Minister for Education, Octavia Alfred, has strongly condemned the actions of two men who it is alleged were flying a drone over the Prime Minister’s residence in Morne Daniel last week.
Her statement follows the arrest by the police, of popular vlogger Mystelics of Portsmouth and videographer/photographer Jawanza Stuart of Castle Comfort, after their drone, according to the police, fell on Mr. Skerrit’s farm near his official residence at Morne Daniel.
However, after two days in police custody, Mitchell and Stuart were released sometime after 5:00 p.m. on March 3, 2021, without any charges being brought against them. Police say the matter is still under investigation.
Last week, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit revealed during his Annou Palé talk show, that his government will be passing some “very strong and clear” statutory rules and ordinances where the flying of drones is concerned.
According to Alfred, drones are intelligent and powerful.
“Some drones are powerful enough to see through certain metals, some can fly over a dense forest and see a coin on the forest bed, while other drones can see thousands of kilometers underwater and underground,” the Education minister declared.
“I strongly condemn the action of those who were flying the drone over the Prime Minister’s residence and I more strongly condemn those who are supporting this action, because it was not only wrong, it was dangerous,” she contends. “It was threatening and it was mischievous…”
Alfred continued, “Fellow Dominicans do you not agree with me, any one of you would feel threatened, terrified, unsafe and concerned if one of these devices was seen flying over your house, your farm, the school where your child attends?” adding, “Anyone of us who found ourselves in this position would agree that our privacy was invaded, our peace was threatened, our safety was compromised and people electronically or otherwise trespass our property.”
She said ” today it is the Prime Minister”, Alfred continued, “The question is who’s next and to what extent?”
“We may have to legislate what the penalties are for the misuse of drones,” she stated but insisted that drone laws or not, “it was wrong for two individuals to be so close to the Prime Minister’s residence and to be even flying a drone over his residence.”
Alfred claims that Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit and his entire family were at risk.
“Their privacy was invaded, their peace was disturbed, their property was trespassed onto and we must condemn this, speak about it and do something about it,” she remarked.
She described the two individuals involved as intelligent young men who could be contributing so much to building Dominica with such brilliant talent, “ but this time they took it too far, they went overboard… and no one should support their actions.”
It seems that people born on Dominica are second class citizens on the island of their birth and foreigners not from the island living there have more rights than by birth true citizens, why is the illustrious PM afraid of drones over his property. Is he growing marijuana on his property for export. Drones are a useful tool especially after hurricanes when surveying the damage like after Maria. Only paranoid people doing something illegal are scared of drone overflights.
On a similar note, noise from LOUD speakers & sound systems imposed by so-called “neighbors” affect so many students, hundreds of them, I think a minister of ed can be more effective when they tackle LOUD MUSIC that prevent many many of our children from concentrating and thinking properly in this modern world. Guyana did something about it 40 yrs ago, we are way behind. This should be of grave concern to a minister of education rather than a drone that only only hurts the feelings of 2 people. However, I think these drone guys were misguided and used in a privacy political stance that they should see right through and side with respect for the man’s privacy.
Education minister?! Sista Bon, de drones intelligent and powerful but you are neither of these things. The more you open your mouth, the more you reveal your total lack of knowledge. While you are in the process of preventing drones from flying (that is depending on who flies it), can you ask the US and Russia to take down the satellites they have in space which can invade your privacy? Do you know you need to have a privacy for someone to invade it just like you need a brain for someone to pick it? You continue to prove your lack of intelligence but uttering pure fallacies. If there was any wrongdoing, it would result in charges being filed. In the absence of any charges, no one wants to hear your unfounded opinion of drones or pampalam. I listened to and was totally disgusted by your response to the pampalam outrage. Instead of picking up some dignity, you are admitting that as an unintelligent educator, you chose to repeat a colloquial phrase and don’t know its meaning! IDIOT!!
Shake you pampalam! (Octavia Alfred).
Who the hell do you think you are Octavia?
Here you are advising young students to “shake their pamppalam” in order to get money to pay for educational tuition; all over the Caribbean the meaning of that is well know, as we here the words used in Calypso’s.
