Female candidate for Kalinago Chief promises to set up financial facility in Territory

Anette Thomas-Sanford is the only female candidate in the upcoming elections for Kalinago Chief

Nurse Annette Thomas-Sanford, a candidate in the upcoming elections for Kalinago Chief, believes there’s a need for a financial facility in the Kalinago Territory which will preclude the need for the use of individual land titles at other financial institutions.

She was speaking during a live interview recently, on Ferdina Frampton’s ‘In the Spotlight’ programme aired on Q-95.

“This has held us back a lot,” she said. “It had to take a lot of consultation with different people of course.”

However, Thomas Sanford said she believes that residents in the Kalinago Territory can work with other things, instead of having a [land] title.

“Yes you may have a title, but you maybe have your own financial facility within the Kalinago Territory that you can take a loan from and if you can’t pay it back then the council can take your land instead of everybody having a land title and can take a loan in Roseau,” she stated.

Thomas Sanford added, “If that happens the land stays with the Kalinago people instead.”

According to her, having a financial facility in the bank is very important as Kalinago people have to go all the way to Marigot and Castle Bruce or Roseau to save money.

“Having somewhere where people can save their money and withdraw their money is important,” she remarked. “If I win this election I will look into it of course, and I will make this one of the priorities to have an institution/facility where we can accommodate savings and withdrawals for our people,” Thomas-Sanford promised.

Meantime, the would-be Kalinago Chief said she would like to see the Chief have a role and position in Parliament.

“I think if the Chief is part of parliament they can sit, talk and work together,” she stated. “Whatever is decided it will be what the people want.”

If Thomas-Sanford wins the election which is carded for July 27, 2019, she will be the first female to hold that position in the modern era. However, according to historian Dr. Lennox Honychurch, there are records of women being indigenous chiefs across the Caribbean before European colonization.

Copyright 2012 Dominica News Online, DURAVISION INC. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.

Disclaimer: The comments posted do not necessarily reflect the views of DominicaNewsOnline.com and its parent company or any individual staff member. All comments are posted subject to approval by DominicaNewsOnline.com. We never censor based on political or ideological points of view, but we do try to maintain a sensible balance between free speech and responsible moderating.

We will delete comments that:

  • contain any material which violates or infringes the rights of any person, are defamatory or harassing or are purely ad hominem attacks
  • a reasonable person would consider abusive or profane
  • contain material which violates or encourages others to violate any applicable law
  • promote prejudice or prejudicial hatred of any kind
  • refer to people arrested or charged with a crime as though they had been found guilty
  • contain links to "chain letters", pornographic or obscene movies or graphic images
  • are off-topic and/or excessively long

See our full comment/user policy/agreement.

9 Comments

  1. Annon
    July 14, 2019

    I hope that she gets it and can affect beneficial change for her people.

  2. Casio
    July 12, 2019

    I want her to also look in to project development and proposal writing to the many international organisations who are able to assist indigenous people around the world. These days there are billions set aside for that. The Kalinagos can tap into these funds and totally in a revolutionary manner change the Territory for the betterment of the first people of the island. many things can be done with it

    I also want her to look into upgrading the sporting facilities especially the popular cricket area for the Kalinagos as more and more i am hearing that they are excelling in cricket. Heard they even beat a visiting windward island team recently which included some West Indies players.

    Seek to develop processing in the territory where cassava, arrowroot/toloma and other root crops can be converted into flour. Gluten free flour and products is the way now especially if it organic. you can charge US$20-30 for two pounds of flour. the Supermarket will sell it for US$50 and still make…

  3. Anon E Mus
    July 12, 2019

    DNO: I don’t recall you ever having a headline that states ‘Male candidate for Kalinago chief…’ Why, in this age of equality must we single out the female? I’m a male, by the way.

    ADMIN: Thank you for your comment and question.

    There have always been male candidates.

    News reports tend to favour uncommon occurrences that may also have historical significance – at this point, a male candidate running for chief can hardly be considered news.

