Kalinago Territory: Trouble in political camps

Dr. Sanford (r) with UWP Deputy Political Leader, Joshua Francis, during his declaration in April this year. Hector John is to the left

As a general election, constitutionally due in May 2020 – just seven  (7) months away – draws nearer, the two major political parties, are still scrambling to solidify their slate of candidates, and campaign teams on both sides, are grappling with more tension and apprehension than they dare to show the Dominican public.

In the Kalinago Territory, for example, the withdrawal of Dr. Worrel Sanford has created a void in the United Workers Party (UWP) camp, which, for the time being, may have given an edge to the ruling Dominica Labour Party (DLP) in the Salybia Constituency.

On Friday 12th April, at the St Cyr Resource Centre, barely four (4) months ago, an enthusiastic Dr. Sanford officially informed the constituents of Salybia of his decision to contest the seat. However, in a private meeting on Friday 16th August, he confirmed to his campaign team that he had withdrawn from the race.

A member of the campaign team told Dominica News Online (DNO) that after serious consideration, Dr. Sanford decided to step down as the UWP candidate for the Salybia Constituency, since, to continue would not be in the best interest of his family.

According to the campaign official, Dr. Sanford had previously voiced his concerns with reference to the impact of politics on his family; nevertheless, the confirmation deflated the spirit of the team. He further stated  that a large number of constituents were already gravitating towards Dr. Sanford because of his charisma as a leader. He said this was paralleled by the fact that supporters of DLP were showing displeasure with the new candidate for the Salybia Constituency by throwing their support behind Dr Sanford.

With this confirmation of Dr. Sanford’s withdrawal, the UWP Salybia Constituency Association’s search for a new candidate now goes into high gear.

DNO was informed that Anette Thomas-Sanford, former candidate for Kalinago Chief, Dr. Theodore Thomas, General Surgeon (Thomas-Sanford’s brother) as well as a young lawyer, have all expressed interest in replacing Dr. Sanford. However, a final decision has not yet been made.

Hill addressing a gov’t town hall meeting in 2015

Meanwhile, perhaps while not as big a hurdle as the loss of a candidate, the Dominica Labor Party (DLP) Salybia Constituency Association is also experiencing its share of turmoil.

Dominica News Online (DNO) has learned that the campaign manager for Cozier Frederick, the party’s candidate in that constituency, may have been forced to resign due to internal pressure.

Sources close to Frederick’s campaign have informed us that Louis Hill has resigned as campaign manager because many DLP supporters, including former Salybia MP, Kelly Graneau, are upset with Hill because he campaigned in the Kalinago Chief election for Anette Thomas-Sanford who is viewed as being affiliated with the UWP. Thomas-Sanford’s husband is former UWP deputy political leader and candidate for the Salybia Constituency, Claudius Sanford. Graneau is reported to have said that he was not satisfied with Hill’s performance as Frederick’s manager.

Hill also lost his bid to sit on the Kalinago Council and it is being speculated that he may be a political liability to Fredrick’s campaign.

Beginning this week, both parties will be analyzing these developments as they strategize and refocus their campaigns ahead of the general election.

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28 Comments

  1. Eh
    August 22, 2019

    Who is that young lawyer. Joel?

  2. SMH
    August 20, 2019

    hmmm DLP scared him? sir with all due respect you are a weakling :-?

  3. Kalinago
    August 20, 2019

    Well I personally do not understand why certain people let other people tell them what to do like they do not have any brains.
    As for Mr Graneau, go and build a house for yourself and stop depending on government to build house for you and the others. You are not satisfied with Mr. Hill’s performance but I am sure there was a good reason why he did what he did. Is people like alyou that have the Kalinago Territory so divided.

  4. Ibo France
    August 20, 2019

    Politics in Dominica, the Caribbean and throughout the world is a rough and unforgiving game. It puts family against family: neighbor against neighbor and everlasting friends become eternal enemies. Dr. Sanford knew this before he accepted the candidacy for upcoming election. However, life has to move on with or without him. Dominicans must vote out these Hard Head Harries from government for the country to breathe once more. They (DLP) have been nothing more but a blight on the people’s progress. The country is badly in need of a government that works for all the people regardless of political affiliation. The present administration has Dominica at the cellar position in everything positive among it’s neighbors. This is both shameful and depressing. Through the EXIT DOOR they MUST GO next election.

