Among the many notable achievements of the late Patrick Roland John, Dominica’s first prime minister, was the work which he undertook both in and out of politics, to improve the lives of the citizens.
This sentiment was expressed by John’s long time friend, Simeon Joseph, who delivered the eulogy at the funeral service of the former prime minister on September 30, 2021, at the St Gerard’s Cathedral Chapel.
Capturing his former companion’s life, work and political legacy, Joseph noted that John was a very generous person who made a lot of sacrifices, not only for his family, but for anyone with whom he came in contact.
“Patrick was always good at providing people with methods and techniques to navigate out of their situations and consoled everyone often…Patrick was ever-present and willing to instill faith and hope to anyone who had the fortune to just sit and chat with him,” he stated.
According to Joseph, the former leader wanted for “the little man”, what “the little man” did not even realize he was fighting for on their behalf which included, self-sustenance, a dignified life, true independence to provide for themselves, and love and respect for one another.
Joseph recalled that in order to be able to advocate for the concerns of workers on the island, in 1960, John became involved in trade unionism and attended courses on industrial relations and trade unionism in Jamaica and Canada, a move which would eventually lead him to become the general secretary of The Waterfront and Allied Workers Union (WAWU), which he had helped to found.
In 1965, at the age of 28, he was elected to the influential post of mayor of the island’s capital, Roseau – the youngest to be so elected.
He later entered the legislature in 1970 as a member of E.O. LeBlanc’s ruling Dominica Labour Party, and subsequently held several ministerial posts. When, as the country’s first premier, LeBlanc resigned in 1974, John succeeded him as premier and also assumed the portfolios of Finance and Agriculture.
Joseph said it was a “sad reality” that for anyone born after 1980, the caption which they associated with Patrick John is that he went to prison for treason, or that he was power-hungry and corrupt.
“To me, these proverbial references of PJ is a sad and embarrassing scandal which seeks to overshadow any good that Patrick may have done and in fact, who he really was,” he said. “…Patrick is best known for what he is not.”
Joseph went on to describe his friend as a humble man who held on to no earthly goods or possessions, and who knew that the power that he assumed was not held by him but granted to him for a while.
“Patrick, in reality, was consumed by his everlasting love for people, and he used, or some say misused, power, the power of the office of premier and prime minister of Dominica, to try and defend his people and his country,” he stated.
In 1983, John and others were arrested and charged for attempting to overthrow the Freedom Party Government but Joseph pointed out that “in court cases which followed, the trial judge found that John had no case to answer and he was released.”
The State appealed and the Court of Appeal ordered a new trial which was held in 1985. However, Joseph claims that in that trial, which resulted in John’s conviction and imprisonment for 12 years, the former prime minister was allegedly denied his overseas lawyer and the funds raised by his own party for his defence and suggested that the conviction was arrived at by a biased jury.
“The grandest of all myths, however, would be the slightest notion that Patrick was corrupt – because he was not and to this day none of these allegations has been proven or evidence brought forward,” PJ’s longtime friend declared. “In fact, he was a very charitable man, sometimes dipping his hand into his own pockets to support many of the people who would come to him for assistance.”
“There is no family member or child or in-law who can lay claim to the fact that Patrick even pulled strings for them. He left power with less than what he entered with and to use the phrase of the late Thomas Baptist- “clean I come clean I go – clean Patrick came, clean Patrick went,” he added.
Joseph revealed that John’s mission of love, compassion, care and service was based not only on his childhood and upbringing but on a promise to his mother to stand for the poor on the eve of her passing and although his attempts ended in political tragedy, according to Joseph, John believed that it is because of his mission for the ordinary man that he paid the ultimate political penalty.
Joseph noted that the former premier and prime minister’s pre-eminent achievement was the establishment of the Dominica Social Security (DSS) and the External Trade Bureau since they both catered for the needs of the poor man and “relieved them from the oppression and mercies of the controlling mercantile class.”
Under Patrick’s leadership, Dominica also saw the establishment of the National Bank of Dominica (NBD), the expansion of the Agricultural Industrial and Development (AID) Bank, the establishment of Dominica Broadcasting Corporation (DBS), the construction of the Deepwater Harbour, the Canefield Airport, and some two thousand low-cost houses and units at Bath Estate, Canefield, Point Mitchell and Calibishie.
Additional projects included the expansion of the Dominica State College (DSC), the beginning of primary health care, the establishment of the housing development corporation, the upgrading of the local government department to the self-help scheme which began the construction of many feeder roads, community centres, cooperatives and health clinics built by people of the communities for people of the communities and also the establishment of the cultural division and the Old mill cultural centre.
Joseph described John as one of the last true labour stalwarts who passionately believe in the union and the labour movement and declared that as long as human and workers’ rights exist in Dominica, “Patrick’s footprints will forever be present.”
