Peering through the lens of the Salisbury protests to the state of Dominica, we see a nation in crisis, and a society hypnotised by the opium of bacchanal, by fear of, and misguided loyalty to, a dictatorial government with a saintly halo.
The Salisbury protests were born from a sense of frustration, anger and despondency. The first of these protests occurred on 11th May 2015. The people of Salisbury simply could not fulfil their basic human needs to feed themselves and their family and to self-actualise. The poor conditions of the farm roads cut them off from their farms and their only means of a livelihood and of realising their God-given gifts and talents, which are crucial if people are to be truly human and happy.
And yet repairs to the farm roads were being thwarted by the tribalistic tendencies of the government that fosters enmity and conflict, inequality and injustice, providing benefits for some whilst punishing others for their political affiliations and the expression of their human and constitutional rights.
To compound matters a short-sighted and ill-advised government policy sought to supplant agriculture with tourism, ensuring that the farmers of Salisbury and elsewhere in Dominica lose permanently their only source of livelihood and personal development, sacrificing their way of life on the altar of a failed tourism initiative, and spelling the death of a tradition that has sustained the Dominican economy for generations. The government and commissioner of police responded by demonising the people of Salisbury and spraying them with tear gas that was, by all accounts, expired.
The people once again gathered on 11th June to protest at the dawn raids on their village and home by heavily armed officers and their inability to express their basic human and constitutional rights to protest at the brutality and injustices meted out to them by the state police, acting like the gestapo of a fascist state. The state accused the people of Salisbury of being violent and lawless, whilst they were, ironically, being besieged by an army of heavily armed officers, suffocated by tear gas, and peppered with rubber bullets and live ammunition.
The people of Salisbury were simply exercising their human and constitutional rights to have their voices heard, to have their just cause registered on the consciousness and conscience of the nation. In their response of brute force, the state’s ultimate aim was to instil fear in the people of Salisbury and throughout Dominica.
The Salisbury protests reflect the basic instinct of the human spirit for freedom from oppression, an instinctual yearning that beat powerfully in the breast of all freedom fighters from Jesus Christ to Gandhi, from the “Negre Mawon” to Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King.
The underlying reasons for the Salisbury protests are evident throughout Dominica. Across the island people are frustrated, angry and despondent. Unemployment is at record levels. Agriculture, the mainstay of the economy, is being systematically dismantled in favour of tourism, which, as a viable alternative has failed. Alcoholism and drug abuse, abuse of women and children have reached epidemic proportions. The health and spiritual wellbeing of the nation are in crisis. The government has no vision, no policies, no guiding philosophy to tackle the impending catastrophe.
Yet the people of Dominica, with the exception of the people of Salisbury, approach this encroaching hurricane with a level of passivity that is quite astonishing.
They are in a hypnotic, zombified state, or walking sleepiness, induced by the opium of too much siwo, fear, and blind allegiance to an oppressive government with a smile of benevolence. Their only means to deal with the impending disaster is to party. Here, Michael Jackson’s Thriller video comes to mind. In this video, as in Dominica, zombies creep out from their stupor to dance the night away, only to disappear into the darkness once the party is over.
A revolutionary seed has been sown in the people of Salisbury to hold the government accountable for its failures. Long may this spirit of freedom and justice flourish and infuse people’s minds throughout Dominica to create a better, more productive and just society.
Opinions expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Dominica News Online or its advertisers.
Please leave the Dominican idiots in their misery. Dominicans love misery. They love hand outs and poverty and no one can change that. They love their young beautiful daughters to be abuse by the powers to be.Those who have a little bit more than the other. We know what i am referring to. The parents of some of the young people especially young women cannot say any thing when they themselves are desperately in need. For example, a young woman who is unemployed and by no means necessary can’t afford a cell phone valued a thousand dollars plus comes home with such commodity and mom will not ask where did you get that from, because mom herself needs one. Instead mom would like to have piece of the action herself. This is the value of our young women in Dominica today.Our young women in Dominica are very promiscuous, very trifling and carries a very low self-esteem. That’s my two sense today. God bless Dominica!
Right on, Colton Paul!
Some of us too hip in this country nous oubilèe leur nous sortie mais nous sav leur nous ye dapree nous.
salisbury will always be mention why because salisbury stood up to the DEVIL
Should touch many a nerve, and hopefully start the ball rolling – no matter how small – towards positive change.
The writer is only expressing what many are reluctant to say.
Don’t these writers have better things to do ????? Give the Salisbury issue a rest
Sorry pal Colton, the revolution all-u were pushing the Salisbury people to do for all-u to take over the gov’t didn’t happen while all-u safe overseas hiding and writing crap. You will have to put your boots on the ground and do the dirty work yourself. This is a democracy, they won the last election. Just regroup, organize yourselves and win the next one instead, this is not Cuba or some African country, just do it thru the polls, win election. Period.
Boy DNO election is over. Your motives and coup was hog wash. DNO you and your operatives are crying over spill milk. The Salisbury incident was DO A Dead on arrival. The horse is already dead. Move on
Ok you sound convincing but what about the content. Your reasoning is illogical when reviewed with the facts.. Further your logic is confusing. You mentioned Ghandi and Martin luther King Jr (influenced by Ghandi). Both men pursued “none violent resistance”. You might be well meaning but lacking in clarity of thought.
