In the wake of my call for a Commission of Inquiry into Dominica’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program and the appointment of diplomats who were later arrested for criminal conduct, I have been savagely attacked and my integrity impugned by Tony Astaphan, Floyd Capitolin and other agents of Roosevelt Skerrit. Such a carnival of character assassination against patriots is what we expect when pawns of the regime engage in full time supper singing. In a phone call to Matt Peltier on Q95 on January 19, 2017, I further demanded that the Commission of Inquiry must be acted on within the next fifteen (15) days.
Many may have thought that time too short for the Government of Dominica to act, or that it was an unreasonable time frame. My demand however was made because of the concern that our country could face sanctions from the incoming Trump administration, and other allies. Such sanctions would be the regrettable result of the egregious misconduct of our Government in its administration of the CBI program and Dominica’s scandalous record of diplomatic appointments of persons later arrested for money laundering, bribery and thievery. While the government argues it does proper due diligence on citizenship applicants and diplomats, the news about one of its diplomat appointees Macau based Lap Seng’s (Mr. Wu) involvement in illegal activity was aired on ABC News as far back as 1997. http://abcnews.go.com/International/fbi-arrests-chinese-millionaire-tied-clinton-scandal/story?id=33990683
In light of the regime’s disgraceful record such sanctions are not far-fetched as we have already been sanctioned by Canada which imposed visa restrictions on Dominica after some 66 Chinese bearing Dominica passports were intercepted in Canada in 1999.
However, aside from external sanctions, what is at stake is the very existence of Dominica as a free and independent republic ruled by born Dominicans. We are at the 11th hour as the Government and its mouthpieces have vehemently railed against the idea of a Commission of Inquiry. What they fail to concede is that the sale of citizenship confers the right to vote on every one of those “cash and carry citizens” as if they were born Dominicans. The Dominica Constitution as written does not provide for different categories of citizenship. Once one is a Dominica citizen the path to the polling booth is there.
Due to that fact nothing prevents the “cash and carry citizens” from taking over our country as it would be their constitutional right to vote in our elections. Indeed, word is that the regime is making arrangements to facilitate the voting in our elections of “cash and carry citizens” – the same way it has facilitated the importation of non-resident Dominicans to vote in the national elections. Our population is small. In our elections a few votes here or there can tip the balance. It is in that context we can fully understand the refusal of the current regime to give a full accounting. Their refusal to account for the number of passports sold/citizenships conferred places our small nation in peril as never before!
1000 new citizens in the USA, UK or Canada cannot change those nations overnight. Not so with a mini state like Dominica – especially where the government has shown appallingly poor judgment in appointing diplomats who are later arrested for criminal conduct.
These are the facts:
- Dominica’s population in 2017 is 74,882 – See – http://www.livepopulation.com/country/dominica.html
- Dominica’s voting population in 2016 is 72, 484. See USAID Election Guide at http://www.electionguide.org/elections/id/2827/ .
These figures show that something is rotten in Dominica’s body politic. It would suggest the voters roll is bloated, includes those like Lazarus and other dead people, or is made up in great part of persons resident in the Diaspora who have not resided in Dominica –some for decades. The regime has done nothing to sanitize the voters list as to leave it in its current deformed state is the perfect vehicle to steal elections.
Further, having thousands of unknown aliens with Dominican passports vote in our elections is an added vehicle to enable those who call themselves the government to rob our people of their most cherished democratic ideals and values that they have sworn to uphold.
This is why Dominica now faces an existential threat the likes of which it has never known. There is clear evidence that among those who hold Dominican passports are hoodlums, mobsters, and fugitives from justice.
- Is it any surprise that the regime wants nothing to do with electoral reform?
- Is it any surprise that the regime will do nothing to clean the voters list?
- Is it a surprise that one of the regime’s henchmen said it was “madness” to consider electoral reform?
- Is it any surprise that they failed to institute electoral ID cards which are used in almost every other Caribbean island?
