Member of the United Progressive Party (UPP) Attorney Joshua Francis said he is in full support of the United Workers Party’s (UWP) decision to take legal action against the Government of Dominica as it relates to the Citizenship By Investment (CBI) Program.
In a recent interview on Q-95’s Talk on the Block Program, Francis acknowledged that while under the leadership of Lennox Linton, the UWP brought scrutiny to this topic for several years. A move that he sees as justifiable since the CBI has been the cornerstone of Dominica’s economy.
“According to recent data almost 2 1/3 of the government’s revenue is now generated from the CBI Program,” Francis said. “And it is clear, it is undeniable that a significant amount of that money generated from the CBI Program is not in Dominica, it is not under parliamentary oversight, it is unaccounted for and the struggle to get transparency and openness in that program is desirous and I support Mr. Linton in that regard and I will continue to support him.”
Senior Counsel and Former Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago Anand Ramlogan and his team are leading the case.
During a press conference held in September 2024, Ramlogan said he sees the case as one that is important for not only Dominica but the region.
He stated that the intention is to ask the government to disclose a copy of the agreement for the program, “and between the government and its agents we intend to ask to see the terms and conditions of that contract because there have been public admissions and statements of fraudulent practices within that program.”
In addition to that, he mentioned that the case is constructed based on the Dominican constitution, on the principle that all monies and revenues earned by the government are meant to be paid into the consolidated fund which is subject to examination by parliament, and approval for any form of expenditure.
Senior Counsel Ramlogan and his team believe that the expenditure of any funds should only be derived from that consolidated fund.
Meanwhile, despite the issues faced in the past between Francis and Linton, Francis said he is no enemy to Mr. Linton.
“I do not have Mr. Linton in my heart, I don’t have time to have people in my heart in that regard,” he stated. “My heart doesn’t have any corner for hate, for jealousy, for envy, for grudges. If I don’t have good in my heart for a human being I prefer not to have anything for that human being.”
Furthermore, Francis made it clear that whatever differences he and Mr. Linton have had, they have worked together in the past and that he is still capable of working with anybody, including Mr. Linton.
“It is for Mr.Linton to decide whether he is prepared and willing to work with Joshua Francis in the interest of the ordinary persons in Dominica,” Francis noted.
…You say..”.the CBI is the cornerstone of the economy”… yet you want to destroy it. What is expected from a court decision? Is the court going to declare the program ilegal/unconstitutional? Is the court going to suspend the program and order a full accounting of the monies collected under the program? Is the court going to freeze all CBI accounts held in the various escrow accounts? Listening to the grassroots UWP supporters all they want is for the program to stop so that projects like the airport will not be completed. The EU and the UWP are fighting hard to stop the program, so this law suite is just the UWP on the advice of the EU playing its part to bring the program to an end.
This man is a baby-face assassin. He has assassinate Mr. Linton’s saintly character and stubbornly refuses to apologise. Imagine this, if he happen to contest a seat the next general election, not even one of his children will vote for him. That for me speaks volumes.
Go away thou back-stabber! You have the mindset of a scorpion. Stings people who helped you in times of your lowest self. Get thee behind me Satan!
What i am afraid of like so many others, is your tongue brother. It slices people behind their backs.
If you are at the hospital in Goodwill, i would stay at the bottom of Federation Drive, and feed you with a very very very long spoon. I would not get close to you.
Lennox should be careful. You alone should be in your political party!
Look, I see no big deal in Josh working with the UWP!
We are all humans and have come short at some point. Lennox and Josh are both patriots and as individuals may see things differently. That’s the nature of the beast because even in Dca we have priests and pastors disagreeing on the interpretation of bible verses. So, time to stop the useless squabble and let Josh and Lennox work out their differences because I am sure they can work together in the interest of country. If its one thing that’s certain, they both love their country beyond measure.
Joshua Francis should NEVER be trusted ever again. It strikes me that Q95 and its morning talk-show host are being used to sanitize his irreparable, vile and malevolent reputation.
Dominicans don’t be misled by Joshua’s recent frequent trips on Q95. This is intended to soften the public’s perception of him. He has even gotten the loud mouthed, annoying and utterly disgusting character who calls in to the aforementioned radio station multiple times everyday to sway public’s opinion in his favour.
Like Roosevelt, Joshua thinks you are easily persuadable and will overlook all of his imperfections and sordid past.
But Lennox Linton is not the Leader of the United Workers Party! You are supposed to be willing to work with Thomson Fontaine. Mr. Lennox Linton is the past and if UWP do not realize this then they will never form the government! I know too many people who did not vote for UWP under Linton because they could not bring themselves to vote for a man who did not graduate high school to be the Prime Minister of Dominica. Not in these modern times, we cannot do that! Let Linton stick to his journalism, stay on Q95!
DNO…OMG!!! Can you do me a favour, by giving me less of this man’s hypocrisy?
More Joshua Francis again? Is it on purpose?
The thing is honourable Lennox Linton is the quintessential gentleman. I am sure he knows of the dangerous tongue lashings he got from Joshua, but he will still accept Joshua as his friend.
My message to you honourable Linton is not to discuss anything secretive or political with mister. Your discussions with him should be about:
– the sky
– if it will rain today
– you just ate a soup and how delicious it
was
– the sea, etc……
Nothing more…You will get burnt twice honourable Linton, and you’ll be blamed. Honourable Linton do you know that Francis is a ‘TWET’, a huge TWET?? He does ‘mal parlay’ people a lot? Just give him a bar of rum and raisin chocolate. As soon as the little rum in the chocolate has his head spinning, look out! Tongue lashing time!
MEME, your post has me cracking up. Yet, you are spot on. Joshua is a chameleon. He changes his political opinion depending on the environment he is in. The man is a political contortionist/acrobatic/gymnast.
Mr. Francis should try to stay away from the negative responses and try not to mention the negative words like grudge, hate etc. Just simply reiterate his willingness to work with UWP and Linton for the betterment of Dominica and transparency of the CBI program.
Joshua was not telling lies about Linton,Linton admitted his signature was on the documents drafted by David Bruney in the Aljazeera conspiracy matter.It is just that you do not bad talk,crook,back stab,betray and try to bring down your BROTHER for political gains.That is what Francis did to Linton,and he know well he cannot work with Linton because he support Thompson Fontaine as leader of UWP.Those guys,with all Fountain’s missing in action and living in South Sudan,Linton is not educated to run UWP.Joshua is undermining Linton and at the same make him believe he have nothing against him.But,again UWP is one commess.
This guy believe,because the supporters of certain political party are idiots,Labourites are idiots.Man get atta there,as we would say in the USA.Disrespectful,leave that leavel of disrespect for supporters of UWP,DFP and UPP.
Despite all of his weaknesses and short comings like me, Dominica badly needs Joshua Francis and UWP and the opposition need Joshua Francis onboard.
Linton them need to put all their differences behind and embrace JF to help Dominica in the mess this evil ruler has put us in