  5. Hear hear
    August 20, 2019

    The truth is the good doctor’s first lady does not LIKE the Kalinago Territory, and does not relish the idea of having to make there her main base. She doesn’t think very much of the Kalinago people, and has made no effort to integrate herself into a community in which they have a minimart, and which the Doc was set to represent politically.

  6. Allyson
    August 19, 2019

    Viewsexpress, are you talking about the High School Dropout for Prime Minister? Who is the professional team to lead this country? Are you suggesting a man who could not take time to go to school? give me a break

    • Braindamage
      August 20, 2019

      How can a High School drop out, has the brains to detect and to inform the people of Dominica of 2.1 billion dollars missing from State funds, which is being huffed by the Finance Minister.
      Is that fraudulent, bobolist PM, we want for Dominica???

    • My Dominica
      August 20, 2019

      I getting fed up with this high school drop out song you all singing all the time.. Give the man a break.. he dropped out of school yes but he has made something of himself he didnt stay his uneducated self forming the fool.. Are you telling our youths that if they dropped out of school that they cant amount to anything in life? Can u do a research to see how many of the billions in the world today that dropped out of school.. am sure u would find a few. To the people out there who dropped out of school… u can become a prime minister or a billionaire one day it’s up to you.. Dont make these angry people tell u otherwise. Give Mr Linton a break!

  7. Ibo France
    August 19, 2019

    DNO, commendation to you for this editorial. It was quite balanced. You need to commit to do this more often. Do not become stenographic. This will make you more relevant. Just remember to be always fair and balanced.

    ADMIN: Thank you.

  8. LifeandDeath
    August 19, 2019

    Dr. Sanford, Come Back!!..Do it for Country.
    Your Family will be proud in the end, that when you had an opportunity to do something about the corrupt state of affairs in your homeland that you represented with dignity.
    Time to return the Carib Territory to it’s glory days. DLP and Skerrit had 20 years to do it, today most of the people of Dominica are worse off. This is a great opportunity to turn things around with Worrel.

  9. Bob Denis
    August 19, 2019

    Philosophically, Western form of Education/Mis-Education have taken hold of the first people, like the Africans before. Division being the cornerstone of all Euro Doctrines,is alive and well in Kalinago. Mr sanford really put a Nail in the Tires of the UWP political Wagon cramping their momentum, we can only term such a move as political sabotage.In Dominica it seems, a man/womans’ word means nothing, depending on whom you asked, then again,”Conformity Is Not Aways a good Thing”.

    • Ibo France
      August 19, 2019

      Most of the times I read your comments I truly think you are high on something. What that something is I don’t know. I know though that it seriously impairs your thinking.

    • August 19, 2019

      @Bob Denis, whatever you are saying above, you need to improve your writing with spaces for our reading satisfaction.

      You need to remember to add the space after a comma (,) and 2 spaces after a period (.) There is a few more, but I will leave it at that

  10. ??
    August 19, 2019

    Hill is trying to be relevant in the Kalinago Territory but he continues to make choices. It’s time that he step aside.

    • hmmm
      August 19, 2019

      The problem was that Hill can critically think through things unlike some of these die hard party loyalist. Regardless of his support of the DLP party he did not follow blindly and if something was not working for the Kalinago people he would say so instead of saying My PM my God and savior. Some of our people are too ridiculous with their die hard loyalty to party instead to the Kalinago people, thus why during elections some off us does turn enemy with our neighbors and family. At the end of the day we are all kalinago brothers and sisters, we are indigenous and we need to stick together, some of us need to change our mentality to realize that instead of trying to keep each other down because we don’t share the same political views or standpoints. Can we please just have a clean election regardless of who for DLP or UWP…why you all want to bring down our own people and victimize them along the way just because they don’t agree with you. What would our ancestors say !!!!