While you are at it please try to READ the CONSTITUTION there you will notice that we don’t have a Police Commissioner what we have is a POLICE CHIEF.
To all who believe that we should stop talking about Salisbury; know that Salisbury is the shinning example of standing up to dictatorship in a democracy. This example will serve to inspire and mobilize the National Protest which will deliver Dominica from the clutches of this merciless dictatorship. In America Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and Malcolm X is still news today. We will continue talking and writing about the war Skerrit declared on the unarmed, innocent, and hard working people of Salisbury until Jesus comes. We noticed even in the Parliament the Salisbury Parl Rep was even prevented by the Speaker from saying the word SALISBURY. They are guilty of the crime they committed against the people of Salisbury. They want us to pretend Salisbury never happened. IT IS HIGH TIME FOR THAT GANG TO BE UNCEREMONIOUSLY KICKED OUT OF OFFICE.
Salisbury,Salisbury I am fed up to the back teeth hearing and reading about this subject. Write about the birds and the bees I’m sure this would make far more interesting reading. This subject is being hijacked by every disgruntled individual with an axe to grind,trying to turn unrully,violent protesters into martyrs.
Get use to it the protest will soon start again and this time it won’t just be Salisbury. Be prepared.
in my short life time I can see many Dominican are like sombies too true we can only die once. and if we are going to be so afraid to die/others will make slaves of us
very well written if you got a brains and you read this u will truly understand.
Sorry but I stopped reading after self actualise
This again ypu all used Salisbury people to do you dirty work. They should blame Hector for this mess.
While Skerrit continues to use you and others to spread his lies and deception. You are not even smart enough to notice that Skerrit cannot challenge the numbers and analysis of the UWP regarding our country’s economic mal performance. You are not even sensible enough to figure out that it is Lennox and UWP are the ones sueing and winning in the courts Dlp leaders and advocates for libel and slander. In other words DLP supporters and leaders are paying for their dirty tongues. Compare your personal economy with Skerrit’s personal economy. What a joke.
Who are you blaming for our economic mess? Please base your response on statistics and facts if you are capable. ELSE SHUT UP AND STEP ASIDE.
This again they made Salisbury was used to do their dirty work. Mandela and King were PEACEFUL men let them rest in peace.
I think it is worthwhile educating you. Mandela was in jail because he was the leader of the ANC (a paramilitary political organization) which was responsible the deaths of thousands of whites during struggle against apathied in South Africa. And for your information if you care to research, the Apathied regime that existed in South Africa during the struggle of Mandela, bears a striking resemblance to the Skerrit’s Regime in Dominica. Don’t sell your soul to anyone. Deliver yourself through education. It is your responsibility to educate yourself. It is in Skerrit’s interest that you remain ignorant and foolish. It is because of you ignorance and foolishness that you are able to help Skerrit spread his lies. God hate lies. It is your responsibility to know truth without fooling yourself. The truth shall set you free. The to deliver you from Skerrit’s deceptive trap has been given to you by God, set yourself free. Mandela had to be the Warrior before becoming the peacemaker.
What is wrong with these so-called writers? have they run out of topics to talk about…. Salisbury protest encore…. Is that how people get attention nowadays? by writing about Salisbury protest. stupes.
@End of time
I guess it’s the writers way of exposing a corrupt and incompetent regime that has impoverished thousands including you.Mind you the same regime which cheats, lies and steals in broad daylight,is the same one that has destroyed all state institutions, and wanted the Salisbury people to beg.THIS IS SATANIC and REPREHENSIBLE!!!
Nothing at all is wrong with these ‘so called’ writers but everything is wrong with people that keep supporting this DLP government, even though they have eyes to see and ears to hear. Despite that, only for a few left overs here and there, basically very selfish reasons, they keep on selling their votes and souls. The majority of Dominicans have been turned into beggars by this regime, totally striped of any rational thinking and principles.
What is wrong with you ‘Stupid End of time? Do you also have an apartment in NYC or are too drunk on the siwo to understand this brilliant passage?
“a level of passivity that is quite astonishing”
You are correct but it makes absolutely no sense to write all these articles when the Dominican people don’t want to help themselves, what is the point?
If they love there pm, and layba Ka Twavay and they getting poorer leave these people in there misery.
Just another attention seeking. Pay him no mind!!!!
You could not say it any better. BRAVOOOO.
Attention-seeking for what? An Emmy? A monetary award? Glory among peers?! Fedup – please! Its zombies like you who would happily turn our nation into Haiti or Greece then look back and blame someone from 20-25 years ago. You guys need to get real and accept that there are true problems in our country and no amount of excuses or tail-kissing can change that.
Dominica is increasingly the “last class” in the Caribbean, save for Haiti. Our population is shrinking, unemployment high, taxes high, no foreign direct investment, all we do is rely on charity and aren’t even smart enough to use it for something productive. And to what end? Just to say we are loyal to a party as if this is the be-all end-all of life.
The PM doesn’t even try to spin his garbage anymore because the ignorant, selfish, and gullible people of Dominica will sop it all up and ask no questions!
I say it the same way (my way), AND I WON’T STOP! 15 years of bad leadership, lies and thievery have us in this tangled web we are in today!
BULL CRAP!!!!
This is an excellent piece to digest.