You are full of hypocrisy and double standards; how dear you spewing rubbish; strongly condemned the two Dominicans for flying a drone in their country; while you encourage Chines discrimination against our people in our country where you Octavia are born!
Can’t you see you are giving the Chines power over you also?
You and Roosevelt Skerrit and the rest of you in government a puppets kissing up to the Chines, who keep you looking up to a dangling carrot, while they use Dominica………………
Drones fly all over the world.
Even the United States as well a China Military use drones for different purpose; you are one of those people:
Will continue.
Octavia no foreign government control have any Air-space over Roseau, or Dominica for that matter, therefore any born Dominica, or foreign residence have a right to fly drones wherever they wish in the country.
The Chines are not doing anything for our country, that we can’t do for ourselves; the problem is they make promises, they keep Roosevelt hanging on believing they will one day lift their magic wand, and transform Dominica into this wealth
metropolis.
You will not get anything more than that Stadium, and the State House.
They used similar tactics in place in Africa, and elsewhere, that is why they are asks to leave many countries where they are an obstacle.
I think it is time for Roosevelt to ask these people to phase out their operation in our country, because their’s is not a simply embassy; there are too meany personal in that place!
Why should an embassy in Dominica have the capability to jam the signal of a flying drone to bring it down?
There are so many concerns that should be taken up by the Minister for Education. Madam, I recommend that you stand up for the disadvantaged children, especially young girls who are being lurred by grown men (get pregnant at the age of 16) under the care of their parents. The Age of consent is still a lingering issue on island. You are instead speaking on behalf of a Prime Minister who knows better than all of us, how to protect himself!!! Do your Job lady!!
If u had shake your pampalam the drone would have not flew overhead . U disgraceful minister.. we need u out of office .. u disrespected the people of dominica
Lady Minister of Education, leave the drone pontification to the actual aeronautic experts.
Switch back into your education lane and educate the public about real and critical technical concerns. To begin with, what is the government’s plan to ensure needy students are equipped with laptop devices and reliable internet service?
Stop talking about mechanical flying birds and admonishing students to shake their tail feathers to finance their education.
Nonsense that and is a government minister of education talking like that? I think she is mistaking drones for angry women flying on broomsticks that want to take revenge on their PM but soucouen don’t care about no fly zone my lady. Tell your master that.
You know so much about drones, now tell us what you know about shaking pampalam, and how you got to know it!!!!
Boney Must Go
Boney Must Go
Boney Must Go!!!
DNO how do you choose what to cover? Why not call the minister out publicly for asking our students to shake thier pampalam to pay their school fees? Instead of airing her views on drones?
ADMIN: Thank you for your question. We are pursuing this story and that is precisely why it hasn’t been published – we are working on getting a response from the minister.
well post the story and say it will be updated. AT this rate by the time you share the story it will be next year!
ADMIN: We already have: https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/uwp-demands-resignation-of-minister-for-education-over-statement-made-to-students/
I’m unsure as to whether I should laugh or cry. Drones that can ” SEE” through concrete and metal may be possible, but only as military grade spy drones. And that’s even doubtful. The drones that are around for simple pictures or video can’t even see through glass. They see their reflection just as your naked eye would.
What is a Pampalam?
Well, you give yourself the right name and if you really don’t know be happy you associate with decent people and not vulgar ones. Leave that to ministers of government.
@lamanidiot
Ask the Minister of pampalam.
Does anyone expect this Minister or any other Minister of the cabal to hold an independent opinion? They have to fall in line like a flock of sheep. Skerrit appoints and disappoints. These Ministers are spineless and malleable as putty.
If these two law abiding gentlemen committed such an egregious violation of the law, why were they freed without a single charge?
The disingenuous Minister, Octavia Alfred, is singing for her supper to endear herself and bolster her position with the top predator of the food chain.
When i see an hear this lady the first thing that comes to mind is a song of lord melody. Mama look a boo boo dey. Not sure why.
go shake your pampalam disrespectful woman smfh
The Minister of Education, ladies and gentlemen.
AA? says the purchased pal rep. Belle beff Octavia.
