Government vs. Jacqueline Theodore; PM addresses allegations

Jacqueline Theodore

The Dominica government is going to court to appeal an amount awarded to former parliamentary secretary Jacqueline Theodore in 2008, for land it acquired.

A tribunal awarded Theodore over $3 million for the land belonging to her husband in Calibishie; but Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has disclosed that while some payments have been made to Theodore the monies ordered are “beyond the value of the property.”

The government feels that amount is exorbitant and is in the process of appealing the ruling, ordered to be paid by the courts.

Theodore recently took her issue to the media since she has not been fully compensated by the government, for cutting a section of her land for use as a road some years ago.

UWP’s mistake

According to Prime Minister Skerrit, a private company was responsible for cutting the road at the time under the United Workers Party (UWP) administration, and not his Dominica Labour Party Government.

“This government in 2000 to 2005 [and] 2009 never took Mrs. Theodore’s land. Rosie Douglas (dead former prime minister), Pierre Charles (dead former prime minister) and myself were never responsible for taking Mrs Theodore’s land. A private company back then under the United Workers Party government went in and built a road on property belonging to Mrs. Theodore’s husband. The government at the time had nothing to do with that,” Skerrit told the media at a press conference on Tuesday.

Skerrit reiterated that it was not a government or cabinet action, but that of the private company involved in lumber. He said the UWP Government got involved in the matter for political reasons, and the then minister of works authorised that the government would compensate the Theodore family in respect to the trespassers.

He blamed the entire situation on the “mistake” of the UWP’s minister of works, who caused the government to become a party in this matter.

“I believe what should have been done at the time was that the government should have distanced itself clear from this matter so we have no part to play in this. There was no authority to cut any road on Mrs Theodore’s land and therefore that’s not what happened then, and of course who has to pay for it? By wrong action by the minister and the people of Dominica has to pay for it,” the prime minister stated.

Frustration, allegations

He further explained, “Time elapsed improvements were made, the matter was taken to court, the court ruled. Later on there was a tribunal set up, the tribunal has given a ruling in favour of Mrs Theodore and there is another process in law that has to go through to allow this.”

The prime minister noted however, that out of a tribunal ruling which went in favour of Theodore the government awarded her some compensation for her land in acting in good faith.

“I authorised the payment out of the consolidated fund to show that we are acting in good faith and so forth, but I understand the frustration that some people may have with the process and so forth, but I don’t think it is fair to give the impression or to make the allegations that it is the government, the ministers that were interfering in the process when it is not true,” he said.

Nonetheless, the prime minister recognised that Theodore has a right to express her frustration if her compensation is being delayed.

“The government is not saying that she’s not entitled to any money. What the government is saying what has been awarded to her is beyond the value of the property and we’re not appealing the ruling, we’re appealing the amount,” PM Skerrit noted.

According to a memorandum by the General Registrar Reginald Winston-this Civil Appeal case will be heard in April 2010.

Theodore contested the 2009 general elections as an independent candidate. She previously contested the Castle Bruce seat on a Labour Party ticket in 2000, where she lost to UWP’s candidate Loreen Bannis-Roberts, who subsequently crossed floor to the DLP.

STAFF REPORTER.

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56 Comments

  1. March 7, 2010

    $3,000000, 132 acres how much per acre?
    $22,727? chavez can pay that

  2. justice
    March 6, 2010

    at Noname. The fact is your clear seem rather uneducated with your use of english and you are not and willnever be Skerrit or the PM of Dominica so do us all a favor go by Astaphans and buy a bottle of gramoxone and kill yourself you useless piece of trash !

