PM Skerrit endorses Baroness Scotland for top Commonwealth position

Baroness Scotland is Dominica's nominee
Baroness Scotland is Dominica’s nominee

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has commented on CARICOM’s nomination of three candidates for the post of Commonwealth Secretary-General.

At the last CARICOM Heads of Government conference held in Antigua in July, it was agreed that CARICOM would put forward one candidate for the position of Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.

According to the Prime Minister, “In my respectful view, that would’ve been ideal but in these things sometimes you cannot find agreement and countries will stick to their candidates. We just had a similar situation for the Deputy Secretary-General position at the Organization of American States (OAS)…We’ve had these things in the past. My personal hope would have been for a single candidate but after several opportunities to discuss and deliberate on the matter; CARICOM Heads were not able to conclude on one candidate. That’s why we have three…”

Baroness Patricia Scotland is Dominica’s nominee for Commonwealth Secretary-General.

The nation’s leader is confident that her qualifications will serve the Commonwealth well in regional and international affairs.

“We believe that she is highly-qualified and well-suited for that position. She has tremendous experience in law, politics and governance having served in the Cabinet of the United Kingdom for some time. She brings a wealth of knowledge and very strong background in international affairs which will be important for the leadership of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth nations continue to be an important institution …We have benefited tremendously- the Caribbean and Dominica through our membership of and participation in various Commonwealth institutions.”

“We hope that the majority of the commonwealth nations can look at Baroness Scotland’s qualifications and lend their support to her candidacy so we can advance the very important work at the Commonwealth.”

The Right Honourable Baroness Scotland of Asthal is a British barrister, and served in many ministerial positions within the UK Government, most notably as the Attorney-G for England and Wales and Advocate-General for Northern Ireland. She made history in 1991 when she became the first black women to be appointed a Queen’s Counsel.

Baroness Patricia Scotland was born in Dominica in 1955.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General is elected to a maximum of two four-year terms and the incumbent, Kamalesh Sharma of India, is due to demit office in April 2016 on the expiration of his second term.

Sharma’s successor is due to be elected at the next Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Malta in November 2015.

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42 Comments

  1. April 13, 2015

    Hello and good evening my people. Well she is highly qualified and she born in Dominica therefore she should be allowed to represent us. Stop putting Political Affliation ahead of qualify candidates because where does that leave people like me who born in Dominica but educated in America. Sweet Dominica must reach out to us so we can used our education to help our country.

  2. Maay Npear
    April 13, 2015

    Its not her place of birth but her excellent diplomatic skills and expertise that places her at the top…
    She will represent the commonwealth well!
    Prime minister stand by your candidate.

  3. alas
    April 12, 2015

    Sir Ron Sanders has de endorsement and support of 9 CARICOM states. Baroness Scotland has the endorsement and support of Barbados and Dominica. De Trinidad candidate has the endorsement of Trinidad only.
    Why is Mr Skerrit insisting on beating a dead horse. Through clear democratic principles we can see that Sir Ron Sanders has the majority support.
    He has the best standing.
    What good is in there for us to force miss Scotland in without the support that she needs?
    Some people have a serious problem with democratic principles.
    This thing has been going on for a while now.
    Sanders pulled out earlier because of a lack of political will on the part of CARICOM.
    Who is CARICOM trying to please?
    Why is CARICOM so fragmented.
    Pick de individual with the most support and get on with it. Why does it appear like it’s either Skerrit way or no way.
    If something goes wrong is Skerrit willing to run in front and claim responsibility?
    Crisis of conscience. What is wrong with CARICOM?

    • JoJo
      April 13, 2015

      You have to understand that Patrica Scotland was instrumental in getting Roosevelt Skerrit that knighthood of the Grand Cross in the Costantinian order of St. George last year. Patricia Scotland was a member of that order way before Roosevelt Skerrit and our ex President Liverpool. I guess it must be pay back time, that is all I can think of or perhaps it is the gift of money she brought from the U.K. government in 2006 when she and Ian Douglas signed an agreement on prisoner exchange but my friends in London telling me she lost a lot of respect with our community there. They have mixed feelings.

