One of Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit’s most recent utterances has offended several coconut merchants in Dominica, who are now seeking an apology from him immediately.
Endorsing the candidacy of his Castle Bruce candidate, Octavia Alfred, on November 26, 2022, the leader of the Dominica Labour Party (DLP) used the occasion to attack her opponent, Independent candidate Kelvin Cadette, by questioning his capacity to provide for his constituency given his line of work.
“You cannot come here and talk about no Jelly man. Which jab jelly man you talking about? A jelly man? I mean let us get serious in Dominica. Let’s get serious in this country. A man running up and saying he is the jelly man. Jelly man what. What jelly man can do for you? What jelly man can do for you in Castle Bruce?” the Prime Minister asked before an enthusiastic crowd of supporters.
“Jelly man can build no house for you?” he continued. “What can jelly man do for you in Castle Bruce, maybe give you a little jelly…that’s all. You pay five dollars you get a jelly…”
At least three coconut merchants, one of whom was present at the meeting, have referred to the prime minister’s remarks as an insult to their line of work.
“I telling you I was listening that night and I couldn’t believe that was how our PM, our own prime minister was talking about a man like me, who gets up and works hard every day to make my daily bread,” stated the individual who spoke to Dominica News Online (DNO) on the condition of anonymity.
“The sad thing is other man like myself who get up and go plant in their garden every day was laughing that, not realizing that the man was also insulting them too,” he added.
Another city-based coconut vendor from the east of the island has declared his intention to stop supporting the DLP if Skerrit does not issue a public apology.
Estimating his sales at $90- $130 per day, he declared, “We are hardworking people and to ask what can a jell man can do for you is implying that we cannot take care of ourselves.”
Political Leader of the United Workers Party (UWP), Dr. Thomson Fontaine, has also called on the country to denounce the statement made by the prime minister.
As the son of a farmer and a man who has worked the soil, Dr. Fontaine said, “It is deeply hurtful and offensive that the prime minister of Dominica can form his nose at hard-working farmers”
Fontaine asserts that the Dominican farmers’ blood and sweat, rather than those of people receiving handouts, is what made this nation.
“So that was a hurtful and disturbing statement which shows that this is a prime minister who is getting out of control. Because to be so condescending to a man who is doing his work, he is not coming to beg the prime minister; he is working to take care of his family and you are crying down a hard-working man instead of lifting him”, he stated.
One of the UWP administration’s main goals for reviving the economy, according to the economist, is agriculture.
The newly elected UWP leader added that when they are re-elected to office, special focus will be given to tree crops such as coconut and bananas as well as all other elements.
Does the “Jelly man” pay vat Taxes? maybe an audit isn’t such a bad idea.
How about your PM? He isn’t a great one for accounting. I’m sure the sums he owes to the state coffers is massive. Never mind the Jelly man Vat.
What about all dem Fellers that running them Quarries, dey paying Vat???
MistaDem dat adding value to the sand and Stone as they taking all dem stones crushing them, selling them in foreign markets for Top Dollar,,,
Allyou need to open allyou eyes!!!
I dunno why people acting like this is something new. He has been disrespecting Dominicans for a long time yet we laugh and continue voting him in. Allu love allu PM? While he rape the country. We’ve allowed this unfortunately. Now he only feels more emboldened to continue the disrespect.
Apology or not Skerrit has just made Dominica hear publicly what he says privately and what type of governance he has been operating under, which he plans to continue,,
Remember Mista wasn’t in the original Labour Party yeh,,,
When Labour Party was for the working people like UWP is now, Skerrit was a little boy yeh who couldn’t even vote,,,
And Skerrit has just made allyou know he is still a LittleBoy who has no idea how to lead people,,,
All Skerrit know is how to be a Narcissist who doesn’t care about the little people,,,
If mista was the bigman as he claim to be he would remember that it was the farmers and the working people that made up the original Labour Party,,,
Skerrit was a Freedomright and those people [Mamo fren-dem] was the bourgeoisie who looked down on the little people [The farmers and Laborers],,,
Nuff Said but for mista to come talking like dat he must be seeing at the end of this Scamlection and it doh looking good for him and his…
@Rastarman
The original DLP was destroyed years ago by Skerrit..Skerrit knows that the original DLP has a constitution governing its internal affairs, but he disregards it and does his own thing..Constituency associations selected candidates in the past, now Skerrit is the one selecting candidates. No delegates conference for 13 years. Noone cares..This is not a party, but a Skerrit cult!
