Dominica is among four Caribbean countries which are in arrears in the payments of their dues to the UN and are unable to vote at the General Assembly.
Presently Dominica is in arrears of US $7,231, according to a letter from the UN General Secretary, Ban Ki-Moon, to the president of the General Assembly.
Because of this, as of February 12, 2013, Dominica has lost its rights to vote at the General Assembly.
Under Article 19 of the UN Charter, a Member State in arrears in the payment of its dues in an amount that equals or exceeds the contributions due for two preceding years can lose its vote.
An exception is allowed if the Member State can show that conditions beyond its control contributed to this inability to pay.
On 11 October 2012, the General Assembly adopted Resolution 67/2 by which it decided that five Member States shall be permitted to vote in the Assembly until the end of its 67th session. The countries are Central African Republic, The Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Sao Tome and Principe and Somalia.
The other Caribbean countries which joined Dominica in losing their right to vote at the UN are St. Lucia, Grenada and the Dominican Republic.
Other countries worldwide include Venezuela, Zimbabwe and Sierra Leone.
DNO contacted Dominica’s Ambassador to the UN, Vince Henderson, on the matter but his phone rang without an answer.
Justice and Truth. So according to you, the UN should pay our fees so we can turn around and waste money paying for:
– grotesque levels of government squadering of tax payers dollars
– inflated salaries
– payouts to cronies
and of course, but by no means the least or the end of the list:
– the neverending supply of useless non-revenue generating projects like the State Palace
UNBELIEVABLE that you actually put that out there to the world. In other words. Proud to be a paro.
All the money the government on hard workers taxes… not to mention the arbitrarily high duties and charges on importing vehicles into Dominica… Our government cannot pay a little 7000 USD… that reflects so bad on all Dominicans in the eyes of the world. This government embarrass us too much… I’m ashamed.
I wonder if they forgot to pay the ambassador as well.
HELL NO!! You mad???? Priorities brudder!
It’s dem first second third fourth fifth sixth seventh eighth ninth tenth eleventh twlevth thirteenth fourteenth fifteenth sixteenth then MAYBE actual important bills
If we lost our vote to the UN then all UN Foreign service officers should be shipped back
But it’s sad that for 7000 US, (Which is less expenses for certain travelling officers when they leave the country), we lost our right to vote and what’s worse is that we are in areas exceeding 2 years…
Does that mean Vince Henderson was caught sleeping on his job. Who is going to fire him and the dominican public needs an explanation. He is representing the people.
Let us see if we get one.
UN is not the only one we are owing.
but we still red! our electorates still red!
lol
hmph… so its begun. easy life was fun. good luck every1. ^_^
If this date, February 12, 2103 is a typographical error and DNO admits it to you critics and doubters who accuse the government of a lapse in payment of US $7,231, you should bite your fingers.
I am wondering if it is an error on the part of the UN Secretary or his administrative assistant -secretary. He is not English speaking. Note I am not accusing anyone. Mistakes do happen and will always happen. They are excusable as long as they are not fatal, do not deprive others of their human right, do not tarnish their good name and their is no major loss of funds. Well, we will find out soon if that date is correct or not.
The UN could afford to pay the cost for those countries that cannot afford to pay. Where is the government of Dominica getting that amount of US dollars from to pay the UN? It already owes a lot of money. UN, have a heart and be compassionate!
but what am i hearing? are you serious?
But a a justice and truth you that simple to think the UN General Secretary is the one sitting looking in a ledger and writing down amounts islands and countries owe so much so its a typo? Well I never thought a person could be so simplistic to even offer this as a rational thought.
Is no one seeing the type saying 2103…it is supposed to be 2013…we have 90 something years to pay still
All you woy the $7000 was used to pay the high commissioner heating bills in the UK and to pay for fish and chips as snacks while they studying.
