The recent E O. Leblanc independence lecture by Justice Irving Andre in my opinion was one of the most illuminating national lectures I have heard. However it was the comments and responses after a replay of the lecture on “Law on Q” that forced me to reexamine and reflect on the life and times of this great Dominican. This is so especially in a political season devoid of debate since those who rule don’t feel obligated to do so. Dominican taxpayers they say are not the major financiers of their campaign.
I am no historian but on reviewing the life and times of E.O Leblanc I have concluded that the two most important aspects of his legacy were first his commitment to instill in a battered and dehumanized people a sense of self-pride and self-worth . The second, no less important was the individual ownership of at least “a little piece land”. A clear indication to me that E.O Leblanc understood that ancient Pan-African tenet that “Land is power to be protected and defended by any means necessary”. These two goals combined could only result in fostering an independent spirit in his people.
I believe that it is because of his success in achieving these objectives that E.O Leblanc and the then Labour Party have etched a place in the hearts ,minds and DNA of older Dominicans. It must also be the reason why the renegade freedomites Skerrit, Savarin, Alix-boyd Knight, Astaphan, McIntyre and others who had nothing to do with his principles would conveniently wear the” Labour” mask to establish a dependency syndrome that will keep them in power while they enrich themselves and destroy the PRIDE of DOMINICANS. It would be naïve not to consider as conspiracy the fact that younger Dominicans are so ignorant of E O Leblanc’s legacy . This instructive history of the life and times of E O Leblanc is absent from our school curriculum! This is after fourteen years of a so-called Labour Party regime that proudly boasts of it’s’ (mis) education of the masses. Furthermore no member of the cabinet attended the lecture. Labar what???
I daresay that the significant dismantling of these two pillars of E O Leblanc’s legacy commenced with the parachuting of the ex-Freedomite Roosevelt Skerrit at the helm of Labar Party brand after the untimely death in 2004 of Douglas- Charles. Though his defenders may dispute this, it would be downright hypocritical to deny that in the last ten years there has not been a significant and accelerated decline in both aspects of E O Leblanc’s legacy. We have largely become a seemingly helpless and dependent people. Our arable lands lie barren while unemployment is at an all time high yet Skerrit celebrates his weekly corrupting ‘Red Clinic!! Begging has been elevated to an art with no shame or guilt. In a follow “the leader’ type of trance we depend on others to do for us want we can do for ourselves, we don’t sacrifice for others anymore, indeed we sacrifice others to safeguard or well being, no better example of “diabolical blood-sucking” exists. This “New Labar” leadership teaches and encourages followers to denigrate those they don’t like or who differ from them regardless of achievements or commitment to this beautiful country. I must say that the adoption of this warped philosophy of the “divine” right to dehumanize and demonize because of difference is straight out of the “slave masters control or destroy manual”. E O Leblanc and his team, must be turning in their graves since this is exactly the mindset they martyred to change. Some of us struggle daily to resist this mentality that says “Massa alone knows what is best for us while using us and hypocritically masquerading it as “Yes we care.” This mindset prevalent in the Skerrit regime is in my opinion much worse than that which existed in the pre-Leblanc era. Go listen to the lecture, read the history or better yet ask the elders in the land who in this election cycle struggle to explain and rationalize their continued allegiance to the “New Labar” brand.
Thank God some of us because of E O Leblanc’s foresight on land ownership do still own a ‘little piece” of mostly inherited land. How many of us have bought land in the last ten years? A few have formalized squatted land but many have sold this important aspect of the legacy ignorant of the adage, no land, no power. I add ‘No land, no agriculture. No agriculture, no income. No income, no independence”. Without financial independence what will happen to those “little pieces of land” when subjected to this double assault of increasing psychological dependence coupled with the failure to economically empower people. No doubt like any truly scientific process those responsible for the assault know that the “little pieces of land” will have to be sold to their moneyed friends just to maintain the lifestyles that we have been encouraged to adopt.
