It sounded like a perfect idea, at least at first.
Get Dominica into one of the biggest sporting events on the planet and the small island in the middle of the Lesser Antilles will grab the attention of millions.
Mind you, Dominica has participated in the Olympic Games before. But the Winter Olympics?
The names Gary di Silvestri and Angelica Morrone di Silvestri are popping everywhere in the international press and the exposure is not flattering.
The ultra-rich husband and wife team was Dominica’s representative at the just concluded Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
Local Olympic officials never made public the couple’s representation and the news was first broken in the international press.
When it broke, the officials were heads over heels over it.
NBC sports website quoted secretary general of the Dominica Olympic Committee (DOC), Thomas Dorsett, as saying “it will be an historic (moment)” for Dominica.
“Our tourism department will make a field day of that,” he said, according to NBC.
The New York Times quoted president of the DOC, Felix Wilson as saying, “Gary never came to us and said, ‘Look, I’m spending this; I’m doing this and doing that, so I want be on board to go to the Olympic Games.”
Wilson was the only Dominican Olympic official to attend the Sochi Games.
But when the games started the media began wondering about the couple who, according to some reports, was not well known within sporting circles.
Things got really bad when Gary did not finish the 15-kilometer men’s classic and his wife did not even start the 10-kilometer women’s classic.
And suddenly the international press is the one having a field day.
British newspaper,The Mail, described the couple’s participation in the games as “a fraudulent scheme,” noting that the two had ‘scammed the Olympics and the press.’
In an investigative article sports website, Deadspin, alleges the two invented phony athletic accomplishments to pad their sports backgrounds and then ‘donated’ nearly $200,000 to Dominica in order to gain citizenship to qualify for its Olympic team.
In a story headlined “Did this couple and their nation scam Sochi Olympics?” Fox Sports described the two as ‘Olympic tourists,’ “a term given to a person who, usually unable to qualify for the Olympics in their native land, obtains citizenship in another nation in hopes of qualifying for the Olympics as a member of that nation’s team.”
“All in all, this wouldn’t exactly rank as one of the feel-good stories out of Sochi,” the article said.
The couple’s story gets even more interesting when newspaper, U-T San Diego, reported that an open line of communication with the couple existed in the run up to the Games.
However, when the questions shifted to how they actually became citizens of Dominica to compete, the exchange ended, according to the newspaper.
“But in recent days, when asked to elaborate on the fuzzy specifics of their humanitarian aid and the basis for their new found citizenship, the emails stopped. Gary has not returned emails, either. Nor have three different government ministries in Dominica,” the newspaper reports.
The newspaper said Gary repeatedly said he and his wife were awarded citizenship in the Dominica for their philanthropy. Some media outlets have even reported that the couple had built a children’s hospital in Dominica.
An opinion piece in the Maimi Herald blasted the couple saying they did not deserve to be Olympians. “Nor did they bring positive attention to Dominica after questions arose about how one can acquire a passport from the island — for a minimum of $100,000,” the article stated.
This shows that Dominica’s citizenship program is being highlighted in this entire fiasco.
“We made a financial contribution to the country that went to different projects, and in return they granted us citizenship,” Gary told The New York Times.
One website, The Wire, practically made fun of the program saying that one doesn’t even need to visit Dominica to get citizenship. “For a few thousand dollars, you can take the citizenship test overseas,” the site stated in an article entitled ‘A Guide to Scamming Your Way into the Olympics, À La Dominica’s Ski Team.’ “Visiting is basically overachieving.”
This story is not going away soon since more and more media outlets around the world are picking it up.
Attempts to contact local Olympics officials on the matter have so far been unsuccessful.
This comment is directed to the Dominica Olympic Committee and the Dominica Tourism Board if there is one.
On a serious note, this is truly bad publicity for Dominica. I hope you do not support this, thinking that its good for Dominica. If Dominica needs any kind of publicity it should be positive.
I know because I live and work in the high end tourism world. Hopefully one day with God’s help I will be able to help make a difference in my country, tourism wise.
By the way, if all what we are saying is true, the Olympic committee should feel equally embarrassed that this couple was able to infiltrate their system. It just shows that every system has flaws or maybe there was no wrongdoing by anyone. The couple just embarrassed themselves.
This is so sad.My Dominica is now a hot mess.Praying for u my Dominica.The PM needs to stop that mess.
Domnick pa ni nesh
Domnick pa connet sleigh bells
mais nos ka voyee moon
en winter Olympics.
Mee bagay sot. Sa cest bagay bayteez. On moun siposse resign, keetay posicion yo pour tout embawwasment yo cause noo. Sa nou bouswen cest on “Commission of Inquiry”
At least this negative saga was highlighted all over the world. The backlash have definitely put our country in the spotlight and now known to many. Visitation may increase, lol
Never heard of Tommy Lee Sparta before until the media ran with the story.
It’s a damn shame for the country, selling citizenship too? What are you guys going to do next.
The Olympic committee needs to place a ban on Dominica for the next five years.
Let this be a warning to you Mr. Prime Minister and the rest of the senate. I was about to ask that the country beware of scam artist, but then again who knows!
SHAME! SHAME! SHAME!
I don’t live in Dominica,but that so called AG always away selling passports.They will catch him one day.
The A.G. not selling passports. He may interview applicants but I understand in the Middle East this duty is now performed by our High Commissioner to London and not the A.G.
Churches are excellent places for washing money. Why you think the Vatican have its own bank? All for the glory of God.
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, HUH? We knew that. We, those involved, know full well that it takes years to practice for these games, should have known better, should have researched and be more careful. Revenue is one thing but acquiring revenue fraudulently is another.
ROOSEVELT, THAT MONEY IS NON-REFUNDABLE, BUT REVOKING CITIZENSHIP IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. GIVE US A PEACE OF MIND.
IN THE FUTURE, ANYONE wanting citizenship MUST live on Island for the same amount of time, five (5) years, as WE do in other Countries to obtain their citizenship.
When this story first broke on DNO prior to the games I posted that this would bring bad publicity to or country regardless whether the couple are paying their way. There were many dislikes. Time has proved me right.
Change is a must. Such a fiasco could have never happen during the watch of UWP Team Dominica
MailOnline – news, sport, celebrity, science and health stories
The fraudulent lives of the Montana couple who LIED about their sporting backgrounds to become Dominica’s first-ever Winter Olympic team (that consisted of just them)
Gary di Silvestri and wife Angelica Morrone were born in Staten Island and Italy, respectively
The couple paid nearly $200,000 to become citizens of Dominica to be eligible to compete in the Olympics
Dominica has never before had a Winter Olympic team
Many of the claims di Silvestri makes in his various bios about his previous athletic prowess have proven to not be true
Morrone was involved in a bribery scandal involving the International Olympic Committee and her former employer, Italian car-maker Fiat
But Thomas Dorsett, secretary general of the DOC, told The Times, “The tourism department, I think we will benefit from this. I think we are so privileged to have somebody like Gary represent our country, and without looking for fine points and cutting teeth, I think to us it’s just a godsend. Because you have to realize sometimes we are mistaken for the Dominican Republic. If we can make our own mark, it’s better, so we highly appreciate what Gary has done for us.”
