Opposition Leader Hector John has assured that the recent appointment of four male does not mean that the United Workers Party (UWP) has isolated female members of the party.
The men who will join the three elected UWP members of Parliament at the House of Assembly proceedings are Ezekiel Bazil (Wesley), UWP’s Political Leader Ronald Green (La Plaine), UWP’s Deputy Leader Claudius Sanford (Carib Territory) and Ronnie Isidore (Mahaut).
John who addressed a press conference this morning, said that his party stands in favour of appointing female senators but after proper deliberation, was not seen as the best option for the party at the moment.
“If you look at the situation that we are in as we have three elected members, and we have to bring in people to continue to speak for and behalf of the people for Dominica and do that effectively… As I said earlier on, we would like to have a woman but we cannot bring everybody, we can’t represent every demography right now in the present situation…”he said.
“We would like to bring a woman, as I said, but right now as we continue to, as we say, bring effective representation. As time goes on we will be looking at our senatorial positions and evaluate, assess and see how we can continue to give members of the party a very good opportunity to continue to learn and gain the experience to prepare themselves to give effective representation for and behalf of the Dominican people.
John further stated that “it’s not in isolation, at this time we haven’t brought in a woman but we are not isolating women. We continue to push forward with the case of women and equal rights for everybody.”
Meanwhile the opposition leader expressed confidence in his newly appointed senators- Ron Green, Ezekiel Bazil, Ronnie Isidore and Claudius Sanford. He was optimistic that the chosen few would work effectively in the representing the populace.
“Our party has moved as a step in the right direction to prepare our self as we said. We have named the leader of the opposition and to name our three senators. That we are ready to make effective representation on behalf of our people of the commonwealth of Dominca and we ask the government to start to prepare, make concrete representation in the right direction for us to have that enabling environment in parliament so we can make our contribution for and behalf of the people of Dominica.
John said that though he stated recently that the party would be seeking outside expertise, the senators chosen are proficient and can effectively handle their parliamentary tasks.
“Of course we would like to go out….but we have to look from within…We know that Mr Green is very capable,Mr Sanford is very capable. Mr Ezekiel Bazil and Ronnie, the people that we bring are capable individuals from within who can go out there and represent the cause of the people of Dominica. and that is what we are looking out for. We are not looking for just bringing in anybody but people we know who can go out there and deal with the issues on their own, independently, as a group… he stated.
John described his new senatorial team as being a mix of “experience and freshman.” He said, “we bring a true balance and people we know.”
I hope The Mr isidoor can keep his cool and listen before making drastic statements.
@Observer: MR JOHN ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY THAT WOMEN ARE NOT ABLE TO REPRESENT EFFECTIVELY? IF SO, SHAME ON YOU. YOUR STATEMENT MAKE YOU SOUND LIKE A MALE CHAUVINISTIC PIG. YOU AND YOUR PARTY NEEDS TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND RETHINK YOUR ACTION. REMEMBER THERE ARE MORE FEMALE VOTERS THAN MALE.
AS FOR YOUR DEMOGRAPHIC IDEOLOGY! YOU KNOW IT’S BULL, TRY SOMETHING ELSE.
WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO SAY YOU CAN ONLY REPRESENT THE PEOPLE FROM YOUR PARLIAMENTARIAN’S CONSTIUENCY? I THOUGHT YOU WERE ALL ABOUT DOMIINICA AND DOMINICANS. ” FOOL ME” BECAREFUL, YOUR ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY IS NOW SHOWING
FOOL ME ONCE SHAME ON YOU, FOOL ME TWICE SHAME ON ME. AIN’T GONNA HAPPEN.
question for you HAPPY!!!! when UWP was in office can you tell me wat they did for Dominica? am waiting!!!! If Ron and Edison were so concern about the party why did they stand down as leaders? La Plaine people didnot vote UWP!!!! Marigot people didnot vote UWP!!!! Sailsbury people didnot vote for UWP!!! they voted the MAN. dont be surprised if RON and EDISON are members of the Labour party next election………..
After reading the statement by the opposition on the appoinment of the senators, all I could do was hold my breath by not laughing at the caliber of the words he used, the opposition have a serious crisis on their hands, everybody is the head, you have the leader of the oppositon, the political leader, the president, the head of the party, so who is the head of the party?
