Athenia Benjamin exits political arena

Athenia Benjamin

After unsuccessfully contesting the 2014 general election on the Dominica Labour Party (DLP) ticket in the Wesley constituency, Athenia Benjamin is bowing out of the political arena.

In a message to supporters on Tuesday, Benjamin, who was called DLP Caretaker after her defeat in the poll, did not give a reason for her departure but announced that her political stint had come to an end.
“To the residents of Wesley, Woodfordhill and Palm Tree, I thank you for your tremendous support during the time that I represented you as your candidate in the 2014 election and as your Caretaker,” she stated. “My political stint is over.”
She said she had no regrets in serving the constituency and that she “did everything humanly possible to represent you with dignity and respect.”
“During times of sadness, I stood shoulder to shoulder with you and in joyful times, we celebrated together. After Hurricane Maria, I fought for you to ensure that everyone got enough to survive,” Benjamin remarked. “The love that I have for my community runs deep and nothing will diminish that but it will be redirected away from politics.”
She said she was inspired by Rosie Douglas to get involved in Dominica’s development.
“So I thank the Dominica Labour Party and it’s leadership Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit for giving me the opportunity to serve the people of the Wesley Constituency,” she stated. “I continue to pray that the God Lord above will guide and protect each and everyone of us as we move forward.”
In the run up to the 2014 general election, Benjamin, who was living in Canada a number of years, was selected to replace Gloria Shillingford.
But the selection did not go down well. Then chairman of the DLP Wesley Constituency Association, Cleaveland Dodds, described it as “blatant disrespect,” saying the constituency was “in shock.”
He said the association was in the process of preparing a primary for selecting a candidate since it had suggested Financial Controller at the National Development Foundation of Dominica (NDFD), Fidel Grant as a possibility.
Benjamin responded by saying that there were “a lot” of people raising questions about her life overseas, but she noted that the skills and competencies that she gained while working and living in Canada would be beneficial to Dominica.
In her first major political speech in Lagon, Roseau, Benjamin pounced on opposition leader Lennox Linton after it was alleged that he had plagarized the speech of Allen Chastanet, prime minister of Saint Lucia.
She described the alleged plagiarism as “absolutely disgusting” adding that this type of behavior might be so extensive that “we are just beginning to unmask something bigger.”
Benjamin and Dodds locked horns again when he (Dodds) described a new executive of DLP Wesley Constituency Association as “bogus.”
The executive ran by Dodds was axed on Sunday 15th March 2015, when the Association met at the Cabrits National Park and a new one was installed.
Benjamin justified the move by saying that the executive ran by Dodds was not active in the performance of its duties and was not even involved in the campaign during the 2014 general election.
At that election Benjamin lost to Ezekiel Bazil, of the United Workers Party (UWP). He received 940 votes, while she received 805.
After her defeat, she was named Coordinator of Diaspora Affairs in the Office of the Attorney General.
DNO understands that this time around, Fidel Grant will replace Benjamin as the DLP candidate for the Wesley constituency.

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40 Comments

  1. Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    February 14, 2019

    ” this time around, Fidel Grant will replace Benjamin as the DLP candidate for the Wesley constituency. ”

    DNO you are 110% correct on this one; needless to say the the Labor Party saga in Wesley seems to be coming a family affair oui!

    Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahah!

     I have a message for Fedel Grant, you do not know me as such, your grandmother Benny knows me. The last time I saw you; you were a kid;  let me remind you; your uncle St. Hilaire, had the members of the Labor Party not stabbed him in his back, and made Roosevelt  the leader of the Labor Party, and went on to become Prime Minister of our country; I am positive your uncle would have made a better Prime Minister than Roosevelt.

    I am positive if St. Hilaire served for half the time Roosevelt took to screw up Dominica St. Hilaire would have accomplish more than the double doctor Punjab/Duquesne. Be warned, they paid Athena to keep quiet, get yours (money) on your way in!

  2. Massacre
    February 13, 2019

    Another one bites the dust! Those DLP people are all about their pockets. How much is in it for me, so slefish! Its never about how I can come to Dominica to develop the country.
    So where is all that money you got for embarassing yourself and family members? Shame on these people who seek to enrich themselves and keep our people in poverty.

  3. Henry
    February 13, 2019

    Good move! Get out of our country! Next…..

  4. Wesley
    February 13, 2019

    “Captain, Iceberg ahead!” “Let she reap, I don’t care anymore.” So guys , the DLP ship is sinking and Skipper has a purse full of gold , so he doesn’t care!
    As for Athenia, first of all she never gave up her Canadian citizenship, she had promised to give it up after she won. So again, we had another potential DLP Pal Rep who went into politics with 2 passports.

