This month Dominican author, Raglan Riviere launched his fifth self-published novel entitled, “Flirting with Dictatorship”, through Create Space, an Amazon.Com company.
The book is a portrayal of what the author foresees as a probable outcome of discernible trends in the political journey of Dominica.
While the events are entirely fictional, the author warns that they are not outside the realm of possibility and advises that necessary precautions be taken to avert them.
The book description states as follows:
“On the night of November 1st, 2018, while on his way home, Cecil Thompson is jolted by the sudden appearance of a submarine off the east coast of Grand Bay. He runs home to share the incident with three friends, Asquith Maynard, Jeremy Alcendor and Samuel Musgrave, who joined him in witnessing the smuggling of guns, ammunition and the illegal entry of two men from Venezuela.
How they handled the situation can best be described as daring and dangerous. But, their actions may have saved their nation, the Commonwealth of Dominica, from possible, political catastrophe.
The four friends, with the advice of the Leader of the Opposition, Clarence Anselm, and his Party Public Relations Officer, Walter Ambrose, discover and expose a plot by the Prime Minister of Dominica, Nicholas Charles, aided by the President of Venezuela, Gustavo Ramirez, to impose dictatorship on the people of Dominica.
This discovery triggers a series of violent, popular protests, including firebombing of homes and police confrontations, which led to the declaration of a State of Emergency.
But, a secret group, the Dominica Freedom Fighters, emerges, demands and forces the revocation of the State of Emergency.”
Riviere is the author of “Rum Punch and Prejudice” which was recently staged in Dominica by Dominica’s New Dimension Theatre with much acclaim.
Riviere’s books can be found on his Amazon Author’s Page at http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0034OZB8U.
People of Dominica please! “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he” Proverbs 23: 7
Fiction this writing may be, but the author is provoking the minds of our younger generation in our Dominica–the point of doom and darkness, which can cause them to rebel through the acts of violence–much, much, worse than it is today.
A book entitles: “Flirting with Dictatorship” is an ugly idea in the mind of man, it is not a joke–even it the writer calls it fiction–there is nothing fiction about the thoughts of Dictatorship.
We–especially those of us who do not live in Dominica and have no intention of doing so in the future– need to stop. stupidly calling for that state of doom and darkness for our homeland.
The mind processes all thoughts which are conceived on its ground and the fruits are reproduced in the distinctive for–both good and bad. We don’t need for our young people’s minds to be further provoked than they already are today–through the confusions of politics.
We don’t want a revolution, with grenades and whatever sorts of weapons of war to happen in our Dominica–we cannot afford this. But what we need is the healing of the mind so that we can come to the ways of Life, as God wants us to live that Life.
It is unfortunate that those who are supposed to mature and learned men and women of today, are doing nothing for our young people, but to provoke their minds to conceive and produce everything that futile.
The writings of such as that Book in questions is among those futile provocation that will definitely produce futility–and futility is the thing of death–and so I pray!
Dear God, You who is Love dwelling in Your Person, Jesus Christ. On behalf of the Your people in Dominica, I as You, please show Your mercy and compassion of Love to our young, innocent, humble, and God fearing people of Dominica–Amen!
if this is to happen it would happen with less guns/violence. the government will use more mental/Psychological mean of bringing about that type of leadership.
I do not think so. Why did they have men on roof tops with guns? And why do they have men with funs on various occassions.
Some people only view Dominica in a negative light. Hold on tight true patriots!
Mista know someting boi,,,
Marn bet you mista is one of dem Man-dem dat does meet in dat blue and white house right dere at d bottom of KingsHill,,,
dem dat, Portsmouth people that using those foolish phrases. what does blue and white house have to do with de man story
Raglan can com up with anything fiction story in his head because he have much time on his hands as he relaxes at his retirement home with his Grenadian Wife living at Wasaga Beach, Ontario. He will never return to Dominica to live. So why bother with the man who is a weakling in public and talker behind the computer. He wants to be important and can only think of their glory days of the past. Those days have long gone my brother. So get off your high horse and join in to build Dominica or be silent.
This just shows the mindset of some of our so called patriots.
I have ordered but not read Mr. Riviere’s book . But my view is that it is entirely plausible to see the conclusion of the book play out in real life in Dominica. Those who dismiss this potential outcome can continue to bury their heads in the proverbial sand, as too many are all too willing to do. However, the sign posts clearly point to a not too pleasant outcome in the years ahead.
Consider the evidence: We have a sitting prime minister who has made known his desire to remain in office for a considerable period of time. He has served three terms and is seeking a fourth against the backdrop of well publicized statements indicating scant regard for the constitution he took an oath to uphold.
He has during his tenure of office radically and substantially altered the political culture of the country, away from traditional norms of honesty, integrity and good citizenship and towards a rank pursuit of money by all means possible.
Over the last several years we have witnessed a degradation of our key institutions in the country including the police. All power seems to lie with the prime minister who controls all aspects of decision making. He even hands out money, dry cash, to welfare recipients, abandoning the traditional methods we have known for generations, all in an effort to promote himself as the grand daddy to whom all must genuflect.
The justice system has been politicized. Those who are supporters of the party in power have less chance of being prosecuted for crimes than those without the relevant party credentials.
Those who in the past exercised some degree of intellectual independence, have abandoned any pretense of impartiality and have sided with the current regime no matter how destructive the policies we see coming from the regime. It’s all about “what is in it for me”.