Another Caribbean nation, Barbados, also receiving applications from Olympic tourists. Speaking about the di Silvestris to The Times, Barbados Olympic association president Steve Stoute said:
“I wish them well, but it wouldn’t happen with my Olympic committee.”
All in all, this wouldn’t exactly rank as one of the feel-good stories out of Sochi.
Look it. I think they should stop selling the passports and review how it is done.
I am just so sick about what is going on in this country.Skerrit will sell his soul for money if he has not done so.
it is a shame. i hope he gives an account for that money that was paid for citizenship for those two fake olympians.
give a fool enough rope and he will hang himself.
SHAME<SHAME< SHAME.
He does not have to sell his soul for anything, there are plenty of souls left in the country for sale.
How you can sell a soul if you haven’t got one nuh?
after all i hope the u w p will recall all those passport back and bring order back to our contry
This is such a disgrace to our nation!!Once again the reigning government has proven that it is about making crass decisions and do not build for posterity.
I wonder if any background check was done on these individuals to see what a fake they were. Was the money received from this venture worth the embarrassment with which we are now faced?
How do we get out of this one with our pride in tact when we have become a global ridicule.
Alas! Alas! Alas!
skerrit will use the money ton buy votes and to pay for airline tickets. This man is the most corrupt Prime Minister the country has ever had.
what you expect when Dominicans put that power in the hands of a boy that did not have one toy and suit..
now he have toys and mansions and suits and money and the people suffering.
I always see that coming but mu conscience is clear since I voted for r.douglas and not the rest..
And as far as those who say Dominicans are backward that may be but some people are smart enough to know that most train for year leading up to the Olympics not by a passport and not train. These idiots are egotistic idiots that think they could not put in the work and get far sport.
Dominican authorities will wake up one day, if something is to good to be true then it is not true. Do your homework. Why wont any one fine this shady from the start, skiing lol gullible. The Chinese government is working on your asses just the same trust that. Its just a matter of time. No one, and I mean No ONE can make counterfeit passports or any item like the Chinese. Do the home work.
Cheers
What I vex about is that we in Dominica have to go thru so much to get a little visas and so much more to be a citizen. And here all these people have to do is just flash the dollar signs and they are in….That is what I vex about.
Thats not there fault its the fault of corrupt officials, and futhermore the young people are trying to leave , very few people actually apply for residence , (thats is excluding the haitains chinese and venezuelans who have very little choice)
Every time FAST n FURIOUS defends this government he gets another TOILET
Every time Fast N furious defends this government he gets a Toilet
@ ANONYMOUS..Don’t worry I’ll give you one so you can stop excreating all over that site spreading your UWPite gabbage and filth all over.
You guys need something positive in your lives. Watch this film and Digest it. Tired of politics. Here is a great film of dominica. wonder why so few know about it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TJZJ1Y6mjw
Thanks. We need more of this. Too much negativity!
I think it more reflects poorly on the Olympic Tourists than it does on Dominica. It just makes the DOA look naive and like they didn’t do proper research before asking them to represent Dominica in the games (or maybe the DOA just wanted an all expenses paid trip to the Olympics…) Did we really expect more?
This is simple and true; Dominica does not have a winter Olympic team. Black people still think black people are less than white people. Black people are still a bunch of Uncle Toms. Black people will never, ever grow up (too much time has passed without taking charge of their lives) Black people are afraid to challenge others. Black people still don’t like their own representing them. Black people will always be slaves, unless they believe in themselves, no one else, including deities!
Rastafari, I can not agree. Jamaica has had a bobsleigh team since 1988 and even this year they were in the Olympics with two man crew, black people, our own you know.! Nobody expect them to win but you should see how people admire them because of their approach in the true spirit of the Olympic Games. not ego trip or big time money.Not government paying for that you know but public donation. That gives a lot of positive vibes for Jamaica and its people. We ourselves should stop thinking of the colour of our skins as a handicap, I’m really tired of that.
Some nut case recently posted that these “fake” Olympians are better to lead our nation than the UWP. LOL, and whose laughing now! We need REAL Dominicans to represent us, we are more than capable already!
Get over this shame/BS have their Citizenship Revoked..
Dominicans, stop getting melodramatic over nothing! How many crimes were committed? I admit that what the couple did was questionable by presenting themselves as greater athletes than they really were but in the end, they merely embarrassed themselves. They probably met the criteria for economic citizenship but not as athletes.
I think that the picture painted by Thomson Fontaine to Dominicans in the diaspora is much worse than this scenario, and , by the way, this was no accident. This did not just happen. A couple represented a small Caribbean island in an Olympic event and did not complete the event. This is news how? I mean, who is interested, except for wanting to know where Dominica was. Remember Wikileaks or Weekly Blitz.
This pales in comparison to what the opposition is trying to pull on us with Thomson Fontaine and his travelgate scandal. We need to pay attention and look at the big picture.
This is part of the big picture so the question is what pictures are you really looking at or want us Dominicans to look at? Could you present that picture so we can look for ourselves?
I would be happy to. firstly, think about all the strides we have made over the last few years. We have improved our infrastructure greatly. Reduced unemployment and poverty ( see IMF and World Bank Reports) and are now ranked # 8 among the ten wealthiest nations in the caribbean.
Our Economic citizenship program may have its shortcomings but if it was so bad, more countries in the Caribbean would not be willing to adopt one and the opposition would not be willing to still adopt an economic citizenship program if they get into power. So we need to constantly review it.
They reason why we are having all this publicity is because someone maliciously leaked this to the press. How is a small country taking part in an Olympic event, send two athletes who did not complete the event significant, except for persons wanting to know more about Dominica? What crime was committed? They may not have been qualified as athletes but they met the requirements for economic citizenship. these people are not terrorists or drug lords. They made their money legally.
I remember some time ago Dominica was being featured in some kind of questionable publication. I believe it was named the weekly blitz. All kinds of claims and concerns were raised concerning our economic citizenship program. Most of the claims made proved to be unfounded. some of them were just downright lies. Some people have been trying quite unsuccessfully to sully the good name of Dominica for political gains. These are the same people who are behind this latest scandal.
Recently, the so called ” Team Dominica ” aka United Workers Party went out into the diaspora and painted a picture of Dominica that was so gross it hurt to hear it. Dominica was described as simply the worst and poorest country in the world. This was meant to hurt our government and to sway voters of the diaspora to vote for their party instead of the DLP. This, I think, was much worse than what happened at the Olympics. It was later revealed that one of the leading members of that party was forced to resign from a private organization, of which he was the treasurer, for transferring funds, on three separate known occasions, into his own personal accounts. Upon investigation, it was revealed that this gentleman had made a total mess of executing his basic functions as treasurer of the organization and as a result the organization became defunct. This is the same gentleman which the leader of the UWP Lennox Linton would like to present to Dominicans as our future minister of finance. This is very troubling and begs a lot of questions about the mentality of the leadership of our opposition party. This I believe is much more important than the distraction they are trying to create with this Olympic nonsense. At the end of the day Dominica did nothing wrong at the Olympic games. A bit of unwanted publicity , but publicity all the same? Yes. But what can you accuse us of. Maybe we should just review our economic citizenship program. It’s an ongoing process. We need to get over this Olympic thing.