Hope you enjoy the “good time”
The youth should take note of our education minister level of knowledge of innovations during this fourth industrial revolution. The lady has issues on the interpretation of technology, plus is there thousands of kilometers under the sea or ocean? This small drone can’t carry a lidar scanner, so how would it complete bathometric studies which clearly makes one understand that there are different types and classes of drone. Misleading of the public should be a crime. Stay focus.
As time goes by – technology gets itself trying to be more compact – smaller with more plus others. The various lethal technologies that are out there that can be applied to drones if not already. Real electronic warfare – one would think that you have lost your mind – the government has to be able to detect and protect citizens as well as laws.
While you are busy as a consumer be electronics or whatever the Producer or developer of these are busy working or creating for profit – someone should be looking out to protect citizens and consumers this leaves us with National Security. These guys should know better.
Who is the client? Why not seek permission from the residents in the area to fly and photograph? There are people who are concerned about security therefore you do not want to infringe or create any security breaches.
Private residences the same we should not wait until something happens – one step ahead – not reactionary.
She forgot to mention that drones are also used to murder by dropping bombs on innocent civilians. That would have made her rhetoric more credible (not really at all). but at least we got a very good laugh at the expense of a person who is in charge of education our youth. crying shame if you ask me. then again in retrospect it is a brilliant move. Lets get the dumb to teach the youth. We can dumb them down to the point where they cannot think clearly or reasonably process and reason information. That way, DLP will forever be in power. Keep them stupid Octavia, i agree with you.
I believe this also. Drones are weaponized and in a day like today with so many issues which are of concern to national security – this should be taken seriously.
There are countless other security issues which some would think as from a scifi movie which this is bordering upon. We must not adopt everything we see coming from outside. We are a developing nation and we must not let our guards down. There are countless ways we can be ahead and learn and implement laws which will protect not only those presently in office (all including the president and opposition party representatives) and citizens but those rules and laws will protect those in office down the road and they will be happy they were put in place.
There are so many security concerns that the eyes can’t see and I hope LAWS are implemented even without the public’s awareness to protect the interest of our country. We as a developing nation should try to be ahead WE CAN.
All now so, if i want i can walk into the PM yard. These days that front gate always wide open. What security concern? The chinese not a security concern for Dominica? Allowed by the Dominican leaders to spy on Dominicans? Do you even know where Morne Daniel is for you to even know what is taking place up there? I highly doubt. You are speaking about dominica in reference to developed countries that you live in. We are chalk, they are cheese. Two different places and laws. Skerrit is a hypocrite and a narcissist. He like attention and always playing the victim. I forgot sociopath.
You just need to shut up and sit down – you sound so ignorant!!!!
Oh boy, best you stay where you are, en bas la.
For the Minister of Education…i’ll leave it there.
This is a classic example of fear mongering. “Oh we can mount bombs unto drones, and guns and poisons, we need laws”. No one is getting their hands on a drone with a gun and poison, stop that.
That’s equivalent to me saying, “Trucks are dangerous cause I can mount a gun on a truck and it will be a tank.” We have trucks in Dominica, and yet no tanks, we have drones in Dominica, and no drones with guns.
Drones (with guns and bombs apparently) has been flying all over Dominica no one made a peep, now a drone was in the vicinity of a certain property it’s a big deal. Now yes, you have a case for flying a drone over an embassy and the PM’s house, you do. But don’t come here and liken a drone for $200 US on Amazon to equipment that the US Navy uses.
So much for not talking in a vacuum.
Minister for Education, Octavia Alfred remarked: ““Their privacy was invaded, their peace was disturbed, their property was trespassed onto and we must condemn this, speak about it and do something about it,”
My lady, I agree with every word of your message, but this one above is a very proverb one.
There should be no excuse for such behavior, especially when it is against the property and family of the Prime Leader of our country–Sir Roosevelt Skerrit.
That kind of uncalled for boldness, rudeness, and disrespect against him should result with very strict discipline against those who partake in such behavior.
Elizabeth be quiet. A message for you to your failed Skerrit! Here goes.
We thank you Elizabeth for your broken thoughts and here is where it lies. in your own Questionable thoughts.