@Anti-hate:
hahahaha…..are you a clown or what? How long have you been reading DNO? The amount of ignorant, uneducated, illiterate and inept nonesense I have seen coming from government supporters is just too much. These people do not have general knowledge about none of the things they comment about. They don’t know laws, they don’t know standard practices in parliament, government and etc. They say any foolishness that comes to their mind once the news item is anti-labour. I can go through this site for 15 minutes and come up with several examples of comments that you just have to laugh at. Some of these people clearly have no idea what they talking about. All they know is Laybaaah and Skerrit their god.
What a good move by the next prime minister of Dominica Mr hector spraggs.Workers hold tight,nothing last forever,skerrit continues to fail each day,i cant wait to return to a u.w.p Dominica,the four and a half years of their rule,were some of the best days i’ve seen.This wicked and deceitful government will fall,the handwriting is on the wall,keep working !
There is a saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. Another one says that action speaks louder than words. So, what does Mr. John mean by effective representation? Any female Senator would have enhanced the cedibility of the UWP without uttering a single word..If effective communication was high on the criteria for selecting the Senators, how do you justify leaving out Dr. Bernard Wiltshire, the Godfather of the Grand Bay Liberation Movement (made up name), and by extension, the late Hon. Pierre Charles’ mentor.
It is true that everyone can’t be chosen as Senator. But what’s the criteria. It could be based on last election’s performance and the possibility of winning the next one, diversity (hence the need for women), rebuilding (hence the need for youth in leadership) or status quo (hence the need for the oppose everything noise machine). The UWP has settled for the status quo.
I spent some time last night researching the last election results. Bazil earned his place as a Senator with 48% of the votes compared to Shillingford’s 52%. Abraham Browne only lost by 5 votes. Lugay got 47% c0mpared to Timothy’s 50%. Sanford and Isidore only got 40% each. So who is most likely to win next time?
Mrs. Leanthia Pacquette Lewis was political suicide. She only got 8% compared to Mrs. Charles’ 90% (the highest %). But if diversity was high on the UWP’s criteria, she should have been picked. She was born in the heart of South City and we do love her ,despite her political affiliation. I honestly wish that the Hon. Minister for Youth and Sports, Hon. Justina Charles, can influence the govt. to give Mrs. Pacquette-Lewis her same job; the one she is good at in the audit department. Show the opposition that the DLP has a heart and have nothing to fear from the audit department.
well at least hey have appointed senators, Spraggs be reminded, the minority will have it say, but the majority will have its way. We have a British system not American, dominica is small country no money. Behave like real statements now, be nice, because is the chinese monies that will be paying your salaries.
His explanation makes absolutely no sense.
@francis francis chicago il: their plan is to show their face and walk back out, talking the well being of the country as a game. but all games have a game over time
@One Love: she disagreed up front to their decision, they know what they did and how they did it
That is such bs, a woman how has been in the public service for 22 years, got to the position of supervisor in the department of audit was left out and ronald isidore was taken aboard. you men are all the same use the women and pack them to the sides but it has a way of coming back and biting in the a**
@Anti-hate: they may not be the brightest bulb but in this engulfing darkness of ignorance and partisanship even a spark shines as bright as the sun. in the land of the microscopic the midget is king.lol. hope u enjoy the irony.
As i have said before, it’s business as usual. Spaggs doesn’t have what it takes to make the necessary changes to move the party forward. What does he mean when he says this is not the time? Is he serious? Oh well, it’s just more of the same. The only difference is that Eddie is driving from the back seat but i’m not sure if his neck is long enough to see where he is going.
So i’ve made an observation lol….now we all know the majority of the UWP supporters aren’t the brightest bulbs out there…
Yes there are a handful who can articulate, but the majority just speak a bunch of crap..which is why on DNO u usually see a lot more posts by gov supporters than by the United Worthless Party supporters…
Then…lo and behold….here came the like/dislike feature to the rescue of the illiterate and incoherent UWP supporters…now, even if they can’t put together a decent argument, they can simple dislike points made by labourites, and act as cheerleaders to their handful of colleagues who make comments here…
LMAO!!! This is all very entertaining to me…Go ahead UWPites dislike this…intellectual midgets y’all are…
@Observer:
Yes observer u’re earning your namesake!!
