Johnson Boston says gov’t “suppressing democracy”

Boston shortly after his release from police custody

Secretary General of the Dominican Freedom Party (DFP), Johnson Boston, has said the taking into custody of members of opposition parties by the police is an act of “suppressing democracy” carried out by the government.

His statement was made following his release from Police Headquarters on Friday after he was taken into custody for questioning.

The DFP was part of a public meeting which took place in Roseau on February 7 calling for the resignation of Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit.
Following the meeting violence engulfed Roseau and the police have said they have an obligation to investigate the matter. They say they will be bringing people in for questioning.

Boston thinks that a “wild cat” type of arrest is taking place and believes that the government is behind it all.

“It is politically motivated to suppress democracy, to frighten people, to prevent them from coming out and express their views,” he said.

He also said that it can only be a “dumb Prime Minster” that will believe a simple public meeting could overthrow a government.

“No serious government would think this. To overthrow a government, you would have the military on your side, you would have arms and all of those things…who would be mad in their head to go to the Financial Center and say ‘I come to take the Prime Minister seat’? Obviously, you would be arrested, you would be killed,” Boston said.

He noted that he does not feel intimidated but rather a sense of pity for the country.

“I just feel sorry for the country that we can find ourselves in that situation. I have seen demonstrations, I have seen strikes, I have seen people protesting, expressing their views, but I have never seen leaders and supporters been interrogated like I am seeing now,” he said.

Boston has described the government of Dominica as “very coward” and a “worthless government.”

“This government is not focused on what the country is asking for…it seems they have a motive to suppress democracy and to scare people so that they will not come out and express their views when they do wrong. When you do wrong, you must take responsibility for your wrong,” he stated.

Boston called for Dominicans to stay calm and to “do what we have to do” in an orderly and peaceful manner.

Boston was the third person to be taken into custody since the disturbances.

United Workers Party (UWP) members Thomson Fontaine and Claudius Sanford were also taken into custody. Fontaine was released without charge while Sanford was charged with obstruction.

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54 Comments

  1. jerry sinclair
    February 20, 2017

    This is becoming farcical in fact I will go far to say sinister, people are in fear of the 3 am knock on the door and the possessions disturbed and thrown about this is wrong and a stop to this is a must an order must be placed of cease and desist this is not in the public interest at all in fact quite the opposite.

  2. February 20, 2017

    We do whent no arristide.no duvalier.before that skerit have to go.

  3. baro
    February 20, 2017

    Suppressing democracy? Freedom taught Skerrit. You all disbanded the defense force for demonstrating

  4. mine
    February 20, 2017

    wicked people condoning what happened in Roseau but the tears shed by the people whose property was will not serve you all right.

  5. February 20, 2017

    Mr. Boston it is time to throw your support behindvthe UWP this time around.

    • The Fate of Mankind
      February 20, 2017

      No just bring back a proper freedom party. Proper ting.

  6. Doc. Love
    February 20, 2017

    The gentleman close to Boston is Reginald who is the leader of the freedom party. He also spoke at the meeting. He was not arrested, I believe because he is related to Tony. As far as Tony is concerned, family comes first , not Skeritt.

    Admin: The leader of the DFP is Michael Astaphan not Reginald

  7. Matt Sam
    February 19, 2017

    You all have too much democracy. You were allowed to have a demonstration next to government headquarters and financial center saying all kind of untruths about the government, went over the time given by the Police, allowed to say what you want on Q95 all the time, and now you are saying government is suppressing democracy. You all are just too wicked. You all have no interest in seeing Dominica prosper. Just on your agenda to get into power.

  8. indira Ghandi
    February 19, 2017

    Boso,stay strong.
    I am glad that you are released. God is good
    Where is Charles SVarin? As president,what is he saying?
    Skerrit has surrounded himself with people who are covering up for him.
    i have always heard,99 days for the thief,one for the watchman.
    He will have to answer soon and not just him put all those he has placed in position to help him cover up his mess.

  9. The Govt One Man
    February 19, 2017

    What’s shame. Overthrowing the government at this time SEEMS really to be whitch hunt. The PM might be getting paranoid if he thinks that meeing has plans to overthrow him. Mr Boston You have sacrificed your life and aspirations for DA. You cannot afford to give up now. WE will give YOU and true patriots OUR support.

  10. LINTON MUST GO
    February 19, 2017

    :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: If you all didn’t try to Burn down Roseau then all you would not be picked up by the Law and it’s a shame that up to now, nor the UWP or DFP issued a statement or apology to the local business owners whose stores were vandalised and you coming an talk about DEMOCRACY. Man go and hide your face somewhere. We don’t want to hear you all.

