The position of leader of the Dominica Labour Party (DLP) remains firmly in the hands of Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit who said there is presently no vacancy for it.
The party will be meeting for its Delegates’ Conference in Vieille Case on November 10 during which positions will be contested and put to a vote.
Speaking on state-owned DBS Radio on Monday morning, Skerrit said he doesn’t expect a contest for the party’s top job, which he holds, at the conference.
“In respect to the party leader, we don’t expect there to be any contest,” he said. “There is no vacancy now. The Prime Minister is in place and of course at the appropriate time, whenever there is a need for a new leader there will be peaceful and serious transition within the party.”
Skerrit was first elected Political Leader of the DLP in February 2004. His rise to the top job of the party was unprecedented since he was elected Member of Parliament for Vieille Case just four years prior in 2000. Under then Prime Minister, Rosie Douglas, he was appointed Minister of Youth and Sports.
Following Douglas’ death in October 2000, Pierre Charles became Prime Minister of Dominica but he passed away in January 6, 2004. Two days later, Skerrit was sworn in as Prime Minister. At age 31, he was the world’s youngest Prime Minister at that time, leading a two-party coalition government. One month later was he was elected Political Leader, a position he has held since then.
In his interview with DBS Radio, Skerrit expressed confidence that he will remain at the head of the DLP following the Delegates’ Conference.
“I have no doubt that it will be uncontested,” he remarked. “As of the Delegates’ Conference coming up, I don’t expect any contest for the leadership of the party.”
With Skerrit announcing there are no vacancies for the DLP’s leader position, it appears he will remain in the political scene, although at least on two occasions in the past he had spoken about retiring.
At a DLP rally in St Joseph on February 2, 2016, he mentioned leaving the party’s top position after it won the 2015 general election.
“On the night of December 8th when we won the last election, I told my wife and a few very close associates and my colleagues, that that was my last election campaign as leader of this great political party,” he said. “I had absolutely no intention of contesting the next election as Prime Ministerial candidate.”
But according to him, the opposition United Workers Party (UWP) under its then leader, Lennox Linton, was getting him angry.
“These guys have made me angry! These guys are doing damage to Dominica that will take more than four years to repair,” he said. “I have now told myself, my work in this country is not complete. Not only will we rebuild this country in four short years, but I will lead my forces into battle one more time to defeat Lennox Linton and the United Workers Party…I give you the assurance that Roosevelt Skerrit, God willing, shall be back to lead his forces into battle four years from now, or whenever the opportunity presents itself to call a general election.”
He came back in 2019 and won again but on the 6th of November, 2022, while announcing snap general elections, Prime Minister Skerrit stated that he did not intend to remain in office beyond April 2025 in fulfillment of the constitutional mandate that the people of Dominica had given to him.
“Towards this end, we have done our own internal analysis. I started first with myself. I have been your chief servant for 22 years. I am eternally humbled and very grateful for the opportunity you have given me to serve. I hope that my efforts will be judged fairly and within context,” he said. “On this occasion of National Reset, I have listened to the views of all, and I have made a personal decision, which I have shared with some of my party elders. You have given me a mandate that constitutionally allows me to remain in office as your Prime Minister until April, 2025. I do not intend to go beyond that date. I have run my race and I intend to finish the course, with Dominica safely back on a road of sustained progress and prosperity. That is why, I am calling for a National Reset!”
Skerrit said during the DBS interview that the party’s strength has been manifested and people are gearing up for the delegates conference which will include an open session which will be attended by where party supporters and well-wishers are invited to be present and a closed session where the elections of officers of the party, among other matters, will be dealt with.
The prime minister said that all positions in the Dominica Labour Party (DLP) will be open for contest and elections, except for the party leader position, which he currently holds. He emphasized that there is no vacancy for the party leader role at this time and assured that any future leadership transition will be peaceful and seamless. Skerrit stressed the importance of unity within the party to properly represent the people’s interests and expressed his desire to oversee a dignified transition of Prime Ministerial leadership to a chosen successor.
It’s been 20 years, do you need another maybe 27 years like your African counterparts, some at 58 years in power placed by western countries, can’t you see this has failed; like the opposition that didn’t throw support behind the likes of Hangbag, still panicking about snap election?
Amen to that sister Elizabeth L Xavier,UWP is a party of Satan.Who God bless no man curse.Skerrit is there to stay.We Labourites will determine when he will leave.UWP and their handful of lazy do nothing a holes can go to hell.Dominica is Labour country,we built it after Maria,we will not allow lazy crooks,traitors and economic terrorists to rule this country.At least not Lennox Lying Linton and not Thompson Sticky Fingers Fontaine.