I was ‘observing’ the same thing…That was a borderline sexist comment..Not saying John is sexist it’s more a reflection that he is an inexperienced politician and hasn’t yet mastered the art of choosing his words properly…
The UWP lost an opportunity to re-energe the Opposition phalanx by not nominating Judith Pestaina as Senator; for although her views are not always popular, they are most certainly better understood and lucidly expressed. Hon. John, your English hurts my brain. What do you mean by “on their own, indepently, as a group”?
“If you look at the situation that we are in as we have three elected members, and we have to bring in people to continue to speak for and behalf of the people for Dominica and do that effectively… As I said earlier on, we would like to have a woman but we cannot bring everybody, we can’t represent every demography right now in the present situation…”he said.
“We would like to bring a woman, as I said, but right now as we continue to, as we say, bring effective representation. As time goes on we will be looking at our senatorial positions and evaluate, assess and see how we can continue to give members of the party a very good opportunity to continue to learn and gain the experience to prepare themselves to give effective representation for and behalf of the Dominican people.
John further stated that “it’s not in isolation, at this time we haven’t brought in a woman but we are not isolating women. We continue to push forward with the case of women and equal rights for everybody.”
Are you saying that there are no women more capable that any of these men that were chosen? Here it was I was thinking that Dominica would have seen the inclusion of more female politicians in the political process. This has just confirmed my point that Hector John is the most incompetent person to be placed in such a position.
Action Speaks louder than word. Politicians are not easy, just say it was an error in judgement, knowing very well how women are under represent in parliament, it was a perfect opportunity to demonstrate the party’s commitment to women. They say a week is a life time in politics. Hon. John is learning politics is a dogs life.
@Mike:
MIKE MIKE MIKE – – – – Please don’t sell out the vibes;
let the CONFUSED REMAIN VERY CONFUSED
@Workers: HONOURABLE JOHN is not like DIMple —- He respects women : UWP ladies are not for sale. Their integrity is INTACT.
@GOOD: THE PEOPLE WOULD LOVE TO DO SOME NATION BUILDING . . . . BUT THE GOVERNMENT IS WORKING HARD AGAINST THE PEOPLE . . . . JUST CHECK 250 CHINESE LABOURERS WITH SHOVEL GETTING PAID IN U.S. NOT ONE DIME FOR DOMINICAN PEOPLE
I Hear Dey Fraid Dey Fraid De Leader of de OPPOSITION!
@theTruthInEyeOfaYoungStar:
first thing youngsta —PULL UP YA PANTS
next thing youngsta —TAKE THE CRAP OUT YA NOSE
third thing youngsta — PLEASE DON’T SPOIL A BALLOT (hope you know what a ballot is)
lastly youngsta – – – NEVER INSULT OBAMA EVER AGAIN HE IS HANDSOME BLACK MAN ; HARDWORKING: DON’T TIEF NOBODY MONEY: HELPS HIS PEOPLE NOT HIMSELF: HE DON’T LIE: CHEAT: STEAL: OR COMMIT ADULTERY: HE IS A DECENT MARRIED MAN – AN EXAMPLE TO THE WHOLE WORLD: A REAL MAN: AN UPRIGHT BLACK MAN.
OBAMA IS EVERYTHING THAT skeritt IS NOT your boy is the EXACT OPPOSITE OF PRESIDENT OBAMA
NOW GO TAKE A BATH PLEASE???????
@ Confused, he is a male but circumstances and behaviors shows otherwise…………. gader pour cor! (look for yourself)
So Hon. John, the UWP does not support the Millenium Development Roles and the role of women in politics and development which requires equal representation of women in politics and national development.
So unless the selection is a clear statement on rejecting the Millenium goals the UWP should remove two of the appointees and select women in their place. Previously, i suggested Pestina who supported your party in the December 2009 election and Wilshaire.
Opposition Leader Hector John is new blood, so give de opposition a brake.
May God bless you gentle men.
Anoint them with your holy spirit.