  3. dreams
    March 5, 2010

    hehehehe jump high jump low..Skerro is d BOSS…all u always talking when the BOSS knows what he is doing n when yall c the results allu shock(rem when election 2010 was called)……we love u PM lol…now challenge the case 3million for a piece of land….choops..dat is a money making scene..but whatever happens..GOD is good all the time and all the time God is good

  4. GOOD en EASY
    March 5, 2010

    I believe when everything will be said and done, the government will end up paying much more than $3,000,000, Skerrit attitude to it will cause the cost to rise. AND MAY I SAY IF IT WAS ONE OF THE SKERRIT’ITES THE EC CURRENCY WOULD HAVE NOT CONVERTED TO US BUT TRANSFORMED TO US$3,000,000

  5. look sin
    March 4, 2010

    lol all i c here is a bunch of haterz. lennox honeychurch’s phase ‘crabs in a barrel’ was good when it seemed to apply to a certain group.

    when government start taking people houses in mahaut and massacre and eslewhere during the roseau to portsmouth road construction, i hope we’ll all be satisfied and not complaint about where de money coming form. cuz if it was u that owed the gov’t then…

    and learned judges and techincans accessed the cost of the damage to be a certain figure- who are we who dont know squat to say if its too high? i bet some of the people who make their harsh hateful comments will be the same ones who will be beggin for handouts when the lady gets paid

  6. Don't You Wish?
    March 4, 2010

    PM you should make Eddie and his gang … pay the woman for her land. They maybe thought that they would get back in power, and Im sure there would be no problem to pay the 3million, as maybe a couple hundred thousand would be lining some peoples pocket by now.
    I agree with you, keep your stance they too mechaystay. 3 million dollars for land? Wey Wey Wey only in Dominica boy!

    And Mr. Theodore stop acting like is PM Skerritt that terrorize your mother and her land. Good!

  7. March 4, 2010

    Well,

    some of you are right,Gov, is continue no mater who is in,good, then pay her the money,while………..the skerrit Gov issue a order to the att, General for inquiries and arrest warrent to all who was involved in the land road sceme, now tell me how would you love that hummmm?

    dime awora???

  8. March 4, 2010

    u ppl just need togive the prime minister a break what the hell when are u ppl gonna realize that it is not skerrit country and is our own to build up
    had i been skerrit i was implement more tax but yet still all u just dumb dominicans that forgot to learn at skool. at least some of u

  9. Dubiqois
    March 4, 2010

    @ Shocked,

    It always amazes me how God-fearing people like you speak with evil tongues. You are fracturing one of the of most basic tenets of christain teaching: “Judge not lest ye be judged”. You are letting your political affiliation cloud your judgement and foundamental christianity teachings.

    Whoa!!! you are cursing this man all the way to his seventh generation. I do not think your god would be happy with your statements, because they are shrouded with political venom.

    Now you need to say THREE HAIL MARYS.

  10. Fair judge
    March 4, 2010

    Lets consider this affair openly and fairly. I t muay be a large sum for the land and lumber cut, maybe the amount needs to be revisited. maybe a comprimise can be reached in favor of Mrs Theodore and in consideration of Dominica with regard to the present economical conditions, so Mr Skerrit may have a good point. However I cannot escape the trend staring us all, labotites, freedomites, uwpites and nonpolitical ites in the face which we must not overlook. Mr Skerrit feels duty bound to defend and protect the Dominica treasury when it comes to local Dominicans such as Mrs Theodore, Mr fenton and other little citizens of Dominica, but he is not that vigilant when it comes to The Chinese like David Shou? just spelling it as it is pronounced, Grace Tung, Roosevelt Skerrit, Tony Astaphan, and this guy he pays to manage his image, and all other such high rollers. Seems that big money is not good for us locals. Seems all we are worth is a few hundreds to the real scrunters, a few thousand to aspiring local business minds,in handouts. Do you all see what I see?
    Is that the way Mr Pm is moulding his people, remember he said” I HAVE A COUNTRY TO BUILD AND A PEOPLE TO MOULD.