  4. Titiwi
    April 12, 2015

    An endorsement from Skerrit these days is a a kiss of death.

  5. I am Dominican
    April 12, 2015

    DNO comments board is a real mess.

    DNO. Why would the following comment be of poor taste? “Good Choice her place of birth says St. Joseph, Dominica by all means she is a pure breed Dominican., plus she is also well qualified and suited for the position.”

    DNO. I just don’t get it.

  6. joking
    April 11, 2015

    once u renounce ur nationality ur not a citizen again
    that is what am looking forward to do as well

  7. April 11, 2015

    Baroness Scotland though she was born in Dominica may not be the best suitable candidate .We should stop brandishing her place of birth as the criteria for Dominica’s support.

    • LANLU
      April 13, 2015

      she left dominica at two years old…maybe never pass back and right now she is Dominican, that is one strange coconut

  8. Looking in
    April 11, 2015

    I wonder if she can find Dominica on a map.

  9. Truth be Told
    April 11, 2015

    I just find it a bit silly that CARICOM has an opportunity to nominate one of their own as Commonwealth Secretary General and the Dominica PM is nominating a serving British politician in the House of Lords in London, Patricia Janet, Baroness Scotland of Asthal (note her full title is not of Dominica or of CARICOM) as the Caribbean/ Dominica nominee for the job, because she was born in Dominica and left at the age of two! Are you people really serious about Caribbean/ CARICOM development? Baroness Scotland is presently a sitting member of the Upper Chamber of the British Parliament in London! Whose interest will she represent at the Commonwealth if she gets elected as CARICOM/ Dominica nominee?

  10. Yoland J J
    April 10, 2015

    Jay or who ever you think you are, are you a real Dominican if you follow my two articles in the Sun and Chronicle you will understand why she is the best candidate. In 2010 she did not fraudulently employ an illegal immigrant she simply adopted her. What do you know of her any way you sound dumb, what do you know about Sanders, Why he could not step his foot in Antigua under the previous Government, and only came back after that Government worn and the Chief of Police was sent on permanent leave, what do you know about VITELCO in St Croix and he is a director go and do your research, because the campaign is on for that position and Dominica must win that position by the Grace of God Almighty not you and what you say. It seams you are only reading DNO and nothing else well sir I read all the Caribbean papers daily especially the Trinidad Express and the Jamaica observer so you must read the Express of March 11th and you will understand who is that other candidate.

    • Titiwi
      April 13, 2015

      So Yoland, why the court convict and fine her if she was not guilty? I can not believe the British would be that prejudiced against their Attorney General they appointed themselves. Besides, as far as I know she never appealed that sentence.

  11. The Facts
    April 10, 2015

    Her qualifications speak for themselves. It looks as though she is well-suited for the position. I hope all of them can agree on her nomination.

  12. jan ovant
    April 10, 2015

    It is time we put away our party political views and support our leader where regional matters re concerned. Baroness Scotland is an excellent choice…..we are not second to Trinidad or Antigua

    • Ma Moses
      April 14, 2015

      That is what happens when you follow the wind regardless where it blows. The people of Germany in the second world war followed their leader blindly too and see what it brought them!

  13. GeeMe, GeeMe, Gee Me
    April 10, 2015

    I agree with Pm Skerrit and I believe that she is highly-qualified and well-suited for that position. Her resume speaks for itself and as a Dominica born, I would naturally support her. However, my dad always told me that character will take me where qualification won’t take me. In the case of Ms. Baroness Scotland, http://en.wikipedia.org has some information that has me disturbed. “In 2009 she was the victim of a fraud perpetrated by Lolo Tapui, an illegal immigrant. Ms Tapui had been using a forged passport for the period up to and including December 2008. Baroness Scotland began to employ Tapui in January 2009. Though according to the report, Ms. Scotland had not knowingly employed an illegal person, however, Baroness Scotland had earlier been fined £5,000 for not keeping, as an employer, copies of documents used to check Tapui’s immigration status. Passport problem? With the passport problems we have in Carricum, can I trust her? I sure cannot trust the person that nominated…

  14. Solo
    April 10, 2015

    DNO can you please advise us as to who are the other two nominees from CARICOM? Thanks.