Well said!!!!
Yes the bg picture is that our country (not Skerrit, Fontaine or Linton)is going to the dogs.
With a lot of help from Fontaine and Linton.
I agree but you cannot pitch big picture to small minded people they rather talk about people than ideas!
I guess you may be one of them that just comes down to vote then return to your normal life, that is why you may choose to just brush it under the carpet.
Who are you trying to convince? You are only fooling yourself. This is a big embarassment for Dominica. We are portrayed as cheap prostitutes….Skerrit has dragged this country down to the gutters. That is why change is a must..not an option.
I was very embarrassed when I heard what Thomson fontaine had to say about Dominica in the diaspora.
All this has done is to put unwanted eye on dominica. What is to stop terrorist with money and other criminals from buying our passport to escape western security
That is why we need to keep reviewing the process.
Felix Wilson Should resign immediately. .What an embarrassment- Woy……. My office colleagues are making fun of me and our country. I am the butt of their jokes. As for Skerrit, the elections will take care of him. Did anyone see Good Morning America on ABC this morning about story? We need the dignity of our country back.
Too bad!! if they are making fun of you and you cannot stand up and defend the country you love shame on you, America and the other big countries have done things more outrageous and criminal and they never feel ashame.
what office you work at? sounds like garbage to me…
Two 50 year old husband and wife from another country had to put down their walking sticks to put allu on the Winter Olympic map for the first time in history and allu just hating on dem people. Be glad because I bet there are thousands of Dominicans who could have trained, competed and qualified for the winter Olympics. now is the time for the naysayers and big talkers to redeem themselves and the country they say they love so much. The topic of discussion should be who will represent Dominica in the next winter Olympics not how those people get their passports allu to small minded and thinking too low… please please somebody learn to Ski or Snowboard…
I belive many Dominican living in Canada or the US- convince some of them to send their children to skiing/snowboard school at the age of +-six. MANY years of hard training+ talent+ a lot of money for expences might lead to success… Not easy at all! Cross country skiing is not a bad idea after all- roller ski training all year around in Dominica + technique -skill training in Scandinavia. And- it`s taking part that counts at the Olympic games!!
Money on a string and L…………. will swing
Linton Save US
Dominica to za world: Get your passport here! Passports for sale! Passports for sale! Customers come here!!!!!! Passports for sale.
All you need to be is some pretentious white european looking person for you to get DA passport! See how easy it is for them to sell themselves to whites yet they will bring down the blacks like Tommy lee sparta who just trying to make a living. Skerro is a hypocrit. I like how this came right after the tommy lee sparta to show how wicked this government is. Selling Dominica soul to the highest bidder whilst he live in luxury. When skerro leave office is then they will see the catastrophic damage this man has done to our country. Dem people go and lie and say how they build childrens’ hospital in Dominica. Now all you Dominicans know we aint got no ‘chiren’ hospital inna de place and they still allow thos epeople to conintue on to spew lies. Talking about oh they proud for the attention. Magwasah… anyways one day my country men will get their pride back wee. One day!
I call on skerro to make this right by taking those passports back with no refunds!!!!!!!
Skerro you better go and get our passports
You have too much in you dimples! It’s high we Dominicans put skerro in his place. The man has clearly lost his mind!
What if they met the requirement for economic citizenship?
POLITICS gone Wild…What have Dominica,the PM and the Government done at the SOCHI Olympics?Isn’t the main story surrounding Gary and Angelia Morrone di Silvestri?Just because they carry a Dominican Passport does that means Dominica and the Government have to pay for their wrongs?As far one can see and comprehend most of the comments here are political.Why can’t the critics read and understand and stop being so negative.
Alah @ Fast & Furious! What have Dominica,the PM and the Government done at the SOCHI Olympics you asked? Man /Woman, to an American it may be about Gary and Angelia Morrone di Silvestri but to me as a normally proud Dominican, this story has destroyed my proud history. Can you imagine meeting someone from say Russia and when they ask you where you from to tell them you are from Dominica? Then he goes “oh, I heard of Dominica before!” “The country that sells passports even diplomatic passports to any criminal?” Then he goes on to ask if that is the same country that sold passports to those Olympians? That hurts if you are a proud Dominican. If you are one of those Dominicans that’s not too proud of Dominica like those who became French Citizens while in power and later flew wife to the USA to give birth to first family baby, I can understand. But I am a proud Dominican who is willing to do anything in defense of my country.
@Aie Dominque is passport the topic of conversation or about the two individuals?Stop you all hatred and political biasness.
One MUST live in a Country to become CITIZENS. DOMINICA WAS PLAYED.
We need to take a harder look at our Economic Citizen Program. Every system have it’s flaws so I’m not saying to abandon it but just be more careful when doing our due diligence. The couple is from Staten, Island New York and made their money legally. Nothing wrong here except that we needed to check their athletic background. Overall, nothing to lose sleep over. The presented themselves as greater athletes than they really were. At the time it was probably felt that there was no need to dig deeper into that part of their history since the most important parts checked out. No harm, no foul.
Oh my eyes…from Lee to Sochi…eie..my eyes…oh my eyes….aie..my eyes again…
Before Dominica allow people to represent the island. They should do a back ground check…that’s want the USA does. They can find out every thing about a person or persons. Yes we are on the map now, but in a negative way. Stop selling out citizenship. It should be earned.
But we Do checks, the govet. says we do but I suspect as long as the colour of your money green and you have plenty of it you pass the inspection
So desperate to bring attention to DA now they getting the wrong view which in a way am happy cause how u can be selling ur country passport so an for that chip. They always say uwp had DA on d market so sale but that almost like no difference. Now look how embarrassing it turn out
If they’d won we’d all be flying the flag and celebrating!
IF my auntie was a man she would be my uncle. Your staetment is ridiculous, it making it worse.
Sad to say DA is now a comunist country
Everybody in the Skerrit administration from the PM himself and all his deputies need to be indicted, arrested, tried and put in prison for selling the sovereignty and honor of true Dominican citizens and the country as a whole. The PM also needs to answer for the where abouts of all those monies in the millions from the sale of citizenship and passports.
Arrested for what! Really! You mean be more careful how they conduct their economic citizenship program. After all, if the opposition wins, they will have an economic citizenship program.
My boy doh let black sparta in but he let those whites in. Thats how our people got sold into slavery. By black traitors and judases like our PM who sell his brothers and sisters to the highest bidder! treasonous!
Perhaps we should bring back the DFP.. remember that a criminal wanted by the Australian was given a Dominican passport, he never visited Dominica, this happened while the UWP was in office.
The only persons whom I see falling over themselves to make a link between the character of the skiers and the government are those who wish badly for the government and for Dominica. Not even the bloggers and journalists who wrote in the global press are as critical about Dominica and its government. In fact, not one criticises the US, Italy, or Turks and Caicos as destinations that are directly linked to the couple.
All the writers focus on what may be the individual and personal failings of the skiers and refrain from crazy conclusions about this or that country. Yet, here in Dominica, you have a few politically blinded persons seeking to score political points. You only damage yourselves, your party, and Dominica. Too many Dominicans see political colour in everything.
