Over the past year, we have experienced and witnessed the beauty as well as the ugliness of our Nature Isle. We have said goodbye to loved ones including national icons whilst we have also welcomed newborns with hope that they will grow up in a better Dominica. We have had the pleasure of enjoying our land of pristine beauty, fresh water, and fresh air. To some degree, we have also enjoyed each other’s love, kindness, and charity. We are now stepping into a New Year and a call for ‘New’.
We have witnessed and celebrated the accession of the first Kalinago and woman to the post of president in the Commonwealth of Dominica. And also, we sound our pride for the elevation of our young men who were called to play cricket for our West Indies Team.
But we have also experienced social and economic trauma even with the continuation of the housing revolution, construction of the international airport, and rehabilitation of the Pond Case to Marigot Road, as well as capital projects that are supposed to have stimulated economic growth and employment.
We have faced unprecedented black-outs resulting from the inadequacies and antiquity of Dominica Electricity Services operations. We have also experienced a tumultuous and turbulent period with our Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme, particularly with Visa restrictions imposed on Dominicans by the United Kingdom. and questionable arrangements between the government of Dominica and CBI Agents.
Let us not forget the lack of any real economic activity, and increased economic strain resulting from global inflation but more importantly mal administration compounded with an absence of economic development plans, dreams, and visions. On the social landscape, we continue to experience numerous incidences of violence and crimes, exposure of weaknesses in our law enforcement agency, and a failure to resolve our differences. We have also had the bitter experiences of national division, rancor, uncertainty, victimization, and nepotism in our public life.
Nonetheless, together with a group of nationals, I have renewed my determination to work towards nation-building for a new era. This would not have been my own goal, but I would be unhappy with myself if I failed and or refused to stand for Dominica – a Dominica who is crying out to her sons and daughters.
The year 2024 will be pivotal, and as a result, we should stand together for a movement which represents all – one that will press on to show unconditional love and determination to elevate the lives of our people with a renewed commitment to promoting peace, prosperity & progress. As we bid farewell to the old year and usher in the new, we must embrace our commitment to make our environment greener, preserve our water resources, marine environment, and soil conservation. We must inject greater effort and capital into sports and cultural events and renew the zeal and enthusiasm of our people in national and community projects through volunteerism.
Along the way, we must renew our national spirit by inspiring farming and agriculture, clean and renewable energy including solar and wind, modernizing the way in which we do business, ago- processing, cottage industry and small business development.
We must look beyond the National Employment Programme (NEP) and develop new economic pillars which will create new jobs and better wages – an overall improvement in the welfare of our people. We must create an enabling environment to stimulate the private sector, improve the efficiency of doing business, lower the cost of production and to put our nationals to work. We can only experience an elevated economy through employment – we must work! We must improve production and productivity!
We have the resources, and we can do it!
We should earnestly apply new and sustainable development strategies in order to recover and grow our economy. The welfare of our children should be one of our top priorities, giving them the opportunities to obtain a good education and enjoy decent living conditions. Our young people should be incentivized to remain on island by providing them with competitive opportunities to pursue their careers and chosen vocations. Our elderly people should have improved adequate, consistent, and equitable access to medical services and elderly care. Our women should feel secure and empowered to care for themselves and their families. The nation’s men must be inspired to lead their homes, families, and country.
As a nation, we must be resolute in putting forth our collective efforts to turn the tide and build on what we have at our disposal. We must strive to halt the evident decline in every sector. We must delve into the NEW!
We can and should do it! Therefore, let us support the NEW – a new way of thinking with refocused energy to foster a warm and pleasant atmosphere in our society. We are well able to foster a community of inclusion and dynamism, creativity, growth, and convenience with good living conditions so that we the people can live happy lives, produce our best, and realize our dreams and visions.
Let us build homes and not just houses, grow love and unity, and not just church buildings. Let us seek wisdom and not just education! We can do it!
May 2024 bring us success, love, and light to guide us to a bright destination.
I pray for all of us a year filled with new hopes, new joys, and new beginnings; a year of milestone significance, signaling NEWNESS at the forefront of the national agenda as we confront the ills of our society over the next few months. We can and will find a way to do better with NEWNESS. Dominica, I love you! Happy New Year and may peace, love, and success be with us today and always!
For Love of Country,
Joshua Francis
Attorney at Law & Former Roseau South MP
Joshua you speak a whole bunch of pretty words and opinions but you are as dishonest, unprofessional, incompetent, lying thief as the opposition you speak so ill off. Pray you do not end up running in the street naked again. I think you may honestly need another psychiatric evaluation.
