Minister for National Security Rayburn Blackmoore has warned offenders about the penalties they could face if caught entering the country illegally.
Acting Deputy Chief of Police, Davidson Valerie, said recently that four people have been convicted of entering Dominica illegally, six are pending trial while others are pending trial and investigation.
In his latest condemnation of illegal entry into the country, Blackmoore exhorted the police to go to the various communities “with no exception” where such activity is suspected and conduct investigations.
“This illegal entry into this country which is referred to as backdoor activity, in my view is the single most dangerous national security threat to the country,” the minister said.
He said the police by themselves cannot fight this serious security threat and called for a “collective consciousness” among Dominicans to tackle the issue.
“It is also going to require persons to provide information, persons also to act like their own police in their various communities because this thing is a threat to all of us,” Blackmoore asserted.
He said the entire arm of the criminal justice system must be involved to support the police and take into consideration the sentiment of the populace, “because there is consensus among us that backdoor activity is a serious threat and likewise if somebody is convicted, the fine in itself, must reflect the sentiments of the populace.”
“It has to be a collective endeavor with all relevant parties playing their part,” he noted.
The minister stated that according to the law, anyone who enters a port otherwise than through an approved port of entry, commits an offense.
“And on some convictions, is liable to a fine of $5000 or one year [imprisonment] or both,” Blackmoore explained.
He pointed out that anyone who aids and abets or facilitates someone to commit the crime, commits an offense and will be charged a higher fine.
“Its $25,000 or that person can also be sentenced to jail,” Blackmoore warned.
He pointed out, however, that the law makes a distinction between somebody who enters the country, “let’s say someone enters on a boat, the person is a passenger, but for human trafficking, if that person assists any other person to enter or leave the country in an unlawful manner, upon conviction, the fine is $100,000 or 7 years imprisonment or both.”
@DA to the Bone (foreign)
You should be more explicit..
You should say Skerrit and Shekira stop encouraging lawlessness…
Wonder if it’s too late to arrest those two bad examples.
Question for Blackmore, “did the law to make illegal entry into Dominica punishable, enacted last week?”. Recall that during the last election period Skerritt made a damn joke about those who complained about illegal entry into Dominica, saying that people were accustomed to entering the country through the back door. If it was a crime then, why wasn’t anything done then to prosecute the offenders? You, Blackmore were the minister of National security, remember? This clearly shows the corruption of the Labor regime. They accept and tolerate criminal activity once it’s done to benefit them in the moment. How can these guys expect to be called Honourable, when their embrace of some crimes is so blatant that a blind person can see. The regime closed it’s ears and eyes to electoral reform last election period and following their win, the hypocrisy of Dennis Byron and now tough talk about illegal entry. I guess Blackmore will want to blame chief Carbon for the past inactivity.
For the General Elections you all, Labour Party Government, were encouraging them to come in to Dominica to vote, backdoor, pwipwi and by any legal or illegal means necessary! Careful what you wish for! But this is what happens when you encourage people to break the rules when it suits you, it simply teaches them that it is okay to break the rule! Now you are sounding like the boy who cried wolf! Dominica nice!
When it was elections time they encouraged the illegal entry. Once it was to vote them back in. All of a sudden its a problem?
Stop your foolishness. Stop playing politics. It is right for individuals to come in illegally?
You know dam well how deadly is the pandemic ….. stop encouraging lawlessness
Just answer the question bone!
Ther are people in the neighbouring French Countries that want to come home. The ferries are not travelling to our countries. Is there anyway we as a country could try to facilitate those individuals to come home. If we can do just that I think it will help curb the amount of illegal entries. Some people are very frustrated and are longing to come home.
Of course we can do that Tg. “The President of the Commonwealth of Dominica requests and requires in the name of the Government of Dominica all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance and afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary”. Our passport says that in bold letters, right there in the front. That is what we ask of foreigners .
Should we not extend this kindness or assistance ourselves to our own people then? These are very special circumstances and we should reach out. Besides, it makes good sense in helping to reduce our Covid exposure.
How about you make entering through the front door easier and less costly, how about you test people and send them to home quarantine with a 3 day appointment to report for a simple temperature test. You need to make up your mind if back door entry is good or bad because a year ago back door entry was encouraged and celebrated as part of our culture to come vote for you now you threatening the same people with $100,000 fine, what a difference a year makes.
Blackamoor, both you and Valerie simply need to shut up!
Dominica is no America, Canada, or any place in Europe, the only people who might want to enter Dominica illegally, are the poorest of the poor out of Haiti.
Any other are people involve in the cocaine smuggle business!
The consequences Raybone is talking about is hogwash, the only penalty is spending a few days in jail, and deportation; that’s synonymous with every country, when immigration law’s are violated.
I don’t know how you have the nerve to talk about illegal entry into Dominica by a few Haitians; when not to long ago we read where Roosevelt Skerrit went down on his yellow, and red belly crawling like some Pseudoceros dimidiatus ( flat worm) pleading, and begging Haitians not to leave Dominica.
You too, that damn little boy ran your mouth off talking about penalties the Haitians will suffer if they leave Dominica illegally.
One day you and Roosevelt crawl begging then not to leave, next day…
These guys are just so dishonest that if they ever try taking holy communion they will surely choke. The police need to arrest him for aiding and abetting. SMH in disbelief.
All who wanted to come back door are already here on Island. How about rounding them up? Patrol boat police fishing all night for their pot, and some pot.
Where is the attorney general to better explain the law, Blackmore is all over the place.
Blah blah all you win election only now all you getting serious all you so desperate to pay for skerrit baybell all you will do anything you all a such hypocrite
Projects such as apartments are being built throughout the country, including hotels and other civic structures yet we don’t see our people working instead the young men are on the blocks, while foreigners occupy the much marginalised working environment. Are our people being trained for the available jobs? No, but they have to survive anywhere, hence the proliferation of backdoor! So this minister, who comes and speaks tough against the people should get to doing his job and ensure that the people are being treated fairly, schools are gearing children for a future, locals are employed and poverty is reduced and or eradicated. But he comes and talk like an uneducated person who has no idea of the culture of poverty which his government has spread throughout our country. Arrest yourself blackmoore!
Here is some ‘collective’ advice – Start with retroactive punishment by making an example of an individual who, at a Labour party rally last year, publicly proclaimed for people to come to Dominica illegally via the backdoor to vote.
Start in Roseau South first.
#Bunch_of_JOKERS