Isn’t the government responsible for formulating laws that restricts who can acquire a national passport? This is a passport. A sense of pride, a representation of the country and it’s people. You are ignorant about the role of the government. Can you just head over to france and pay 200000.00 for a passprt and become french? Can you just head to the US and become american buy paying 200000.00? To be come frenchh you even have to learn to speak french through the intermediate level at least. To become American you have to give your DNA, BANK statements, etc etc etc. Here you talking about people blaming just these scammers. They are scammaers that’s what they do. But it is the government fault when an entire nation is scammed, conned into having it’s flag waved by a bunch of worth less losers. Yes it’s skerrit and labor party fault. If you don’t see that then you don’t even deserve to call yourself Dominican.
You all must look at the positives we have received from the Citizenship program. Let me name a few positives here:
1. The Children’s hospital. By the way I do not know where in Dominica it is built.
2. A debt-free Mansion in Vieille case that’s worth over 3$million dollars.
3. The Blaycott Villas
4. Olympic dreamers
5. Positive attention to Dominica after questions arose about how one can acquire a passport from the island — for a minimum of $100,000,” the article stated
6. Thomas Dorsett “Our tourism department will make a field day of that,” he said, according to NBC
7. Finances our campaigns
8.Criminals can be saints by just purchasing our passport.
So common guys, concentrate on the positives
Blaircourt villas my friend (not Blaycott) but I appreciate your acerbic witticism.
Thanks for your correction but it was intentionally done. In creole ‘Blay’ simply means the color ‘Blue’. You got the point now? I will not elaborate cause DNO will not post
BLAIR COURT VILLAS…if you want to throw maypwi get the name spelt right.
Some say this is stale news. NEWS FLASH!It’s not. It was very fresh this morning on Good Morning America. Dominica’s flag was flying high (opening ceremonies with the ‘Olympians’) and the face of Felix Wilson splashed on the screen. This is one story to the rest of the world but it’s a bigger story for Dominicans.
You See dat???
When Marn came here chastising deeze people’s agenda allyou lambaste all man-dem dat was in opposition of dis Scam/scheme,,,
Take what allyou get!!!
What needs to happen now is the International Criminal Court should start taking these people who have that Economic Citizen program to adjudicate them on the Legality of this Stupid concept,,,
Every thing happens for reasons One never know at the time it happens but it’s only after the event unfolds they reflect and comprehend why that past even took place,,,
skerrit not easy……….aa, that is the best way mister find to put D.A in the news then…. stupes..by the way i was born in antigua, my mother from d.a i was raised in d.a went to school there and all I want a passport tooo………….
Skerrit give them toilet
Dem Dominicans that got citizenship in the US and commit their crimes(drugs,rape,killing etc)imprisoned and then deported; are they not degrading the country? If the two committed their crime they will pay for their crime.Dominica has committed no crime.Some of you try to make every things a political issue and point fingers at those you hate.Take for example,a POLICE could not perform at a show which was organised by the Police Calypso Association;it was declared at a meeting held in Grand Fond by the Leader of the OPPOSITION Tuesday evening this police was prevented from participating in the competition because the PM called higher authorities in the Police Department to tell the police competitor not to sing a song.The song was played on Q95 over and over.All sorts of negative comments bashing,criticizing the the PM and the Government for that.But I wonder how those haters felt when that Police competitor came and clear the air on Q95 and said to the public and the critics that what was said was untrue.No one never ever stop or prevented him from singing HIS song at the show.He didn’t participate due to personal circumstances.Yet that had become a POLITICAL issue.
@fast&Furious, you all doing things and when your DLP is caught all you trying to come with all kinds of spins. Your crap about Dominicans that got US citizenship is just pure foolishness. Before we got US Citizenship we had to work and live in the US for 5 years and had to maintain a good record. How long did this couple leave in Dominica? What was there address? Upstairs the Financial Center? These guys bought their citizenship like 100’s of criminals all over the world have. So stop your crap!
@Aie Dominique,try to read and understand the whole issue.Is the main issue about citizenship or about two individuals who tried to be in SOCHI and take part in the Olympics?WHAT did DLP did there and was caught and was spined?When you talking about spin,think first of what Thomson Fontaine did with the DASS monies and WHEN caught how UWP is so protective of him and how SPIN your UWP is putting on that.
Everybody trying to got to the US. They need to have a system whereby they can control the inflow of of people. Dominica is very different because for one we are underpopulated and two we need investments.
@Fast &Furious, The main Story is Two- FOLD my friend.
1. It exposes Dominica and its leadership to the entire world as the country whose leaders are willing to sell passports to ANYONE regardless of their background. So far luckily for us the only bad thing I have heard about this couple so far is, Ms. Morrone was involved in a bribery scandal involving the International Olympic Committee and her former employer, Italian car-maker Fiat- Mail Online-News. So she was involved in bribery? I only hope Dominica was not bribed by them. You know who else that likes to bribe people for votes right?
2. It shows that the Mr. & Mrs were so desperate to compete that were willing to use any broken links and questionable channels to compete. Unfortunately, Dominica was that broken link and questionable channel so much so that a fellow west indian had this to say: Another Caribbean nation, Barbados, also receiving applications from Olympic tourists. Speaking about the di Silvestris to The Times, Barbados Olympic association president Steve Stoute said:
“I wish them well, but it wouldn’t happen with my Olympic committee.”
So spin doctor, you must learn how to read and understand speeches before you make a FOOL of yourself.
@Aie Dominique your two folded explanation is just pure POLITICAL GABBAGE,you only see things at face value..What is the topic of conversation?
Whats allu problem, Felix get his trip and per diem, what more can Felix do to embarras us, London, fake election and now fake skiers. Time for the DOC executive to get answers and report to the sports associations. A call for resignation of the President and Secretary is not unreasonable.
Where is the government in all of this? Why are they remaining Moo Moo in this fiasco. You owe the people who you took an oath to serve an explanation!!
Who conducted due diligence on the background of these people.
The flag is a very important symbol of our country. TAKE BETTER CARE OF THAT FLAG, IT REPRESENTS PRESTIGE IN WHO WE ARE AS A PEOPLE AND A HERITAGE FILLED LOVE FOR COUNTRY.
Does anyone remember this song by Ophelia Marie…Dominique sa ka fet… aie Dominique? When she composed that song back in 1979, she introduced Dominica to the world and we were so all very proud to be a Dominican. Mr. Skerrit was just about 7 years at that time and would not understand how proud she and Gramax and others made us. Well, 34 years later, Dominicans have been introduced to the world in a very negative way this time thanks to Mr. Roosevelt Skerrit. Mr. Skerrit now introduces Dominica to the world as the place to buy passports to do just about anything. How shameful!
Well Said, Well said that’s all I can say.
In the meantime, several Caribbean countries are selling passports and the opposition plan to do the same if they get into office. What we should be concentrating on is making it more difficult to obtain these passports. there were no red flags raised in the case of this couple because they were from NY and they made their money legally. An understandable mistake.
I agree with you in part. This was NO MISTAKE.
but yet still…those blind bats shouting “thank God for skerrit” sarcway toneh!!!!!