The list of disturbing sign posts is plentiful. So those who do not to see the possibility of creeping dictatorship are fooling themselves, and more importantly, they are playing Russian roulette with their country’s future and the future of its democracy.
A fourth term for this prime minister would almost certainly seal the country’s fate.
That’s what they all want to see happen in Dominica. Fake Patriots I say! By the grace of God no such thing will happen. Raglan and his UWP boys will have to do it themselves.
@ Intellect Your intellect is tantamount to that of an imbecile. Go to Skerrit so that he buys you a book and a pencil, and PLEASE GO TO NIGHT SCHOOL, instead of serving Skerrit as a lapdog.
the writer is right .
Coming events cast shadows, and you should never close your eyes to them,
I saw the same thing in a vision, this is very serious ,people
The author is part of a group of Former executives of a Dominica Diaspora organization including one with the last name Fontaine who once, visited the US embassy to complain about the link of Dominica’s government with Chavez and communist Cuba. Another colleague of his with the last name Shillingford of Dominican birth wrote the US embassy in Barbados to inquire whether it was safe for him as a US citizen to visit Dominica, the embassy replied that, as far as they know no threat to US citizens exist in Dominica.
These guys know that they cant beat the existing ruling party at the polls so they are trying all strategies including fiction. We know that this is a losing political strategy. I feel sorry for Raglan, Fontaine & Shillingford because they are losers in this case.
truth!
The topic is just what I said to a lady blogged as ‘Simply the Truth’.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
I wonder how many books Raglan sold?
Stupes to you. Thanks God for authors. Did you condemn Jessica Langsbury for ‘Murder she Wrote’ and Shakespeare for many of his novels?
It is people lke you who will prevent the young people from learning about the ‘Scar of Slavery’ and ‘African Liberation’. SMH
And it is people like you who will go one step forward and two steps backward! Nothing’s wrong in teaching about slavery etc…but this is called” history” for a reason.We are suppose to move forward.while we know and understand where we come from we should have a positive plan of what we want and how to achieve it.he could write his ideas on that,couldn’t he? I am not interested in politics period . Ask people who left Dominica Thirty or more years ago they will tell you the same thing.Dominica needs to offer more ,to it’s citizens and to visitors alike.we need to envision positive things not this fictional violence etc… If you were are real ” freedom fighter” you would see that
@Boy o boy May 14, 2014
You are right on with your words above!
I am one who has lived away from Dominica–40 years today–in Toronto, Canada But I love my homeland and I plan to return home to be with family–God’s will be done.
I was there in 2008. for 6 weeks and last year, for my mom’s funeral. It is true that I am content with Dominica, enough to want to return home for good.
But we are still too slow in development–pertaining to public facilities like the beaches, the City outlook, parks and recreation, and a few more aspects of living.
Dominica is truly a Paradise in nature, but we can be much, much, more, if our men and women were more willing to contribute sincerely, instead of plaguing the minds or our young people with the things of strife, disdain, and discord.
That is the reason they on DNO and Radio talk shows, speaking and writings things they hear from those who older than them–not knowing what they are speaking or writing about. I can only hope that they come together and put the stupidity of their minds into action. May God have mercy on us!
This comment was meant for @ intellect and @boy o boy.
The dynasty that never was!
No painfull actions are needed when someone foresees <"international air port or nice cruise ship port in a country;but in deed action and a wake up call is highly needed when someone foresees dictatorship which includes violence towards the weak ,poor and those who refuses to support the dictator…
Do not forget grenada and it is never too late for us to experience the same actions that were taken by the U.S.A…where many people lost their lives …
I pray to Yahweh GOD that this never happens,but given the trend this Skeritt led administration is taking,this is a possibility
Boy o Boy, The author does not vision the same as you and the current situation does portray exactly what he writes in friction which can be a possibility.
Why does he have to foresee this “fiction” of violence,fire bombing of homes….why not foresee an international airport,a nice cruise ship port,more hotels to accommodate the influx of tourism that would result in more work for the citizens of Dominica so that those who are abroad can finally come back home to their country? Stupes!!!!! Smh!!!!
He is an associate of Thompson Fontaine. From the little information given this is a novel of fiction. It can also be considered the dream of what the author wants to take place in Dominica, VIOLENCE…
Just Talk, Ask Charles Savarin about Violence, he was the only politician i know who said “we will go after the opposition like how Obama goes after Alcadia with Drones”. Just talk, i guess you have selective memory so you are excused
That’s your perception. He is writing and needs to draw in the audience. Do you not understand “fictional?” Please open your mind to the other realm..
After 15 years of lacing your pockets with the toil and sweat of the working poor people of this country, you all are now offering the unsuspecting, poor and uninformed people of Dominica your pie-in –the –sky international airport. You all emphatically said that an international airport was not important – so what has changed?? You can deny all you want, the fact are there to establish that, someone or a group of people did try to kill the Emanuels at their home in Goodwill that Christmas morning. The question is, why are you all taking so much time to bring that case to trial??
@ New Yorker,your selective observation is obvious. Mr. Rivier’s novel fictional as it is paints a picture of violence for Dominica in the future. Due to your selective observation I guess you are on your knees praying that the story contained in this novel becomes a reality.
It is quite clear you cannot separate fiction from fact. Have you read the novel?