Coupled with such callous disregard for democratic norms, the Skerrit led regime on Dominica is insidiously plotting new repressive legislation. Such legislation is aimed at herding our population into a prison of submission to its will by the new legislation is planning to introduce. See here – https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/crime-court-law/new-public-order-act-for-dominica-this-year/
We now know that the “cash and citizens” can gain citizenship of Dominica status without visiting the island: http://www.goldenvisas.com/dominica/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Visas%20New&utm_term=%2Bdominica%20%2Bcitizenship%20%2Binvestment&utm_content=Dominica
We know the regime has the votes in parliament to craft new laws to further destroy our democracy and perpetuate itself in power by allowing the “cash and citizens to vote.” With decreasing popular support due to its failed economic policies, and increasing reliance on passport sales to fund expenditure, the regime now seeks reliance on its “cash and carry citizens” to consolidate its power and further marginalized born Dominicans.
I have promoted, and will continue to promote foreign investment in Dominica. There is even room for a modified CBI program more in line with the United States EB5 program, where it is run by our civil service and under jurisdiction of a bipartisan national (not personal) development commission under the scrutiny of Dominica’s parliament. However at this time, the CBI program is the private cashbox of the regime and its cronies with minimal transparency and accountability to the nation to which it owes a duty. Our nation’s diplomatic corp is a disaster and an international disgrace with many of the known diplomats under arrest, investigation or indictment.
This writer has no problem with foreign investors who create wealth in our country, pay their taxes and reside on our island; becoming part of our democratic fabric and culture. What we must, and will, resist is this insidious apparatus now being foisted upon our people in practice, and pending legislation, which will allow others to usurp our nation by voting in our elections.
In the interest of the national peace, good order, our democracy, our independence and the national dignity, concerned Dominicans demand:
- A firm irrevocable commitment by the Skerrit led government to not allow “cash and carry citizens” who have not met the residence and other requirements of our electoral laws to vote in any election on Dominica;
- A firm commitment by the regime to abandon efforts to impose the new so-called Public Order Law which is a veiled attempt to further destroy democracy and repress dissent on Dominica;
- A firm commitment by the Skerrit led government to institute comprehensive electoral reform, to include issuance of ID cards and other safeguards demanded by the parliamentary opposition and recommended by the Organization of American States; and
- A firm commitment by the Skerrit led government to work with the parliamentary opposition and civil society, to institute a Commission of Inquiry into the CBI program and diplomatic appointments now in controversy.
No honest government would fail to accept these fair and proper demands made to preserve our democracy and nationality. Only the prompt acceptance of these demands by the Skerrit led government will save our small island republic from re-colonization and imposition of a foreign backed tyranny. Only the remedial actions demanded here can save the nation. The actions of the regime have placed our nation at the abyss. Let none doubt that the current path of the Dominica regime poses a clear and present danger to the health and safety our people, the future of our nation and its democracy.
In 2009 the late Chief Minister Frank Baron warned us: Save your country! Eight years later, the need to do so is even greater. We are duty bound to save our country.
Doctor Christian is wrong, obviously he does not do his homework and he stays in his overseas home writing crap. Why don’t he invest in his country? ALL of them opposers just have mouth but you’ll never hear them say, let me contribute to my country’s well being. I’m not listening to all you at all.
You are so dumb ready to talk and spew venom, when you do not know the difference between Christian the lawyer, and Christian the medical doctor!
Gabriel Christian who wrote this article who’s photograph is above is a practicing attorney (lawyer) based in Maryland in the United States of America.
Sam Christian his brother, a medical doctor practices medicine in Dominica, he once practice in Ohio here in the United States. We should be embarrassed when we comment on people and things we do not know about! You running off your mouth talking about he does not research things.
Guy a lawyer is like this; he has to know how to do research in to be a lawyer, most lawyers have to research every case, looking fro a precedence to substantiate their case, it is not like Dominica where lawyers goes into court and judge and magistrates rule in their favor because the like them.
You all want us to go to WAR with our PM, no, no, no go take yr advice to Trump all you meet B.
Why are you so stupid?
What does Trump have to do with the corruptive behavior of Skerrit, and all else in his one man government?
Don’t you know that even if Trump destroy America within the next four years, some of us will survive unaffected!
Mind your nasty business, Skerrit is a multimillionaire, his life is secured in the United States; his Children are born Americans, his wife is a citizen of the Unite States, when Dominica sinks he will get on LIAT fly to Antigua, and get on a Jet and be home in America in less than two hours; leaving you behind in the misery he created for, you miserable idiot!
By then you will want to declare war on your PM, but while he will be here living in luxury, your behind will be in Dominica poverty stricken!
Don’t you know?