    Both parties here are a disgrace.

  11. Garvey
    February 18, 2017

    Well said,the people elected Skerrit to lead but every time there is an issue Tony Astaphan is the one speaking to people,why is it the prime minister can\”t speak to the people himself.[MAYBE HE REALY IS A COWARD]

    • Mona
      February 20, 2017

      Remember too that every time the PM speaks even before he speaks, even before his statement is complete he is referred to as “a liar”. See how many times he has denied very forcefully that he is involved in the sale of passports, diplomatic or ordinary. Does that mean anything to some among us. Without any evidence to disprove him, his denial to be wrong, the accusations are intensified even more. So whether the PM speaks or not, his detractors give the same response. like everybody else he has his reputation to protect. So when his name is tarnished like very Dominican he has the right to seek redress. And that matters a lot. His detractors have the burden to prove him wrong on this particular issue. You would think after all the years if there was a scintilla of evidence the opposition would not publicize such. Having resorted to bloggers to help push their case, don’t you think they would have provide the such information. The bloggers only repeated the age-old accusations.

      • The Fate of Mankind
        February 20, 2017

        So, you are saying that the PM said that he is not selling passports? I highly doubt that the PM has denied that. In fact he had repeatedly spoken about the program under his governance. It is very public knowledge that the government of Dominica has a Citizenship By Investment (CBI) program of which the Mininistry of Finance and the Minister of Finance is very involved. So why would he deny that? The issue is not the fact that passports or citizenship is being sold and paid for, Yes they are being sold. The issue is the accountability of the program from the time PM has been the PM. America and a lot of other countries also sell similar programs to ours. The people of Dominica have specific questions and grievances about how the program is being managed, that is the issue.

  12. We Like It So
    February 18, 2017

    jb talks too much he needs some ducktape across his boca for inciting people to know what he calls the truth about corruption our clean government is known for :lol: :lol: :lol:

  13. %
    February 18, 2017

    Hold Strong Boso….You are a good man!

  14. Dante Jones
    February 18, 2017

    One of the first steps of any dictatorship is to suppress dissent. I will agree with you all on that point that the government is toeing a dangerous line with this type of action BUT you guys are playing right into their plot by letting your frustration and anger get the better of you which is why all major protests have devolved into riots and chaos. This is exactly what they want so they can plaster all the chaos and destruction over the media and keep referring back to it to discredit any type of protest action that may occur in the future.

    This is NOT a good course of action.

  15. Dominican for LIFE
    February 18, 2017

    Well said Boston.

    They indeed went to far.
    If they can do that to you who they wont do that too?

    The DFP maybe have them trembling.

  16. Reasoning
    February 18, 2017

    These illegal rogues posing as government needs to be removed!!!

  17. February 18, 2017

    Roosevelt Skerrit is running scared. Let us keep the pressure on, my fellow Dominicans.

  18. negre bord la mer
    February 18, 2017

    Coup by music truck, Boston. Like one big joke!

  19. Juliana S
    February 18, 2017

    MOST apt response yet to the fiasco. DUMB!!!!! DUMB!!!!! DUMB!!!!! Very Good explanation Boston. Who the hell plans a coup de tat on occupying a building? Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! But these arrests are bigger than what they seem. The arrested especially if charged will have a record attached to their file. What a malicious deed! What goes around will come around… More than their share not more than their time…

  20. Mamo's girl
    February 18, 2017

    Mamo must be turning in her grave. Seems like we have forgotten the words of Mamo when the UWP was in Government. Mamo warned “Get them out at all cost”, so Freedom teamed up with Labour to “Get them out at all cost”. And now today it amazes me to see how some “Freedumb-ights want to embrace UWP with open arms”. Wow, this is unbelievable.

  21. Stop
    February 18, 2017

    Are you for real? You blatantly disobeyed lawfully command by the law, your words were we the people are the law. Now you have the odesity to wine like a little brat. Man up. You were among the kingpins who sort to burn people livelihood to the ground because they don’t share your ideology. You are shamefully exploiting the DA you care so much about! Where in the civilized society will your behavior be condoned? The best is yet to come.

