Members of the main opposition United Workers Party (UWP) this morning pleaded not guilty to charges relating to a demonstration against the speaker of the House of Assembly on High Street on November 29, 2010.
Former Prime Minister and UWP President Edison James, Leader of the Opposition Hector John, Deputy Leader Claudius Sanford, Ezekiel Bazil and Norris Charles all appeared before Magistrate Evalina Baptiste and each pleaded not guilty to three separate charges including organizing demonstration without the permission of the Commissioner of Police, abetting demonstration and procession without the permission of the police commissioner.
Attorneys for the Opposition members, David Bruney and Gealdon Richards, submitted an application for the withdrawal of the charges.
“I expect prudence to engage the mind of the prosecution now and ask them to withdraw the charges,” Richards told the court.
The defense team argued that the prosecution’s case is weak because the defendants are not jointly charged, while challenging the police to bring evidence to support its claim that each accused were involved in the organising of the event.
Prosecutor Claude Weeks denied the application for withdrawal.
The police have been ordered by the court to make complete disclosure of its evidence to the court and defense team before July 30.
The trial date is set for November 11.
Action was taken by the police months after the UWP and several of its supporters gathered outside the House during a parliament session on November 29, 2010 with placards, in dissatisfaction of a decision by Alix Boyd-Knights, speaker of the House of Assembly, to disallow five of its questions in the House.
The UWP said it was angered that its questions meant for government ministers were ruled out of order.
Police chief Cyril Carrette said the organisers of the demonstration disobeyed the Public Order Act, which states that permission must be granted for the holding of any public procession.
“Persons who go about organising illegal demonstrations will be prosecuted because they are the ones leading people to do those unlawful acts, so then the leaders will be identified and prosecuted,” Carrette said at the time.
There must have been a reason why the Chief of police, Cyrille Carette did not carry out the order of the court. The Chief Magistrate signed a warrant and then sent it to the Police for the arrest of the Lawyer Isidore re. 42 charges of fraud, obtaining property falsely etc. filed in the court by Lawyer Emanuel. Carrette was AG. Chief at the time and refused to carry out the order with the foolish excuse that he was out of State. How comes not one charge could be read up till now? What about the firebombing of Emanuel’s home, about statements submitted, investigation ( GO SLOW), arrests, court case?
Carrette now have problems Dominicans exercising their RIGHTS – peaceful Association, freedom of speech, freedom to assemble as enshrined in our CONSTITUTION. Shouldn’t he have charged the police Officers who were present that day keeping the peace, but allowing the assembly to go on? What a Joke? Is that another example of carrying out the MASTERS’ BIDDINDS? The United Nations and other regional and international Human Rights bodies will know about those infringements on people’s rights and freedoms. We Dominican Patriots will never be daunted. Carrette we Fear No More.
QUOTES
By liberty I mean the assurance that every man shall be protected in doing what he believes is his duty against the influence of authority and majorities, custom and opinion.
Freedom is the emancipation from the arbitrary rule of other men.
I call the mind free which jealously guards its intellectual rights and powers, which calls no man master [and] receives new truth as an angel from Heaven.more
Freedom of thought and freedom of speech in our great institutions are absolutely necessary for the preservation of our country. The moment either is restricted, liberty begins to wither and die…
Philosophy means the complete liberty of the mind, and therefore independence of all social, political or religious prejudice… It loves one thing only… truth.
When a government takes over a people’s economic life it becomes obsolete, and when it has become obsolete it destroys the arts, the minds, the liberties and the meaning of the people it governs.
Because of the diverse conditions of humans, it happens that some acts are virtuous to some people, as appropriate and suitable to them, while the same acts are immoral for others, as inappropriate to them.
It is the mark of an educated man to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
The right to unite freely and to separate freely is the first and most important of all political rights.
Those who have ever valued liberty for its own sake believed that to be free to choose, and not to be chosen for, is an unalienable ingredient in what makes human beings human.
The public welfare demands that constitutional cases must be decided according to the terms of the Constitution itself, and not according to judges’ views of fairness, reasonableness, or justice.
Without an unfettered press, without liberty of speech, all of the outward forms and structures of free institutions are a sham, a pretense — the sheerest mockery. If the press is not free; if speech is not independent and untrammeled; if the mind is shackled or made impotent through fear, it makes no difference under what form of government you live, you are a subject and not a citizen.