In this election season devoid of opportunity for debate I am asking the educated class the major beneficiaries of E O Leblanc’s legacy to stand on behalf of Ma Dominique and the less fortunate. Let your voice and actions count. Do the right, be firm, be fair and for your children’s sake advocate and vote for those capable of stopping or better yet reversing this deliberate dismantling of E O Leblanc’s NOBLE legacy.
May the spirits of the ancestors be pleased.
Dr Irving “EIPIGH” Pascal MBBS. FRCS.
” A clear indication to me that E. O Leblanc understood that ancient Pan-African tenet that “Land is power to be protected and defended by any means necessary”. These two goals combined could only result in fostering an independent spirit in his people.”(Pascal).
Assuming I agree with the sentiments in the quote above, I still contend that the way the land was taken away from the white Estate owners were partially wrong. Because in the quest to take the land away from the owners, our people through Leblanc chased the few whites who made Dominica their home taking along with them the potential they had to aid in the development of our country.
Make no mistake about it, without Folly & Barns, who came and cultivated the Woodford Hill Estate, Melville Hall, owned the Melville Hall Estate, where the Airport is located. Col. Strong owned the
Picard Estate, and someone else owned an small Estate, around the village of Castle Bruce, L. Rose & Co, owned a small estate in Scott Head, and some business in Roseau. Those estates were the major source of employment of people who were not employed within the civil service. Hence the Woodford Hill and Melville Hall estates provided work for the people from Calibishe, Woodford Hill, Wesley and Marigot. The Londondeery Estate was owned by a British family, the Stebins, who had long left it in the care of Frobell Laville, a Carib iIndian, and went to Trinidad where they also owned land, they died in Trinidad, with no family left Laville inherited the Estate.
The bananas produced on those Estate, provide work every two weeks for people from Portsmouth, and the far North, as they worked caring bananas oh their heads from the Shed Called Long House to the lighters taking the Bananas to the ship anchored off the sea shore in the bay of Portsmouth.
In that period of our history, believe it or not had it not for those estate owners, we may have seen starvation in Dominica, to the magnitude we are experiencing in some parts of Africa, in the twenty-first century! While Leblanc, and the Labor Party was very busy chasing the British; and about four American whites out of Dominica, the Africans were busy chasing the British, French, Germans, and to an extent the Portuguese out of Africa, Africa, is undoubtedly the richest continent on the face of the earth, yet we find moor poor people in Africa, than any other place on the planet! They have the recourse but with the exception of Gold and Diamonds the rest of the world with the resources to buy from Africa, simply ignore them.
Indeed we took away the land, following that we were forced into independence, thus we gained political power, but no economy power to this present day. Our people have the land, but where is the economic power which should go along with the land. We may not like white people, they also do not like us, if they did, a Black persons would not be shut down by a white police basically every month in the United States, nevertheless, the way the world system is set up, we all are interdependent on each other, Black and white or any other color of person: it was a mistake to grab the land from their owners. Finally, I believe if Leblanc truly wanted Dominicans to own the country, he had plenty of the so called Crown Lad left by the British at his disposal which he could have distributed among the natives for free, actually; he did not do that but because of his personal vendetta against white people he ensured that every last white left the country! (Note his vendetta was all because of a white person insulting him).
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Why reinvent a persons legacy to suit a political ideology and belief, that’s what this commentary is all about. That thing called “Politics” is an enemy of reason, it perpetuates prejudices regardless of a person stature and intelligence.
Dominicans I wonder whether we would do this for God who is the giver of life? I wonder whether we ask God what is the right thing here and now in this situation? We have put everything above the love o God or else if we had his light in us we would not stand for anything that offends him. Have we asked him what he thinks of this un-natural love we show for a mortal over him? He is a jealous God and will rain his judgment over this land and not Skerrit nor Lennox will be able to spare Dominicans from his punishment. I ask again Dominicans God seek this love for himself, and so this un-natural love we show to politicians over God will not stand for material gains. We behave like kids in a candy store. I pray that God have mercy on us, although deep down I know we have gone too far and are beyond the reach of being spared for our ignorance. Father, forgive us for we know not what we are doing. Oh the devil is laughing at us and his servants are feeling victorious over God, but Yahweh says he will have the last say. Please Dominica while we have time ask God forgiveness for calling wrong right and right wrong. This does not prevent anyone from supporting their party, but we have to stop this madness before it is to late.