Here’s what Fox Television Sports had to say about that: DNO I would appreciate the publication of the following!
Welcome to the life of an “Olympic tourist” — a term given to a person who, usually unable to qualify for the Olympics in their native land, obtains citizenship in another nation in hopes of qualifying for the Olympics as a member of that nation’s team.
It is a life reportedly lived by married couple Gary di Silvestri and Angelica Morrone di Silvestri. The di Silvestris arrived in Sochi as cross-country skiers competing from the small Caribbean nation of Dominica. Here is Angelica’s official Olympics bio.
They even marched in the Opening Ceremony and carried the flag of Dominica.
But according to reports, the di Silvestris had become Dominica citizens by giving generously to humanitarian efforts in the country — though they have been vague about just what those efforts were when questioned by reporters.
They also weren’t too exact about just when they were actually in Dominica, though that isn’t a prerequisite for citizenship. Gary di Silvestri did grow up on an island — Staten Island, N.Y. Angelica Morrone is a native of Italy. He was an investment fund manager, and she was an auto company executive. They mostly live in a fabulous chateau in Montana.
She is 48, he’s 47. That’s way up there for Olympic athletes, especially for such a strenuous sport as cross country skiing, something they started doing in their 30s. But he formed a national ski federation, and the two of them set out to accumulate enough finishes (mostly last or nearly last) in lower-level competitions in order to somehow qualify for the Olympics.
But at least they didn’t get in the way of the real competitors at the games. Morrone didn’t compete in her event, saying she had been hurt while training the day after the Opening Ceremony. He made it just a few hundred meters into his race before collapsing in the snow, apparently the victim of some bad Sochi water he had drunk.
Their appearance at the Olympics sparked some positive press, such as here and here.
But there was a skeptical piece about the couple’s Olympic venture, headlined “Did Dominica couple game the Games?”, published all the way back in San Di
Then Deadspin reporter Dave McKenna dug deeper, writing that some claims Gary di Silvestri has made about his athletic past don’t check out. He was a high school wrestler, but he apparently claimed to have won nonexistent state championships. In addition, di Silvestri said he was part of a national championship crew team in college at Georgetown. Though di Silvestri did row at Georgetown, the team’s coach at that time told Deadspin that di Silvestri wasn’t good enough to be part of the school’s top crew squad.
“Gary wasn’t in the boats that medaled those years,” Whit Fosburgh told Deadspin, “so it wouldn’t be accurate to say he was on the medal stand, getting the medals around his neck. But working as hard as he did for as little success as he had, that made him very popular.”
Finally, there is Angelica Morrone di Silvestri’s connection to winter sports long before she became a cross country skier for Dominica. The Los Angeles Times identifies her as one of the Fiat executives who offered a bribe of cars to a member of the U.S. ski federation in exchange for arranging for the 1997 skiing world championships to be awarded to Sestriere, Italy.
For its part, the Dominica’s Olympic Committee defended the di Silvestris’ citizenship and participation in the Olympics.
http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/did-u-italian-born-olympic-skiing-couple-represent-172145419–abc-news-topstories.html
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/olympics-fourth-place-medal/a-pair-of-olympics-skiers-representing-dominica-are-having-a-nightmare-week-in-sochi-020645963.html
Well right now in Ameica questions ar ebing asked by congress why a people being given Ambassador positions to countries that they have never visited or heard about. They are given that position because they have donated money to the Obama campaign and is being given the high level positions overseas. It is like the economic citizenship program now going on in Dominica. It is said that the Silvestries donated money to Dominica and that they were given citizenship under the economic program. They try to question Felix Wilson but he would not elaborate on the news story. His picture was flashed on the television screen during the story. They further stated that the Olympic Association in Russia did not question their participation so nothing illegal was done and they did not compromise or broke any laws.
You are talking nonsense you see, two different situation, in the first place any diplomat who goes to a country to represent the United States, resides in a compound built by the United States, and must be recognized by the government in the country it is as property, which is part and parcel of the United States.
That foreign government has no authority over the people of the United States who work there, and is not subjected to the law of that country as a native.
That Ambassador does not have to know squat about the country okay! What you are hearing in Washington, is nothing new, since all president’ indulges in the same practice, it’s a political position, by the time the Democrat party looses, and the Republicans get into power, all of the appointees by the democrats will be recalled, and the positions filled by republicans appointees., weather they contribute to the campaign of the president.
That is different to our government allowing our national passport to be sold to all sorts criminals. You must know what you are talking about.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Wanna hear a joke? Dominica
Somebody has to answer to this embarrassment for Dominica. Definitely not the Olympic Committee, they were given two Dominican citizens who qualified to go to Sochi and Felix Wilson grabbed an opportunity of his life, who wouldn’t?
The person responsible is the one who sold the passport and the buck starts and stops with Roosevelt Skerrit, he must answer.
In any other country the resignation of the leader would be forthcoming. 404 more days to go of that nonsense.
Oh come on, don’t be naive. You think the Dominica Olympic Committee are innocent children? You embarrassing yourself if you think that.
Back in 1984 Zola Bud the South African runner was granted British citizenship so that she could take part in the Olympics at the time SA was banned due to its apartheid policies. So this issue is just much ado about nothing…I read in the news that the Skiers helped build a Childrens Hospital in Dominica, where is this hospital located?
@ riobo. Lol lol. hahahahahahaha . Thats the point! There’s no Children’s Hospital!!
A lot of British people were embarrassed about that, and rightly so!
@riobo, the children hospital is located upstairs of the Financial Center but it called “THe RED CLINIC” and Roosevelt Skerrit is the medical doctor. He also has a branch in Vieille case.
Really I think they saw green and forgot about the rest of the criteria. But as usual nothing will be done lots of talk and no action
don’t kid yourself uwp will be selling passports too. All we are asking for is that due diligence will be conducted better next time. The couple probably met the requirements for citizenship but not as athletes.
what a load of hogwash. In Dominica we are so small minded with a village mentality. We’re frightened of our own shadow. All this fuss over nothing. the whole thing will soon be forgotten and the world will move on. so please Dominicans stop being so political about everything. do you all not listen to world news, there are more pressing things happening around the world. GET A LIFE, YOU ALL LIKE TOO MUCH BEF.
How low is the dlp going to go this time.Mr pm where are you? What have you done to our nature island? Who is responsible for background checks on this characters in disguise. You see the Yankee dollar and you immediately lose you sight. What about values , respect and your responsibility to protect the island and it’s people.time for change.before you my fellow citizens start living among the unknown.
When we us Dominicans wake up and smell the coffee, this economic citizenship program is doing nothing but destroying our country. The DLP are just selling passports to anyone without doing the necessary back ground check. Right now Dominica’s name out there isn’t good, all we are know for is corruption. Its high time we get these people running this country OUT, if not too late shall be our cry.
These people are not criminals. They made their money legally. Their only crime is that they wanted to participate in the olympics. They just embarrassed themselves by making us believe that they were olympic standard athletes. Apart from their athletic background, they met the requirements for economic citizenship.
Carpetbaggers, that’s all they are and we so gullible, selling our souls for a little trinket, my God.