If you think we are free today, you know nothing about tyranny and even less about freedom.
It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.
The whole secret of existence is to have no fear. Never fear what will become of you, depend on no one. Only the moment you reject all help are you freed.
The people never give up their liberties, but under some delusion.
well well what is this country coming too.where is our democracy ?where is the freedom that BALLA Jacko and congorey fought for.where is the freedom that DORAY and Chorlin fought for.where is the freedom and democracy that Charles Savren fought for.Where is the freedom that Phillip Timothy died for .where are the rights of Domonicans as provided for in the constitution of dominica.Is that the
NEXT LEVEL?.HAVE WE NOW BECOME A COMUNIST STATE OVERNIGHT.
DOMINICANS U MUST RISE AND TAKE BACK YOUR COUNTRY SOON THERE WILL BE NO RETURN,,,
To mister Carrette. The Law also state that the Police should not be Publicly and Openly Involved in politics and should be operating independent of political affiliation and interferance.
Now we arresting the opposition. It seems like DA is slowly transforming to and Autocracy Right before our eyes. Unless there is serious evidence of lawlessness, illegal activity, or violence, the legal system should be very carefull when arresting people who are demonstating.
I think the commisioner of Police is to easily influenced by his Political affiliation and as a result his leadership and judgment has been compromized. He should do the country a favour and resign. I think they need to get someone from out of DA.
Seriously. Look at the trend. Take away the voice of the people – their right to protest and be heard. Take away the resilience of the people – lack of jobs and self sustenance. Take away the will of the people – cover up everything, deceive the people and leave them blinded. Take away the strength of the people – remove their rights to bare arms and diminish their ability to defend themselves.
What do you have left but mindless drones; otherwise known as slaves.
Carrette – the Labour Party Representative for the Police Headquarters is a joke ,a laughing stock and a papy show.
BIG time pappyshow ARSONIST=ASSNESS
politics politics and more politics
dominica policemen are way to silly they cant solve any matters.why do they frustrate the opposition
skero please cut their salaries by 20% espically the police force as they are useless….
as your budget has cut backs because…Labour has suck the blood out of Dominica…
Dominica stinks and stinks real bad. We are just too ignorant in this country. In a so-called free country, what non sense is this? I mean, a peaceful demonstration with placards, yet people were arrested? The stupid thing about it is to hear the comments of some of you. Folks, this is our freedom that is at stake here and whether it is red, blue, or green all of us should stand for our freedom especially when no weapons were involved.
I concur.
Why is this distraction of a prosecution continuing, it is wasting the courts time and the time and money of the defendants. This is a fit and proper case to be thrown out by the Magistrate, since its outcome will do nothing to enhance the state of justice in Dominica.
people of dominica we are fighting for the wrong things, we need to work together to get our country forward, take some time and look at haiti, the things we wasting our time fighting for that the things that have haiti cant move forward. look like we heading to that road.
please i dont want my country to reach there.
uwp too law abiding, the good will always pay for the bed
We going to chase those crazy baldheads out off town.labour soon ure lies and misconception will come to the light,bath estate on cocaine
well sah….all ah dem blue vex…allu askin for justice [jean workers]…all that included in justice uno. follow the damn rules. daypi pre-school yo ka teach sa
THEM UWP FELLERS MUST GET WORK 4 THEM TO DO. BIG MOUTH THEY HAVE. THEY CONNOT DO BETTER THAN SKERRIT. NOT BY A LONG SHOT. POSSIE MASSIVE.OUR COMPEX OPENNING TODOY. NOW THEY WILL TALK. THOSE SETS OF JACKASS.
i hope u have work to do too because i guess u was part of the masses and if we take out the m u no what u are now a dam ass.
i agree with u
maybe you should get work to do as a student at PSS cause your spelling and english is way off the hook.
Should Police Chief Cyril Carrette be brought before the Courts as well charged with disobeying an order from the Chief Magistrate of the Court to arrest Lawyer Isidore? Wasn’t that an illegal act? Dominicans are not convinced of the reasons he gave for not carrying out the order. People are suspicious why the Court’s Order was not carried out. Up to now not one of the charges could be read to the alleged culprit in that famous Emanuel vs. Isidore case.
