Opposition parties and electoral reform advocates in Dominica are calling for reliable supplies at the registry, saying a reported paper shortage created difficulties for citizens seeking documents needed for voter confirmation and registration.
The issue was included in a joint statement read by attorney and United Workers Party (UWP) Salisbury candidate Cara Shillingford.
Participants said the shortage was a major impediment and appealed to the government to purchase sufficient supplies to prevent a recurrence.
The groups argued that voters should not face exclusion because a public office could not provide the records required by another public institution.
“The right to vote belongs to every citizen,” the statement said.
They maintained that administrative and logistical difficulties needed to be addressed promptly so that eligible electors had a practical opportunity to complete the process.
UWP leader Dr Thomson Fontaine also raised the issue while criticizing the handling of birth certificates during confirmation.
He said that after an alternative route using birth papers became available, citizens encountered another difficulty when they were told supplies were unavailable at the registry.
Dr. Fontaine argued that the combined effect of changing documentation arrangements and problems obtaining records cost voters time.
The joint statement identified unavailable documents as one of several reasons an elector might be unable to confirm before the deadline.
“The Electoral Commission should extend the confirmation period because of the multiple administrative difficulties which delayed confirmation,” the statement said.
The transcript did not establish how long the paper shortage lasted, the number of people affected or whether the problem had been fully resolved.
The groups nevertheless urged the authorities to ensure that citizens could obtain the documentation needed and provide additional time for those delayed through no fault of their own.
During a Ministry of National Security and Legal Affairs press conference held last month, Acting Registrar General Nuraiyah Sebastian announced that normal processing of birth, marriage and death certificates had resumed after receiving a new shipment of the security paper used to print them.
She said the limited supply had slowed requests, including applications already lodged. Applicants waiting for certificates may now visit the registry to collect them, while new applications can be submitted as usual, she said.
Sebastian stressed that the registry never ran completely out of paper. It continued issuing certificates during the disruption, prioritising emergency and urgent requests, but could not meet every request within its customary time frame.