  11. Vybez
    March 4, 2010

    You know what I find incredible? Is that the lady was on the radio, DBS & QFM DEMANDING that SKERRIT & the AG come and explain to the people what they paid her and what is going on with her case.
    He has made a statement and now people are on here making comments that he is stooping too low? Seriously, if you call someone out in public or rather if you DEMAND someone to come out in public and respond to your questions why shouldn’t he? Then if you go public and make demands and allegations as she did what do you expect?
    Then the lady never admitted that she was paid and maybe her son who seems to have an answer to every comment posted and verify such for us. SHE DID GET SOME MONEY $210, 000.000, that was the amount government felt that they were responsible for. When i listened to her on the radio (QFM) she REFUSED to admit that she received payment despite the many calls and texts inquiring the same. I think that was dishonest, she could have said that she did get paid but it was not enough or words to that effect.
    Now people are calling QFM and making comments that her lawyer was the one who took the money and never gave it to her when she did in fact get her money….that is just wrong.
    All of you coming on here and saying that Skerrit should pay her the $3 million and move on…so let me ask you where will he get it from? D/cans crying about the VAT, they doh want to pay tax yet we still want g/ment to do everything. If he gets grants from Daddy Chavex n China, all u still vex? So what really is he to do?

  12. Dubiqois
    March 4, 2010

    Come ye forward, sons and daughters,
    Of this Gem beyond compare,
    Strive for honour sons and daughters,
    Do the right be firm be fair…Do the right be firm be fair…Do the right be firm be fair…

    I hope the government is heeding our national anthem…

    Our PM holds the portfolio of the Minister of Finance…Who does the Director of Audit report to? Just asking…

  13. COUNTRY ABOVE SELF
    March 4, 2010

    Government have a lot more land to take in the name of national interest. One Mile and Hamstead are some of the others. $3 million, what’s the acrage ? THATS TOO MUCH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  14. shocked
    March 4, 2010

    well, mr. theodore…wat happened to your father? God rest his soul. maybe its the evil that men do thats riding them frustrated.

    PM is the one in office now and he has to sit and decide where this 3 million coming form, don’t u think he will contest it again. it was eddo dat make ppl cut trees on the lady land , now his ugly monkey looking self is silent. maybe he too behind the curtains pushing her to squeeze dat out of the government even when he knows its by his doing.

    politicks mrs. theodore and the evil threats that you made on the talk show about the attorney general and the PM will fall back on your and ur seventh generation. who went to the court of Pharoh but you…

    Yes my PM from my village believes in God. not the God that you do and the God you went to to sell ur husband. and we will go down o0n our knees and rebuke you and ur evil threats to the doom and pit of hell…………….

    TO GOD BE THE GLORY GREAT AND MAARVELOUS THINGS HE HAS DONE

  15. Good
    March 4, 2010

    Allu put SKERRIT dere. .Allu doh see nothin yet. Time will tell.

  16. commentator
    March 4, 2010

    If Skerrit is so disgusted that the tax payer will be out of pocket if the government pays up to its obligations, then he can sell the three acres that was given to him and use the money to pay the lady.
    But I suspect that he is not prepared to patriotic if it means losing out personally.
    So unless he takes this personally and pays out of his pocket, he should shut up and let the administration of law and justice in Dominica take its course. It is no skin off his haughty nose.

  17. Smurfy
    March 4, 2010

    Yes and because of the stupidity of the UWP the country has to suffer this, not Skerrit that’s suffering…..

  18. Smurfy
    March 4, 2010

    Yes, the Courts decisions has to respected but that is why there is what is called; “Appeal.” you dumb A**…people

  19. cello
    March 4, 2010

    In my opinion 3m. $ is too much money to pay for any kind of land, given the econnimic situation of dominica.

    If what Ms. theodore is aying is true i think she should be compensated if part of her land was used for any reason by the past government . As a matter of principle, the present government should try to put things straight ( clean up the mess left behind) show an example.

    Secondly i cannot imagine any land in calibishee, or any where in dominica for that matter amounting to this amount, unless if this amount is for the compensation which is absolutely ridiculous any way.

    I think that further investigations shoud continue, more land assessment and damage should be ongoing to make this matter clear and also to be able to provide a proper and sensical amount in compensation for any damage which may have been done to the land.

  20. Very sad
    March 4, 2010

    Skerrit is such a child. Does he think that UWP and DLP are separate governments that divvy up repsonsibilities based on who is in office? Obviously. News to Skerrit. Government if government no matter what party in government, so if government was wrong in 1995, then government still wrong in 2010. period. Pay de lady her money.