All these Religious narratives mean nothing. The madness we have to stop in this Country of ours is to wake up and think, we were endowed with a mind use it.
Two things that continue to divide us as a people are religion and politics. The powers that be have us right where they want us.
“Political parties as we know them did not begin to develop until the late 1600’s. The ancient Greeks, who were pioneers in developing democracy, had no organized political parties in the modern sense. The senate of the ancient Romans had two groups that represented people with different interests — the Patricians and the Plebeians. The Patricians represented noble families. The Plebeians represented the wealthy merchants and the middle class. Although these two groups often mingled, at times they voted as factions, or parties, on particular issues that were important to the groups they represented.
For many centuries after the fall of Rome (AD 476), the people of Europe had little voice in politics. Thus there were no true political parties — only factions that supported one noble family or another. Political parties developed as representative assemblies gained power. In England, this change began after what was called the Popish Plot of 1678.”
The slave masters have left us their legacies and we are just like sheep being led to the slaughter not realising that they continue to divide and conquer us and keep us as eternal slaves to their systems.
AWAKE OUT OF YOUR SLUMBER, MYPEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One Love
Uwp supporters you all see the light too late. We know all about E.O. Leblanc and his legacy that is why we named the new west coast highway the E.O. Leblanc highway..E.O. Leblanc was a labourite and he would be happy to see how this present Labour administration has developed our country. If Eipigh, Dr Andre and the rest of the uwpites want to know about mr. Leblanc they can ask our good doctor and historian Dr. Lennox Honeychurch. He will be glad to give them a history lesson.
What is this fixation on the cabinet not attending a lecture?
Was attending mandatory for the DLP members?
Wasn’t the lecture open to whoever could or wanted to attend?
What could Mr. Andre ( a non-labour individual) tell Skeritt and his labour colleagues about Mr. Leblanc that they did not already know?
Let Mr Leblanc rest in peace…it is what he would have wanted. Stop using the man to try to achieve political strides.
If he was my family, I would try to get a court order to stop this abuse of his privacy knowing how reserved that man was when he was alive!
doc i am wishing more dominicans could see things just the way they are it appears they need glasses to see. afraid to give hard working civil servnts a little 5% and 8% salary increase , instead giving them 1% 0% 0% pure disrespect and garbage. instead sending all our treasury money, taxpayers money by 100 000$ to Jamaica, Trinidad and Haiti etc etc via Destra and Beres hammond , on an extravagant campaign and lying to the poor souls saying is friends and well wishers paying for campaign. my people blind, they working for peanuts change and dont even know it
Do you know you have broken the first cardinal rule of thinking in your opening comment. Why do you want people to see things the way they are as it appears. Do you know appearances are deceptive. Why don’t you examine your political partisan rhetoric fed to you before you make nonsensical statements. Do you know your sense of seeing is limited. What you see with your eyes is only a picture, what makes you discern the thing you see is your mind. You have a mind use it, do not make other people use if for you.
I am encouraged by your writings… forget those who deliberately conspire to keep us away from the light… Keep tolling the bell good doctor.. that those who bear discernment may consider… We are with you..
Doctor…..Thanks for a fresh prospective to the reality in Dominica.
This is dangerous time for a country which should be moving away from massa mentality.
Thanks again Eipigh!!!!!!
May Mr. E. O. Leblanc rest in peace. He served his purpose at a time that he was the right man for the job. Labour Party has evolved – as has everything else – and another person is now leading that Party. If it is God’s will for that person to continue past December 8th, then may God’s will be done and may that person be guided by God!
stop putting god in everything. especially politics was its gods will to rule iraq all those years with an iron fist or gaddafi to rule lybia with with his feet up the rear of his people same way rosie ruling dominicans
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
This is exactly the problem here. These so call intellectuals who have their political bias doesn’t have the decency to abstain from using the great man’s name to further their own political selfishness. Please allow the man to rest in peace. He must be turning in his grave just trying to ask you guys to stop using him as a tool.
