UWP top brass for trial in February

From left: Ron Green, Edison James, Claudius Sanford and Hector John

A date has been set for a trial involving seven members of the opposition United Workers Party (UWP) for an alleged illegal public demonstration outside the House of Assembly in November 29, 2010.

The members appeared at court this morning where it was ordered that the trial be adjourned to February 17, 2012.

Those from the upper echelon of the party that were charged are Hector John – Opposition Leader, Ron Green – UWP leader, Claudius Sanford – Deputy Leader and Edison James – UWP President.

Other members of the party who were charged are Ezekiel Bazil and Norris Charles.

Charges are; organizing a demonstration without the permission of the Commissioner of Police, abetting a demonstration and taking part in a procession without the permission of the police commissioner. But this morning, Director of Public Prosecutions Gene Pestaina told the court that the prosecution was withdrawing the latter charge.

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.

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32 Comments

  1. leford
    November 22, 2011

    regardless of party. DOMINICANS ON A WHOLE ARE TOO POLITICALLY, SO WHO EVER GOES TO COURT GOES TO COURT. i dont support any party in this narrow minded country.

  2. Arab
    November 13, 2011

    I see this as a case that under normal circumstances it would be a slap on the wrist. I hope that our countries money is not used to pursue hard fines. It was wrong but they should be treated like normal citizens.

  3. Cerberus
    November 12, 2011

    Don’t we really have anything more productive to do with our time and money than sow discord?
    Provided they do not cause a public nuisance or disturb the peace, let people demonstrate and ignore them if you will. Vindictiveness only creates martyrs. Not a smart move!

  4. justice to be served
    November 12, 2011

    Freedom to assemble yes with permission. These guys should have known the law as they were once the law keepers.
    Time to stop this pettiness on both sides.time to mature intellectuaally.
    Dominica is intellectually bankrupt, and those who should be an example, are letting all of us down.
    The PM is young, he is learning, the opposition have no excuse they are grown ass men apart from Spraggs.
    Now Tony is the smarts and he is outsmarting the UWP all the time, because he is playing the game, using the law. UWP is all about emotion. DUMB.

    • Papa Dom
      November 12, 2011

      My friend, why do you think the second charge was dropped? this charge cannot and should not stand in any proper court of law. And I do not know what makes you people believe that tony is a smart lawyer.

    • Waiti girl
      November 12, 2011

      free to drive but you need a licence

  5. November 12, 2011

    THAT CASE WILL NEVER END BECAUSE ALL THE MAGISTRATES ARE RECUSING THEIR SELVES FROM THE MATTER.

  6. Maria
    November 12, 2011

    Behaviors have consequences and that goes for everyone. No one is above the law, not even our Parl rep.

    • grell
      November 12, 2011

      oh please people like you are so blind but the labour party tony astaphan there days are coming,uwp has all the right to protest.they are true dominican not the ones that are using and robbing there own people,

  7. Truth Seeker!
    November 11, 2011

    Sorry Admin, but I would reserve the phrase, “top brass” to more deserving entities.

    In any case, these gentlemen really are doing Dominica a disservice. I believe they have a lot to offer our people. Lord know I am not a die-hard supporter. I just want more level-headed, intelligent folks to lead Dominica into the 20 Century. These guys continue to be comical in their utterance and behavior while Dominica languishes.

    • Sout Man
      November 13, 2011

      We are already in the 21st century!

  8. Justice?
    November 11, 2011

    The Universal declaration of Human rights states clearly that a citizen of any country has the RIGHT to:

    FREEDOM of ASSOCIATION
    FREEDONM to ASSEMBLE peacefully
    Freedom to access, receive and impart information
    FREEDOM of EXPRESSION among others.

    Dominicans of whatever race, colour, or creed or social backgrounds are also guaranteed those RIGHTS under our Constitution.

    If the peaceful Assembly of Law-abidding Dominicans was illegal why didn’t the police take action on the day of the Assembly? If the police themselves were present,they did not stop the Assembly or people there expressing their views, kept the peace, agreed the Assembly was peaceful, did not arrest anybody for public disorder or their presence at the Assembly, what could be the moral reasoning behind those charges and Court proceedings?

    Do the authorities think that will prevent people from speaking? Do they think that will instill fear in Dominicans so that they will think twice before they exercise their God-given RIGHTS to Assemmble, to Associate Freely and peacefully? Fear to speak against passport sales, secret deals, quick enrichment, scandals, scams, kick-backs, and all the other evils plaguing sweet Dominica?

    Is so Dominica come? The world over people are exercising their RIGHTS to Assemble, speak their minds, express their views about their own development. They advocate against corruption, stealing of people’s money by a few, bad governance. They fight for free and fair elections, for other Rights and Freedoms, for better standards of living.

