Posted by 
Gabriel Christian,Dominican attorney based in the US
Earlier this year, I took the Roosevelt Skerrit government to task for its blatant lack of transparency in governance. I did so knowing full well that I would be criticized, my integrity impugned, my motives questioned.
I was told that my concerns were merely a matter of sour grapes, that I was being mean-spirited and selfish. I was accused of betraying the friendship of the Prime Minister.
It was said that I was trying to manipulate the PM for my own selfish reasons. I was accused of sacrificing my beliefs on the altar of rumour and innuendo. Even after I decided to hold my peace, I was accused of receiving money from the PM in exchange for my silence.
Recent revelations convince me that this is a time when my wounded pride should no longer silence me. This is a time when, to heed the eerily relevant words of Dr. Martin Luther King, in moments of national crisis, the hottest place in hell is reserved for those sycophants who chose to maintain their neutrality. This is a time when I must speak again, and speak I will.
There is now incontrovertible evidence that the governance of the country is merely a front for the illegal and fraudulent activities of our Prime Minister.
The garbage bin bobol, the fertilizer bobol, the questionable land transactions, the $400,000 house which by all accounts, cost over $1,500,000, the allegations involving gifts of televisions, watches and sexual favours, all suggest that Dominica is facing a moral crisis the likes of which it has never seen.
Where have all the flowers or paragons of virtue gone? Where are those who in 2000, wrote articles including a memorable one: “Cry Thy Beloved Country?” Where are all the indignant voices, the custodians of our values; the so called pillars of law and justice?
Where are the pastors, priests and potentates who waxed religious in the past about the stench of corruption in Dominica? Where are the Freedom Party stalwarts, those who professed to be holier than thou; those who parade like popes on Sundays?
Tell me why you maintain your silence! Tell me why you look the other way! Tell me why you make excuses! Tell me why you excuse the blatant theft in government on the flimsy justification that “he doing fings on the island!” Tell me why!!
Where are the moral entrepreneurs? Those comrades who preached about socialism in the 1970s? Those who talked about the common man? Where are they who talked about “de bourgeois” exploiting the common man? Where are they who threw out the UWP because of corruption?
The most recent disclosures show conclusively that the PM is the owner of the villas at Savanne Paille. The emails show, yet again, the tangled web of deception that the PM has engaged in.
They show the greed and the wealth accumulation of a man who is intent on grabbing all he can from the position he now holds. It shows the contempt in which the Dominican people is held by believing that they will not find out about this latest embarrassing revelation.
What next? Where is all this heading? How much tolerance do we have for corruption? Edward LeBlanc, Rosie Douglas and Eugenia Charles must be turning in their graves. If they were Lazarus, they would be getting out of their graves and demanding that the PM leave office immediately.
In the late 1970s, Mike Douglas rallied the people when 45 square miles in the north were sold to a Texan. Today, his son sings shamelessly when asked by this PM, even while saying privately that the PM has amassed a fortune of at least $30m. Mike Douglas is saying a thousand novenas for the defilement of his memory by his son, Ian.
Which self respecting leader personally hands out money to people? Which self respecting leader allows hospitals to operate without basic medicines, while personally handing out hundreds or thousands of dollars for funerals?
Which honest leader accepts gifts of land and money without disclosing them? Which honest leader is indirectly paid in exchange for the granting of diplomatic status to rogue individuals?
Those who value this wonderful land; those who cherish honesty and integrity in government; those who honour the memory of Edward LeBlanc, Rosie Douglas, Pierre Charles and Mary Eugenia Charles, now is the time to make your voices heard.
You have nothing to fear but fear itself. Let us join hands and take back this beautiful country of ours. Let us get rid of Ali Baba and the forty thieves!!
Proof jack proof. u say so much and do so little. how about bringing concrete proof to the table not just say say and scandal and cheap political strategy. take the matter up to the integrity comision take the PM and all those responsible to task. dominica needs an honest leader but dominicans are not prepared to sacrifice skerrit over baseless allegations brought forth by disgruntled individuals just b4 elections. so my friend how about u stop chat, and start act if at all u have something concrete.