  11. viewsexpressed
    August 19, 2019

    What on earth is the matter with you guys and girls up there in the Carib Territory, re a candidate to run for the UWP? We do not want this highly corrupted Labour Government under this immature, childish failed Skerrit to be Odd Minister again for Dominica. Skerrit is a failure, immature, and knows nothing of social-economic development. Skerrit only cares for himself and his weird subordinates, who are stuck on him as a corrupted leach that won`t go away. Dominica, get rid of Skerrit and failed incompetent, worthless Labour government and advisors.
    Welcome committed Hon Linton professional UWP Team.
    We desperately and anxiously need decent government and governance for our nature Isle, and we trust wholly and are proud of them. The highly professional UWP Team, led by distinguished Prominent Hon Lennox Linton. We need change. Skerrit and his failed Bobolistic Labour government must go and move on for the highly professional UWP Team to be here in support of our people in need. UWP

    • Views Exposed
      August 19, 2019

      Poor pity don’t cry 😢. Can’t you see your medication isn’t working, because, your people and loyalist are abounding YOU! Dr. the political cronies like Views Expressed and %, they can always be bought, but your family are your loyalists, who will stand with you. You tried several times and failed, what has changed since then?

    • August 19, 2019

      @Viewsexpress, for the first time, I decided to read the whole of your comment above, but I had to stop near the end. Do you know why?

      It is that all I am reading is even worse than a fairytale story; it is the fantasy and negative acceptance of your mind.

      For example, you wrote: “Welcome committed Hon Linton professional UWP Team”.

      This is the base of your fantasy; you fail to see and accept Lennox as the person he really is. What you are talking against PM Skerrit belongs to Lennox and what you are talking about Lennox belongs to PM Skerrit.

      You and your colleagues are making it too hard on yourself and Lennox too, you all are making him think that the way he is, is the ways of the people; you all fail to acknowledge that the majority of the people continue to reject him

      PM Skerrit will go back to the Prime Minister’s Seat at Parliament, after election Day. So what are you all going to do?

  12. Kalinago Justice
    August 19, 2019

    :?: In a country and constituency of right thinking people,no one should vote or support any candidate for the one-man corrupt rogue regime! :?:

    • Joe Linton
      August 19, 2019

      @Kalinago Justice
      August 19, 2019

      okay Smarty Pants, can you now tell us what you just wrote has to do with DR. WORREL SANDFORD PULL OUT as per the topic on hand…..?? you should work on getting a scholarship to go and study because i know the blues is saying Sukie did well without a degree so Lennox don’t need one but basrd on the majee you just posted i can tell you EDUCATION MATTERS!!!!!!
      just so you remember what you wrote i’ve reproduced it below:

      ” In a country and constituency of right thinking people,no one should vote or support any candidate for the one-man corrupt rogue regime! :?:”

  13. Zandoli
    August 19, 2019

    Something does not smell right. One would think the gentleman would have given this serious thought and discussed it with his family before he made a commitment to the party. This is particularly the case for someone who is a former politician. I don’t believe he suddenly found out it would “not be in the best interest of his family.”

    • Ti Garcon
      August 19, 2019

      They cool hin out before he get too hot!!!

  14. Kalinago
    August 19, 2019

    How many times do we have to say to Mr. Kelly that Kalinago Chief elections has nothing to do with national elections, but no the man on a war path. Everybody who voted for Mrs. Sandford based on her ability and capability is now an enemy of Kelly! where is the democracy.

  15. mine
    August 19, 2019

    (sorry in closets)

  16. mine
    August 19, 2019

    Maybe too much skeletons is closets.

  17. Ibo France
    August 19, 2019

    Really saddened by Dr . Sanford’s decision to withdraw his candidacy. Life goes on and I hope that his replacement will be able to succeed in the upcoming general election. In every dark cloud there is a silver lining.

  18. Katie
    August 19, 2019

    Our First Nation people should get it together and know that its dem vs the rest.

    Whoever wins the territory should be win for Indian country. Stop this nonsense and go back to your history.

  19. August 19, 2019

    Allu have too much comes in tht politics story there tan…Mr Sanford wasn’t ur family already aware tht u were goin to be a rep fr the uwp .. now it’s family being displeased abt it… Tht makes no sense to me… Tell the people the real truth…. I think u were the best man to rep the kalinago people ….. Sad

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