I swear they think Dominica is a first world country now. Not paying UN dues n all. I born and die Laborite but this group of labourites need to GO!!!! Before I form a young and vibrant not to mention qualified Labour Party and k*^* them out. Selling passports for 100,000. Now owing 7000plus, among many others. Slowly going down and it’s annoying the heck out of me.
let us ask senior council to pay it from all the fees he has collected over the years .Be a good citizen Defacto Prime Minister
I thought we had money sendint to countries worldwide. So now we don’t have anything left for ourselves, LIARS. LIARS. LIARS. LIARS.
I Can Never Ever Never Ever Never Ever trust this government.
We need to change the name of Dominica, because we are becoming ‘dummies in a can” the operative part of the name seem to be DOM. So when we are called Tall is her body, Waitukubilie,our people will start to walk tall again and behave with integrity.
Our vote is our voice. If we have lost our voive the Vince Henderson should be shipped back to DA since he no longer allowed to make a statement on our behalf
lol i think you mean that our vote is CHINA’s voice…
i am so ashamed. need to get rid of that passport.
i could pay that for you mr.pm but you were bragging dominica not in financial trouble so whats this $7000.00 yall cant pay
LOL I was saying the same thing for Vince to tell us where to send the cheque!
Who is the PS that Henderson works under?
SAD and STUPID, to fall on that bracket especially with the UN. When the hell will those in authority get it together.
Well if the restriction is effective February 12, 2103 should we really worry about it? Honestly, do you think the UN will still exist in 2103
Talk about throwing away hard earned tax payer $$$
2103? Ninety years from now? Almost a century! Who will be alive then? Will the world be still existing? I would not worry about it.
I gave this a further thought and concluded it may be a typographical error. The date may be Feb. 12, 2013. This date is past.
So are we gonna pay an ambassador for nothing.. I think Vince can be laid off till the govt pays it dues.
The sensible thing to do is to ask a question and not make an accusation and an assumption. You do not know the circumstances. There must be an explanation for this. An understanding and broadminded person would consider this.
well well well , what do we have here now ? is it he the United Workers Party fault why Dominica is owning the UN ? just asking ?
the to ask ….is how has the UN help DA. Should we just keep and receive nothing in return.
PM whilst you are at it, we should consider our position relating to the COMMONWEALTH. Where are the benefits ???? So far all I have seen is ADP (relating to flight surcharges) increases.
That $7, 231 can go the International Airport Fund
And what have we done for the rest of the world, never mind helping ourselves? If you measure your elationships only by how much you can squeeze out of them you will always be a poor man.
Welfare attitude is exactly that welfare attitude. Yuur name is ironic.
Cyan pay UN fees but Villa build caymemm, Viellecase mansion built, plenty money in offshore bank, properties being transferred, big mansion of ministers and advisors flashing in malawais face. Something happening and it is real disgusting, plenty corruption here, lies and deception there , woyyoyyoy Dominica suffering from while the politicians thieving .
too much ado about nothing. The money will be paid and all will be well again.
WOW!!! Not paying bills on time is much ado about nothing??? Really? seriousy??? And the real issue here is not that we cant pay but that you feel thats no problem but then again beggars would think that.
Wait, $7000?!? That is it? Ok you know what, I will pay that for D/a. That is my contribution. When all you finish say diaspora doesn’t help. :P
Hurry up and send the cheque immediately, with no exception. Put your money where your mouth is or your fingers to the keyboard are. This includes your brains.
I said ‘cheque’; not ‘check’.
I too thought it might have been missing some zeroes, but it is actually 7 Thousand.
I can understand if this is about making some statement against the UN, otherwise that’s just embarrassing.
DNO, when says that one contacted someone, it is because one has actually reached that someone. If one does not reach that someone, then one must say one TRIED to contact someone.
Ok Alix that is true but also when one takes an oath to be impartial one must actually be impartial when executing the duties which that adopts.
When one talks about the rights of women on one side of the mouth while paying a blind eye to they who are being victimized and abused by people on one side of the house of parliament it s hypocrisy and crassness. .