  21. Dominican lover
    March 4, 2010

    Well, well, well, the mess we create for others. but if the case is already decided the govt have to honour the court ruling. However on a technicality, why did the lady not ask for her money when the govt in power at the time made the road on her land, actually she should have been paid before the road was cut. Why now. Is there something we are not being told.

  22. Dominica First
    March 3, 2010

    …. Dumb stuff like that gets me scared.. makes us question our leaders…. But only Dominicans will allow Skerrit’s ignorant self to pass his agenda unto them. ……..Wake up People………..

  23. justice
    March 3, 2010

    Roosevelt,
    Your statement began very good and applaud it. It brought clarity to those who were ignorant of the fact. I will however to be quick to tell you that when making a factual point to a passionate audience like the Dominican public try not to cloud that facts with trivial comments like the Chavez comparison. It waters down your statement and leaves it wanting. That said I think the general feel is that the Pm is clearly not dealing with this in a professional matter. It was Aristotle who coined the phrase, “The law is reason free from passion”. This is the reason why I personally do not have faith in the CCJ as the system leave room for passion. Case in point the Grenadian PM and the Brian Allyene issue. If the PM so desire I would advise you my boy to have your mother counter sue the Government of Dominica for damages, loss of use and the time value of the money she could have enjoyed so many years ago they drag their feet. The issue is not about party it the Government of the day. If the law is truly free from passion you should be coming out of this with at least $30 Million EC. Wipe them up clean for their stupidity. I rest my case.

  24. Ron Green
    March 3, 2010

    when u owe the government (the state) taxes they go to your bank account to take their money and add all kind of interest and penalty to it but when they do not pay on time nutting behind that. pay the woman her dam money mr p.m .you have your millions so pay the woman her millions.

  25. dreams
    March 3, 2010

    pm i agree with u…if the land doe worth the money dont give it to her..challenge it all u dca like to talk when is not all u..but i country and tax payers money if yall realize is not skerro money …so he could have played a who cares…now dat lady just need to relax before she get a heart attack the way she call skerrit and francine name dere..lol….if the land aint worth it doe give her if it does then give her…but leave it to the court

  26. Thoughtful
    March 3, 2010

    I always wonder why a small amount of people own the majority of the best lands in Dominica.

  27. ouboutou
    March 3, 2010

    Oh My God

    Ladies and gentlemen of Dominica,,,,,,it has just started..

    The PM right now believes he is the one and only BOSS. It doesn’t matter if it’s the people’s decision or the court’s decision, as long as it is not his decision, it is not a good one.

    Mr PM you were elected and you are not above the Laws of the land.

    A decision was handed down by the courts, the defendant (Government of Dominica) should honor that decision.

    This is just a matter of, if you are not with me,,,,i will do whatever i can , even change laws, to keep you down.

    It is so sad to see the path our leader is taking, or has taken. Soon, we will no longer be able to talk, muchless be paid what is owed to us.

    God bless us

  28. Dr. Finger
    March 3, 2010

    This is just sour grapes and petty politics on the part of the PM. Come on Roosevelt, why stoop so low? We as a nation owe the lady her money so pay up and shut up. The UWP does not owe the lady, its the government (People) of Dominica. What happen now? You want to question the decision of a tribunal/ court? Nah man that is not fair. Don’t let power and authority cloud you memory. If we owe let us pay and move on. Fighting this battle is not worth it. Regardless of what the legal advisers may say, let common sense prevail and do the right thing.

  29. wow
    March 3, 2010

    Edison, the people of Dominica are still dealing with your mess, now you know why you all lose so badly last elections? ask yourself a question we are watching and we understand clearly that you and your party( UWP) stole the lady land and gave it to the foriegn company for roads which you had to pay up allot, after she caught you, now 15 years later we the people of Dominca has to pay for your foolish decisions man why dont you guys retire, because we are not stupid, we see how manupliative you guys are. SHAME

  30. child
    March 3, 2010

    its not worth it a hell .go ahead pm fight it self (3 million dollars for a piece of land ????????????????)