    That is the 21st. century my people. Wake up and see under your noses what is happening in our Dominica. No court case regarding the most horrible, heinous Christmas firebomnbing of two innocent elders. A grave Criminal act. After almost 1 year, investigation adrift. But court case in that Assembly matter, in an attempt to punish, to manners and demoralise those who are fearless to exercise their RIGHTS peacefully and Assemble to inform on issues in their own land.

  9. simple mind
    November 11, 2011

    Yes Mde.Speaker Dominicans are too free,Dominicans are too free.

  10. Anonymous
    November 11, 2011

    Communison at it’s best. That’s what u called democracy !

  11. tactical
    November 11, 2011

    This is so politically instigated and glaring it is not funny; so the police could not find one or two supporters of the so called demonstration to arrest; it is clear that the police and the DPP Office are under instructions to go after the leadership of the UWP TO TRY TO weaken and destabilize the political opposition. The same DPP could not find the time to go to court to prosecute the speaker instead he sends a junior from his office to fight the case can find time to file charges against all these men. He determines what goes or does not go to court that two face DPP in the side shop saying one thing but when comes to the real mackoy does another thing.

    • simple mind
      November 11, 2011

      singing for his supper…..

  12. FIL
    November 11, 2011

    THEY WERE WRONG. WHEN YOU ARE WRONG, YOU ARE
    WRONG. THEY SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN PERMISSION.

    • Papa Dom
      November 12, 2011

      permission to do what? can you point me in the direction of the law which says that permission is required for what took place on the day? if you do then I will agree with you.

  13. Anti-hate
    November 11, 2011

    Those from the upper echelon of the party that were charged are Hector John – Opposition Leader, Ron Green – UWP leader, Claudius Sanford – Deputy Leader and Edison James – UWP President

    —————————

    I think that has to be some sort of record, a party with more ‘leaders’ than seats in Parliament lol.

    • Anonymous
      November 11, 2011

      i like that…..lol

  14. Truth B Told
    November 11, 2011

    The freedom to assemble is not absolute, there are rules which we must follow. Old men like Ron and Eddy should know better they are leading the younger ones like Sprags and Sanford astray.

    But with so many leaders, each with his own agenda, it is not surprising that the UWP cannot organise anything properly. They do seem to like being in the courts. :)

  15. British Citizen
    November 11, 2011

    All who is still under the delusion that Dominica is so Democratic then stay there and keep Quiet, they already came for media, they came for Mr Emanuel now they are after the Opposition. When you guys sit and keep quiet and continue to say I love my PM don’t matter what he does,then have a look at this:www.weeklyblitz.net

  16. 1979
    November 11, 2011

    DOMINICANS NEED TO STAND UP FOR THERE MP’S. THIS IS AN ATTACK ON OUR FREEDOM TO ASSEMBLE…….LORD WHAT A TRAVESTY…

    THESE PEOPLE REALLY ASKING FOR CIVIL UNREST IN DOMINICA….

    ZOR KE TAPEY SAH ZOR CA CHERCHE!!!!

    • 1979 4eva
      November 11, 2011

      Silence every and all opposition……dominicans have jus begun to live on their knees….pay attention to what this means…carette I cannot wait for u to retire, to be an ordinary man like any one of us whose voice u choose to stifle…today is yours, we will deal with you tomorrow!

  17. 1979
    November 11, 2011

    IS THAT WHY THOMAS LETANG AND THE PUBLIC SERVICE UNION IS SO FEARFUL OF STAGING INDUSTRIAL ACTION????????????? WHEN WE NOT PAID SALARIES ON THE 42ND OF OCTOBER???? DO WE HAVE TO GO AND ASK FOR POLICE PERMISSION TO PERMIT US TO DEMONSTRATE OUR DISSATISFACTION, IF SO IT IS REALLY TIME TO LEAVE, AND SAVE MY CHILDREN FROM THIS FAILED POLICE NEO COMMUNIST STATE!!!

  18. TRUE DOMINICAN
    November 11, 2011

    can some one tell me please how many leaders that have have??????????????and none of them is not suit to take full responsibility of the nation!!!!!!!!!!!!father help them for they know not what they do!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Kevin Nash
      November 11, 2011

      that is if you aself know what you just said there

      • *123#
        November 11, 2011

        u doh even know what u write lol

  19. cia watch
    November 11, 2011

    Is that the way carette is using to fight crime

  20. EXCALIBUR
    November 11, 2011

    DEMOCRACY taken to THE NEXT LEVEL!!!!!!!!!!

  21. Kevin Nash
    November 11, 2011

    See nonesense, they taking a political party to court for holding a demonstration outside parliament. ONLY in Dominica!

    • Shameless
      November 11, 2011

      One day one day kankarday….one day u up the ladder and next day you down on the floor. Carette dont let these guys use u because remember you retiring next year and want to do so with a clear conscience. May god be Dominica’s protector.

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