This is not the issue. Why do you not stick to the issue? Do not sway away from it. Your comments are out of place here and unwarranted and have no credence.
“when says that one contacted someone”??
I know what you mean but it is funny anyway…
Hi Alix, this is a former CHS schoolmate all the way in Canada.
I endorse what you stated. A message could be left to return the call or was one left?
But Vince, how could you slip up so? Maybe you don’t spend enough time at the office? How embarrassing, especially now that Mr. Skerrit was in Morocco to whom we pledged our vote in their claim for the Western Sahara and non-rcognition of Plosario. The boss will be none too pleased and your career must be in doubt.
Well to be fair is that Vince’s fault? Who is in charge of that?
lol what a big joke lol
Weh Papa,Dominica is so you come, garcon i shame !! weyyy, so what going to happen when de Chinese want there money for de stadium, state house,school,bridge,etc ? I THINK WE MUST BEGIN TO PRAY !!
$7,231? Or $7,231,000?
It’s $7231 as stated in the un documentation here
Dominica does not need a seat at the un table. Our voice will never be heard. Do you really think that the leading nations really care about small island nations? Answer is no. Wake up people. Globalization will be the reason why dominicans will become second class citizens in their own country. They make you sell all your property for a few $$ (sad) feed you garbage from television. ,reeducate your children,sell you processed. imported food. And the list goes on
Every vote count’s
So Anomymous best then we all apply for a green card??
LOL but we still have time! is till February, 12 2103!
Let us bet that this is a mistake. Rather, February 12, 2013. Ever thought of it?
this shamefull bad. we dont have 7,00o US to pay our dues. wtf
Dominica can’t scare up $7,231 for UN dues? Seems like a paltry sum to owe and lose a voice in the General Assembly. What China or the US not interested in buying our vote?
Dont you people read? US $7,231
DNO when you get them on the phone ask them about the Italian guy that was suppose to be helping the Dominican consulate where is he now and ask them if they are trying to find him and why.
Yes DNO ask them that question for me and also ask the guilty one to do us a favor that when he graduate send all of us a copy of his diploma so we can all understand what our money paid for.
Vince too busy to even attend UN meetings muchless pay dues. lmao. dominican polititians are the best!
Is it a permanent ban?
it is best to be thought of as a fool than to ‘type a comment and remove all doubts. u doe seeing us$7,231???
Wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Dominica with Zimbabwe now, so we come.
I tellyou! Early this month it was announced Zimbabwe tresury went dry.
What a shame, with all them passport sale, the PM of Dominica cannot pay it’s due
There more to come people, there is a lot more to come
So bring Vince hack their is jo work f him…just a waste of tax payers money
them politisions getting so much money under the table from all there dirty dealings and backdoor deals with other countries a little seven thousand dollars they cannot pay to the united nations then
I think that is a reasonable amount that could be paid, whether the amount is quoted in EC or US.
Dumb question indeed….. The article states the amount is in US dollars…..
and is the figure in the millions, or $7,231k, what does that comma state??
this would indicate millions. $7k would be a joke.
The PM should just ask the Astaphans to pay it.
Why the ataphans -what about the treasury is that not there job.
The government of the country in arrears but if a citizen in arrears they fast to cut pple light and so.. if the government in arrears like that and not only to the UN, in education, in loans, in other financial transactions, how do they expect the citizens to be? .. papa bat!
ay lass!!! we don’t tired of embarrassing situations under that gov’t smh…..
dumb question but is the amount in EC dollars?????
No, it is U.S.$. , roughly the quivalent Melissa Drummond was paid in the U.K. Glad to note we have got our priorities right!
jeez but it says US before the amount so obviously it’s not in EC
US $7,231
Yes…EC DOLLARS !!!!
Please get your facts right
So borring
The government should short-pay Astaphan and Lawrence and pay our UN dues.
Twop gwo kai ka bati.