the country’s development often find themselves aligning with the UWP, while the UWP continues to support them.

This association has increasingly contributed to a negative perception of the party among voters. When the UWP chooses to stand with individuals who are seen as opposing the country’s development, rather than distancing itself from them, people naturally begin to question the party’s priorities. This has led to the UWP losing the trust and confidence of the people, as voters no longer appear to have the same faith in the party’s ability to hold power or govern Dominica.

The continued electoral setbacks therefore suggest that voters are increasingly rejecting not only the party’s political approach but also the associations and positions it has chosen to embrace. The decline of a party in constituencies it once considered its own raises a clear question about whether the UWP’s current political strategy is becoming increasingly disconnected from the priorities and expectations of the Dominican people.