Typical Laborite ignorance and emptiness. You have nothing to add to the discourse so you fly by dumpnS*****t like a monkey and run. If we ask you to sit Dwn and discuss the matter you run and if you can’t run run away then you turn to insults. Isn’t that Wat we see from the politician and handlers f the DLP. They are too afraid to debate.
Leblanc lefy us a legacy, a model that we shoud follow. We consider him the father of our ation just like George Washington is to the United States. The Americans teach George Washington ideology in school.
But you laborites will die in your ignorance .
“only a fool lean upon his own misunderstanding
Did the UWP follow Leblanc legacy? We are in the political season and anything goes. Where were the current advocates of the Leblanc legacy over the past 15 years. This article is baffling I will just consider it a big joke.
Well, it is the same manner of which one always refer to Rev, Martin Luther King etc. History must not be forgotten.
Why is History and Social Studies taught in all schools?
What’s wrong with your fingers that you can’t work the ‘arable land’ too. the time you take to go to other islands to work go work the arable land. You all believe that once you get a little education that you are above the land and your sole role now is to brainwash the masses.
FYI. Dr Pascal is maybe the biggest flower farmer in Dominica, exporting and creating employment…what about you?
Doctor Pascal goes to his farm at least twice a week to take care of his farm. His second job is a farmer planting and shipping flowers. Also harvesting his other produce like citrus to sell on the local market.
Put this in your pipe and smoke it!!!!
Don’t dis-respect a Doctor who is and was never afraid of the soil….
You concocting lies too, just like skerrit and tony. Is that what you take your time to do. I feel sorry for you. Soon you will be a chronic liar, if you are not one already.
Such ignorant talk.
Thanks Dr. Pascal for putting it into words.
Labor party as we knew it ..as most laborites knew it ..is no more.
We have a team of impostors using the good heart of the innocent supporters of the labor party who
in their simplicity only see the color and name of the party they have always loved.
True laborites the henchmen at the fore front of your party are nothing close to the ideology and what labor stood for. You are being used .
HATERS LEAVE THE PM ALONE. ALL LIEs, ALL TRICKS all zest macqkac out cuz election is around the corner. We accustom with these talks so go away and leave us alone with our PM.
Dominica who is right and who is wrong. Dependency or independence. Well all the freedomites in power now so there is no need for a Freedom Party now, all that happened is that freedomites cme under the Labour name and now Dominica will always have a freedom Party in power, they will stay in power by using the simple tool of making the masses dependent. No land, no independence n power, you become a beggar, dependent on the landed class. It is simple . Well when people do not know there history they repeat the mistakes of the past.
I am on board with you Dr Eipigh. Love this man. Dr Eipigh for Prime Minister
Thank you Dr Pascal for your continued efforts in exercising you rights as a Dominican. I feel empowered. You are brave in embracing your responsibility as a true Dominican in saying it as you see it. We should all take up the responsibility in standing up for the good of our country.
Eipigh you are a breath of fresh air. thanks for your input
As for the little piece of land issue, this must be addressed asap.
Many of us know it and do not speak of it, once again Dr Eipigh you speak for those who either fail to or are afraid.
Too much of our land is being sold to foreigners without ample regulations. Foreigners are allowed to come in and purchase land cheap and then turn around and subdivide the land and sell it to other foreigners for sometimes more than 10 times the purchased amount. If this continues to happen, our children will not be able to afford land and we will be like St John and St Thomas
This government is selling Dominica through land and passports. There is an entire white French population in the Belles interior, out of site…….how did we let this happen?
Our government must protect of land like in the case of Tortola.
I am standing with Eipigh, we need to put Ma Dominique first.
But you are quite happy to take the money from the ‘foreigners’ when you are selling your land and then exchange the proceeds for rum. If you had an ounce of business sense or could think halfway straight you would subdivide the land yourself and pocket the windfall. Double standards, ignorance and jealousy will kill you one day.
Great job Dr Eipigh, your articles are always so enlightening. Thank you.