He lamented that while there is the EO Leblanc Highway, Dame Eugenia Charles Boulevard, Roosevelt Douglas Primary school, Pierre Charles Secondary School and soon-to-be Ed Registe Primary School, there is no national edifice named after the country’s first prime minister.
Servant of Satan the devil; it is not about ole donut eh; we are talking about the KKK John had arranged to come into Dominica to aid in the overthrow of the government which defeated him in an election.
Did Roosevelt pay you some corrupted money to say something good (nice) about him?
I would not be surprised since it was brought to my attention that a certain man had a trucking business; lost it due to Roosevelt victimization; he went into politics I hear he is a medical doctor: As far as I know that is true!
But; it is alleged (dem say) him turn coat; because a certain man name Roosevelt gave him four ($4,000,000.00) million and a hospital job simply to say something good about Roosevelt eh!
I know de man name eh; but I doh talking eh; sufficient to say him brother still married to one of me cousin in Canada.
I know but I doh talking eh; even if alyou string me up; me feet dangling, I rather take de hanging, an dead; but I doh talking!
…
Dods . You have so much hate in you that you will never take the time to know someone before you open your mouth. You talk about KKK but you never take the time to talk the good that he did . As a laborite for all my life I agree that PJ. Did make mistakes as Eugenia Charles and the others. But you are so one sided that you could not wait to talk about PJ. Have not been buried yet but you are running your mouth. That tells every one what kind of person you are not a human been.
Guy you need to shut up, because you don’t know what the hell you talking about; tell me where you saw me wrote anything hateful about Patrick John?
If you wish to argue; let it be the about something you know; very strange now that John is dead; you all are covering his grave with Roses.
Where were you when he was alive and sick; you all and Roosevelt Skerrit treated him like a dog; having him lying around as a common pauper at Melville Airport!
Wrong as John conduct was; he deserved better!
Where was your voice to condemned the treatment Dominica (Roosevelt Government) gave to him. Why didn’t you come out and suggest Dominica government gave John his bed of Roses while he was yet alive; after all he did for the country!
Guy; shut up okay; just shut up because you don’t know what you talking about; I do not lie on people; the attempted coup d’etat which he organized happened; so, Just shut up!
Let me tell you something boy; I do not have any reason to hate anybody in this life; and especially in Dominica!
Let it be know to you; there is nothing anybody in Dominica have that money can buy; that I cannot posses if I so desire; okay; I have everything that a man of my should have and lots more; so hate is not on my agenda; I play politics; if think what I say is hateful, is because your understanding is low and inferior to mine.
You see I don’t want anything from you all Dominica; I don’t even know if I will ever set foot in Dominica, again; although I have plenty in assets in Dominica; things Id not even want!
When I die any of my nieces or nephews can fight for what I will leave there!
I don’t have thieving billions to leave behind; I have enough to leave behind; “evil thinks as evil does;” you are filled with hate; not me!
Charles Savarin and others were just too wicked and today he is part and parcel of a far more wicked Roosevelt Skerrit and he says nothing, well he is part of it. That’s why I just can’t believe how some that call themselves labor supporting that evil. They just using the poor to accumulate more wealth. But there is a God above and I have to live to see the reward of these wicked and evil beast
It is really sad that two of the Prime Ministers who contributed most to the development of Dominica have no public edifice in their names – Edison James and Patrick John. The intention seems to wipe their time in service out of our history books. Under the reign of Edison James the entire Tertiary Education System was reformed-North East Comprehensive, Grand Bay Secondary, Castle Bruce Secondary and PSS Expansion and library. Yet those who never built a school have their names on it. But your legacy can never be formed after your death.
When i listen to those who knew about PJ and his accomplishments, i wonder why the present day Prime Minister (a misleader), is so hungry for praises, when PJ gave us housing projects, Social Security, the National, Bank, Canefield airport, and countless others, and he never expected any praise from anyone..This liar called Skerrit, a former freedomite, is riding high on the name Labour, (a party he has killed), but his mismanagement of the affairs of Dominica is unparallelled…Dodgy diplomats, unaccounted monies, trickery, lies, deceipt, deception, stealing of elections, killing of state institutions, greed, living in opulence, etc, etc, etc.All those things were anathema to PJ.
May you rest in eternal peace PJ!!!
Patrick John, our first prime Minister, lived to improve the lives of the poor. To the contrary today our sitting Prime Minister is using the same poor to enrich himself while he makes both the rich and the poor power; how sad 😭😭😭
Patrick John gave us independence so we could be free to develop ourselves as a people. Sadly our current Prime minister sold us to China and criminals around the world and we don’t even know how much he sold us for.
Knowing Patrick John as well as I know him I would not be surprised that the realities of what Skerrit did to Dominica brought him to his grave earlier than he would have liked.
RIP true hero and patriot
All human beings are imperfect. Was Patrick John perfect? Of course, he was not. He made mistakes like all other human beings. Should he be deprived Of honnour because of his human frailties? If so, then hardly anyone would be honoured.
