Dear Editor,
Recently, the Honourable Roosevelt Skerrit has called for the creation of a Vulnerable Risk Fund to be financed from the sales of passports from the Citizen By Investment scheme.
While the idea by itself is noble, one has to wonder if there exists such a fund already, but under a different name and with different objectives, and if so why not apply already existing monies to already existing costs wrought by Erika.
Going by the statement of our permanent representative to the U.N., Dr. VinceHenderson, as of January 2016 the Citizen By Investment (CBI) Programme has managed to have raised circa $124 million within the past six months; ie.from July 2015 to January 2016, around $124 million was raised from passport sales.
Dr. Henderson has implied that audited statements will soon be available to the public for viewing, but we are still waiting for a complete set of professionally audited statements.
Using the words of the Honourable Vince Henderson further, and I quote the last paragraph of DNO, January 27th, 2016: “We have used it to help the farmers, the fishermen after Erika, we’ve used it for small businesses, over $4-million last year went into small businesses from that program and another $5-million have been targetted for the National Employment Program,” he revealed. “These monies are being used to help Dominicans and, therefore, we have to manage and protect that program.”
Therefore, if the monies are/were already earmarked and are being used to assist victims of Erika and other natural disasters, why do we need to
establish another fund for such? And what about the remainder some $119 million, what it being earmarked for?
The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Dominica lays out clear guidelines as to how to handle receipts and expenditures from revenue generating
programmes, such as the CBI.
Chapter V, article, “Finance” – sections 76 to 79 address and define a consolidated fund.
The CBI programme is not created for a specific purpose, other than bringing revenue to the treasury of the Commonwealth of Dominica, and thus would fall under the rules and regulations of a consolidated fund.
Sections 76 and 77 indicate the flagrancy to which the ruling regime has displayed, in regard to ethics and accounting procedures of the CBI operation: 76. All revenues or other moneys raised or received by Dominica (not being revenues or other moneys that are payable, by or under any Fund. law for the time being in force in Dominica, into some other fund established for a specific purpose) shall be paid into and from a Consolidated Fund.
-77. (1) No moneys shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund except
– (a) to meet expenditure that is charged upon the Fund by this Constitution or by any law enacted by Parliament; or (b) where the issue oft hose moneys has been authorised by an appropriation law or by a law made in pursuance of section 79 of this Constitution. (2) Where any
(2) Where any moneys are charged by this Constitution or any law enacted by Parliament upon the Consolidated Fund or any other public fund, they shall be paid out of that fund by the Government to the person or authority to whom payment is due.
(3) No moneys shall be withdrawn from any public fund other than the Consolidated Fund unless the issue of those moneys has been authorised
by or under any law.
(4) Parliament may prescribe the manner in which withdrawals may be made from the Consolidated Fund or any other public fund.
Much in line with our objectives for transparency and good governance, and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Dominica, we call upon the DLP for the creation of an automated database, in regards to the CBI programme.
Such a database should be able to display historic and current real-time information on CBI financial statements, audited and non-audited, and in
non-confidential cases, scanned copies of source documents. The proposed CBI database, viewing purposes only, would be available to anyone wishing to access it. Links would be provided for earmarked programmes, allocated expenditure amounts, and a page dedicated to public relations and comments.
In making this information public and easily accessible online, it will result in a more transparent and accountable government. That is part of good governance. It is PPOD’s promise that the Dominican government, whomever that may be, must work diligently to be open to it’s people so that each of us can be held accountable. This action will be a step in the right direction.
In the meantime, we make a solid promise to Dominicans, that we will institute and create paths of sustainable change, a change that once put into place will never take Dominica back down that road it now is travelling.
Greetings. So everything imaginable that requires funding is to be funded by “The Sale Of Passports”
This article represents the typical Labor weather and atmosphere that has been formed under the RED umbrella. It’s always cloudy, things are never clear, the sunlight never shines through meaning there’s no transparency, it’s cold, wet, and oversaturated with too many useless ministers that do nothing, the Red eclipse of the sun keeps us in the dark because they do everything behind close doors, everything is a mystery, like the devil in disguise lies are mixed with the truth, and you don’t know who to believe because you can’t tell what is myth and what is real
PPOD we all know the funds are specifically for investments such as the kepimski hotel etc. and just for your information there exist a department of Audit headed by the Director of Audit, a position that is a creature of the constitution of Dominica. That department is responsible to verify ALL government accounts, well you the writer appears to be a Lawyer so i bet you know what am talking about!!