For those who think that Dr Eipigh should not express his point of view………
When one’s back is against the wall he will fight back, kick, shout and even bite, this is the natural instinct of every natural creature, and Dr Eipigh as part of the human race is no exception.
Dr Eipigh was brutally attacked in Parliament by a coward Skerrit, who purposely did so knowing that he was protected Parliament.
The Speaker of the house stayed mute and allowed Skerrit to call Dr Eipigh by name, repeatedly, something that wasn’t suppose to happen as per the rules of Parliament.
Every man and woman has the right to express his or her view point and I thank Dr Eipigh for leading the way, as an educated Dominica, in standing up for the things he believe. More of us MUST use Dr Eipigh as an example and follow his example in doing what is right and standing up to defend Dominica.
Power to the people
Speak Eipigh speak
Let Dominica speak
I would have a lot more respect for You Mr. Pascal if you had tried to convince your leader, in the name of good governance and integrity to distance himself from Thomson Fontaine in light of the many damaging allegations against him. There is enough evidence to back up these allegations yet people like you, Mr. Pascal, Mr. Andre, Dennis Joseph, Pat Aaron and the rest of the DAAS executive has shamelessly stood by and endorsed this move by you leader.
You claim that the present labour Party are a bunch of renegade freedomites but are you forgetting that your party was formed by a bunch of disgruntled freedomites.
You claim that unemployment is at an all time high yet you and your cabal refuse to present or acknowledge all the latest statistics to prove otherwise as presented by the statistics division and other regional and international reputable agencies. You and your kind prefer to use what you all call “anecdotal evidence.” In other words the things you say are not factual.
You claim that DLP is fostering what you call a ” dependency syndrome, ” yet your leader was on record promising to start a social programme which promised to take care of Dominicans from the cradle to the grave thereby ensuring that Dominica becomes a welfare state.
The legacy of Mr. Leblanc is alive and well sir, this is evident in the one dollar a square foot land program which was implemented by the PM ensuring that thousands of Dominicans became land owners. Our PM have also done a lot to raise our standard of living with the water program, pit latrine program and housing and infrastructure development thereby instilling a sense of pride in our country and people. Our cultural heritage is also alive and well as Mr. Leblanc would have it. We have continued to promote and develop all our cultural activities. I believe Mr. Leblanc is smiling in his grave and looking at the new E.O Leblanc highway and O.N. Liverpool highway with a sense of pride and satisfaction.
Mr. Pascal, please do not try to mention anything about being firm and fair because you and your party do not know anything about being fair and you all need to stop this campaign of lies because the whole world is watching and listening. Sir, you should be ashamed of yourself. I hope you get this response if DNO sees it fit.
Poor jab! Another one bites the dust.
It is a shame you do not really care about the people, you are trying to get UWP in so you can take advantage of the people in this country, just like you are taking advantage of the E.O. Leblanc.
You go to the lowest level to bring down the Labour Party.
The Hon. Prime Minister work hard to take care of the people in this country, to educate the people so that we can have people to better contribute to society at large. He works had to create employment.
The have fixed so many roads now more people visit because of this improvement. Causing a stimulation in the economy. All around the world Governments are giving their people money, from Africa to America to Asia this happens…you think backward … Further this indicates if UWP is in power you all will take the money for you all own interests rather than the interests of the people. E.O Leblanc supported taking care of the people’s needs…. I’m sure you have land… you have income.. Are you into agriculture creating jobs.. No…. Labour is working to build the agriculture sector … many factors have halted the industry including heavy winds and rain… yet you put all the blame on the PM.. SHAME.. E.O. Leblanc would roll in his grave about the lies you are feeding to the NATION OF DOMINICA… All you UWP people need to stop this … this is the very conduct the God opposes so that says whose side you are on. The Labour Party is doing all to move the people and the country forward and UWP is doing all they can to move the people of the country backwards and downwards. Always telling the people of this country a lie.. God Knows…
NOT me Danziger is a hard woman. the only thing im waiting for is December 8th 2014, cuz I will vote for Skerro and Timmo. I warned you all I said when Skerro will announce the date thats is when i’ll take my holidays. I stand strong all the way with labour.
