Roseau, Dominica: Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica- Dr Roosevelt Skerrit, condemned the opposition- United Workers Party, on their decision to boycott the general snap elections. He stated the party has no political leader and, up to this hour, cannot agree on who it would put forward to lead that organization in 2023
He said that that there was a time, when the tantrums currently being thrown by the opposition in Dominica, would have attracted the interest and attention of the global community. There was a time, when their threatening to boycott elections in Dominica would have caught the eye of outsiders and shone a negative light on Dominica.
During his address at the launch of Dr Irving McIntrye from the Roseau, PM Roosevelt Skerrit stated that, but tonight, people hearing their nonsense can go on the internet to research the facts. They can dig deep and discover the true position of opposition forces in Dominica on the issue of electoral reform.
He added that persons wanting truth and not an emotion could do the research and find out that changes to the electoral structures in Dominica were kept back by the opposition United Workers Party. Persons wanting correct information can dig and discover that the real reason for the Workers Party not contesting the upcoming general elections has absolutely nothing to do with electoral reform.
“30 years ago I would have been concerned that much of it would stick as a consequence of ignorance and inadequate access to information. But this evening, I am happy with the investment this country has made in education. I am happy with the level of awareness, by ordinary Dominicans, of the challenges confronting this country of ours,” said the prime minister.
Speaking about relations of DLP, PM Skerrit mentioned that this Dominica Labour Party government could get assistance because we have built friendships and established relations. The Opposition in Dominica have no friends…they have built no relations and would essentially be starting off at ground zero. The difference between the opposition in Dominica and the opposition in any other country in the Caribbean, is that this opposition has prided itself in making enemies with all of Dominica’s friends.
PM Roosevelt Skerrit stated that every single country that has been good to Dominica in the past 20 years, has been cursed and vilified by the opposition United Workers Party. To this very day, they have not a single good word to say about the Peoples Republic of China. Indeed, they sought and received funding from Taiwan in the 2019 general elections.
He added that UWP has a lukewarm relationship with the United States of America. How the hell would they run this country in the throes of a global social, political and economic run down, when they do not have a single allied nation in the entire world?
“When last have you heard anyone from the United Workers Party being invited anywhere, to do anything? In all his years as Leader of the Opposition, where was Lennox Linton invited? In which regional or global institution would he be recognized today,” PM Skerrit added.
Asking questions to the people, he added, “The question I have for the people of this country tonight, comrades and friends, is which party can you trust to deliver for the people of the eastern districts? Which party has a record of resettling entire communities?”
He asked which party has the capacity to raise the necessary funding to have excavation work started immediately, on the resettlement of over 200 families? This is the question that you must ponder and answer, come December 6th, 2022.
PM Skerrit condemned that they are threatening to boycott elections. They are threatening to shut the island down. They are threatening to burn fires and destroy buildings. They are threatening to do all manner of intimidation in this country, Ladies and Gentlemen.
He agin asked that what have they said about resolving the problems confronting the people of the eastern districts? What has the UWP said about providing this country with a new cruise berth and terminal, capable of embracing the world’s largest cruise liners? What is the UWP saying about the issues that impact your daily lives?
“These are the questions I want you to answer. What is the UWP saying about food supply in this country? What is their plan for the farmers? For the vendors? For the bus drivers? For small business owners? For single mothers? For the elderly in our country? What are their plans? What are their policies?”said the prime minister.
They have painted awful pictures of Dominica’s CBI program. They have pointed all sorts of demeaning fingers at agents associated with that program. Are you sure that the people in the vanguard of promoting Dominica’s CBI program tonight would readily agree to work with a regime that has done all in its power to destroy that said program in the eyes of the global community?
“These are the questions we have to ponder tonight. It is ok for them to run around the country talking about they not putting forward any candidates. That is their business. My question to you tonight, is who are these candidates that they have? Show me the Irving McIntyre in that line up of candidates. Who in that bunch could have so masterfully steered Dominica through the Covid 19 pandemic.”
He expressed pleasure that Dominicans are observing. Dominicans are watching Europe. Dominicans are watching Asia. They are watching Canada and the United States of America, and they are observing a new phenomenon of self-interest being promoted by these developed and better-off countries.
Talking about the opposition, PM Skerrit stated, “Someone rang me in a panic last week, telling me they heard a second party was boycotting the elections. I asked them, which the second party is this? They checked and told me about the Dominica Freedom Party! I told them the Dominica Freedom Party has not seriously contested an election in Dominica since the day of Eugenia Charles.”
He told them the party received less than three per cent of the popular vote the last time it fielded candidates. He told them the Freedom Party tonight comprises about SEVEN individuals; the average age of whom is 73.
PM Roosevelt Skerrit added that people laugh when he tell them, that the UWP met last week and said a loud NO to anyone under 50 years of age succeeding Lennox Linton as leader of that party.
He outlined the impact of bad weather on east of Dominica, PM Roosevelt Skerrit stated that last weekend they had a weather trough passing to the east and southeast of the island. Those of people in Roseau, along the west coast and in the north of the island, were not even aware that it was raining.
He added that a lady in St. Joseph said she was shocked to hear that the airport was closed last Sunday and that the American Airlines plane had to return to Miami, because it could not land due to very bad weather conditions at Douglas Charles.
PM Roosevelt Skerrit further condemned the media for not showing damage created by climate change in Dominica. He cited that the passing trough did hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to the southeast and other eastern districts of our country. It displaced and disconnected scores of families. It uprooted roads, bridges, utility services and the very existence of neighborhoods.
While condemning, he added that this has not made headlines in the Caribbean. This has not attracted the attention of CNN and Fox News. These strange weather occurrences are now common place in a world, besieged by climate change.
He said that ten years ago, given the severity of damage in the eastern districts, Dominica would have been assured assistance and relief from neighbors, multilateral agencies and friendly governments afar. Nothing of the sort is automatic in this current environment.
“Because we cannot and must not take our Blessings for granted. I can pick up a phone tomorrow and call numerous governments around the world to negotiate a package of assistance for Dominica. Anything we get would not be anything we are entitled to. No country in the Caribbean is entitled to anything anymore, “said the prime minister.
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