I would agree if you complain that the report from the Director needs to be up to date because the last one posted on the government website is 2012 i think it definitely needs updating.
We must applaud a good gesture and not try to kill it with all sorts of innuendos, i am therefore applauding the gesture by the government, it is a well needed fund… a disaster fund so to speak!!!!!
You mean the same Director of Audit who is a creature of the constitution who took almost five years to present a copy of the Prime Minister’s travel to the Public Accounts Committee despite numerous requests?
And when the report was presented a trip to St. Lucia cost more than one to Europe? Hahahahahaha.
I don’t think you know what you are talking about.
And the same Director of Audit who took years to present Annual Reports. Now that this person is the FORMER Director of Audit, let’s see if things will change.
Quite right, DLP supporters are not interested in accountability by the government. After all they have Ben beneficiaries of the Red Clinic for years, gfor which we have never ever seen accounts or for that matter a budget. Furthermore the Director of Audit has not presented any up to date audit results in years. It’s like putting the fox in charge of the fowl house. If Dominicans want true, accurate and timely audits, they need to change the government. Then and only then will we get the complete picture. I suggest it would make very sad reading under the motto: how could we be so blind for so long!
Not updated since 2012? Transparency is the issue here. We’re talking of a fund with potential of hundreds of millions of dollars here not going thru parliament, just setup where there’s potential for old boys to dip into. Can’t you understand what’s at stake here? We are not against, “Transparency” is key, we need to understand, not just told.
These concerns are genuine and well founded. It appears to me that the P.M. exercises ultimate and sole discretion as to the disbursal of funds under the CBI program and we are unable to scrutinize this.
It is clear to me, that if mr. Skerrit wants to receive any future funding from the IMF (very likely in the absence of any other creditors of note) one the requirements is the establishment of such an emergency funds, as the lowering of energy costs (electricity). I don’t think for one minute, for example that IMF would be satisfied with a fund, stuffed with Dominica Govt. bonds for example, or merely a study to outline a reduction in electricity cost by projecting geothermal output.
It is unacceptable in a democratic system for an P.M. to assume such wide ranging personal powers over the spending of what is , after all, public money.
I can see an early election in the making, in an effort to keep mr. Skerrit in power before we run short of funds. It is that dire!
The important question is does a citizen have a right to challenge the constitutionality of those decisions in court. Mr skerrit is skirting parliament by not calling sessions therefore denying the rest of Dominica a voice. Let’s be realistic. 50 million spent on geothermal, red clinic spending when there is already a welfare department, appointment of former party insiders to do work that should already be done by a parliamentary established ministry. Why is passport selling under the guide of Mr. Nathan when it seems to be generating more income than customs, which is under the auspices of the ministry of finance. What are all these lawyers in Dominica doing. Total waste of time!!! It’s high time that people start holding officials accountable before it reaches that breaking point.
We need to stop talking and get together and then challenge him. Lennox take note!
Legitimate request. My first thought was how can the PM set up fund for relief without bringing it through parliament to decide how the funds are to be apportioned. That would mean all money collected and passports sold has to be accounted for. We are indeed down the drain. It’s high time some politicians get arrested for disregarding the laws of the land. Constitution violations black is white with no recourse.
Shaka, just as in the US where each party wants to be the one to appoint supreme court judges so that things go their way in a dispute, the parties in D’A want to be the ones to appoint police chief so that there will be no arrests in Constitution disputes.
Educated, straight minded people should rise up. Too many people know what’s happening but refuse to do what is right for fear of retribution. People have to collectively demand more of the Government for betterment of country. I believe the police commissioner position should be a national vote every 3 year, independent of political influence. That would make it the will of the people. Three senior officers must be nominated by rank and file then have three months to go to communities answer to public in only townhall style meetings why they think they would be best fit. People need to understand that public SERVANTS are not Masters and we put them thier to take care of our affairs. Who is really bitting the hands that feed who?