    The articles run on this candidate meet those criteria. You can read the end of this article for the historical significance of her candidacy: https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/female-candidate-for-kalinago-chief-promises-to-improve-economic-cultural-and-political-life-of-her-people/

    • viewsexpressed
      July 15, 2019

      Anon, DNO may not have specifically said “Male”, but the news reporting clearly had a photo fir of the previous Male candidate’s. That I can recall. Let us all welcome this female candidate and wish her all the best. My advice to her is to call all previous Chiefs together and get from them how did their tenure in office worked> this is absolutely important moving on.
      The Kalinago need strong leadership, not only from the Chief, but from the entire Kalinago council members ad from the public and other groups within the Territory. Please come together and together as a team prepare plan that each local organisation in the Territory is ale to help its development in partnership with the Carib Chief and councillors. there is housing, road, recreation, investment, tourism etc to build up to raise the profile and revenue of the Reserve to use for local programmes and developments. Please get agriculture going. Let it be your top base product, along with culture, craft, agriculture, etc.

  4. Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    July 11, 2019

    “Yes you may have a title:”

    A land title is a legal document which proves ownership or possession of a property, whether it is land or buildings developed on the land.

    Am I to understand that whereas traditionally on the Carib Reservation the people were never to own the land, but had the privilege of building anywhere they chose; farm wherever they chose what is the emergency of title ownership?

    I believe it is in the interest of the habitats of the Reservation to continue living on their land without personally owning the land by having title to it.

    However as Dominicans, they they should be privilege to buy and own land anywhere in the country! 

    If I could; I would ask the lady what sort of financial institutions she hope to set up on the Reservation; and what shall be the source of the funding; the money source of such an institution, bank or what have you!

  5. Joe Linton
    July 11, 2019

    Thomas- Sanford YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE CHIEF TO HAVE A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION set up in the kalinago territory…… There is nothing whatsoever stopping you from opening a financial institution such as a fast cash etc if you are convinced that the Kalinagos are under-served and or not financially included, you can give them high risk loans at high interest rates and make your profit!!!!!
    Meantime, the would-be Kalinago Chief said she would like to see the Chief have a role and position in Parliament. “I think if the Chief is part of parliament they can sit, talk and work together,” she stated. “Whatever is decided it will be what the people want.”

    OK would be chief there is a Kalinago in Parliament now you want to increase the number of parliamentarians to 22 question: will the Chief have a right to vote or will they have a Senator role? so If they are given right to vote this means we need to look at the possibility of a tie 11-11 in a vote of no confidence who break the tie?

    • viewsexpressed
      July 15, 2019

      From the offset, let me say hat this is not possible.
      “Meantime, the would-be Kalinago Chief said she would like to see the Chief have a role and position in Parliament. “I think if the Chief is part of parliament they can sit, talk and work together,” she stated. “Whatever is decided it will be what the people want.” This cannot be so, not Chief, Mayor, or Village Chair. The Carib Territory is unique as this indigenous people, residing within a territory. The Carib Chief`s position is no different to that of a Village Council Chairperson, in that village and the Mayor in Roseau and Portsmouth, that is the City and respectively.
      The Chief and her members, councillors and other Local authorities re to focus on the social and economic development in their respective areas. Ensure that they are well represented by their authorities and campaign for them but first they must have a developmental and social plan for the development their people and village/Carib Territory/Town and…

  6. Made in China
    July 11, 2019

    Since when Kalinago can have a female chief?

    ADMIN: There have been female Kalinago chiefs in the past. Read the end of this article for more information: https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/female-candidate-for-kalinago-chief-promises-to-improve-economic-cultural-and-political-life-of-her-people/

    • viewsexpressed
      July 15, 2019

      Anette Thomas-Sanford is the only female candidate in the upcoming elections for Kalinago Chief” Good Luck and congrats on your effort. I wish you well.
      Anette, I wish you all the best and please go for it. You need to be on the ground, on your feet everyday visiting homes and families and friends where our people need jobs, service, parenting support and decency in government. Consult people, professionals who has worked within h Territory for advice. The Kalinago Territory, needs help, guidance, discipline from everyone who has worked as professionals in the Territory. I recall Mr Francis Joseph, make contact and ask questions, we all need at some help. Consult, current and past Chiefs for help and support and be visible within the Territory, everyday. Good Luck, go for it.
      Gods Guidance.

Post a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

:) :-D :wink: :( 8-O :lol: :-| :cry: 8) :-? :-P :-x :?: :oops: :twisted: :mrgreen: more »

 characters available