NYWAZ PEOPLES/COMMENTORS…… i think that dominicans(U.W.P supportorz) must wake up and see the truth….u all are always complaining about what the P.M doing wrong but allu neva seeind wen he doing right….put it like this people dominica is a country with different constituency and america is states now the Hon.Roosevelt Skerrit job is similiar 2 obama ok..u dont expect the man to be working in one constiuency ok….and i think and its a fact due to survey if u the older folks dont stop acting like that with all them fights and nonsensical behaviour..the upcoming youngstar will not take part in politics that mean they will not vote…and that mean bad for the country…… no one wants a leader like….judith or eddison james…………..FACT: NO ONE SEES HOW HARD THE PRIME MINSTER JOB IS.. HOW HE WROKING TO MAKE DOMINICA STRIVE..BUT INSTEAD THE STUPID PEOPLE TRYING TO BRING HIM DOW..FYI…he is a blessed man
The Labour ites are afraid of Mr. Greens comeback ! That’s why they are too concern with the man! They are crying on him too much. chickens
are they gonna come to parliament to lestent to my p.m and don’t walk away .
@hmmmmmmm:
lovin Skerro doesnt mean Ronnie is not the best man; Rayburn is not a ppl’s [erson and Skerro know that.
if Skerro was wise he would try and bring Ronald Isidore across
@francis francis chicago il: typical negative dumb in a can.stop bring fellow dominican down.election is over,lets do some nation building.
Why do most people who comment have to be so base? Are they incapable of expressing their opinions without attacking people, without being malicious or obsessively narrow minded? Let us raise the discourse, people. DNO, please help.
what a sad day for uwp, they have one again caused their demised. firstly hector john will never be the prime minister of dominica. now leantha foe senator? why, she will never, ever win grandbay. ron green senator please why? this man is a puppet, who edison james uses to talk rubbish. i really dont no but dominica needs a new opposition party with fresh people who are intrested in country, it’s people and development. not one who stays out of paliament and not those who use the tiwanise money for their person use.
It makes no difference who the UWP Senators are. However I believe as a young woman with three children who gave up her job to run for the UWP in a safe Labour Party seat, Mrs Leanthia Lewis deserved to be one of the Senators.
More over having worked in the Audit Office for a number of years and acted in senior positions there supervising audit processes, she would have been a very goon individual to be on the Public Accounts Committee. She is well trained in this area of work.
It seems to me that this is a men’s club and women has no right in men’s race. Ron Green and Cladius Sanford do not deserve their selection. Danny Lugay of Roseau North should have been selected.
Notwithstanding the forgoing, the Leader of Opposition must ensure that his men behave in the House and understand that the Minority will have its say but the Majority shall have its way. That is Democracy
While I do believe in freedom of choice, i also believe people should put their love for political parties aside when it comes to the needs of their country. Right is right and wrong will always be wrong! There is no need to turn a blind eye to wrong doings because you or someone you may know is a direct beneficiary!
Consider the future of the youths, after all when you screw up, they are the ones who have to sit through your messes… when you are dead and gone, they will be the ones facing the trouble you ” the so called educated adults of today” committed/created.
There are murders unsolved, crime, drugs… the youths are rocking off their boats, teenage pregnancy plagues our country, as for the blatant and out corruption of our present government – it would take a man with no sense plus he must be blind and wicked to deny it!
only one person that win their seat that is among the senators? Afterall man WORKERS come better than that…………ALL U PWI PWIIIIIIIIIIII……….DEAD
@Conscious Mike: Waste of time to talk logic, principle or strategy to this people, as they know is what they have been conditioned in in the last 8 years.. But any means neceassry, fraud, corruption, thieveing, deeption, dishonor, dubiousness, dishonesty, and all manner of evil. I don’t know what Skeritt used to fry their brains. They better check what they eating in Dominica, make sure everybody eating the same things.
once up on a time this party freedom hit rock bottom u.w.p. next .
@MKG:
Your brain not too astute because if it was you would realise that the 3 people who won their seats are already members of parliament. Hence, the senators are ALWAYS persons who did not win or run for election.
Alvin Bennard is a senator on the DLP side, did not win his seat.
Charles Savarin is a senator on the DLP side, did not even run for the 2009 elections.
Bently Royer is a senator on the DLP side, did not and COULD NEVER win the salisbury seat.