Give me the thumbs rating as much as you all want, but I have to say that too often Dominicans are taking things way out of context, and some people must know their place.
I don’t see how the PM was speaking against the so-called “hard-working” people, as whoever have suggested. He is contesting for men and women who will represent the Country and their constituency in Parliament. That is not a simple job.
For me to want to be one of those representatives, I need to have the proper qualification, not simply my own instincts.
So the man decided to go by the name Jelly-Man, in that is a farmer of coconuts. The PM Skerrit is asking, “what qualifications does a coconut farmer has to place him in a seat at Parliament”? That is the objective.
If coconut farming has made him big, his fame came by ploughing the land and making money.
Money can acquire no the privilege to sit in Parliament, there is much, much, more to that privilege.
Those words are so disrespectful and hurtful that even I feel the piercing tone of those words.
Farmers have sent generations of children to schools and colleges on their earnings. Additionally, they provide food-and-drink for their families by farming different foods.
Furthermore, how else would Dominicans eat and drink if it wasn’t for the farmer/gardener?
Farmers deserve a seat at the table of dialogue where decisions about the economy are taking place. Without farmers, there are no market days and processed(lab foods) foods will become our reality.
Respect goes a long way.
Careful there PM, you may be sabotaging that same election you called….
Shame that he forgets he couldnt do SH(% for anyone, he couldnt even buy a jacket for himself much less his own vehicle to do government work all before he entered government. As a man by yourself you cannot save a country. But if you are elected, you now have some authority through the power of the government to make necessary and significant change. YOu think Cassani could do anything before he join DLP? Or Grant in Wesley? None of these people could do anything, same as Octavia (she still cannot do anything but make excuse for people). I hate when these people come and act like is they alone that have ideas and connections and means to get things going, when is government money government assets and resources they abusing and acting like is they that create and make and do things from their own pocket. I might be a fool but im not a complete fool and is not me you fooling. I know for a fact Skerrit was worse off than me before he became PM. So is not a jelly man that cannot make it
Please take note that the Dear Leader has a track record. This is what he said at the launching of a candidate for Marigot in 2014:
“As leader of the DLP I did not quarrel, I did not fret,” he said. “As your humble servant, I resumed my search and we identified, not a plumber, not a gardener, not a clerical officer, or even a famer. We have brought to you in this election a medical doctor, a doctor whom you know and trust. ” – DNO: Wednesday, November 19th, 2014 at 3:16 pm. (https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/politics/pm-skerrit-promises-senior-minister-marigot/)
Does Dear Leader have some real issues with farmers, gardeners, and tradespeople? Every occupation should be considered equal and important if we want to build a better society.
so when he apologize after disrespecting you you still going to vote him? apologizing just means saying the right words. He will still look down on you all.
A jelly man is hard working business man. Octavia Alfred is just a school teacher. We have heard her ignorant utterances. and we dont respect her. Really feller the only reason people will vote for her is becasue you insist on campaigning in every constituency as if is you that running in all 21 constituencies. People do not give a damn about Alfred, they know you does give cool out so really is you they voting for. when is red clinic days nobody ever used to go and speak to their parl rep, is you everybody want to see. Why? because you are the min of finance and is so you have set it up. the national welfare program is undermined by you.
The PM should apologize. The ordinary man is just as important to the country as are those in other positions. We all contribute. That behavior is unbecoming of a prime Minister and he should apologize.
That is exactly what Skerrit dont like, his worse fear, ‘HARD WORKING PEOPLE’!!!
He want everybody to be broke and destitute so they have no choice but to beg him for cool out.
In a time when Dominican men moving like road side whores, begging rich men for money, we salute the hard working men!!!
Doh make Mr have all you no kind of way! Stand up and make him know he have to respect hard working citizens!
Is like something go up in Mr head recently, he just getting outrageous now!
Skerro, we notice you go quiet on the Airport this election, what happening??? It cannot fool people again???