Interesting coming from you Eipigh after playing victim when called out by the PM for you write-up of the Medical system! You cannot honestly hold so much contempt for the PM to be taken seriously! You view will be seen for what it is bias and twisted!
Great piece Doc…keep up the good work and may nah bless you tremendously.
Assertive, NOT Aggressive!
Not everyone who stands up for truth and honesty is a UWP supporter. It is wrong to air 24/7 videos of poor people on GIS. Scripture says when you help someone no one should know, only you and the creator. Moses lost his opportunity to the promised land because of one mistake i.e he took praises for himself when he struck that rock. All praises is to the most high. He provides he gives he is our rock our redeemer. Not any political leader. Stop taking the heavenly father for granted! Stop the pretending!
Excellent! Great insight as you has clearly opened my eyes, did not know that the Prime Minister is in fact, a Freedomite, and that has reaffirmed my suspicion, why the DFP has selectively chosen not to contest the December 8th general election. It all make sense now. I can’t help but ask the question, is it because Charles Savarin is President of Dominica the DFP has chosen not to contest the election? This is a total disservice to the working class in this country.
Let freedom of the press prevail great commentary Dr. Pascal. However, I would caution you, that you may be subjecting yourself and professional career to retaliation solely because of your candid expressions and commentaries which will be unfortunate.
Yes I Eipigh, you wanted us to believe that your last commentary on the hospital was just a professional observation and nothing to do with politics to the extent that you took great offense when the PM responded to you in parliament. Now, elections called you fully ‘declaway’. Go ahead my boy, but this time be prepared to take your blows as a man eh since you are now prepared to go all out to pass blows. I guess as the blood brother of the UWP leader you are obligated to defend him and his party it doesn’t matter how worthless, illequiped and downright dangerous to the continued progress and advancement of Leblanc’s legacy that the blue bunch are. Thankfully the VAST MAJORITY of Dominicans know who are the real people and party defending their interests, that of Dominica and Leblanc’s legacy and that is the reason why again they will overwhelmingly sweep back Leblanc’s party ( with the SHOE as its symbol and not the saw) back into power for five more years. Like it or not!!!
Is that commentary from a man who “fear for his life” when the PM goes to parliament to disagree with what he had to say about the medical service in which he is earning a living and practicing his craft of caring for us Dominicans. Does Dr. Epigh sound like a man who is fearful of the Pm and his government? Or is it that Epigh is of the view that the PM will lose the lection and so all his issues with the Health service will be solved?
At least the good Dr is been very honest. He has made no attempt to mask his political position which is anti Labour, knocking Skeritt and blaming him for the ills of Dominica. I do hope that when a political response is delivered we will not hear crying from the blue supporters.
What about this party segregation as expressed by Dr pascal. Regardeless of party affiliation we are all Dominicans and we have all benifitted from the efforts of Mr. LeBlanc and others. The current labour party is much more closely aligned to the legacy of Mr. Leblanc than the party that represents itself at the E O Leblanc lecture. We are either not listening or choose not to hear, as the Labour party is always about the upliftment of people, for example, land ownership, housing, providing for the poor and education. Every government since E O Leblanc have worked to improve our cultural awareness…….”I am no historian but on reviewing the life and times of E.O Leblanc I have concluded that the two most important aspects of his legacy were first his commitment to instill in a battered and dehumanized people a sense of self-pride and self-worth . The second, no less important was the individual ownership of at least “a little piece land”. A clear indication to me that E.O Leblanc understood that ancient Pan-African tenet that “Land is power to be protected and defended by any means necessary”. These two goals combined could only result in fostering an independent spirit in his people.”…….. Doc you said it, this is what the DLP is about be it under Leblanc, Patrick, Rosie, Piero or Skeritt. It is unfortunate that the Legacy of Mr. Leblanc is at this time been used to score cheap political points.
Obviously You have not seen the progress that Dominica has made under the Labor Party Administration !!!!!
He is trying his best not to see.