“The obvious uncalled of “boldness’ rudeness, and the obvious failure and incompetence of our State, should and must result with Elizabeth’s ill- Discipline thoughts and Blind loyalty hence partake in I’ll thoughts of your Failed Immature Skerrit and Incompetent failed Labour government, blind loyalists like this Elizabeth the Madam Blind loyalist. No one takes this woman seriously. She’s all over about failed incompetent Skerrit and his corrupted devious Red Clinic. Shame! This is disgusting behaviour from this corrupted Labour government under its Incompetent Skerrit. Poverty, Bobol, Red Clinic, buying fake loyalty as our por people and families are Suffering awaiting for this handout cash. FailedDLP is a big Pappyshow.
We Welcome UWP’s Hon LINTON & his great Team.
This fail Labour…
She is one of those religious hypocrites that have no principles. They would sell their grandmother for a $
@Viewsexpress and Ibo France, why would I expect the two of you, and the rest of your counterparts to receive what I write, positively? I most definitely don’t!
But there is an important thing about me and unlike you all, it is that, you all know that I am a human being with the name of a woman.
But I do not know whether you all are female or male donkeys and monkeys, or goats and bats–that is how foolish you all’s comments seems to me.
Be brave and come out from behind that fictitious names which you all are using. Let me see that happens.
@LizzyX
It’s said that the older the wine, the better it gets. It’s also touted that wisdom comes with age. Lizzy, the reverse happens with you.
No matter the preposterous argument of Mr. Skerrit or his doltish disciples, you readily and wholeheartedly swallow it. You are just one monumental, gullible simpleton who obviously is experiencing cognitive decline.
Learn to see wrong and call it wrong. Go and bruise your knees and ask for divine intervention to free you of your mental handcuffs. No human being deserves cult-like worship.
Not all wines improve with age Ibo, some of them go sour and even turn into vinegar.
First of all why is the Education minister speaking publicly about things pertinent to public security? shouldn’t that be the job of the defense minister? and secondly, drones that can see thousands of kilometers under the surface of the earth and sea? really? did she really say that? lol omg madam learn one helpful piece of advice: “if you’re not sure about something, please don’t say anything about it” it’s better to give general advice rather than trying to sound professional, but instead making a fool out of yourself. And finally: “stay in your lane”.
“Fellow Dominicans do you not agree with me, any one of you would feel threatened, terrified, unsafe and concerned if one of these devices was seen flying over your house, your farm, the school where your child attends?”
My lady, drones flying over bath estate every other day.
Have you not seen drone footage? They take really nice videos of villages high up in the air. So me living bath estate should be concerned about the people who flying their drones recreationally and taking these nice videos or the town or sunset etc? Yes there are drones that can do all that, but let’s not pretend we can just get one on amazon. Secondly as far as I am aware they were doing a job and no footage of the prime minister’s house was on their device.
Stop blowing this out of proportion, these rough in the country, let people be creative and shake up their “pampalam” to make money to pay for their school.
Guess what remember the days of no internet? Then internet, everyone was happy, then free range – porn, revenge porn, stalking – seeing the length of time it took for the laws to catch up with this. Then the dark web – see the laws still did not catch up in time.
We all want it but guess what where it all began they lagged behind today yes TODAY we should try not to play catch up – we should try to see the dangers ahead or behind us and know that as a developing nation we can stay ahead and relevant while protecting our interests
Nobody can convince me that this esteemed lady is nothing more than a “degreed dance”. Seems like once you linked with Skerro, you have to make an as. of yourself. Remember her statement to the young Kalinago sister complaining about the poor quality of internet in the territory.
Remember “Karessah” wanting to fight at a UWP meeting in Marigot. Don’t forget the actions of Fidel Grant re the plantain farmer, and, most importantly, don’t forget that of Skerro and the leaking of his IPO information.
Birds of a feather flock together. Fools seldom differ.
She is now a “droneologist”.🤭🤗😡 and if you need funds to complete your studies, no problem: shake your pampalam!!
HOTEP!
Fact is fact, but for the minister to claim that drones can “see through certain metals…and… thousands of kilometers underwater and underground” is ridiculous and a reflection of her lack of understanding of the capabilities of drones. It’s more of the mindless politicking that employs exaggeration for effect on those who do not know better.
