Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has announced that Dominica will sign the Samoa Agreement despite concerns raised by religious leaders in the Caribbean. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday morning, Skerrit said Dominica did not sign it because the island did not send a representative to Samoa but will eventually pen it.
“We intend to sign,” he said.
“We were not able to attend the Samoa Conference but we intend to sign. I believe overall it is a good document. It could be more refined…. it is a framework document that is not necessarily imposing any particular ideals or views on us in the African and Caribbean Pacific region.”
Since the Samoa Agreement was signed on November 15, there have been cries from some quarters that it is being used by the European Union (EU) to impose ideals and values that are foreign to ACP countries.
For example, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Trinidad and Tobago, Jason Gordon said it will be used to “impose abortion legislation, transgender, LBGTQ, comprehensive sex education, a whole range of values will be imposed because of the signing of that document.”
“(The) EU is imposing upon us an ideology that is not ours and a value system that is not ours. And if we don’t understand and wake up and smell the coffee quickly we will find ourselves with values, with laws, with expectations, and with things being touted as right that has nothing to do with us Caribbean people,” he stated in a recent homily.
His sentiment was echoed by Archbishop of Castries and Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Roseau, Gabriel Malzaire, who said there are many things happening in the world today that are “snatching the faithful.”
But Skerrit said while he respects the views of the clergymen, many of the concerns that are being raised are not really part of the agreement.
“I believe that there are really two areas where there is an interpretation of the language that will give one thimpression that those things that have been pointed out are in fact in the agreement,” he explained.
To drive home his point, he quoted two articles in the agreement.
The first one, Article 29, Section 5 reads, “The Parties shall support universal access to sexual and reproductive health commodities and healthcare services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs.”
He also pointed to another article which speaks of Gender Equality and women and girls’ empowerment” which reads, “The Parties commit to the full and effective implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Program of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the outcomes of their
review conferences and commit to sexual and reproductive health and rights, in that context.”
“And so many things that have been pointed out that are in the document are really not in the document,” Skerrit stressed.
“And people are looking at those sections and articles and indicating that there may be an opportunity for some of the things that we have concerns with may find themselves being implemented in our countries.”
He said he respects the counsel of the church and he doesn’t think it is necessarily “misplaced”, but “I think what the church may want to say to us instead is to caution us against going that route but it is not in the agreement.”
The prime minister said he is giving church leaders the assurance that the concerns being raised are not part of the agreement.
“I give my dear leaders of the Catholic Church the assurance that this is not the case and we know that the countries and organizations will have particular views on these things and they would like for us to implement these things but I don’t think the population of Dominica [is] ready for these things and if we are to go into these areas, I believe we
should do a referendum on these matters,” he said.
Skerrit said he intends to discuss the matter with Archbishop Malzaire.
“I intend to speak to Archbishop Malzaire on this document and to see what other views he may have or concerns he may have to see whether they are well-placed or not necessarily well-placed,” he stated.
Yours truly is very good at signing a lot of things to the detriment of Dominica. That’s all he is good for is signing papers as long as there is a lot of money involved to him and his bank account.
i need the song from ‘GHOST’…… nous pa laiz pwes minister B…..
Translation:
All those country reps who didn’t sign are not as smart as me and Levi maybe.
We are just vassal chiefs and PMs still serving Europe and blaming others for having lost a WHOLE continent to the very same European using the same tricks, except today is not for land, it’s for “aid”.
No trade deals? we will sign.
Why sign anything for aid when we should be headed away from, and not towards colonization?
If PM Skerrit was clever, he would heed the wisdom of the Grenadian Prime Minister and Lawyer.
“Grenada for sure we are not willing to surrender our sovereignty to any international organisation and if there is any part and proposed agreement inconsistent with our constitution and with our values we will think very long and hard before entering into any such agreement,” that country’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Export Development, Joseph Andall, said in a statement on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell believes that whether or not international accords exist, morality and values are shaped by the culture of every given country or region and the morality of countries should not be imposed on others.
“As a result, we must be cautious not to blur the line between private morality and law,’ he stated. ‘And I firmly believe that, from our perspective, the morality of other countries should not be forced on the morals of countries, nor should it be linked to help.’
@point you must be joking or your habitation is beneath a rock. No one in Dominica can stop or prevent Skeritt from doing whatever he wants. Are you a Johnny comes lately? “I run things” is a one man run government. So don’t waste your time being logical when comes to what Skeritt should or should not do. When a dictator owns his private and personal Army, Navy Seals, ground squad, snipers etc.. you have no choice but to behave yourself. And this is where we are presently in Dominica. All the labor ministers are treated as children and they don’t have an independent opinion. Well, not in public. Most of them have HBP and are suffering from within. Leaving a rotten [Teef] in you buccal cavity will not ease your pain. It must be extracted.
I believe that as a sovereign state which sets us apart from the rest of the Caribbean we should not sign this.
we are a Christian nation and should respect our values as a nation which is a God fearing nation. pointless we have apres.bondieu c’est la terre as our coat of arms and choose money over Christian values.
we have to quit the imposition of American Foreign policy values unto us. There are issues we impose on us to further countries policies – dependant on nations. we have to have a sense of leadership and this we lack today this has deteriorated.
@En Ba La, Your comments is the biggest load of Crap I have ever read in my life, please do yourself a favour and get out of here!!!!
Skerrit like money. When we had CBI he could resist them thing. And play strong and full of morals and values. But CBI drying up. No as much money coming in. These international agencies promise aid and funding for signing these agreements. Skerrit love money. So right now i guess he signing almost anything.
At least prime minister Skerrit, is working to make a better life for Dominicans, What are the blue monkeys and followers doing but trying to take Dominica back to the old ages, wicked B*****ds Satan will be welcoming you all.
The nation should be united against the EUs attempt to have us accept their abominable lifestyle. Moral values is what’s at stake here. This is a case, protest if necessary for leadership from all sectors of society. Religious institutions have already voiced their beliefs that signing on to this would lead to a kind of society foreign to the Caribbean.The PM should not be allowed to unilaterally sign on to this horrible idea for the sake of receiving a few nickels and dimes in the future.
Waiting to see whether Dominicans are all talk and no action in this instance.
“And so many things that have been pointed out that are in the document are really not in the document,” Skerrit stressed.
“…and commit to sexual and reproductive health and rights,…” – Anybody who doesn’t know exactly what that means is either naive or corrupt. This is the classic tagline of the people pushing legalization of abortion, LGBT and sexual “education” (more like indoctrination or grooming) in schools.
Remember not only a decade ago they were calling for “tolerance” and “acceptance” now every year in their designated month this garbage is being blasted everywhere including the governments putting up this horrendous flag in official government buildings and public places. People are losing their jobs in places like the US, UK and Canada for simply speaking out against this.
Decision making is tough pray about it
You should have signed it already, the intention of the EU is quite clear, they want to impose same sex marriage, legal abortion and legalization of homosexuality on us to conform to their deviant life style in exchange for aid. If Skeritt was signing this agreement on behalf of his family (wife and children) that would be his business but when it involves the entire nation it becomes a different matter. An agreement with the ability to impact the social order of Dominica should at the very least get parliamentary approval.