What about the person who ordered for the unlicensed firearm, in the Bubbles case of intimidation, to be returned to the owner involved. The Chief of Police boldly and openly at a Press Conference chastised a prosecutor saying that the court was wrong to request the firearm back from the owner. The said firearm was initially taken from the owner by police as evidence in the case. Wasn’t that illegal?
What about the Susan Olde, US$400,000.00 and the ‘Citizens for a Better Dominica Org.?’ What about the Rubbish Bin and Fertlizer Bobols? What about the selling of Passports, economic Citizenship, millions made by some persons, promise of 5-Star Layou River Hotel, But Ruins stare us in our faces. What about the numerous other illegal activities and disregard for the Constitution and Laws of Dominica? What about that Dual citizenship case? Are those few issues mentioned not WORSE? Who Stole, who lied, who enriched themselves through dubious means? NO CHARGES, NO CASE, NO COURT, NO FINES, NO JUSTICE? All are not equal before the Law. Think again Carette the Patriots will not be daunted. We Fear only our God.
Well explained and out lined that’s the sort of things that we must changed justice is for all people not for those ih high places, and becides their are so much more imoportant issues that need to be addressed on the ISLAND instead we are just rolling around like people without a PM and untill the COURT tells us if we have a legal Prime Minister only them DOMINICANS will come together for the building up of the ISL:AND.
quit mixing issues like you are confused and speak to the matter at hand. bunch of jokers
Well said with all this evidence in Dominicans face they still beleive in this CORRUPT regime, we must be the dummest people in the caribbean.
THESE PEOPLE HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO. WHY DON’T THEY SPEND TIME CHASING ALL D CRIMINALS IN D COUNTRY. FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS A PROBLEM NOW HUH!. SINCE WHEN DA PEOPLE CANNOT EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS? THE ONLY WAY PEOPLE GET ARRESTED OR CHARGED DURING A DEMONSTRATION IS IF THEY ARE CAUSING ANY KIND OF PROBLEMS LIKE FIGHTING, RIOTS, E.T.C ALL U HAVEN’T GOT BETTER THINGS TO. STOP WASTING D COURT’S TIME AND WORRY ABOUT THE REAL PROBLEMS IN D COUNTRY.
Mr weekes i applaud you…..without fear or favour. many of your counter parts needs to learn from you. Keep up the good works my brother
i think that de police have better things to do. so many illigal thing happenin now
Dominica is sinking slowly, wake up Dominicans, The PM needs to know DA does not belong to him
Why does everything has to be about the Prime Minister. Dominica is govern by laws. If you break the law you will have to pay the price. No one is above the law. To demonstrate or to have a large gathering and a permit is needed why not apply for the permit. Some of us just want to break the laws and then blame the government of the day. It is high time that we difrentiate facts from politics for once. It is not everything that has to be about politics. If the opposition had an illegal demonstration or gathering and they were fore warned of the consequences and now they are charged for disobeying the laws of the land so then they has to pay for the crime. No one is above the law. Not because that they are in the opposition we have to condone what they are doing rto support their political cause.
Stop saying that Dominica is not Skerritt own. Dominica is for us all Dominicans.
“Dominica is govern by laws”, very interesting. Tell that to the prime mimister and maybe u will make more sence about who is breaking the law.
Yes all you Laborites pretending to be most honorable and now talking morality. Why not call out the administration on the obvious misconduct that is going on and what also went on within the last 8 years.
agreed if the opposition broke the law they should pay but the same must apply to those who filed fraudulent declarations to contest the election and now they are occupying the office of PM and minister of education . So justice must be applied to all so why dont you step up your moral deportment and decry the delay of justice for the PM and his counter part.
I’m talking justice not politics – are you with me
YES THE LAW IS GOOD FOR HALF. RIGHT NOW YOU ARE IN NY BREAKING THE LAW OVER STAYING YOUR TIME LIVING ILLEGAL, OR MAYBE YOU ARE THE ONE YOUR PM FIX THE HOUSE FOR IN QUEENS? SO YOU LIVING LARGE HUSH YOUR DAMN MOUTH, IS SKERRIT ABOUT THE LAW. YOU SEEM TO FORGET WHAT HE IS DOING .S HUT UP LAGOON CHA-CHA BAYTOWN RAT. WHAT THE HELL.