  22. Cyril
    February 18, 2017

    Johnson Boston, you have been an ineffective leader of the DFP then and even worst now. Dominica NEEDS an opposition party. The current party is NOT cutting it. Distance the party from this alliance with the uw party. Do not assist in carrying their baggage. Lennox Linton Can not be trusted. UWP had an agreement to end their protest at a certain time and they deviantly violated said agreement and continued 2 hours thereafter. Dearing law enforcement to stop them. Does that look like “suppressing democracy ” to you? Imagine how the founding members of the DF party rolling in their graves.

  23. The Peaceful Revolution MUST Continue!
    February 18, 2017

    But the police are just going through the motions of doing their job as they KNOW that Skerrit is wrong in what he is doing, wrong to take our money without giving us full accounts, wrong to take money from crooks and criminals who later on become our diplomats.

    Let’s get the police more on our side and to peacefully REFUSE to follow the bosses’ evil intents. Let’s take comfort from their ‘go-slow’/ ‘non-co-operation’ actions with the regime and JOIN with them.

    LET US ALL REFUSE TO CO-OPERATE WITH THE REGIME – provide no services to the government, withdraw from contractual undertakings, just refuse to function under this regime. THIS IS OUR RIGHT! If we do not do this, Skerrit’s money will prevail to continue to force us into subservience.

    Skerrit MUST go and he MUST go NOW!!

  24. Meggars
    February 18, 2017

    Well said Boso, I concur! The Prime Minister must be a damn fool to concort that story and to actually peddle this throughout the world. Skerrit in case you do not know how coups work, here is a basic idea.
    1. Nutralize/immobilize the arm forces in the country with prominent figures in those forces taking command of those forces on behalf of the planners
    2. Seize control of radio stations that are sympathetic to the government
    3. Take command of the ports of entry
    4. Seize the powers of all official members of the cabal and anyone of significance of the rogue government and their bank accounts
    5. Last stop is the office of the prime minister who outside of his many body guards have no defense
    Sir you do not need a truck to put a coup in effect. A mere barricade and few police officers would not be able to contain any plans for such on the evening of Tuesday 7th February, 2017. We recognize that you have been most embarrassed because your call for red day was a major failure. U…

  25. mine
    February 18, 2017

    God knows who we all are wicked people.

  26. John Jay
    February 18, 2017

    Bosso you are a true champion, tell them what is a COUP, I believe they don’t know without the military you can’t have one.

  27. Mahaut man
    February 17, 2017

    Only time will tell , when a man scared of the people power he looks from his police or military forces to rescue him,but even the law officers will see the truth one..so if anyone talk about the government they better know is prison for them, we’ll well big daddy skirooo your fear can’t make us stop … you must go.

  28. Tj
    February 17, 2017

    Time for a government of. Atonal salvation without Smeritt

  29. freedom fighter
    February 17, 2017

    Bosso boy, the partner in the white house really really abandon you.

  30. CIA Agent
    February 17, 2017

    Intelligence Gathering 101: Pretend you are performing a property search. Install surveillance devices at various locations. Leave the property and return to your base to gather intelligence from your planted devices.

    These are not police, they are military personnel and all’s fair in love and war, including skulduggery.

    Dr. Christian, Mr. Linton, Mr. Fontaine, Mr. Sanford, Mr. Boston and anyone else whose home got “searched”, your homes have been bugged and your every conversation is being recorded in the interest of “national security”. You all need to immediately perform a “bug sweep”. Another way to combat planted bugs is to provide false intel and await reaction.

  31. ;
    February 17, 2017

    Boston you not easy nuh so you treat the PM as a dump man. Sa ou té ka fer la ou té MAL placeé et ou ka MAYPREZAY NOMME LA sacre gace.

  32. %
    February 17, 2017

    Hold strong Boso…As far as I know you have not been selling or issuing Passports to criminals,so you are clean..You never met with anyone at My Dominica Trade House..You never facilitated Monfared to dodge the Iranian authorities while he was at Morne Daniel…SO YOU ARE AS Clean As a Whistle.

  33. Likeme ornot
    February 17, 2017

    Boso, can you remember the days of the Freedom Party Rule when not even a political meeting could be held by the Labour Party far less a demonstration? You were part of the Freedom Party then, did you view it as an obstruction and suppression of democracy then? When would you want to think that Dominica should become the Wild Wild West with such unrest that took place? You all know who is behind this but just because it was a failed attempt, then you say it is a suppression of democracy? For all of those responsible for the unruly destructive behaviour, don’t worry, the truth will come out.