    • Me
      April 13, 2015

      Trinidad & Tobago support their own Dr. Bhoe Tewarie and the rest of the Caricom (except Barbados and Dominica of course), support Sir Ronald Sanders, who was born in Guyana but is a citizen of Antigua & Barbuda for more than thirty years and Antigua’s High Commissioner to London.

  15. alas
    April 10, 2015

    Mr Ron Sanders has 3 times the support of Scotland among our CARICOM leaders.
    Some time ago he pulled out because of a lack of commitment from CARICOM to make a selection.
    He thought it over and returned.
    Barbados is de only CARICOM nation supporting Baroness Scotland.
    Only de PM of T&T is supporting is endorsing that nation’s candidate.
    Why is Roosevelt Skerrit trying to force baroness Scotland on us?
    CARICOM is such an elephant sometimes.
    Serious lack of consensus.
    Are there divisions in CARICOM?
    Power groups? Particular single heads that can and do in fact hijack de CARICOM Secretary?
    Certain people playing power broker.
    CARICOM IS FRAGMENTED….what we see is not necessarily what we get.
    Where is dat laroque guy anyway….he is Dominican i heard.
    Oh what a tangly web we weave when we try to deceive eh!!!!!!!!

  16. Observer General
    April 10, 2015

    I am at a real loss for words with this. This lady has not contributed to Caricom, OECS, UWI, CARPHA, CAREC, CEHI,CDB, ECCB, not a single Caribbean/regional organization. She has spent her whole career contributing to the UK government and their interest and now she is ready to retire, we now are suppose to give her this very cushy position…its just incredible.

    • The Facts
      April 14, 2015

      There is always a first time. If she is qualified, why not?

  17. Erasmus B . Black
    April 10, 2015

    Less than a month ago in Grenada, the Dear Leader lectured on the virtues of regional unity. That the member states of CARICOM, to date, have been unable to arrive at a consensus on a single candidate does not augur well for regional unity. Dominica says their candidate is best qualified, Antigua says their candidate has the most experience, and Trinidad says their candidate is best. So much for CARICOM disunity!

    • The Facts
      April 14, 2015

      Do you know the saying: “As many heads there are it is as many opinions you will get?”
      This is the problem where there are also too many cooks in the soup.
      Let us see who will be the lucky person. Probably the majority may win. This does not mean that their chosen candidate will be the most suitable. Not only that, there may be some chauvinism and also discrimination in not choosing a woman.

  18. Jay
    April 10, 2015

    Baroness Scotland’s connection with Dominica is rather tenuous as she has spent most of her life and made her career in the U.K. since the age of two. Antigua has an equal claim since her father hailed from there. The diaspora was proud of her achievements, reaching eventually the post of A.G. of the UK but she blotted her copybook and caused embarrassment to her adopted country, and the black caucus in particular when:
    – in 2010 she was convicted of fraudulently employing an illegal immigrant, when A.G. and fined £5,000
    – in 2012 was paid £75,000 for two weeks works, acting as legal adviser to the govt. of the Maldives, which grabbed power after a coup against its democratically elected President Mohamed Nasheed and the Maldives were suspended from the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group.
    These are matters for the record as is the fact that Roosevelt Skerrit stands isolated in his support for Baroness Scotland in Caricom, who’s majority preferred candidate is Sir Ronald…

    • A Doubting Thomas
      April 10, 2015

      Jay I pray you are not a Dominican.