I’d like to see a drone that can see underground. And under water and through steel. Sensors can detect heat signatures and sonar etc can be used to probe the earth’s deaths but she knows something the rest of us don’t know. Madame education minster please educate us on the technology at the disposal of the DLP yall on some sci-fi movie stuff and I love learning. So please…. give me details. Q
Now Mr, if you not doing illegal sh.. why the f… you so concerned with drones??
Octovia, time passed. Skerrit is secured with his long list of security. What’s your stress and his?. Skerrit needs to focus on his work and the ailing business of our suffering jobless people and country to attend to; rather than blowing up and seeking attention 🙊 from some fake irrelevant matter. What happen, you don’t have genuine work to do? Our Nature Isle Dominica has suffered under DLP Skerrit. We need Leadership, like children need their parents to guide them through their education and development. Skerrit’s failed L’abour is NOT Developmentally focus on Socioeconomic development concept and appears lost to the bigger picture of its concept and value able to guide our struggling parents and people away from this corrupted Red Clinic and and fake Skerrit failed Labour government.
Our Dominica must move on to development in jobs, agriculture that our young people are mature to be leaders and commited to drive the Development of our Dominica’.
We welcome our Hon.Lennox…
Wow, like is this real life, that is probably the craziest thing I’ve heard coming from anyone in all my life much less an education minister, look at this!
According to Alfred, drones are intelligent and powerful.
“Some drones are powerful enough to see through certain metals, some can fly over a dense forest and see a coin on the forest bed, while other drones can see thousands of kilometers underwater and underground,” the Education minister declared.
The deepest part in the ocean is only 11km yet drones can see 1,000s of km underwater, wow! Even claiming drones can see 1,000s of km underground like you’re telling me drones can penetrate solid rock and see what’s underneath, man this it total nonsense! Those little handheld drones people flying in Dominica are not intelligent and powerful like this woman is describing, furthermore not even military grade drones are capable of that! Everything she said is false.
So… based on what you’re saying… There are drones that can find all of Skerrit borbol money even if he buried it in a seaweed forest at the bottom of the ocean while in outta space?
Wow my mind is blown… thanks for your wisdom oh great Mrs. Potato head, I appreciate you.
I find this useless diatribe to be of no substance, and carry no intrinsic value except to bring attention to an over-nourished tail-coat rider.
Octovia, time has passed, Skerrit is secured with his long list of security. What’s your stress and his?. Skerrit needs to focus on his work and the ailing business of our suffering jobless people and country to attend to; rather than blowing up and seeking attention 🙊 from some fake irrelevant matter. What happen, you don’t have genuine work to do? Our Nature Isle Dominica has suffered under DLP Skerrit. We need Leadership, like children need their parents to guide them through their education and development. Skerrit’s failed L’abour is NOT Developmentally focus on Socioeconomic development concept and appears lost to the bigger picture of its concept and value and able to guide our struggling parents and people away from this corrupted Red Clinic and and fake Skerrit failed Labour government.
Our Dominica must move to development in jobs, agriculture that our young people are mature to be leaders and commited to drive the Development of our Dominica’.
We welcome our Hon.L…
My trust I put in Buju, Pyro, Blessings, Lennox, Loftus, Brian, Jawanza, Mystellic and the other freedom fighters.
Octovia, time has passed, Skerrit is secured with his long list of security. What’s your stress and his?. Skerrit needs to focus on his work and the ailing business of our suffering jobless people and country to attend to; rather than blowing up and seeking attention 🙊 from some fake irrelevant matter. What happen, you don’t have genuine work to do?
Our Nature Isle Dominica has suffered under Skerrit. We need Leadership, like children need their parents to guide them through their education and development. Skerrit and his failed L’abour NOT Developmentally focus on Socioeconomic development concept and appears lost to the bigger picture of its concept and development and able to guide our struggling parents and people away from this corrupted Red Clinic and and fake failed Labour government.
To have our Dominica move to development in jobs, agriculture that our young people are mature to be leaders and commited to drive the Development of our Dominica’.
We welcome Our Hon…
OMG!!! The entire family was at risk? Some people just know how to sing for their supper.