  31. Grand Bayrian
    March 3, 2010

    It matters not which political party in Power, when a judgement is handed down by the courts it has to be respected. I hope The PM advisers are giving him the correct information. The Dominican Government must respect the ruling of the courts. We should stop playing the blaming game. The More things change in Dominica the more it remains the same.

  32. last dog
    March 3, 2010

    Labour I sorry. Do you have change from the 22 mill campaign money? Dominican’s must realise that you were supported to take this action not against “the Government” but against the UWP. Well the UWP is no longer in office the tables have turned and the money is good.

    The lesson is this “make the words you speak today tender warm and sweet for tomorrow this may be the words you have to eat”

    THE pm’S ADMISSION THAT THE uwp MINISTER AGREED TO COMPENSATE EVEN THOUGH THE GOVERNMENT WAS NOT INVOLVED speaks volume to the good hearted nature, respect for citizens and sensitivity to this widow’s cituation by the UWP. Labour stop canibalising pay Jacklyn and do not forget the elderly supporter Fenton Telemaque.

  33. Dubiqois
    March 3, 2010

    Since I do not know the full extent of the case, I cannot really make an educated commentary. However, just on the surface, it appears that the PM is stooping to a level unbecoming of his stature.

    I have supported many of the things he has done. However, lately, he has begun to get involved in petty political quabbles. Do not spread yourself too thin, PM. Is this a case of misdirected energy?

    $3 mil for 132 acres? Are you kidding? That amount money is infinitesimal for that amount of land. Land value in Dominica has appreciated by a tremendously amount in the past couple of years.

  34. de caribbean change
    March 3, 2010

    A new day is dawning, I am warning you my friends, hold on to your property and will it to your children.

  35. Anonymous
    March 3, 2010

    The late honourable Pierre Charles once said: “Dominicans wear their ignorance like a badge of honour”…………….Now don’t get mad at me folks, ’cause i didn’t say it, the late honourable Pierre Charles did, if y’all got a problem with that take it up with him, HA HA HA (LOL) !!!

  36. Anonymous
    March 3, 2010

    the government will have to make the road private access and charge anyone trying to use the road to access their land so that way the government may recup some of the money

  37. Thoughtful
    March 3, 2010

    3 Million dollars just to cut a road on a piece of land? Geez. My parents have some land in DA and would be more than happy to have a road cut through it for that amount.

    Ok, I am being sarcastic. However I find this a bit high really for a country like Dominica.

  38. BMS
    March 3, 2010

    How ignorance shows in some people. the government of the island is elected fas the government of the people of that country, not for the party and supporters, If a deal is made by one government regardless of a party, and that party gets voted out. it should be kept and the New government should be the one to deal with it, not saying that it was the UWP thats irrelevant, you are the government. I am sure if the deal was to get money from some old deal they would not say ,Give it to the UWP they made the deal, you are the the government you have to pay.

  39. It may be that my comprehension of law and legal matters vary from that of the average Dominican. Nonetheless, I have great difficulties figuring out how a government, or individual, is going to get around a judgment handed down by a court, whereas the ruling of the court was accepted by a former administration.

    The people of the country is the government actually, in a Democracy, the people elect people from a party to represent their interest, thus, the courts ruling went against the people of the country, and not the UWP, or the DLP.

    So, if the defense here is that if we ( the DLP) were in power then, the courts would rule in our favor, is absolutely nonsense!

    Thus, when a private citizen takes an elected government to court for any reason whatsoever, and the court rules in favor of the Plaintiff, and the Defendant, the government loses the case, and restitution is granted to the Plaintiff, whereas the government in fact accepted the decision of the court; in that they did not appeal the courts decision before making payments to the winner, the Plaintiffs, I do not see on what ground a court is going to reverse the original decision.

    I know what I am saying here is going to cause a stench, and I may be subjected to some ridicule, however, we must be fair, and this idea of appealing a judgment on which the government has made some payments should be discouraged, and discarded.

    If the governments defense shall be based on ” the land valued less than the courts award ” then the whole matter will be a waste of time and money.