Gabo boy, Today you singing a different song… what was once looking sweet to you and you thought you would capitalize from, is sour today because you did not get what you wanted! ALL YOU UWPITES?! But the harder YOU ALL come the HEAVIER YOU ALL gonna fall… So shall it be said and so it will be! Trust me.
Well, let’s try this again so that I can prove if I was censored for this: I wrote last night: referring to the comment that Dominica might be sanctioned by the Trump administration. I noted that Christian should not worry about a United States Sanction against Dominica since there is nothing to sanction.
We do trade anything with the United States, as far as I am concerned, if anything I do not know about might be insignificant. I said if there is anything to sanction it might be denying Dominicans entry in to the United States, and commented, Trump might sanction the barrel industry, by preventing the shipment of barrel of food to Dominica.
I concluded by saying that Dominica is not on America’s agenda, and never have. I said Dominica is in the UN only as a token, and I doubt that can be denied; So what is so damaging or derogatory to cause censorship? Now I am going to add that he might suggest Americans do not travel to Dominica as tourist, So, what is wrong with that; if…
Cont:
And okay, I forgot, I did say it is almost impossible to find honest people in Dominica to sit on a commission of enquire, who would not find in Skerrit favor, and I suggested the quickest way to rid the nation of Skerrit, is via an insurrection, overthrowing that corrupted boy eh!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
“Such sanctions would be the regrettable result of the egregious misconduct of our Government in its administration of the CBI program and Dominica’s scandalous record of diplomatic appointments of persons later arrested for money laundering, bribery and thievery”. Watch gabou’s words “later arrested”. Clearly he has given some reasoning to what he writes. He gives the administration of the CBI system the benefit of not seeing things from hindsight. In the same way the UWP could not be held responsible for not seeing in hindsight that the pick to replace the leader in Earl Williams and now Bozo was and is wrong.
No one can say Gabou called or likened our CBU program to a “mail Order Transaction”. But watch the new description – “cash and carry citizens”. Can this be likened to “six of one and half a dozen of the other”?
wse know that you gabriel wanted in on it, and now the grapes are sour!!!!!!!!!!!
Mr. Gabriel Esq., you very well know that any Commission of Inquiry (‘CoI’) will totally destroy Dominica’s CBI program which income Dominica sorely needs.
Dominica has NO other income as such apart from its CBI program of which privacy is a vital component – the very same privacy the CoI proposes to destroy completely.
By your consigning Dominica passports to the dustbins of criminals and bad people, you are destroying the ability of ALL Dominicans to travel without hindrance on their Dominica passports and are also encouraging other countries to make visa-free travel not very good for Dominicans. Why are you doing this?
If you think that the CBI program is less than transparent, kindly ask other CBI countries (UK, USA, Austria, Malta, Singapore, China, Germany, USA, to name a few) to deliver to you, or their citizens at large, the kind of information your are proposing the ‘CoI’ delivers. None will and none ever have, so why should we?
Sir, you do not live here,…
Man stop your foolishness..In ither words,just look at the mess that we are in, and say nothing?I fully support th call by Gabriel Christian,and Dominicans should demand a Commission of Enquiry!
Are you one of us?
Are you trying to say that the CBI program is the only option that we have for any kind of income? Unlike many other Caribbean islands that only have beaches/tourism as a potential source of income, we have so much more to offer and can do much better that a CBI program that is not transparent and very suspect.
But we have to pull up our bootstraps, take some responsibility and stop crying woe is me. Just talk to foreigners who visit Dominica and you will hear from them so many ideas of industries that can be started in Dominica, from organic farms and cattle, to geothermal, to mineral mining like for red jasper etc.
We have so much potential but with a government who clearly wants to undermine democracy and scandals like this unregulated diplomatic passport program which investors would actually be willing to bring not only their ideas of new industry to the island but their money to back it? If you were a foreign investor, would you?
Sadly, all the industries combined in Dominica (including the tourism industry) produces less than 3% of the $50M per month that the CBI generates. Furthermore, Dominica as a million miles to go before it becomes anywhere near as competitive as St. Lucia, for example, as a tourist destination.
If CBI goes, Dominicans will get a real shot of the abyss that Dr. Christian promises. Don’t be fooled, support Dr. Skerrit and keep Dominica’s CBI program as one of the best in the world.
Amen, I will kiss your BIG TOE for that. Great response.
oh lord i pray that you give me long life so i could those who destroyed our country when the unborn dominicans take over like wood ants .