Madam if it was a UFO flying over my house or a submarine in the Castle Bruce river I would be afraid. But then I would call you because you seem to be an expert and you have my back. Where did get your expertise and qualification on drones? In Morpo or Deeper?
Why don’t you stick to taking care of the scholarships your boss promised and now out students are in limbo. You don’t know and have a clue of what you are talking about Madam. Shhhhhhh–Bondie!!!!!
Sorry, since you are no longer publishing comments there is no longer a point in making them. However, a Minister of education, is a misnomer for someone so obviously lacking education. Best of luck.
They delay the publishing at the moment to please the emperor. But one has to give them credit that eventually they do publish once the issue is passed down to the second page. DNO, who do you think you can fool?
ADMIN: We have no desire or intent to fool anyone.
That is so true! I waited in vain to see my comments published yesterday. It was not until today that DNO published it. Not having a “desire or intent to fool” is not the same as saying that you did not delay the publishing of our comments.
ADMIN: We have stated before that comments are generally approved within 24hrs (with the possible exception of weekends and holidays). We didn’t live up to that expectation last week but we have since rectified the situation. Moderation of comments should be back on track from now on.
Madam Minister, not withstanding your Chicken Little “the sky is falling” depiction of the recent drone incident, I do concur that it is a prudent move for the government of Dominica to enact sensible drone navigation laws and regulations.
Understandably, there are privacy protection concerns that such legislation must address. Absent of no laws on the books, drone flying will continue to be a potentially dangerous free for all and free fall, possibly resulting in both aerial and land catastrophies.
Mind you, I am not accusing Mr. Mitchell nor Mr. Stewart of anything nefarious; however, I strongly believe that clearly delineated guidelines help to level set everyone on what is legal or not.
Man, don’t show off your lack of education using expensive words when you can use one simple one that everybody understands, B…..t!!
When DNO is able to return to timely publishing comments I feel sure that many readers would weigh in with responses to the Minister’s statement, be it for or against.
Like them or loath them, comments are as important as the news itself. They are the life blood of democracy and reflect grassroot feelings. However, for comments to be effective they need to follow close on the heels of the news item they refer to.
DNO’s Comment Policy is fair and reasonable and I hope that comments will always remain a key feature of this publication.
Fair and reasonable? You are as bad as they are… sitting on the fence and pretend to be relevant with some occasional utterings which are usually without substance.
At least my irrelevant utterings have the substance of being published under my own name.
Roger, I read your comment every time you post. They are usually concise, instructive, enlightening and made for good read. To add value to the comment section. Believe me, no flattery.
Except you can become a nuisance when u feel obliged to make comment(s) on every story & topic. It’s best if they were jampacked with info. Come on, u can do it.
Hopefully he realizes that one can actually post anonymously.
I thought you might regard that as sufficient. Once again the top of the fence is the safest place and that’s why you use your own name. I see right through you…
Facts! I fully endorse her statement. On another note, a private citizen should have the right to destroy any drone which flies over their property without permission or proper notification. Trespassers will be dealt with….stoned down, shot down or electronically disabled. Just as DNO as a private entity reserve the rights to selectively post comments.
#OneLoveDominicans #OLD #RegulateDroneUseInDeCountry
I sent it the same drone that the people us to do the adverts for the building and hotel the govern ment have part in .if it is all that wat the min say well she should tell them stop flying theres
It is shameful to have this lady as the minister of education…Wasnt she a principal? She is not just deficient in speech, but she is insultive, disrespectful and rude to our teenagers.
Hope some action is taken against her reprehensible behaviour for insulting our young boys and girls recently.
Dominica’s worst minister of education!!!!
There we go, yet again a members of the regime is found wanting! This woman is one hollow vessel and here only reason to be where she is: IN IT TO WIN (IT). Never mind, here day will come to…
Shake you pampalam!
Where was the indignation when some of us were calling for drone licensing and protocols when our privacy was being invaded, and our grief and hardship being filmed and exploited in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria ? He did not speak up for Dominicans then, nor does he speak up for them now. He just speaks for himself, and his obedient servants simply line up to repeat his verbal bilge.