Hypocrites.The Prime Minister was not attacking jelly selling merchants.He was attacking Kevin Cadette,the independent candidate who is a jellyman.I know jelly merchants who buy jellynuts at ,$3 sell it at $5.Some of them put pipe water in the jelly water.All of all you want to tell lies about Skerrit and Dominica and he must stay quiet?Never.Kevin must take his blows,that is politics and a couple of greedy UWP jelly merchants taking offence………………………………………………………………..
The PM knows how vulnerable he felt years ago WHEN he was at the mercy of Douglas for his livelihood, and how powerful Douglas appeared to him. So his desire is to appear powerful and keep people vulnerable, through their dependency on him. He said he’s giving them homes, but what the recipients of these homes don’t realize is that he is deepening their dependency and pretty soon these dwellings will be slums in disrepair at which time they will have to beg for more assistance. If this continues pretty soon Dominican’s will face a fate worse than that of Venezuelans or Haitians, and will be standing in line for food. Recently there was a shortage of sugar, flour, toilet paper, and gas, on the island, but he made sure that the Sewo went on. Dominicans Please want more for yourselves and vote the current PM and his gang of disreputes out. VOTE INDEPENDENT, OR SPOIL YOUR BALLOTS.
Does Skerrit mean that you must be FINANCIALLY well of, to participate in our general elections as a candidate?…Is it a situation where, soon we will be flooded with drug dealers, money launderers, human traffickers, etc, etc, as political candidates??? Will Skerrit have an issue with them?? I know the answer!!!
How Doominicans are accepting the vile, vulgar, putrid and repugnant verbiage from this so called Prime Minister is beyond comprehension!! What is worse, some supporters cheer him on! OMG!!
just watch skerritt policy on agriculture!!!
skerritt has always sought to dehumanize de ordinary farmers……de sudden talk of a new push for agriculture is fake!!!!!!
king liar….king insulter!!!!
skerritt throw animal waste out there….. real crap
now we know…….skerritt government will not invest in coconut!!!
All those who support the foul-mouthed, serial abuser should had their heads in every shame. He is the head of government. Anyone in that elevated position has an awesome responsibility. He should bring citizens together not divide. His words should heal not hurt.
Everybody is somebody regardless of your station in life. A doctor should not be thought of as being superior to a farmer. Both occupations are vitally important. What makes Roosevelt who elevated from rags to riches by questionable means to the hard-working, honest jellyman, who makes his living honestly.
This ‘divide and rule’ strategy by the most corrupt and least educated ruler in the western hemisphere has Dominicans dirt poor, jobless, fragmented, disrespectful and overly aggressive towards another. The country needs a change.
You see, ever so often Skerrit slips up in his rage and tells you what he really thinks of all you. Spoil all your votes on election day and tell him in no uncertain terms what all YOU think of HIM. He is the Jelly-Man! I’m mean no real man would steal of his own country.
This man sick need a Dr.
Believe Jellyman should bring him 2 gallons of coconut water to get him back on track to have a FREE & FAIR ELECTION.
Jellyman, the East need to give you an award.
The PM is disgraceful. The Jellyman is a man of integrity, working hard for his living, and can show the people of his constituency how to build their own homes and earn a living instead for being bought by handouts from the PM. The Jellyman is standing on his own. I seem to recall that when the PM came upon the scene he didn’t have a pot to piss in; Douglas had to give him an allowance, and he was getting around on a bike that was given/ loaned to him. In my estimation the Jellyman is far more qualified to help develop his constituency, than the PM was when he first came on the scene, to lead Dominica; The Jellyman is currently more capable to lead not just his constituency but the Country than the PM. The DLP leader is a complete and utter disgrace. Vote Jellyman!!!! The PM doesn’t have a bone of integrity, nor an ounce of empathy, he’s blinded by greed, and power and will do and say anythingto stay in office.
How can you on one hand say you want to uplift farmers then make such statements about Jelly-Man. Is it the Mr. Skerrit wants them to work for NEP to be under him and then he will promise to give them a house rather than he encouraging the farmers to work harder. This country was built on farmers thus I support all farmers including the Jelly-men “ALL”.
I wouldn’t be bothered with pM man. That was just his way of probably recruiting the young man into his illegal drugs squared that make far more money than selling jellies