    • People with ears on the ground
      February 15, 2019

      KakaDoc has 3 lst we knew French, USA green card( wife has citizenship from a latino -USA citizen husband .So, after Kaka doc is defeated and he fly out like Baby doc she will become a citizen. and he has a D?can Passport. In additionally those thousands he sold with his comrades in the Arab world he might have a few other citizenships lol.

  5. Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    February 13, 2019

    The kid not finished yet!

    Politics can serve different purposes when people become involved! One of the things one need to be very careful not to do is to step on their relatives and friends.

    You Athena has offended many of our relatives, you steep on many of our relatives, including my sister, whom you summoned the police to arrest in her own house, a house you rented for your political office, of which to this day you have not paid the rent.

    Now you are kicked to the curb, our family relationship is destroyed. I will not say why in public, you know why; nevertheless, I may never be able to go to my brother house in New Jersey to visit  him again; you know why!

    How does it feel Athena knowing all the damage, and pain you caused in the life of those of us who loved you?

    The adorable kid you were when you ask me to repair your talking doll, is not the woman you became!

  6. February 13, 2019

    @Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    Ma John must be rolling in her grave regretting the day she made that error of Hunt. Wouldn’t you agree?!
    Nuff said….

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      February 14, 2019

      Ma John did not make a mistake when she went to a Lawyer, a relative of hers Armour and legally gave me everything she worked for on earth. Prior to that from 1962 to the day she died I took care of her and buried her when she died. 
       
      I did the same to my mother; so eat your heart out I did what I wanted to do with my land! Hurricane blew away a house belonging to my that was on it; right now I am getting a house built for my sister on the same bit of land, how much have given to Marie to replace her house, the money building the house comes from Jocelyn, and my pocket!
       
      Shut up …..! You all claim to have buried my mother, that I heard last week: Admin I beg you to print part of this bank draft I sent  Richardson St. Aime in Wesley which paid him to bury my mother in 1996.
       
      ADMIN: What draft?
       

      • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
        February 14, 2019

        Admin it is a copy of a Bank Draft and postal mailing receipt I retained when I sent money home to bury my mother in 1996. The reason I wanted the person who said my grandmother made some kind mistake is a relative, who don’t anything about me.

        Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!

        That person is either a nephew, or a niece, they been hounding me for years, fighting me over land given to me by my grandmother.  Last week I was told that it was one of my late brother Joel who buried my mother. The reality is when Yvonne my mother died, Mr. Joel decided to bury her the day after she died.

        That means I cannot fly from Los Angeles to Dominica in a day; only to find out my brother did not have any money to bury our mother, and was asking people in the village to contribute money to bury her. I would not have any of that.

        I sent a copy to the Admin on the address Dominicanewsonline.com

        ADMIN: While we can’t promise to publish this draft we want you to know that we have not received this email. You can email us at [email protected].

      • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
        February 15, 2019

        Okay Admin I sent the copy again, in the process copying it to myself; the picture is visible in my copy, hopefully you will see it.

        If you find it not necessary to post it; you can be my witness, because soon “Mr. Mo Fire,” or some other relative are going to claim on this very site they bury my mother and grandmother therefore they want the land eh!

        Hahahahahahahahahahahahahah!

  7. faceup
    February 13, 2019

    Anyway Dominicans can give mayppwie :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

  8. Braindamage
    February 13, 2019

    One gone, 18 more to leave.

  9. LaPlaine Observer
    February 13, 2019

    It’s people like you who came to Dominica to interfere in our elections and now you’re going back to your good life in Canada and leave people in misery. The same goes to the other illegal voters who come to vote and return to their good life in whatever country they reside in.

    • KID ON THE BLOCK
      February 13, 2019

      What about the one that live and work in Antigua that run in the Paix Bouche constituency for the UWP?!

  10. Bwa-Banday
    February 12, 2019

    Those are the same people who organize disaporans and bring them down to vote for the corrupt cabal and then disappear the next day. Now she has fallen out of favor with the “Mighty One” she is fleeing the coop like a frightened chicken even patronizing the DLP in the goodbye speech. SMDH!

    “Fire Bun Them” who prey on the vulnerable for personal gain. But have no fear Athenia has seen the fall that lays ahead and running away from the dentist call Mr. Justice before he start “washaying those tiff” who will soon be arrested by officer Checko and brought before the courts.

  11. they shall know.
    February 12, 2019

    You made a brilliant decision, leave Skerrit and his outgoing Labour party alone. you would never win anyway and the new candidate will be defeated more severely. Wesley is a workers zone. Bye bye.

  12. Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    February 12, 2019

     Continue!

    Yes, after Bazil was told where to go in Roseau to collect whatever was left over, by the time he arrived he was told ” Athena already collected it;” whatever it was supposed to be. Nobody in Wesley will missed Athena, as many people I spoke with today, in America, and Wesley, we all laughed at her.

