Jesma Paul sworn-in as Dominica’s opposition leader

Jesma Paul being sworn-in as leader of Dominica’s parliamentary opposition

Parliamentary representative of the Salisbury Constituency, Jesma Paul was today sworn in by President Charles Savarin as the parliamentary opposition leader of the Commonwealth of Dominica.

Paul contested the Salisbury seat in the December 6th general election as an independent candidate and defeated Dominica Labour Party (DLP) candidate, Lynsia Frank, 617 votes to 463 votes.

She said in an interview after the swearing-in ceremony earlier today that she and the other elected parliamentarian, Anthony Charles who contested the Marigot seat, agreed on a power sharing arrangement for the position of opposition leader.

We’ll have much more on this story later.

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23 Comments

  1. Peeping Tom
    December 22, 2022

    I cannot help but feel that this woman “tried a ting” and now feels like she bit more than she can chew. Has she even seen a copy of the national Budget? Oh dear me!!

    In any case, before long, she will see that all that she was sold by the UWPwee about Labour and Skerrit are just a heap of horse manure.

    Hot debate. What do you think? Thumb up 6 Thumb down 5
  2. Zara
    December 21, 2022

    Newly sworn-in opposition leader, Jesma Paul Victor, has pledged to work with the Government of Dominica throughout her term in office to bring progress to both her constituency and the nation by extension.

    I guess she did not listen to JAH KAL

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 3
    • Peeping Tom
      December 22, 2022

      Not even JAHKAL listens to himself. Don’t you see how quickly after December 6 he went silent on the “No Reform, no election” repeat button? :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

  3. Lin clown
    December 21, 2022

    JAH KASS,she said “we cannot get anything by ourselves,therefore we have to work with the government”.The words of a smart lady.

    Hot debate. What do you think? Thumb up 3 Thumb down 10
    • JAH KAL
      December 22, 2022

      Clown The dumbest minister in dominica need a few like you to walk up and down in the empty christmas villiage for what you get from them . No gas, no cool out, go and do some work for free, Mrs . P. Victor don’t need people like you for any advice. She is a woman with a strong mind , not easily bought, people like you a just waiting to give advice go and give it to your God skerrit ,salisbury don’t people like you for nothing.

  4. mine
    December 21, 2022

    Swearing as an opposition leader you should dress more professional.

    Hot debate. What do you think? Thumb up 2 Thumb down 24
    • MEME
      December 21, 2022

      @mine
      There are many who dress in jacket and tie who are criminals..They lie, steal and cheat, and to top it all, they even castigate and ridicule hard working people…!
      So stop your insultive hypocrisy!!

      Hot debate. What do you think? Thumb up 6 Thumb down 5
    • JAH KAL
      December 23, 2022

      Typical labor rite dress for what ? to go and see savarin or take an oath , dressing don’t mean jack is what she stand for fool, thats why this country well stay backward as it is when you have people like you thinking of what way a woman dress . By the way she dont need people like you around, bunch of haters take your advice to your pretty dress greedy people you have as your ministers in your government.

  5. Eagle-Eyed
    December 21, 2022

    Hope she doesn’t recycle tired old UWP rejects as Senators when nominating as leader of the opposition. It would be nice to see some of the independents or TUD who contested and didn’t win get an opportunity to make a contribution in Parliament.

    Hot debate. What do you think? Thumb up 5 Thumb down 13
    • me
      December 21, 2022

      You have no say in that. Donkeys have no rights in horses game…Stay in your lane…!!

      • Eagle-Eyed
        December 22, 2022

        :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: You are so right, I can hear the hee-haw! Hee-haw! And it’s only coming from one direction. your rear end.

  6. December 20, 2022

    Jesma I am certain without no doubt Skerrit the great liar/deceiver will find a way to take you into his arms. He is going to lament about your large family etc. and the deceiver will deceive you. Mark my words.

    Hot debate. What do you think? Thumb up 9 Thumb down 11
    • Putin
      December 22, 2022

      Nah, we do not need her. There is much value in leaving he where she is.

