PD Wrote’
“I am again going on principle that if corruption was wrong under UWP and we said we will put them in prison and Tony Astaphan, after all was won, said it was a political strategy, then the principle of corruption under Skerrit and the DLP is also wrong,. on principle. where were you all then and after we were lied to by Tony etc, just to get into office”. Philipson,
I agree with your sentiments ‘wholeheartidly’ and do not dispute these facts at all. It was wrong under the UWP and it is wrong under the Labour Party. And I do remember it being a ‘political strategy’ utilized against the UWP by Labour which worked. Our constitution allows for such provisions; the manipulation of such ‘provisions’ will continue to divide us unless we recognize the need to implement and facilitate ‘legislative’ change.
Your argument stems back to my continued ‘call to action’ for ‘legislated’ constitutional governing framework changes to our system; a system that was developed by our Imperial Masters to ‘segregate’ and ‘plunder’ the wealth and resources of our country for the coffers of Great Britain. The same system which today, segregates the people and allows for the plundering of countries resources; this is not new or surprising by any means; this is a stated fact which continues to plague us with little or no acknowledgement for change!
Leaders/Parties come and go, yet we are subjected to the same ‘assertions’ year after year without ‘legally’ being able to challenge them in a court of law. To shoot the messenger is a band aid solution to a deeper ‘underlying’ issue that has been ‘neglected’ during the rewriting of the constitution during our succession from Britain.
“My God, go ahead and support Skerrit is you want, but do not take me for a fool when they were on air saying that they will pay back the bib money. Where did the money go, who stole etc. ? A a paying citizen, I want to know, I demand to know, until then Skerrit and his gangs have lost credibility in my book”.
I also agree that the Prime Minister needs to make good on his word that the ‘excess’ funds charged for the bins were to be credited back to the treasury. This is indeed a very contemptuous issue with me and many Dominicans of conscience and it will not go away! The Prime Minister’s credibility is in question on this issue and it would serve him correct if he did ensure the funds were returned to the treasury, as indicated some months ago.
I accepted his word as an omission of error and so have many. This does not constitute ‘corruption’ if an error occurred and has been recognized. Yes, it occurred as a result of the Prime Minister involving himself in a procurement without following protocol; which he should not have done.
I also await closure to this issue and it will not be dismissed by any means!
“Ranking of these countries has always been seen as a superfluous thing played in the minds and pockets of politicians when it suits them”.
I know you are not insinuating that ‘Transparency Internationals’ credibility is ‘somehow’ capable of being compromised by politicians. I truly value your opinion and respect your wisdom, but please do not expect me to accept this reasoning.
As for comparing Dominica to Haiti, i will not dignify that comment just as i would not dignify anothers’ suggestion comparing Prime Minister Skerrit to Hitler.
Your passion and your love for your country is strong; that I commend you for, but please do not let your judgement or that passion be clouded by your political ideology!
Respectfully yours.
Christian.