I certainly agree with you Portsmouth in New York you are so right if someone breaks the law they should pay. Now if you will permit me to ask you that if someone now breaks the Constitution which is the supreme law of the land what should happen then, because I am very sure that you are aware of the PM who contested the election and at the time was a French citizen, so do you agree with me that that matter should have been handled by the AG office and the commissioner of police instead of the opposition fighting with a case that is going no where fast and the said AG office objecting in court against documents that maybe requested from the electoral commission. Come on people if you are talking about honesty and fairness then lets get this right ok.
No one is saying that Skerrit own Dominica, Skerrit and his supporters are the ones calling him God and saying that Dominica belongs to him, you are residing in New York and you know for facts that in New York, and other parts of the USA, Canada, UK and other countries when the government do not want to listening to the people they do take their messages to the streets, do not pretend that there’s no demonstration in New York,/USA, you will fool some people, but you can’t fool me
Once the demonstration in none violence, no destroying of properties as we do see happening in other countries, why charge the people, all this is political motivated
Are you living on earth or underground ? Havent you heard about all the Laws that Skerrit has broken ? Please inform yourself………As Matt would say its better to be thought off as a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt ! !
UWPBernard Wiltshire was arrested today for the passport bobol!!!!
Mr Pm, the rest of the world is watching, show me your companies and i will tell you who you are, I love this song from Chubby, asking for liberate South Africa
Please Chubby we need one to liberate Dominica from skerrit and the rest
Oh Lord Liberate Dominica and Dominicans
For the island and it’s people are crying for your help
u alone that cryin. i doe think some of us with u nuh…according to chubby “ai soukway sac ou lahw van chehbon”
We are already liberated. Thank God!
I honestly think that these allegations are ridiculous. We must not forget that there are laws allowing for freedom of association and assembly. A silent protest is the right of every Dominican. These people are trying to break the leaders of the opposition but you know what, they will not succeed. As an observer I think more attention should be placed on the criminal activities taking place in Dominica which are of more urgent concern especially those undercover deals and money laundering that is being done by members of the present government. This is what we should be concerned about.
good judgement!
When are those guys gonna pay the Speaker of the house her $200,000 Plus ?
Never!!!!
in her dream tell her go and work for it
you cazy man pay money to d ol speaker for it to break up MORE things in dee house
WHEN DE HAIR ON HER PEWEL GRAY AND FALL OUT
rakatak rakatk
I am at lost to understand how they were charge separately for organizing a protest, were there more than one protest, did they protest individual, you mean they organize the the same protest but not among themselves? Maybe my asinine mind cannot grasp the concept, or maybe the whole situation makes no sense.
Thes trumped up charges are rediculos and Dominicans should demonstrates its illegality. If we keep quiet now they will come get us in our homes soon.
How can Satan correct Sin??
By saying how can Satan correct sin are you aware that you are conceding that what the UWP did was illegal and wrong?
So it means you statement about Satan could be applied to both sides!!
#criticalThinking
Anti-hate shut up—You know exactly what Roseau is saying….Skeritt and company needs to go!!!
y u self not shuttin up…workers doe care bou Dominica…..zor tout modera
well skeritt is there to stay so leave anti-hate alone.
This Dude Weekes is a stand up guy. We need much more people like that in higher places. During the Bubbles case Laborites thought that Weekes was out to get the Labor Party now here is Mr Weekes is pursuing a case against UWP personels for what he think is a breech of the law.
Only now I understand why Skerrit,Tony and company didn’t want this guy seating as chief of police.
Justice without fear or favor. I like that
You are so right. Skerrit would never allow Mr. Weekes to be commissioner because trust me he would be sitting in Stock arm right now pending his trial. The man takes no shit and no sides and it’s people like this we need in the Police Force..Unbiased and Fair…God Bless you Mr. Weekes continue doing an excellent job ..one of those days before its too late we young people will open up our eyes to what is happening around us.
u stay like “stork arm” not tru
I AGREE………….
Weekes fan also.
A man who has morals and principals.
IT IS SAFTER TO LIVE IN LYBIA THEN TO RESIDE IN DOMINICA.