  7. Bwa-Banday
    December 20, 2022

    Ok..so now you need an attorney preferably a woman (Kara Shillingford??) and an accountant as senators to be part of the team. I would caution you to stay away from Tiyanni and Norde because they cant’ be trusted. Just see who are Tiyanni’s best friends in Wesley today. All labourites but also the St. Joseph people where he contested did not think too highly of him either. I would suggest a strong person from the Mahaut / Massacre constituency that can make serious milage in that constituency because it’s shakey. The rest is your choice but be very careful and run like hell away from APP, Team Unity or even Samantha :mrgreen: :mrgreen: .

    May god give you the strength to lead in this dangerous position.

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 4
  8. Not my damn business
    December 20, 2022

    I am very disappointed. None of the two independent candidates should accept the position leader so Roosevelt Skerrit could have his free way to do what he wants without being questioned about any damn thing. I am very disappointed in Ms Paul I dare say

    Hot debate. What do you think? Thumb up 5 Thumb down 9
  9. Lin clown
    December 20, 2022

    Their four(4) senators should be,Blue Blue,Blessings,Ibo France and Earl Bruno.

    Hot debate. What do you think? Thumb up 5 Thumb down 12
    • December 23, 2022

      You that Lin Clown are you bed ridden? You talk like you have no further to go. No progress. Stagnant behind (you know what I mean)

  10. Roger Burnett
    December 20, 2022

    Under the Westminster system of government, does not the leader of the opposition represents the main political party in opposition? At present we have two independent MPs – I stress the word independent – but not an opposing political party.

    The very strength of independent parliamentarians is their freedom from party allegiance.

    Hot debate. What do you think? Thumb up 7 Thumb down 4
    • SilentMajority
      December 21, 2022

      SMH. Like the Prime Minister it’s the individual who carries the majority support of the duly elected members of the house who sit in opposition to the Prime Minister/Government.

      Just pulling from history here. In 1980 the Freedom Party won 17 seats. The Democratic Labour Party won 2 seats. 2 independents won the remaining 2 seats. Causing the opposition side to be split 2-1-1…or 2-2 depending on how you want to look at it. There was no consensus for opposition leader so the House of Assembly was without an opposition leader for 5 years. We all know now that these so called independents were actually Freedomites and this was just strategic on the part of the Dame. Talking about manipulating the system to stifle opposition.

      Political party affiliation just makes it easier for the President. But the constitution makes no mention of political parties. I believe that all Dominicans should read the constitution for themselves. Really it’s not very complicated reading.

      Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
      • Roger Burnett
        December 21, 2022

        Thank you for your response “SilentMajority”.

        Given that the constitution makes no mention of political parties, and given that under our constitution the position of leader of the opposition is not mandatory, I am left wondering, given the present scenario, what function the holder of that office serves.

        I would be grateful for your further enlightenment.

    • elizabethlxavier
      December 22, 2022

      @Roger Burnett, you spoke the question of my mind.

      I was wondering how can these people be “Leader of Opposition” when they don’t belong to a “Political Party”.

      I am also reading the thing about sharing leadership every 18 months; what kind of confusion is that? O Lord, please have mercy on Dominica and her people.

  11. JAH KAL
    December 20, 2022

    Congratulation again Mrs P Victor . Salisbury will go down in the history books of Dominica as having the second female opposition leader of dominica . Salisbury has produce great young men and women and their a many more out there thats making their villiage proud and independent . One thing i want those labor rites to know she is not for sale and she cannot be bought , don’t beleive you guys can fool her with a few peices of silver she is not that easy ,she has the entire constituency behind her . Skerrit tear gas the hole villiage and he have all farmers of salisbury in court for stand for their roads, including Mrs Victor family they all a farmers, don’t you ever forget that ,and always remind skerrit and his bunch of you know what, where you come from. They tend to suffer with amnesia to set their own agender always remind them.

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 7

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