@Lin Clown
I thought that you were a clown and did not know the term sticky fingers.. The best example in the Caribbean is found in the party you like. Billions are missing.
Your dam CLOWN, didn’t you know that?
YOUR CLOWN!
Dominica Needs A Defense Force just like we dad SSU separate entity from the Police force just like Jamaica has the Jamaica Defense Force and Barbados has the Barbados Defense Force!!!
That militarized wing of the judiciary branch to twist the hands of those who are at the Executive Branch who has forgotten the Democratic form of governance Dominica possess,,,
By his Statement Skerrit has made it clear his intentions to take Dominica to a Brink of collapse where foreign entities must intervene and still the natural resources in the guise of implementation political stability,,,
The judiciary Branch is that section of Governance which must reads Dominica of this Ailment which is Dis-Easing its economy and Future stability, AKA Roosevelt Skerrit,,
The only vacancy is in the grave
This just shows that there is a need for drafting and bringing to parliament a law that dictates how many terms a sitting prime minister can hold consecutively. This law should be supported and adopted by all civic Dominicans as well.
Looks like he wants to be there for life?
Spoken like a true dictator
In the Bible, most leaders that became king by blood shed never went out by the ballot. In fact even in today’s world we see wicked leaders like Saddam Husain , that came in through blood shed went out that same way and not through any election
Always remember Skerrit had to go through two huge walls to become the leader of the DLP in Rosie Douglas and then Pierre Charles. In just one term both of those walls tumbled and fell and Skerrit buried both of them. So to think anyone is going to take his job from him tell them to think again. So the man is planted , red is the color of blood, and blood sacrifice is real just as the Bible verse says there is no sacrifice without the shedding of blood. Let me end by quoting this Bible passage though it’s not related to my comment Gen 4:10-11
10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.
11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;
Why such ludicrous obcession about blood and sacrefice, lol. Why do you thnk that your analysis regarding The PM rise to leadership of the DLP and the events of his predicessors passing associted with your obcession with blood and sacrifice is correct. You must not use your imagination idly regarding things you know nothing about, and by the way quoting the bible to give you credence of your analysis is silly.
I will tell you this anyone who believes there is no sacrifice without the shedding of blood they are dealing with nefarious forces. There are positive sacrifices and negative sacrifices, but bottom line they are all governed by an imutable law, you sow what you reap. The creator of Man does not need sacrefices from man in the shedding of blood, to get something or paticipate in silly human games, so long for your analysis obcession with blood scrifice.
Prime Minister, Sir, first of all I am glad to read that you staying, to contest the primary Leadership Role over the ways of Life in Dominica.
I have said it before, and I will continue to say it: ‘Our God Almighty is in control, and I believe that just like “King David” of old Israel, He has anointed you to rule over our people of Dominica, and no force of the opposition, no weapons formed against you shall prosper.
Life in the body is not easy for no one, regardless of their standard living or their location. So take no heed of those voices with their negative vibes. That is all they have–voices which are extremely weak and soundless.
You are under the control of our Great and Mighty God. Just pay attention to His voice and obey His commands. It is only by His Power, through your obedience and Leadership that we will prosper
Stop the blasphemy! There is no godliness in that ungodly creature you worship. God frowns on lies, corruption, greed, selfishness, wickedness.
Stop lying on God!
Nice hearing from you, hope everything is well with you, God bless.
Sometimes I like MEME.In order for UWP to win an election,they must go on the ground,and that they do not do.DLP is full of foot soldiers,UWP have soldiers on the media whore radio station.As for Shaka Zulu,UWP and their handful of do nothing lazies cannot remove remove Skerrit by force,we have the numbers,ways and means to smoke the blue criminals out of the hole.
Julius Timothy(UWP)deputy leader and parlrep for Roseau North(QUIT)Loreen Bannis Roberts(UWP)parlrep for Castlebruce(QUIT).Dr.Curvin Ferreira(UWP)deputy leader and candidate for St.Joseph(QUIT).Frankie CrazyT Bellot(UWP)candidate for Grandbaby(QUIT).Joseph Isaac parlrep for Roseau Central(QUIT).Nicholls Shanks Esprit(UWP)senator from Salisbury(QUIT).Earl Williams (UWP)deputy leader,min.for public works and parlrep for Salisbury(MIA).Felix Thomas(UWP)candidate for Mahaut(MIA).Thompson Fontaine(UWP)leader living in South Sudan.
Lennox Linton (UWP)accused members of his own party UWP of vilifying,betraying and back stabbing…
@Labour power
MEME said it 100% correct.