    She is a joke, not qualified to push her head where she tried to overreach. I sat with her in Canada, and told her; her priority was to ensure her last child complete his education in Canada, where he was born, and after that anything goes.  I told her she could not win, and she should not go to Dominica and waste her time.

    She told me that it was agreed between her and Roosevelt; win or loose he would give her a ministry.  I quit talking with her the moment she said that nonsense.

    If Roosevelt used Gloria who have the academic background to hold any position in government:

    Why not you?

  13. Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    February 12, 2019

    “I fought for you to ensure that everyone got enough to survive,” Benjamin remarked. “The love that I have for my community runs deep and nothing will diminish that but it will be redirected away from politics.” (Writer Unknown).

    Athena, of all the people I told on DNO to shut up; I will add in your case: “Please shut up”, because those are not even your words, those of us who knows you; know that you are not capable of such expressions. 

    Represent who, in what capacity, fought for who; and Caretaker of what? Roosevelt made a fool out of you used you because nobody else in the Village of Wesley and Woodford Hill wanted to caught up in any form of corruption. You Athena was never the a representative of anybody in Wesley.

    Bazil is the elected representative of the people. During Maria, the world donated food for the people, of Dominica Roosevelt, told Bazel where to go and collect what was designated to Wesley:

    To be continued!

  14. Neal
    February 12, 2019

    Madam you have learned a very hard lesson: In politics there are no permanent friends- just permanent interests. Now you can catch the next flight to Canada and live a quiet life and have your little job and come home to your cold apartment in the winter. You came big and bad talking about ‘smark’ about Lennox and you think you could play in the big leagues—the joke is on you—- Now you are dismissed- happy trials Athena. No one is crying for you girl……

  15. Ibo France
    February 12, 2019

    I have no sympathy for those who willfully suspend their common sense to join Skerrit and his avaricious mongoose gang to heap misfortune and misery on the heads of Dominicans. These people have not a scintilla of compassion for the many down trodden people. They see politics as an easy avenue to opulence. They gluttonously enrich themselves by riding on the backs of the poor man.

  16. viewsexpressed
    February 12, 2019

    “My dear people read closely and carefully of this nonsense that is spewed out of most Labour ex and current candidates.: Athenia Benjamin exits political arena”She described the alleged plagiarism as “absolutely disgusting” adding that this type of behavior might be so extensive that “we are just beginning to unmask something bigger.”
    Athenia you out there talking DBS of plagiarism? After 18 years of Skerrit`s corruption, ineptitude, you failed to focus on the poverty of your people where you live and of Dominica on a whole where poverty is open for all to see,, but in your absence and out of politics it is the danger man Skerrit and this failed corrupt immature labour government you are scarred to open your mouth about. What has been done lately in your village? Where is the development? Why is Skerrit such a loser and a failed PM, that yo fail to talk openly to your people and Dominicans of the poverty they endure everyday. Is that you are ok, taken care of. What about our…

  17. Realwesman
    February 12, 2019

    The power is back in the Hands of the People. Finally the people of wesley will get the representation they deserve. Where has Bazil been for the last 5 Years? List one thing he did. Where is the creativity the UWP claim to have or wait is when they in power ALL the creativity and ideas will come to them.

    Thanks to Athena who tried her best to serve, all the best.

    • Edenroad wesley
      February 13, 2019

      Utter rubbish! What do you mean where was Bazil the last five years
      He has being in the parliament fighting for the farmers of Wesley and woodfordhill.
      All you ignorant people. He not in government, you want him to use his mortgages
      To give all you red clinic. Yeah Athenia was given all the resources by labor party government and she still
      Didn’t help, so whoever you are go take a seat. As a matter of fact take plenty seats.
      By the way who is grant? I from Wesley, I hear the name but I don’t know him, you asking where was Bazil. Ask
      Yourself where was grant. And who grant help. Stupid people.
      Always saying workers don’t have money, educate yourself. Dominica money is not labor party money toneh!

    • Bwa-Banday
      February 14, 2019

      STOP being stupid! You ever heard Bazil won the lottery or was selling passports? Your DLP cabal aided and abetted by Athenia is who holds the power along with our passport money that should have been spent on Wesley not Bazil. They are so wicked they made Athenia “care taker” just to fool you all. What you really need to do is ask the CARE TAKER (Athenia) for the money owed to Wesley a once very proud, independent and thriving community. She allegedly colluded with the Cabal to break Bazil and the people of Wesley back but God is good they survived the storm. Now, time for real change. WORKERSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! Run Athenia run.

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      February 14, 2019

      In any event you are fool, how can you say the power is back in who’s hands, and ask what has Bazil done in five years!

      You make absolutely no sense!

      Bazil was elected to the parliament to represent the people,only he has that legal right request anything for Wesley. Athena was nothing more than a puppet of Roosevelt Skerrit he planted as an obstacle in Bazil way when there was ever a time for him to act.