I must speak because these are a very bad times for Dominica and Dominicans alike. We do not need these kinds of negative press on any front furthermore on the International scene. I had my concerns when it was reported not by Dominican officials, but on the International front that Dominica had representatives at the Winter Olympics.
To add insult to everything look at what happened a few days ago at the Melvile Hall airport on the island involving this Jamaican artist. Whether you may like the artist music or not, is not the issue here, the appeasing of the hypocrite so-called Christians and religious righteous on the island is further from the problem, the problem is, Dominican officials knew about the pending artist show to be performed in Portsmouth in one of the ruling Government constituency and where none other than the Minister of Tourism is the Parliamentary Representative. In addition, from all accounts, he is blood relative to the organizer or at least one of the organizers of that artist show, and coincidentally another relative (former Magistrate) is now the artist local attorney. What a web we find ourselves in and continue to regress into and we are saying that we are serious about tourism in Dominica? What a big joke!
If we are serious about tourism and development on the island, here’s a simple first step in the right directions: The same way the hypocrite Christian folks rally and protested against the artist from Jamaica why don’t they do likewise? Why don’t they rally seeking and demanding answers as to who is really behind these sabotage attempts to the island’s tourism potential economic outlook. If this trend should continue, then all the hotels that both the UWP and DLP are talking about building and are in negotiations of building on the island would be of no significance as they will be just become empty abandoned buildings and havens for drugs and criminal acts on the island. Sadly, just this morning the island of Dominica was on “Good Morning America” with regards to this Olympic scandal.
Dominicans do something about these negative images about our isle of beauty, our isle of splendor. Long live lovely Dominica!
I am a true genuine and patriotic Dominican one of the soil.
Jon Carson, Thank you very much for that comment! Even Rastafari could not have said it better.
Let’s see the clergy ask God to help with this one! LMFHO 
“papi show”
maladie largent skerrit have he just traveling the world to sell a passport to some rich people out there thinking that will help develoupe dominica makawi.time for change man i furdup with that.
Well, a lot of Dominicans said “any press is better than no press” if it puts the name of Dominica on the national stage, then it’s ok with them for these two people to represent Dominica. Whereas the fact of the matter is if they really wanted to help Dominica instead of their narcisstic egos they would have assembled a team of Dominicans and help to finance them.
hmm….DNO, you’re really TRYING to give this story legs, aren’t you? I had to peel my eyes to see the itty bitty tiny underlined item on MSN.com, and what i found out is this story was filed since yesterday. As far as news in concerned, this IS STALE NEWS!!
Move on!! I mean, I’m not a supporter of the present govt, but why are you guys trying your best to drive that story along?? SOCHI IS OVER!!!
The story may be over but he fall out will trouble us for a long time, just like an atom bomb and the damage will take a long time to repair.Just image someone telling their friends they going to Dominica on vacation and they making jokes, asking them if they have packed their skis and make sure they have the right passport!!
What damage??
Hey JoJo- next time I come to Dominica I`ll take my fun carving skies with me and while I`m skiing down into the Valley of Desolation I`ll be jodeling in my Gandads leather pants… I`d call your comment a self full filling prophecie.
Tina, I give you thumbs up. Skiing down our valley of desolation in lederhosen would be coool! Now that would really get attention and cheer people up without any mwepi. I really mean that, we should do more real fun things and laugh more instead of being miserable.
Stale news but still, where’s that $200,000 gone? What’s it doing? How many more of these are there? when are you gonna find that all is gone from regular people and owned by people from wherever doing whatever ? Amazes me this doesn’t concern you.
The $200k, went where it is supposed to go in the treasury. However @pg if you have information that the $200k went somewhere else let us know so we could find it and put it in the treasury.
I guess you missed Good Morning America this morning!
IT WAS ALL OVER GOOD MORNING AMERICA TODAY!
OMG u right i just saw it, How Did a U.S. and Italian-Born Olympic Skiing Couple Represent Dominica in Sochi?
Let us pray they don’t find out about the deportation of Tommy Lee and the fake pakistani hoteliers. Skerro boy yes sah garcon!
@ Bojangles as much as I don’t like how DNO do their reporting is crap u talking cause I saw this on MSN yesterday and I think is about time someone in position with knowledge to speak on this matter cause this not going away and it don’t look good, negative press can also kill your country that’s all I got to say.
Thank you skerrit for making Dominica the scam island of the world.
Someone is laughing all the way to the Bank
Who keeps voting Wilson as president of the DOC?
Fox u need to investigate Roosevelt Skerrit from vielle case.
And Thomson Fontaine from Grand Fond and Lennox Linton from Marigot.
Wake up Dominicans, your leaders are making fools of you. have you asked yet again for an account of the money from all these sold passports, and who they are being sold to? Dominica is becoming a joke in the international press. It is time to take stock of your leadership and along which path they are taking you.
Its just news… Dominica isn’t the only country offering passports to foreigners today. not so long ago when i was a teenager in DA they were giving passports/citizenship for free ($25) to foreigners. We have a very low population, so if the government decides to sell the passports now that were were giving out freely then its in the economic interest of the country. My only concern is the vetting process the government is using to qualify people for citizenship. Dominican citizenship should not be offered to any rapscallion with a fat wallet… that part is very disappointing. There should be a bill in the constitution concerning citizenship that is purchased in that the government should have the right to rescind the citizenship if the person commits a crime and is found guilty of such.
@UDOHREADYET, I know it hurts. Imagine your son killing a person and upon hearing that news, your response is, NOT MY SON ALONE THA KILLING PEOPLE. Problem solved right?
brother, you need to understand one thing… you don’t pay taxes on your property in Dominica. Property taxes, police fines, sales/income/state taxes and export revenue are the main sources of income for all countries even in America. Minimum of 50% of the budget of all American towns and cities comes from property taxes. So if you want to keep your land, because I know some of allu have plenty land… all inherited, that you wouldn’t be able to afford if you were to pay taxes on it. That is the reality… the other part of that reality is the government is trying to fund initiatives for the island without borrowing $$$. Economic citizenship stinks but it doesn’t stink as bad as borrowing money or taxing and policing people out of their land. Example policing people out of their land in America if you own property and are accused of similar crimes Dominicans are going to jail for like drug trafficking, Police will take your cars, property and might even arrest members of your family… so be thankful for what you have and understand that its not a perfect world.
@ UDOHREADYET, you making it sound as if is since Skerro became PM we did not have to property tax and those other taxes you mentioned. That’s how it has been in Dominica ever since we became a country. So it is NOT a burden Skerrit took away from us in exchange for sale of passports instead. I fact it was Mr. Skerrit that brought up 15% VAT taxes on the backs of Dominicans dispite the fact that he selling our passports like hot bread in every corner of the world. I do not know what initiatives you talking about that government trying to fund for Dominica because the FACT will show that since Skerrit and the DLP got in power, it is Skerrit who has jumped from an average Dominican to a multi millionaire in just 10 years. Think of that! Not only that, but you will also see that his ministers, friends of the government like yourself maybe, his advisors have leaped in 10 years while the average Dominicans have been forced into gross poverty to the point that we even have to depend on them to build toilet for us to pass soda water we can afford.
You won’t ever see this nonsense of selling, giving passports and citizenship to aliens in St. Lucia so easily.