Totally agree.
Labour is on the ground, UWP is in a radij station. Who do you expect to win?
The usual helping of word salad. Unadulterated foolishness from one with serious cerebral ailment.
is Dominica really walking down the streets of Venezuela 🇻🇪 ?
My reply to this timely question is YES! So you know its revolution time.
The master of con and deception is once again trying to game the system. However, like many others, I dare him to call an election without “proper” electoral reform. Again, if they call the conman man, tell him to call election as he has been planning to do in December. Tick tok, tick tok!
Dominicans by and large have had it and I believe this time around the famous words of Malcolm X will reverberate throughout the land; ” BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY”!
This guy’s hairline is receding rapidly like the swells after a hurricane or a wind storm. His numerous ugly lies are surely showing on his guilty, corpse-like countenance.
The trust of the innocent is the Liar’s most useful tool. Roosevelt uses this tool with reckless abandon on his witless devotees like Lin C!own, Putin, Gary, Point, Dog Biter and Mark.
Ibo, you do realize that you have a frightening obsession with Skerrit, do you? What’s with this fixation? And….if you are a male, how do you pay such close attention to the physical features of another man? And if you are a woman….looking for a male companion, a.k.a a “chick?”
Jah! You are so fixated on Skerrit that I am sure you call his name when having coffee in the morning! This is sick, Ibo. See a shrink.
No vacancy for DLP top job?
This is a message to Vince, whose name was mentioned as one of those who will challenge the inveterate liar, Skerrit, for the top position.
GrandBay people have lost their balls since 1975, so they will plead with Vince to let Skerrit contest unopposed.
I see another snap election coming, while the main opposition party, the UWP, is totally absent on the ground doing the requisite work needed to woo the electorate. They are having diarrhoea of the tongue on a radio station, but in several constituencies the young people still have not seen even for the first time, the face of the leader. What a calamity.Is politics that difficult? Sadly, in any snap general election, DLP will win again, not because Skerrit is popular, but because the opposition is lazy, a group of stolid, apathetic deadbeats.You can’t go to the electorare a few months before an election and expect them to embrace you.Lazies, leave the radio station, go on the field and do your work…
@MEME
Brilliantly put! I completely agree with EVERY word in your post. I am no conspiracy theorist, but it appears to me that the present political leader of the UWP is doing more to decimate the UWP than the ruling party do.
The absentee leader lied to get the present position. He declared to all tat he was willing to give up his job in Sudan. A colossal lie!
The UWP has not been this disorganised like now in its storied history. Where are the caretaker candidates for the various constituencies?
My genuine conviction is this. The delegates a the UWP conference made a fatal error in electing the renowned meteorologist and sports enthusiast as the leader of their party. The man is a drag on the entre party. UWP members need to change the change. The new driver CANNOT drive.
Anyone who expected Roosevelt to be challenged at the DLP well manipulated delegates conference is a fool. This notorious Liar would only relinquish power when the people grow a hide, rise up in mass demonstrations and protest, shut down the country, Roosevelt will rule supreme in Dominica.
Look! Dominica is an oxymoron. The country is very rich but the citizens are some of the poorest in the Caribbean.
Here are the supporting facts:
1. Dominica has some of the richest soil that if you spit through your window trees grow. With proper planning, food security is easily attainable.
2. The country is completely surrounded by sea abundant with fish, sea moss plants etc. Strategic planning will give us a surplus of fish to export.
3. Dominica has an abundance of rare vegetation which can be used for medicinal purposes.
4. The country is blessed with the most spectacular physical landforms. We should have all year round tourist arrivals outperforming our rivals.
To be…
Skerrit all the way to Safeway supermarket. The indomitable and diabolical leader of the Commonwealth of Dominica. No ugly Lenny and I say so. Time to repent, Ibo, and give your heart and soul to Jesus and to the Supreme Leader, Roosevelt Skerrit. We going nowhere. Dominica is on the move, no stopping now. All you write is a bunch of garbage and bull dust. You voted for dirty hand-bag and trash bag in Grandbay and still have not learnt your lesson. You must be worse than a manicou, boy. You like blows for so.
Psychology 101. this donkey had no intention of getting out of power. he cannot leave a regular man life.
The con man is at it again. this guys need to be removed by force.
So you are a Psychologist, wow. Why are you associating your partisan political beliefs with what you perceive as a Psychological assessment, lol. Suggesting that The PM be removed by force says a lot about your sincerity and respect for the democratic process. Your comment is just a reflection of what partisan politics does to the mind, so long for your Psychology 101