      Remember, the UWP are in the House as Opposition, the UWP is not the government; however, in a situation where disaster supply’s came from international donors to be distributed, I believe the peoples representative of the village should be allow to participate in the distribution of the proceeds.

      Athena forced herself like a fly in everything trying to convince herself and try to impress Wesley and Woodford Hill people that she was part of Roosevelt Cabal.

      She was used like a tool: So, what power do you have back in hand.

  18. Neville
    February 12, 2019

    The rats are starting to leave the sinking ship. The days of the DLP are numbered.

  19. John Jay
    February 12, 2019

    Well I guess you going back where the grass is or was greener and to hell with Dominica and them men

  20. Mass online/MOL
    February 12, 2019

    I doh want to but I have to laugh.
    Now it’s Benjamin, Neo-DLP Caretaker for Wesley flying back to live under Justin Trudeau after a disastrous sojourn into D/can politics. The duo who thought they were a power couple as they spoke about at years end Movers and shakers in our bebell society left long b4 Did they smell the Caracas rat?. Others have elev and fled to the very USA they criticed themselves. Hahahahahha tickle me lol LMAO real loud.
    Who is next? another doctor? There are many more to go. Am not the gullible type more of an atheis but I have read the good book. It say” BY their fruits you shall no them.” Land transfesr, villas, Bins sales, passport sales I can go on but that would be repetition. I suspect males who like undergarments will follow.

    • Reader
      February 15, 2019

      Mass online , Undergarments like in panties? Lol hahahahahhhahahahah.
      Am a panty man 2 but in the diaspora.

  21. Educate me
    February 12, 2019

    So Skerritt. is kicking this lady out as he did with Gloria Shillingford …so the writing is on the wall….

    • %
      February 12, 2019

      Well he Skerrit, has done it before .. Skerrit decides who will contest in most constituencies labour contests ,not the constituents .Remember he is Maduro’s good friend .. Thats what Maduro’s does. Thank God Skerrit is on his way out. Discarded by the electorate.
      Skerrit Must Go
      Skerrit Must Go
      LAZY Skerrit Must Go Now

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      February 12, 2019

      Well, let me educate you; this lady whom I know very well knew for a fact Roosevelt was only using her, and the supporters that  she and Roosevelt believed she had was only in their mind!

      Athena could not win an election in Wesley even if she could have bribed every person in the village. When we vote for people in Wesley we assess their reputation, which is our number one priority, secondly we review their educational background!

      Just because someone talks good politics, and give away some food, and promises people toilet is not a criterion which we count on to cast our vote. Thirdly, just because everybody in the Village of Wesley are biologically relate that is not a criteria to earn our votes.

      This lady was pushing a round object into a square hole, I sat in her Apartment in Canada, and told her not to leave her job and go to Dominica  to waste her time, she did not listen!

      Wesly education neglected right Athena sot!

  22. max
    February 12, 2019

    but some people bold. Represent who. So the lady even have guts to pen that. Only in Dominica

  23. Gallileo
    February 12, 2019

    This guy should have been the candidate in the first place. Mr Skerrit needs to realize that the power lies with the people and they should be the ones to chose their candidates. Good luck madame.

  24. %
    February 12, 2019

    My lady go in peace ..Your arrant nonsense about Patriot Linton plagiarized Chastenet speech,exposed Skerrit’s weakness as a public speaker. Honourable Linton possesses the gift of the gab..His speeches always ‘pack a punch’.Your leige Lord Skerrit, makes a mockery of the English language.The weakest English and public speaker to hold the post of PM .Was it Skerrit who sent you there to embarrass yourself .Good Riddance!!!You got what you deserved The people don’t want you!!!
    Skerrit Must Go
    Skerrit Must Go
    LAZY Skerrit Must Go Now

  25. % Lazy Skerrit must leave
    February 12, 2019

    Take Gloria , Skerrit, Ian, Lil Toni, The Lawrences brothers /Cousins etc et Al with you.
    Let FET the son of Wesley to give real representation to Wesley Palm Tree woodfordhill.

    • % Lazy Skerrit must allee'
      February 12, 2019

      % leave 4 where France G/loupe or LI ,NY?
      Baby Doc left 4 Paris,France and returned to die decades later. Or will Skerrit alias KakaDoc join EL Chapo just found guilty on all counts.

  26. Screw Neo DLP
    February 12, 2019

    Fly away Fly awayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy back to Ontario , on the outskirts of TO
    Adios mi amor.

    • Hamilton Resident
      February 12, 2019

      Screw Neo DLP ,you mean Hamilton?

    • Laughter the best
      February 12, 2019

      That was slick Screw Neo DLP is she a hummingbird too? No reports of she flying around the Village at ungodly hours?

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