    In some country’s the attorney, representing the Plaintiff, would have asked for punitive damages, in addition to the courts awarded, which could amount to several millions of dollars more than the original three million dollars awarded the Plaintiff by the court.

    Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque

  40. W
    March 3, 2010

    PEOPLE CONNECT THE DOTS. DO WE NOW UNDERSTAND HOW POLICIES AND AGREEMENTS MADE BY AN ADMINISTRATION NOW AND THEN CAN HAVE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES THAT WILL AFFECT THE ENTIRE NATION.

    IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CONSTANTLY REMAIN ENGAGED IN PROCESS.

    DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE WITHOUT ALL T’S CROSS I’S DOTTED, IS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE DOMINICA PEOPLE. MY PEOPLE WE ARE THE ONES WHO IN THE END ARE ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE, BECAUSE AFTER ALL OUR LEADERS CLAIM THEY DO ALL THIS FOR US.

    I DOUBT THAT THIS WILL BE THE ONLY CASE, SIMILAR IN NATURE, THAT WILL POP UP IN THE FUTURE…

    WE HAVE TO BE WILLING TO BE ENGAGE IN THE PROCESS CONSTANTLY.

    BEST!

  41. magwe sa
    March 3, 2010

    seem like sour grapes to me.UWP screw up or …practices has come back to roost. Skerrit on the other hand is disgusted by the amount of money owed to the land owner but is playing politics. Let’s face it, had this lady been a labor party supporter everything would have been ok. Who knows- an extra million could have been added in there for redistribution . That is just crooked politics .

  42. OrderII
    March 3, 2010

    Pfft, If it were left up to me I wouldn’t pay a damn cent lol. Until UWP got elected into Govt again. Let them pay you cuz its they who contracted the Private company to do it. The Most I think they’ll see out of that is $200,000, in the next 15 years.

  43. Mac-Arthur Haughton
    March 3, 2010

    132 acres, in Hampstead and $3 million dollars, there is a lot more to this I will refrain from further comments.

  44. Roosevelt Theodore
    March 3, 2010

    and in response to some of the comments below, the fees or ” the government awarded her some compensation for her land in acting in good faith” where in fact lawyers fees which are separate from the cost of the compensation. Skerrit is going to low.

    Also the amount of land taken was 132 acres, in Hampstead- if anything the amount is not sufficient to repair the damage.

  45. PLEASED
    March 3, 2010

    Appeal the damn case……look how she lookin beat up after the Drigo guy beat up she and Ms. Willy in Castle Bruce

  46. justice
    March 3, 2010

    Contributor,

    It is is fools like you who make Dominica unliveable. Stop focusing on trival details. IfI am promised $3 million dollars $100,000 is peanuts and I will be upset about the delay. The fact is the government will be wrong to renege on this payment to her. It is too late for that, the government honour the ruling of the courts. Had they been uphappy, there was enough time to address the issue.

  47. Mac-Arthur Haughton
    March 3, 2010

    I can not believe this Prime Minister has to clear up the mess of the United Workers party, who were in power fifteen years ago. What does Mr James have to say about this matter?

    This is not about like or dislike, the Prime Minister is only standing up for the country and defending his budget. It will be the Dominican tax payer’s money that will be used to foot the bill, the money if used to foot this bill was planed to be used else where (nurses, teacher salary increase, elderly, education, Pension tax breaks…ect. Is it possible for the government to give the woman back her Husbands land and cut a new road? Would this action cost less?

  48. Johnny P
    March 3, 2010

    JUSTICE

    from what i understood from Mrs. Theodore the Court never gave a figure, it refered the compensation issue to an Assessor Board, it is this board that fustrated the compensation, Mrs Blomquiste sat as chairperson at one time and met 16 times in that year, yet nothing came out of it.

    She also explained that Mr. Glovello Toussaint was employed as the assessor, but she never said what was his assessment, this morning i heard a Mr. Fingal claiming to be the one that made the assessment.

    Mrs. Theodore should tell us what was the assessment of Mr. Toussaint was it what the Government paid $210,000?