This is why we sometimes offer amnesty for non nationals to regularize their status.
Pure rubbish, Dominica. Safe-guard whats yours.
St. Lucia is owned and controlled by foreigners… all the major hotels, the resorts, the stores and the debt… that was the price allu paid for progress. We’ve seen the mistakes and want no part of it. All we can offer allu is fresh clean water and, natural food and products, good music and beautiful women.
From the very begining this never smelt good for the Nature Isle. When one person asked to have a conversation, no one responded because they all presumed it would have been a Cinderalla’s story. This again confirms we are taking things much too lightly in this island, we always say ‘God will deal with them” and hope it just goes away. It is indeed tiring to hear of all theses troublesome issues for Dominica.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.smh…….that’s all I got to say…………….
“This story is not going away soon since more and more media outlets around the world are picking it up”
I guess, Dominica will get the publicity and world attention it was seeking, but NOT as a tourism destination. Too bad!
I think we should welcome foreign press and make them feel welcome and show them the real Dominica. Tell them just ignore that Govt. we voted for, we drank too much of their rum and get fooled too but we doing better next time.
It won’t go away because DNO doesn’t want it to go away. The winter olympics have come and gone…The couple have not been arrested or taken in for questioning in Russia, the U.S. or anywhere else.
As far as I am concerned, the International Olympics Committee or board is to be blamed for not plugging this loophole where an athlete of country can compete under another country’s flag.
Don’t blame Dominica or the di Silvestris because they found the loophole.
Where is the Children’s hospital? Who was paid for the passport and where the money gone? This will not go away, it should be on the campaign trail. Skerrit must speak! yeah yeah!
Seriously?? You blame girls who get raped too?? Or, homeowners when their home gets broken into?? Get real!
You want it both ways don’t you. Imagine the IOC had said No! We would be the first ones to cry prejudice, not so? it is opur fault, nobody else’s and it we who must fix it.
That loophole is used by some other athletes too- not only the Di Silvestries. In my country – too many skilled skiers. And since only 4 athletes per nation can start in each race of the winter games, some skiers are starting for foreign countries. So nothing new.
Whether you want to admit or not, this falls squarely back on the policies and greed of Skerrit!!!!
Skerrit why did u give dem a Dominican passport, i just read it on FOX and am very angry at this DLP Govt. Our country is going down the drain. Did this couple and their nation scam Sochi Olympics?
if money is all you interested in you will never have enough, never be satisfied but be miserable, just look at people like that.
One day we will stop making fools out of ourself with this ” economic citizenship crap”.Even if its when this pasport we take for granted have abolutely no worth anymore. Everytime you hear about someone getting a Dominican passport is always some shady character.other caribbean countries have the same Economic Citizenship program but u never hear all these mess.I mean who does the back ground checks on these people.
For crying out loud. Enough with the crap now man…
This is prima facie evidence on the failure to do due diligence but worse, the abject failure of this government in managing the affairs of this beautiful country. This borders, in my mind, on treason. How can a group of Dominicans charged with the fiduciary responsibility of managing this country, as a government, do so much to inflict such damage to our country? In their quest for power and fame, they have ruined our good name. Bad enough that we were not well-known in the Caribbean, we’re now becoming well-known in the world for all the wrong reasons – corruption, pay-to-play schemes, cash-for-passport operation, diplomatic immunity to whomever can pay the price – I am thoroughly embarrassed. And to think that there are people in Dominica who easily dismiss this is crazy. These people have no conscience whatsoever. Let me stop here because I am too pissed right now.
Treason???? Ok. Bring you case forward. Several countries have economic citizen programs. It will never be a flawless process but we must do the best we can to ensue that the process is done correctly. If you must know, uwp will have an economic citizenship program if the get in power. I am 100% sure it will not be foolproof.
Now treason would be more along the lines of what Thomson Fontaine did in the diaspora by blatantly going around spreading lies about Dominica in an attempt to make this government look bad. Before that there was the weekly blitz issue. Now this new scandal has his footprints all over it. At the end of the day when all is said and done, this will be just another unfortunate incident and a non issue.
The issue where Thomson transferred funds from the account of a non profit organization into his personal account while trying to seek public office is much more serious and should be addressed. It is an issue Mr Lennox Linton, Leader of the uwp, should address immediately.
Skerrit took away any objective thought you may have had. what are you defending? seriousLy?
I was a poto labour. i campaign.. i voted. i was deep in it… LYO…
But i can think freely and objectively.. it is sad that you choice to ignore the truth and distract yourself with an issue that has been addressed with truth by Thomson Fountain. A real man and true leader is the one who is not afraid to admit error and apologize.
but the people u are defending, u know a lot f the nonsense they are doing but choose to ignore it,
Ok, well at least soon u will get a toilet …
I don’t see anything positive coming from re-posting certain articles. Soon Dominica will be filled with a bunch of angry and depressed citizens. To be honest, viewing from outside of Dominica, some media bodies simply discourage individuals from returning to the island. I swear there is nothing good going on.
I understand your sentiments.
You must remember though, that in Dominica bad news, gossip, or sensationalized news have more flavour with large segments of our population than truly news worthy items that may not be as scintillating. So, media houses (like DNO and Q95) are simply looking out for their bottom line by constantly posting certain types of news and that, with certain carefully worded headlines.
Do not be disheartened.
What do you all mean? CHANGE is going on in Dominica and you’ll all see that soon. Spring time coming!
If the facts being presented by the media are wholly true then I think it would be just for the Dominican government to revoke their citizenship. There is no telling what other mischief they intend in their mind by wealding the power of their money on Dominica.
Laborites, I hope you all DO NOT blame Lenox Linton, UWP, DNO, and bloggers on this site for putting the name of our beloved country in this mess once again. This is alarming! It’s unheard of and is beyond description. Mr. Skerrit and his attorneys need to clear the ear folks. Mr. Skerrit, you asked our young people to read so they could differentiate fact from friction. What is this one that I am now reading sir? Is it FACT or just FRICTION?
That is so embarrassing. Are we that pathetic, gullible and desperate? Our reputation is being dragged through the mud. Hope that will be a lesson to us, we may be poor but at least we should maintain our dignity. Again I assert that this promiscuous and cavalier attitude towards our name heritage has it’s root in the infernal economic citizenship program.
I am so ashamed right now. Oh my God!! We are the world’s most laughed at joke.
How so?
Did you read the article and did you comprehend its contents?
Matthew 23:12
New King James Version (NKJV)
And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
Alas, this escapade is only the tip of the iceberg.
One could only imagine the level of clandestine and murky deals being conducted by the current ministry.
Dominica is fast becoming a figure of fun to the rest of the world.
I hope Dominicans find a way to stop those non-transparent deals before native Dominicans are forced to apply for citizenship themselves.
VERY embarrassing. This stupid DLP and laborats keep embarrassing Dominica!
All publicity is good publicity they say. wonder what next our country is going to do next.
What they always do. Look after the needs of the citizens the best way they can. Develop the country and build the infrastructure.