Agree with you, Freedom of speech, constitutional rights, democratic rights there is no such things in Dominica, this is communist and dictatorship, listening to world news, G20, head of states visiting other countries, people do take their concerns out of the road, demonstration all over the world , this present administration in Dominica, for sure knew what happened in the 70s, when Dominicans took their concerns to the streets of Roseau, lead by the then leader of the CSA, and member of the now ruling administration, he was not charged, instead received a diplomatic position in Brussels
Today the then Freedom supporters, young freedom movement founder now convert to Labor are the ones in Dominica preventing nationals to express their freedom of, speech, rights and so one
Shame, Shame on the PM and his administration, whiles Africans are fighting for their liberation Dominicans have to remain mute
The only thing remain in Dominica is now taken away from it’s nationals, FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
God look upon your people
You obviously don’t listen to the radio stations.
Are you serious???????…then move to lybia …you idiot!!!
There’s no difference between Qaddafi and Skerrit, Dominica and Libya, remember that Qaddafi is one of Skerrif’s close buddy, them dictators suppressing, oppressing their people, their days are numbered, they think that they are in control, no way
The Almighty is in control, and they will surely reap what they sow
@ Doctor love. how can u make such a statement?? if you dont have anyting better to say then jus read other people’s comment and shout your mouth. well if it is safer in Lybia why dont u pack ur bags and migrate there??
Enjoy your stay there if you are not there already living with your comrades. The fact that you feel so safe just shows the kind of life you are living. I recommend that you be put under serious surveillance.
I DID NOT SEE LENOX’S NAME, I HEARD MATT SAYING LENOX LEAVE TO GO TO COURT, IS HE A LEADER TOO, I ASK THIS QUESTION BECAUSE HE HAD THE HONOR ROLE OF A LEADER ON VICTORIA STREET ON MONDAY NIGHT, ALSO I HEARD HIM ASKING MARPIN FOR EXPLANATION ON THEIR TREATMENT OF UWP
stupes
In the last year or so, Lennox has always had been handed on a “Marigot Platter” or sorts, the distinguished role of capping the public functions of the UWP. Ron Green as Political Leader, or Spaggs John as Opposition Leader are no longer accorded that privilege position. In the political culture of our Westminster system of politics, the political leader of the party speaks last since it is he/she who enumerates party’s policy or give the signal for whatever development is to take place within the organization. It was true for Leblanc, Baron, Patrick John, Mamo, Eddison James, Pappy, Rosei, Pierro Roosie, Para et al.
For a while Ron Green was given such a privilege. Spaggs, in his capacity as Opposition Leader for Dominica, the second most powerful appointed political position in Dominica has never been given such a privilege. As Eddy is relunctantly taking his place on the gabbage heap of political histiory in Dominica, he has in a very unorthodox manner elbowed Lennox into taking his place as the person to cap the speeches at his partyy’s events.
So thanks to Eddy, Lennox has the signal honor despite the presence of elected party officials at the highest levels of the party to speak last at all public events of the UWP and to spell out policiies and strategies to follow. It does not matter what Ron or Spaggs or the party management circle think, Eddy is still well entrenched in directing the affairs of his party. According to Austrie, he remains the sole owner of the UWP and will determine what happens when and how. Like Mamo did to the DFP when she was about to demit active politics, He (Eddy) will take his party (UWP) to the grave with him. There is no indication that Lennox can command a national following outside the narrow band of die hard UWP sympathisers, a growing band of Skerrit haters drawn mostly from the mercantile and distributive trades sector and a few privileged individuals.
But then again, Eddy may be right to try something else. If things remain as is, come next general elections, even with a “cleaned up voters list ” and ID cards, I have to make a choice between Spaggs John and Roosevelt Skerrit. That would be the easiest decision of my life. Even with a Lennox Linton, for Prime Ministerial office, my choice is very limited. Smooth talking, total command of the English language are not entirely the pre-requisites for political office. In our system, one needs a tract record in dealing with people’s development issues at the very grass roots. Lewnnox only began talking about “the people” after the UWP was physically catapaulted out of office in January 2000, a record quick time too achievement. They came in quick and left even more quickly.
hold on the fight brothers one day will rip the benifet of all u fight.
i want carrette to give evidence in that case