Gabriel you have enough happing in the area where you reside, see news item on jan. 24th 2017Four more journalists get felony charges after covering inauguration unrest. Trump bans agencies from ‘providing updates on social media or to reporters’I WISH OUR PM WOULD TAKE THESE HARD STANCE.
My brother, never cease to fight for your country. It is amazing how ‘myopic’ Dominicans have become. What has happened to being open to the truth. My grandmother always told me ” who doesn’t here, will feel”. Only time will tell, Skerrit has secured all is finances and so it will be the “common citizen” that will suffer. Keep up the good fight.
Thanks Dr. Christian, all I can say I read this article with clenched fists.
very well written and I am in full agreement and so should every Dominican who is not blinded by the power of the government, who seem hell bent on full and total obedience to every new law and not to interfere with what they say or do ever,
That is dictatorship not democracy. and dictatorship has no place in modern society, what have the likes of Tornher done for Dominica yet he is still a diplomat ? such a disgrace and there are so many, one thing is clear form the garbage bin scandal to a deputy PM being fired yes Ambrose remeber him. this present government will be remebered for holding the record for scandal after scandal in fine they are their own worst enemy and they are losing credibility fast.
A fighting come back! Good rejoiner,GABU!
I consider this to be a well-balanced and well-reasoned commentary. It deserves serious consideration from all Dominicans regardless of party-political affiliation.
The truth hurts..but the truth will always remain the truth…Selling of passports I have always viewed it as a risky and dangerous business…money talks bull shit walks…as it is said…
I always see it as a lazy way out for the so called politicians that engage in it… docking the real hard work that it would take in pulling up the countries in the proper way…It is selfish…It is lazy on behalf of those that choose to go that route not caring what’s the out come from the more advanced countries…visa restriction…who cares…you really think they care…it’s not going to affect them…again it’s the little man down the chain link that it’s going to squeeze…
Talk the truth…and ones you do that..expect some folks to kick and scream…To bad…
Whether one likes Gabriel Christian or not is not important. The stark reality is as outlined by him. Dominican born citizens, those of us who have our roots in its precious soil and understand the emotions contained in our national anthem will be marginalized if we do not pay heed to mr. Gabriel’s clarion call. Europe too is once again examining our passport status and the free access it provides to their territory. Their is public clamour in that part of the world for restrictions on this freedom of movement and the way we are conducting our CBI programme and appoint our diplomats is tantamount to asking for visa restrictions to be imposed on the holders of our passports, which certainly would kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.
I love this man tremendously..He is a patriot,and does not sing any chorus for his supper!
Let the commission begin ! !
Another brilliant piece by a highly patriotic and intellectual mind…What galls me the most,is that the CBI funds instead of going into the growth sector,is being used by this gang called DLP to leverage political influence,while tourism,agriculture,and the likes are languishing..I hope the Dominican people (I am prepared)take a stand to stop those evil men from further destroying the country!!!
What is the action plan Gabu? Words alone will not cut it. Dominicans want action!
Request help from the International governing Instititions. Request help from the UN. This Skerit Régine must obey and govern by the law.. we need comprehensive electoral reform. A proper and up to date voters lits and the laws governing the rights of voters……. there will be no election if the voters list is not updated….
Gloom and doom, fear mongering at its ugliest. It seems that it is only Mr. Christian and his cabal together the UWP opposition that is dissatisfied with the CBI. From the CBI having no transparency and accountability to now suddenly have a minimal level of transparency and accountability according to Christian, is strange. Mr. Christian and company seems hell bent on giving Dominica much bad publicity in their pursuit of political power, it is shameful! The USA is well aware of CBI, program operated by Dominica and they have not complained or raised concerns about this program.
Is Mr. Christian complaining on behalf of the US? Is he now lobbying for a diplomatic position with Trump administration? Mr. Christian the US eb5 that you are now shamlessly recommending to Dominica has become a haven for drug trafficking and money laundering, that is according to top US legislators. The contents of this article represents raw arrogance,extreme selfishness and a grim reminder of the…
…niger yards of the past in which our forefathers toiled under the whip of massa. What Christian as an American citizen is doing is telling his president, Trump, that Dominica’s CBI program poses a threat to the national security of the US. That been done Christian will have done his job as an upstanding US citizen, hoping that the concerns of the US will end the CBI program.