If Dominicans who are trying to get into office do not seek to destroy the name of the country to gain political points, we would be all right. We would run our political campaigns on facts and policies, take our case to the people, without bringing each other down and may the best man win, our country would be a better place. No man is perfect and no one has a perfect formula for running any country but if you start slinging mud somebody will eventually start swinging back at you.
well done Dominica, i am proud of you, and the Government for your re-engineered economic citizenship program. We have gotton the press attention we needed for a long time in the waiting
WHEN WILL Dominicans REALIZE THAT THIS IS NOT A GOVERNMENT? That these guys , so called ministers are functional illiterates?
Wake up my people!!!!
Well Said
You mean the same guys that took the country from the brink of economic disaster to being once again relevant in Caribbean circles. The same guys who reduced unemployment and poverty significantly and improved our road network tremendously. These same guys? The ones that are about to utilize one of our most valuable resources making us the leaders of geothermal energy production in the Caribbean? these guys?
If these guys are such jokers the other guys that are vying for their positions should have no problem convincing Dominicans that they are much better for the country without having to drag Dominica’s name into the mud at every given opportunity. Not cool! If you really have your country at heart you never ever do these things. This only shows that you are not in it for country but for self.
Thank you DNO for finally addressing the fact that our local authorities/ministries or whoever is/was involved in these folks representing Dominica has chosen to remain SILENT.
This story has gone uber-viral and we can’t get even a semblance of a response from not one person in authority? Clearly ignoring it is not making it go away. This is sickening and shows how immature and disrespectful our leaders are towards our people.
Or perhaps this exceeds a mere embarrassment and has implications further than we imagine, so no one wants to acknowledge their involvement?!
It’s insignificant.
GMA (Good Morning America) just ran the story on their program about an hour ago. They’re reporting, ‘Did A wealthy Staten Island couple buy their way to Sochi by buying citizenship from the Island of Dominica?’ They said that the couple has no ties to Dominica and neither do they even live there but visited once or twice, that they paid $150,000 for citizenship. Very interesting too in that peice, they’re ‘announcing’ that one can simply pay the government that said sum of money and gain citizenship. They said that Dominica did not qualify to be at the olympics and Felix Wilson said that they did not break the olympic rules. Hmmm…I don’t know what will come out of this. I’m hoping this will spike an interest in people who may want to take a trip to an ‘unknown’ island because at the end of the peice, the reporter said, ‘with an average temp of 80 deg, who wouldn’t want to live there?
Thought I’d share…
This is soooo embarrassing for Dominica. We are the laughing stock now.
It feels like a joke to be a Dominican when anyone can just dash a $100,000 and become a citizen. Purchasing Citizenship smh
Man what a shame… so much bad publicity for our little nature island these days… I’m praying for something good and positive to happen so we could all forget and get rid of the bad light.
Manipulating the laws! The PRIME MINISTERS SON IS A US CITIZEN! And that’s ok i guess. Treating it’s people like second class citizens some Dom-nicans look away! Here we go again, only in the news for negativity. Could you imagine that you don’t have to visit a country to earn its citizenship!! Damm waooo . WAKE UP
http://deadspin.com/dominicas-fake-ski-team-scammed-the-olympics-and-the-p-1529973935
IS Felix Wilson back in Dominica yet? I hope he not afraid to face the music. Who fiance his trip nuh, four weeks now since he left Dominica. All that time having high life to represent wo fake athletes?
Bro, Felix Wilson is NOT an elected Member of cabinet. He simply followed commands and therefore we need to blame the commander in chief. While Felix is the scapegoat and has been gone for about four weeks now, the real person behind this ‘Sale of passport business’ is here, in the person of Roosevelt Skerrit.
Don’t come like that. Felix had a choice, he is is own man and he was happy to go to Russia. Nobody force him.
Wake up my people, wake up, peal a shout.
Wake up my people, know what life’s about and
Wake up to the needs of all the ones who suffer sorrow;
Wake up, promise now to do our best to change tomorrow.
Wake up my people and open every door.
Wake up, it’s time now, love my people evermore…
Be your your sins will find you out, the dominican olypmic comittee was in the news before and it was not a favorable article and now once again.So much for the publicity this move certainly has not done Dominica any favours.
I disagree. It is good press and exposure but we need to tighten up our economic citizen program. The intention was good but we needed to check their athletic background. this people are Americans who made their money legally. This is what really fooled the DOC. Next time, DOC be more careful in implementing your due deligence. There is some type of flaw in every system.
A part from the stories surrounding the Olympics and Dominica we shouldnt allowed ourselves to be caught in such a web next time around, but, the D’ica Flag stood tall and we as Dominicans should appreciate that moment when we saw the flag up there that’s all.
Very Embarasing
Alas!!!
Time we as citizens of Dominica really look into the operations of that economic citizenship program and demand proper regulation and management of that thing. Dominica tired get embarrassed.
When we have international media outlets ridiculing our economic citizenship program thats more than a sign that something needs to be done.
The same people that didn’t allow Tommy Lee entrance into Dominica because of “threat to national security” sell passport to these crooked individuals and cause major embrassment to the country. I more think the passports they sell to those people are a threat to national security than Tommy Lee.
“Can this government get do anything right?”
Big up Lennox Linton.
Before they redicule the program, they should read it.
Please note: it is not OUR economic citizenship, it belongs to those no good, conniving illiterate rats that high-jacked our beloved country, and claim to be our government. The clergy NEEDS to step up NOW and show their true colors. I hope they don’t stay hiding behind those empty pews (due to what they did to Tommy Lee) and be all mum about the REAL issues!
That’s the next level
Shame Shame I don’t want to go dominica no more more more there’s a fat greedy PM at the door door door he will take me for my dollar and he’ll make me pay more dollars I don’t want to go to dominica no more more more
LOL u have a kix!!!!!
I saw that story this morning on Channel 7. There are a lot of questions they were asking like how come an Island in the Caribbean with about 70,000 people be represented at the Winter Olympics. It was not a good feeling coming from Dominica and hearing and seeing the story on American television. One wonders and yes they qouted the story from the U T San Diego press. I am wondering if this is a backlash for Dominica.
Is this worst exposure than what we got from Thomson Fontaine in the diaspora or the weekly Blitz affair? Did Dominica do something wrong?
So Dominica has an economic citizen program and two citizens from this program represented us in the Olympics. Big deal! It happens all the time. I saw the story when it came out and I heard the comments from neutral people. The vast majority think that this is no big deal.
There is a reason why this insignificant story is out there. Think about it. The Thomson Fontaine transfergate has much more serious implications for our country than this. When we are done with this insignificant story I hope we can get Lennox Linton to do the right thing concerning Thomson Fontaine.
I am left to wonder if they provided the equipment for the said presidents handball development, what a shame , but i am 100% Dominica and proud to be but embarrassed at times .
All skeritts doin
Chii, D/ca getting exposure! We on da map now!
Maybe the usual confusion with people thinking we are the Dominican Republic can work in our favour this time? let them think is Santo Domingo and keep silent.
One of the main reasons the president was so adamant as being elected to head the Dominica olympic committee ,have he ( mr.Wilson ) answer all the questions surrounding this fiasco .Thi entire economic citizen program as gone lopsided nd the people are not the actual beneficiaries but a few senseless politicians and greedy A.. lawyers . Just my 2cents .