Should some significant public monument or edifice be named in his honour? The answer is a resounding ‘YES’.
It’s not only a shame but a damn shame, that the Father of modern day Dominica, Patrick R. John, has nothing, not even a street, named in his honour. The news media, private sector, the whole of civil society should agitate for this to be done soonest.
The late minister of government, Mr. Registe, has not even been interned as yet but a school would bear his name. Don’t you think that former prime minister, Patrick John, is just or even more deserving? Come on now! Take off your blinding red coloured glasses.
It is interred and not interned. Where is your command of the English language and your vocabulary? You would not do well in the spelling B competition. That is why PJ made mistakes like you and as a result has nothing in his name. PJs successes may have been overshadowed by his unsuccessful attempts on the late Miss Charles.
Anyone noticed that there are not many comments written about the late Patrick John?
If I was asks why; my answer would be, although he was the first Prime Minister of Dominica, leaving out his efforts to bring the KKK into Dominica in order to get rid of a government; I would contend that the generation which supported him, and those who did not are practically all dead!
The lack of submissions about him and history is an indication that there is a new young generation which knows nothing about the man.
And so we can look forward to the day to the day when Roosevelt shall exit into oblivion, when the new generation will forget the hardship and suffering he has caused the people of our nation.
All have sin and fall short of the Glory of God; John was human; power corrupts, but I would much prefer to have Patrick rule over Dominica for a hundred years than Roosevelt rule for one day!
We are born, we live we wreak as much havoc; we die, and are forgotten by man!
GoodDay Mr Rifleman Telemaque who mostly shoots straight. I sure did observe the numbers were miniscule at best. I stand to be corrected, when the iconic Ted Dailey retired from the air waves there were hundreds (high) of comments all wishing him a long, healthy, and happy retirement!
On the KKK comment that was the era Fake News was introduced or invented on a large scale to the Caribbean. I prefer to call it harmful information. HI. It was propagated that Mr. John was planning by force with the help of a few Klansmen of a neo-Nazi mindsets, by means of a old fish trawler to attack legitimate governments and nullify them. Thereby becoming the ” strongman leader” of Dominica, Grenada and the “devil” knows where else.
If that was not fake I dare to say it was Punk News. And many people swallowed it – bait, line and sinker.
Remember; a woman working with the KKK was in Dominica, and was captured by the police, arrested, and indeed serve jail time in Dominica for her part in the plot.
The Bottom line is one of the reasons Eugenia Charles sent John to jail was because he went on an overseas trip, and on his return he could not account for a mega “three ($3.00) dollars; that is what started the whole thing; the rest ask the criminal instigator de El Presedente’ Charles Savarin oui!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahah
Mr Telemaque here is my response to your first statement.
Oh Yea! There was a plot alright. But we need to see beyond the smoke screen. A woman caught, yes. What was her true profession? Who were the other people she flirted with while on the Island, before she was arrested? Were they ever mentioned, or interrogated? Was there any incriminating evidence found in her possession? If so did they lead to Mr. John? How many other invaders if any were caught on the Island, tried, and sent to prison or asked to leave?
Which Democratic country outside the Caribbean was growing restless of Cuban soldiers and operatives in Grenada?
My next question is who lured those mercenaries out by means of an AD or otherwise in the US? How swiftly were they arrested and tried in the US before before the dilapidated fishing trawler left its ‘resting place’ in the bayous of Louisiana? How many were slapped on the wrist and sent home?
Let us start some critical thinking here onwards…
Legitimate questions indeed; she had to have some connection on the island; otherwise she would not be involved in the plot;her main purpose however was to signal the KKK; when the time was appropriate to in call the KKK unto the island.
Be it by Telephone; Shortwave Radio; or other means.
And I believe she may have confessed confirming her involvement.
As for the following I do not have an answer; because I don’t know!
“My next question is who lured those mercenaries out by means of an AD or otherwise in the US? How swiftly were they arrested and tried in the US before before the dilapidated fishing trawler left its ‘resting place’ in the bayous of Louisiana? How many were slapped on the wrist and sent home?”
Don’t think I was informed on your question above?
So, alyou see I doh know everything eh:
Hahahahahahahahahahahahah!
You know I don’t believe John had any thought of getting involved in any Grenada thing this is a first to my ear; nevertheless; my cousin Louis Robinson knows everything about that.
So I need to talk to him about that, and asks some questions; he was very close to John; in employment; and politically; when John set up the development bank Louis was part of the operation; you could not get a loan unless he gave his stamp of approval.
Roosevelt Skerrit has done more for Dominica than all the Chief Ministers, Premiers, Prime Ministers of the past put together have done for Dominica. Are you a new generation who does not know Roosevelt Skerrit or an old donut who is blind to see what is before him?