Gabriel Christian does not sell diplomatic passports UNDER THE TABLE,so how is he giving Dominica a bad name?Why not go to school?
Cont:
I doubt Dominica, is on Trumps’ agenda, Dominica was never on America’s agenda from a political, and diplomatic point of view. We are in the UN only as a token!
Everything that Gabriel is saying is true and I accept the message but u won’t be giving the messenger any ginger beer and fruit cake fir Christmas. I welcome Gabriel Christian once again but this time Gabriel you should cheer from the the cheap seats as Gabriel blow hot and cold all at once. Gabriel the movement for change wanted your presence during the election. Where the spoon were you.
Gabriel you knew the diplomatic passport of Madeuke , NG Lap Seng and the multitude of others were assigned corruply where we’re you then.
It is quite appropriate to classify guys like Gabriel in the group of people who knew or know better and remain silent while the corrupt Skerrit regime plundered the country. Why did you remain silent Gabriel?
I got to give Lennox Linton his credit for remaining resolute in fighting Skerrit corruption. He never play possum like Gabriel Christian.
The threat is real and is currently being manifested in the pursuit of channels like the N E P program and the drliberate or otherwise lack of effective economic activities. This misdirection is unfortunate such as the aimless abatoire which seems to be goibg nowhere. Agriculture is being mismanaged. The dependence on passport sales is haphazard and may be short-term. What is even more questionable is the lack of accountability and questionable diplomatic passport holders.
Come on Skerritt lend some respect to those of us who have legitimate concerns about the program. We are being watched. Pride comes before a fall.
Reminder: Dominica belongs to all of us.
Gabriel
Once again you are being intellectually dishonest. Alternatively, you are completely ignorant of the law and facts. I will respond to you on DNO and radio in due course . You may call it character assassination if you wish, I call it stripping the Emperor of his clothes.
Coleen
I’m 100% behind you on this Counsel.
Dr. Christian demonstrates the characteristics of a bounder. He is trashing the CBI programs spuriously with no consideration for the damage that this does to Dominica. For example, his Commission of Inquiry looks to elicit information about the CBI program that NONE OF DOMINICA’S COMPETITORS provide.
Why is his so determined to prove that Dominica’s CBI program is at the ‘abyss’?
I suggest that he is an accomplice/ shill of Mr. Linton whose ego knows know bounds which is reminiscent of the story of the scorpion and frog.
A scorpion once stung to death a frog which had kindly given it a ride from one side of river to another. This had happened mid-stream. The dying frog had said to the scorpion: “Why did you do this. Not logical as both of us now will die as you can’t swim??”. The scorpion responded: “I did this because I am a scorpion, that’s what I do, it’s like an addiction!”.
Can you believe that today is the 24th day of January, 2017, and for some very, very strange reason Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has not left the island? In fact since Mr Linton went on CBS the man has remained put like a crab in its shell. Are you scared of traveling Mr. Skerrit?
fool the PM is in Greece now, is that not International Travel???
Dr. Skerrit is presently in Greece involved detailed negotiations for investments from the EU’s poorest member state.
see how foolish dominicans are…they’re giving them zeros of increasing of salaries and they are all contended and happy….it says how low minded dominicans are…
dominicans are the dumbest folks around in this part of the world…
they have no brains at all….
Stoney. and you want those same ‘dumbest folks around in this part of the world’ to put your party in power????????????? I glad for you
Good thing my flag burnt… I am no fool sir.
The problem is da masses.
They will never stand together… You see it in the work place and now internationally.
a waste of time island Dominica…..leave that damm place alone..them is foolish people residing there..
Gabo, is on point, but Dominicans lack that gusty ability to effect change.
There will no commission of inquiry..all this chatter will go away soon, as the institutions are docile….dominicans are not high level citizens, they are known to be beggars accepting the little presented to them….
that’s why they are rated the poorest and slowest economy in the eastern caribbean!
it’s a unattractive and backward island….
What was that about unattractive? I in most part accept that D/ca is backwards, reversed in progress… but Unattractive?
As much as I am against the existence called “Government” and its failed branches like the “Police”, we are still the MOST natural island there is.
Beauty lies in nature, not in mankind. Mankind is ugly, dirty and in most part deplorable.
Humanity disgusts me at best.
Clearly the reference to “unattractive” made by Seminole Ave was not directed towards natural beauty but rather towards economic and social attractiveness.