      • Jay
        April 10, 2015

        I am happy to confirm that I am a Dominican, and sad to say that because of that I feel especially hurt by the poor choices made by this lady, which are to the detriment to the image of my country.

      • April 10, 2015

        A Doubting Thomas, you must be a Dominican from Skeritt’s Dominica. Only in Skeritt’s Dominica that dissenting voices branded as not DOMINICAN.

      • budman
        April 10, 2015

        why? what did he say that was not factual?

    • Observer General
      April 10, 2015

      In addition to this, one has to look at the bigger picture. Baroness Scotland in all her years and professional achievements has never once contributed anything substantial to Dominica or to this region. She has never made any representation for our region’s cause. So why should we now back someone who is unfamiliar with what we need as a Commonwealth Caribbean nation and region. Simply because you were born in a country does not give you any just cause to be backed for such a position Baroness Scotland. For a position like this, you need to work for it and I don’t think she has worked for it. I believe that we as a nation should not just hand things to people on a silver platter just because they can claim being born in a country, they need to work for it and prove they deserve the post.

    • Kid On The Block
      April 10, 2015

      Pure UWPite. Always Negative. If you can’t find something good to say, just shut up, Jay.

    • Peter Potter
      April 11, 2015

      Leave that woman in the UK. She started a brilliant career there but got blinded by power and easy money. On the way morals got thrown out of the window. Nowadays, here power base in the UK is near zero and she is looking for a ‘new playground’ and of course found one, since our leader is always accommodating towards individuals like that.

    • Stop
      April 11, 2015

      Stop your garbage against Dominica! Obviously you people support Ronald and you want your candidate to win but dont stoop to destroying our fellow Dominican with your nasty antics! Fact is that without Skerrits support your candidate will not win! You all need Dominica. Gone are the days when you looked down on us..now WE LEAD in these matters! you will be taught a good lesson!

      • budman
        April 14, 2015

        what matters are we leading in? did you even re-read what you wrote?

  19. Goodthing
    April 10, 2015

    Good Choice her place of birth says St. Joseph, Dominica by all means she is a pure breed Dominican., plus she is also well qualified and suited for the position.

    • anonymous2
      April 10, 2015

      It doesn’t matter where you are from if you haven’t lived in the region for at least 5 yrs. to know what is really going on.

      • The Facts
        April 14, 2015

        For the past twenty years we have Internet and DNO :lol: including other Websites to provide such information. She may be more well-conversant than many who live in the CARICOM countries about what is occurring.
        These people keep up on Worldwide News. No exception the Caribbean News. They are not so uninformed as you think.

    • budman
      April 10, 2015

      what do you really mean by pure breed?

    • NacVibes
      April 11, 2015

      Yeah and Issac had two sons twins, Esau and Jacob, so her being Of Dominican heritage and even with all her qualifications still does not make her the right person. Look at the nations born of Esau and you will see her face there.

    • joking
      April 11, 2015

      once u renounce ur nationality ur not a citizen again
      that is what am looking forward to do as well

      • The Facts
        April 14, 2015

        Give Baroness Scotland a break! It is not a matter of renouncing her citizenship. It is a matter of obtaining a different passport because she has been residing in the UK for a long time. If she did not become a UK citizen she probably would not have obtained the jobs she had.
        Why not take advantage of the opportunity of becoming a UK citizen or citizen of any democratic country?
        Sometimes it is more for convenience and progress and not actually renouncing their citizenship.
        Furthermore, Dominicans of all who reside in those democratic countries are not asked to renounce the citizenship of their land of birth.
        When I became a naturalized Canadian citizen, I was never asked to renounce my Dominican citizenship. I chose to have my passport as follows: “Dominican-Canadian.” Whether I remain here for the rest of my life, can anyone take Dominica away from me? No way!
        She is not the UK Prime Minister and could have dual citizenship if she so wishes. Think beyond.

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