    The Pm is right cause the matter should have been treated as a private one, if the private company sold timber from her property she should challenge him, the question is what was the value of the timber sold? and does she still have the land? did the court ruling rule that the govt compensate for the road acquired only or it included trees cut?

    these are some questions that needs answering!!!

  49. hee
    March 3, 2010

    the amount sounds quite high!

  50. Roosevelt Theodore
    March 3, 2010

    i am the son of Jacqueline Theodore and I would like to clear up some of the issues Skerrit is ‘concerned’ with.

    skerrit doesn’t know what he is talking about- the case has already gone to the privy council in England and the Gov’t under Pierre Charles lost. There is no going court again to distance the gov’t from the case, the only issue is how much the gov’t will pay.

    And on the issue of gov’t responsibility, the Gov’t said they could seize private land to give to foreigners. That is the issue, that why the case was bought against the gov’t. Its like the gov’t seizing ur house to give to a foreigner to use as his business, without ever giving you notice or compensating you. That is very contradictory to the laws of the land- or to any democratic society.

    Skerrit saying the land and the damage caused is less than the requested value is absurd. The damage was accessed by top engineers and surveyors in Dominica, guys with years of experience in their given fields. It wasn’t a number we pulled out of our ass. Since the road was cut and left unpaved, along with the deforestation caused (the foreign company where loggers cutting trees from the estate), there have been landslides destroying the land and this was not added in the figure as the estimate was done over 6 years ago.

    i am very disappointed in skerrit as he is sounding very much like Hugo Chavez, this case says alot about the power of the gov’t to take whoever’s land they like.

  51. roro
    March 3, 2010

    well look roro in d/ca

  52. justice
    March 3, 2010

    I wills ay further that the company was an agent of the government and as a result the agent should be made to compensate Ms. Theordore. Mr. PM it is is too late for appeal and your logic is flawed. If you had an issue with the amount you should have appeal before the tribunal was formed. The final ruling was made a while now and you had every oppurtunity. Making any payments to her indicated that you was satisfied with the ruling. It appears that the situation has changed and that is very disturbing to think you would do that! I wish to express my profound disappointment in the way you are dealing with this matter…

  53. justice
    March 3, 2010

    You know what Mr. PM, as much as I like you, I will have to disagree with you on this one. I am very familiar with this case. The women were violated by the government of the day. Notwithstanding this, she waited years for a judgement and even longer to be awarded. The amount not only represented the value of the property but damages done to the lumber vegetation and loss of use of here property. Land in Calibishe is very expensive right now and the courts did not even factor inflation. I am beginning to feel that you have a personal grudge again Ms. Theodore and it is manifesting itself this way. I have heard that when you dislike someone you go at them where it hurts and I would hate to think that of you. Everyone has their personalities and that is what makes us unique and makes the world interesting. I like you a lot mister PM and voted you but I will also remind you when you are wrong and on this one you are wrong. I feel that the government of the day needs to compensate Ms. Theodore and put the matter to rest.

  54. contributor
    March 3, 2010

    speak the truth lady! when you were on the hot seat you never said you had received any monies from the government. speak the truth! you received and never said that on the hot seat. the way you spoke it’s like you never got any money from the government.

  55. Naty
    March 3, 2010

    I think it is unfair that a ruling was made and now the government is looking to contest the amount that was rewarded.

    I strongly disagree as to whom the blame should fall on; the fact of the matter remains that the deed was done!

    >>>ccording to Prime Minister Skerrit, a private company was responsible for cutting the road at the time under the United Workers Party (UWP) administration, and not his Dominica Labour Party Government.<<<<<

    As the present Government party, the Prime Minister should look into all past mistakes and try to rectify them so that such actions does not repeat itself. In the meantime, the amount that was rewarded should be compensated. By doing this, the current government shows that it stands and support the ruling of the court. Although somewhat high in my opinion, the amount was promised and should be rewarded as such.

    Pay up!!! And look into changing not only the policy of payments but also past mistakes that were made.

    It is never good to cast blame, rather, work on fixing the damage.

  56. Anonymous
    March 3, 2010

    How much land was taken to amount to $3 million?

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