Less we forget!
Joshua, you have long secured your place on the political garbage heap of history, you have long made your exit into political oblivion.
Your face is no longer an influence, not even at the funeral of a dead dog, trying to resuscitate yourself; nevertheless, you are only refreshing the memory of some of us of your conduct which caused your downfall from grace a few years ago.
The garbage you speak only appeals to you: talking about fresh water is offensive to me personal, the last time I visited Dominica, I went to the Londonderry river at a deep spot we call Dam. I dove in and at the bottom I sucked in some water and drink as I did when I was a young boy, not realizing the river is chemical contaminated.
By the time I got to the house my whole body was covered with bumps and rashes!
Three days later I got back to Los Angeles, and had to go directly into the hospital!
Your prediction of the house give away is playing in Roosevelt feces!
Don’t be hypocritical.
Someone said “Lenny, is the face of Workers party,” That I fully understand 100 % this is why that so-called Workers party is so dam ugly with corruption their signature, most of them goes to sleep at nights with a broom upside-down in the room just incase Mr.Satan, come looking for the B*****ds.
Joshua Francis.
Next time i’ll refuse to read your crap!
What about your new party? I can’t wait to vote against you. You are a failure, your political days are gone; dead and burried!!
Well said and written. New committed leadership is needed to change the current path of impunity, abuse, social and economic malaise.
I am paraphrasing. This man once said that Roosevelt is a better leader tan Lennox Linton for Dominica. I guessed he wanted to do a Judas Isaac enamored himself with Roosevelt for a prominent position in his administration.
He said some wonderful sounding things in his New Year’s message, but it was what he omitted gave me pause. His message was nothing more than euphonious hypocrisy, sincere insincerity.
@Lawyer
This Joshua guy had his golden opportunity in 2014. A new kid in the block, with the most vibrant, dedicated and determined campaign team in Dominica, he shocked Dominicans, by defeating “Ambruise Pwen Couwee”…As soon as the man won, that was it….His name was all over the place in all sorts of allegations.
This man should be rejected by all and sundry. Additionally he is a very poor team worker.
The brother likes politics, but politics is surely not his calling.
Mr. Francis, the biggest setback to this country achieving its fullest potential is CORRUPTION.
How can a country maximise its human and natural resources when the electoral system is corrupt; the courts are corrupt; the police service is corrupt; the entire public service is corrupt; and this present government is the most corrupt in the history of Dominica post colonialism? How can you , Joshua Francis, fail to mention this blatantly conspicuous fact, the elephant in the room – CORRUPTION.
Another obvious omission is the use of CBI funds to benefit all citizens without exception. The majority poor in the country do not benefit from this billion-dollar programme, only a few of the elites. Hence this huge disparity between the small number of the privilege d few and the vast majority of the perennial, struggling poor.
Your New Year’s message is just a subterfuge. From your recent past, you are disingenuous, not to be trusted.
Both you and Joshua are the biggest setbacks in Dominica.
The same BS coming from that so called Jacka lawyer.CBI funds,electoral reform.Man you will tufay posting the same comment over and over again.Garcon the majority of Dominicans doe care about electoral reform and they can SEE what Skerrit is doing with CBI money.Go on the ground,become a foot soldier for your dead party UWP.
Wonderfully written Joshua. We need another option. The UWP is so unappealing as is. Thomson is leader, Linton is the face of the Party. Can’t blame Linton, most of the times, Thomson is in hiatus. What a calamity!
Joshua , you possess the qualities needed to entice new blood so that change can come about. Go for it!
Joshua you are a spent political force, it would serve you good if you would come to that realization that your brand has been damaged beyond repair. You are no longer liked or trusted. stay out of the public eye…
I don’t trust you Joshua. You’ve said a thousand words but you haven’t mentioned the missing CBI money once, nor have you mentioned the kidnapping of the electoral reform by the CM. Sorry Joshua, you had your chance! You would be nothing else but another wannabe politician that would ultimately end up in the CM’s pockets. I for one, am not interested in your overtures, we had one Judas within our ranks already. We don’t want another one.
Well, Well Lawyer ,CBI money gone missing if you are so smart and nasty take ugly Lenny, the criminal investigator you as Lawyer, go find the so-called missing millions ” Bloody Idiots “it’s in my head as Lenny, said in London.
Party petty grievances. …not in the interest of Dominica
So, start a NEW political movement and make this your manifesto. I’ll vote for you.