Integrity Must Come First, Why UWP’s Call for Transparent Governance Matters
Power must once again answer to the people. Not the other way around.
We’ve heard the speeches. We’ve seen the projects. But behind the potholes and press releases lies something far more dangerous: a collapse of accountability. This is where the United Workers Party (UWP)’s second platform pillar hits hardest, Accountable Governance. And frankly, it couldn’t be more urgent.
For years now, the people of Dominica have been watching institutions bend, not to the will of the people, but to the whims of power. The lines that once separated party from public office, loyalty from law, have blurred so thoroughly that many no longer see them at all. And that’s exactly how bad governance takes root, not in a single moment of corruption, but in the slow erosion of standards.
When the UWP says it will restore respect for the Constitution, the rule of law, and the independence of institutions, this isn’t political theatre. It’s a necessary repair job. We need civil servants who act without fear. Judges who aren’t seen as party appointees. An Electoral Commission that belongs to no one but the public. None of that is idealism, it’s baseline democracy.
What the current state shows us is that institutions without accountability become tools of control. Public contracts are awarded without transparency. Dissenters are sidelined or punished. Independent voices are drowned by partisan noise. And the people, real people, farmers, nurses, teachers, are made to feel like beggars in their own country.
Restoring trust starts with protecting independence. The Office of the President must be more than ceremonial, it must embody national unity, not party allegiance. The police force must uphold public safety, not silence critics. Parliament should be a forum of genuine debate, not a rubber stamp. The UWP’s plan to disentangle these offices from political control is responsible.
If we are to move forward as a nation, Dominica must stop confusing loyalty with leadership. Accountability means accepting scrutiny, disclosing finances, answering to Parliament, and acting in the public’s interest even when it’s inconvenient. The UWP’s focus on this kind of integrity deserves attention because the conversation itself has nearly disappeared.
In a country where calling for good governance gets you labelled “bitter” or “political,” the very act of asking questions becomes revolutionary. That’s the sign of a democracy in danger. UWP’s platform may not fix everything overnight, but its call for accountability is a step we can no longer afford to ignore.
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