So before you open your un-informed mouth like many other persons on here….speak to somebody who knows better rather than making a complete fool of yourself on an internet forum.
MKG? Are you Marlon k. Giraudel? It cannot be! Cause Marlon knows better!
wey papa…why ronnie not leaving that thing alone? i cannot understand an educated person like ronnie has just made himself a clone of eddison and ron and all their foolishness! get out of this mess brother man…
@Jimmy Neutron: sure rayburn must go go go. but i love my skero> he is a great man and leader for dominca
u.w.p. party need salvation somebody inform god.
why not mr james he win his seat two times in two years let u.w.p. go down six foot six they dead dead hell they goes .
People relax—–Ron is in there so just asson as the courts rule St. Jean out Ron will get this seat back and Ms. Lewis will come in–So just relax there is a game plan and be
This is an all boys /men club!!!
That is a shame.
All u will get fewer people risking their jobs togo and run for UWP
It’s obvious that it would have been these four…Work as a team.Dominica needs you all more than ever before, because the country is plunged into poverty,corruption,drugs,crime and dishonesty….
VOTER ID CARD PLEASE!!!!!!
Bazil remember in all you do put God first and he will lead you all the way.. Your tonge shall be as a ready writer to oppose constructively, Gods blessings on you.
Hats off to Ezekiel Bazil, as a positive Dominican I am sure you will make a difference. I am counting on you sir, Yoa are well chosen.
who is the leader ron claudius john james or ????
Oh Dear,
Who want’s to bet that Ronald Ronnie Isidore will be the man to lead this party into the next election?
I wonder what the odds makers @ Las Vegas says?
Ronald Isidore is the future …the faster they realize that is the better for us. Lord knows we doe want Rayburn again.
Congrats Ronnie!
Not trying to be a hater, but choosing people who couldn’t win their own seats and not selecting any women at all doesn’t seem particularly politically astute.
Ron
well, well, well that is really the end of UWP. Is this a pay back to RON and Sanford? Is Ron Green the future of Dominica or is he history?
no surprise there. I had Ron Green, Ron Isidore and Ezekiel Bazil in my selection. With regards to the fourth, it was either Sanford or Mrs. Lewis. It must have been a diffcult choice with respect to the latter selection. Perhaps, Mrs. Lewis would have been the better choice from the perpsective of having women representation in the Parliament (which is very low in terms of numbers) and, as someone has said, given her background in public finance audit. She would have brought her professional experience to the Public Account Committee and thereby help give it teeth.
I disagree with those who say Ron Green should not have been selected. He is the Party Leader and has experience in the House. Experience counts especially given the kind of Speaker we have. People must stop dissing Ron simply because of his age. Are we saying once people reach a certain age, they have nothing to contribute, they should be packed aside? If this is the case , then Charlo should not be in the Cabinet. Let us stop the age discrimination. Let us stop using Skerrit’s relative youth as the barometer to gauge relevance or ability.
@Workers: Is ” Wilshaire” a lady?
Claudius wanted to be the new leader of the opposition. A man who filed back to back. Claudius and Ron should NOt have been selected as Senators. Where are the females where are the young ppl. Claudius is a loser. he loses everthing that surrounds him.
The only person who should be there is Ronnie.see a name like Ron green going to buy a new glasses will be back because I am not sure is that I’m seeing.
Its obvious. everybody knows tha would be the four… UWP can never win an election with that trend. Where are the young ppl all the leaders want to work with to improve their lives? they all care about party and self.
this party dead dead can somebody tell ron please.
way to go … the firestorm in ronnie isidore is coming to the house
good choices … now fellas … represent and do so with responsibility
Poor Leanthia Lewis. Having worked inthe Audit Department she would have been an excellent choice for the Public Accounts Cpmmittee.
The UWP has once again put a slap to the face of Dominican Women.
Ron and Cladius shpoul be out of the race period.
no real surprise there.
so we just canna get Rid of Ron, way papa!!
So why didn’t you choose one of the ladies to be a senator? This move is beginning to convince me that this party is a male chauvinistic club and so not even Wilshaire and Pestina qualified…..Finally the Workers/Freedom coalition has not cemented and Whilshaire has now hit rock bottom……