  34. February 17, 2017

    Skerrit is the dumbest Prime Minister and leader in the world…the united workers party ,the freedom party and what ever party which is existing in DOMINICA should come together for the next election to put Skerrit out of his position which he has made his property.The time is now ,you all must make sure that Skerrit souvenir as a Prime Minister ,a regime company is a bitter souvenir.Dominica has nothing to offer to visitors,hotels are built and nothing to entertain tourists,police officers are employed by numbers yet more crimes are on the rise…Skerrit is trying his best to shut up every one who opposes to his dodgy habits,lies and those who oppose the sales of passports.

  35. Virgin Islander Passie
    February 17, 2017

    Boston needs to stop wasting his life away. Freedom party died when the late Miss Charles was laid to rest and you can do much better than that

    • %
      February 20, 2017

      Wasting life away???Stop your paro talk,or go sweep the white dust from your brain!! Boso continue the good fight…You have always wanted the best for Dominica.

  36. TimTim
    February 17, 2017

    amen Bosso!

  37. Dr Clayton Shillingford
    February 17, 2017

    I agree with Johnson Boston’s conclusion that the DLP Government is trying to suppress democracy in Dominica and with the complicity of the Police… to frighten people in not expressing their views << I also support the call for the DLP Government to resign,,

    • mine
      February 20, 2017

      Come clearn say what happened to the Dass. we will jum high jump low God knows the truth. Did you condemned what happened in roseau, citisens properties were damaged

  38. Ideal
    February 17, 2017

    United Workers Party and Dominican Freedom Party please continue the non violent fight to save Dominica from thy tyrant. It looks like Dominica is fast becoming a one (1) man state. SKERRIT HAS TO GO. Dominica is going backwards, we are the poorest island in the Caribbean.

  39. Laplaine Observer
    February 17, 2017

    Didn’t the freedom party formed a coalition government with the DLP to defeat UWP? Now most of them have defected and skerrit is targeting them now.

  40. Big Bannan
    February 17, 2017

    Skerrit Pa Febb. Yes papa.

  41. Campbell
    February 17, 2017

    I am disappointed with rayburn blackmore. you are putting skerritt and his money before family and friends. This too will soon come too an end.

    • Mona
      February 20, 2017

      Imagine partisan politics came before family and friends. If I was Blackmore, I would not want a sympathizer of those who have been plotting my demise to frequent my house. She might just poison me.

  42. Massacre
    February 17, 2017

    Boston I am very happy that you are now out of this persecution that Skerritt and his Hench men made you go through today. Not Good, for any opposition to go thru. This has to be stopped by we the Dominican masses and I am calling on everyone to do their part to stop such suppression.
    The pressure on Scare-rit will continue and I will be a big part of the movement going all over the country with you and Team Dominica to get this criminals out of office.
    They are trying to turn the tables and put you where they should be .

  43. %
    February 17, 2017

    I believe those arrests here,there and everywhere is enraging the population..If it is a ploy to silent the people, it has already failed.

  44. February 17, 2017

    skerrit continue, you are only empowering the opposition and the people’s ressistance against you , go dominica’s papa doc duvalier, arrest people under false pretences and say it is for child maintenance. there is no turning back you are going.

  45. Miracle
    February 17, 2017

    Please read this exert from the news above.
    (He also said that it can only be a “dumb Prime Minster” that will believe a simple public meeting could overthrow a government.)
    These people are contracting themselves. I glad he knows that there simple meeting has no meaning. There faces are all written greedy and trouble. Let the PM do his best which is assisting the less fortunate in his country. In god\’s eyes he\’s alright! Who are you to judge?

  46. anonymous2
    February 17, 2017

    You mean the “democratic process” not democracy, which is mob rule.

    • Mona
      February 20, 2017

      Yes! Which government would allow what happened on Tuesday February 7th in the city of Roseau to pass as though it was a simple street protest without any criminal activity associated with the same.the people were riled up to defy the police; “This meeting will finish when this meeting is finished”. That was made long after the time that was given by the police for a “Skerrit must go, D.Day” protest activity. So if some among us believe that criminals who destroyed the private property of ordinary Dominicans, and those who encouraged them should not be questioned, prosecuted and punished IF FOUND GUILTY, because the law must take its course, then we are will be living in a real dictatorship where the minority is ruling the majority. Which dictatorship allows individuals, subjects of an investigation into a criminal to leave the country without any sureties? The main perpetrator is so aware that he is being investigated he reminds his supporters everyday of the same. Get ready to…

  47. KID ON THE BLOCK
    February 17, 2017

    More arrest to come. The KING PIN is still loose, just a matter of time for him.

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