Dominica is not expecting any fallout with Britain over Roseau’s support for Argentina’s claim to the Falkland Islands.
A declaration from the 11th summit of the Venezuelan-led ALBA group of countries, says the heads of state and government of the “Bolivarian Alliance For the Peoples of Our America … reiterate their strongest support for the legitimate claim by the Republic of Argentina on its sovereign right over the Malvinas, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands as well as the surrounding maritime areas”.
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit was part of the decision to support Argentina in its dispute with Britain which owns the Falklands.
However PM Skerrit says what he considers the key part of the declaration is the expressed hope that Argentina and the UK and Northern Ireland “resume negotiations to attain a peaceful and definite solution to the said dispute in accordance with the relevant provisions of the United Nations” the OAS and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States.
The ALBA declaration praises what it describes as the permanent constructive stance and willingness of the Argentinean government to attain through negotiations, a pacific and definite solution “to this anachronistic colonial situation on American soil”.
A delegation from the Falkland Islands visited Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda and a number of other regional states late last year in a bid to get Caribbean support against the Argentinean claims.
The falkland islands have never belonged to Argentina. Never ever. If you google the history of the islands you will see that the British were there before Argentina was a country. We never invaded the islands. We just settled there. France and Spain were the finders, but through peaceful transition were handed to the uk. Way back in the 1800’s. They are also in international waters, and outside of argentine waters. The argentine president is showing signs of a mad dictator, going around the world ranting about the islands. She has the support of Venezuela who declared they would goto war with Argentina against the uk. I understand Hugo Chavez is a maniac who Hates America, and the Americans know it. Britain used to be an empire many years ago. Now we ar just a little country.I think Britain did a lot of good things for the world in her history. So much inventions and education for all. It saddens me that a crazy woman is stirring up trouble to start a problem then blame it on the Brits because they dare send a warship. Remember 1982? They made an illegal invasion, and were responsible for over 900 people dying. We must defend the right of the people who have lived there for 9 generations, even before Argentina was founded, to choose their flag. Have their own country, and live in peace. Argentina want to take that away from them. The islands are not Argentinas. They are not britains. They belong to the falkland islanders. We Just defend then from invasion from hostile and angry regimes.
Wish you all well over In beautiful Dominica!
Regards
mike
All you crying about tax on traveling from the uk to the caribbean now all you talking agains the uk for arjentina while we thousonds of our people in the uk . you have your french papers you can move to france when you kill da . i use to thing you were a smart person awa
Dominica did not support Argentina’s right to the Falkland Islands. Skerritt acted unilaterally (one-man). Totally unacceptable. Dominicans, up to now, know NOTHING about those decisions Skerritt took. Is Skerritt Dominica? Since when?
In 2012, A Leader is still insensitve and bold enough to do those things without consulting with or informing the citizens? What utter DISRESPECT? How could any leader or Govt. treat its people like that? and is not once, nuh, but several times. That is very undemocratic. Such approach to governing a country is nothing more but dictatorial. Too many secret deals and Agreements.
The Dominican people would love to hear Skerritt and his Govt. talk for Dominica on the Bird Island issue. But No. Our Sovereignty, dignity, love for country is fast disappearing. Govt. MOO-MOO about our sovereignty, our Bird Island claimed by Venezuela, but supports argentina’s claim. We are being sold for a FEW DOLLARS MORE. We are kept in the DARK about decisions taken by one man who says is on our behalf. Are we so foolish that Skerritt and only Skerritt should decide everything, make those decisions for all of us all the time? Are we so dumb? The experiment with, and acceptance of Narcissist behaviour have Dominica reeling in pain.
This is unimaginable when the PM relinquished the rights of our OWN land to Chavez without any disputes, and now he is getting involved in a feud over Argentina. Britain and Argentina have already fought over the Falklands Islands in the late 70s and Argentina was spanked by the UK.
Skerrit demonstrates naivety and ignorance on the international stage. A more prudent stance would have been to declare support for the islanders’ right to self-determination. Instead he waded in without thinking and has immediately lost the respect of everyone British – especially those who lost family members liberating the islands from the armed invasion of Argentina’s 1980s military dictatorship. Would he have supported them then too? I fear he simply does what Venezuela and the China tell him to. Perhaps he supports Assad’s Syrian dictatorship, given his friends do. What a shame.
Give me the AM when things smooth
on what basis does the falklands belong to argentina??can someone please school me om=n that please?
Why is our prime minister getting involved in something that is none of our business? We have no dogs in this fight, so why is he sticking his nose in a fight where we do no belong?
Mr. Skerrit, it is all well and good to support ALBA, but you do not have to agree to everything that Chavez says. You will get more respect if you stand on you principles. Right now, you look like a puppet who is being handled by Chavez. There is nothing wrong in politely telling Chavez you will stand on the sidelines on some issues that could potentially come back and bite us. We the Dominican people do not need that.
We have to support what is right. who are you to say what he gets involved it? Is it something wrong that he is doing?
When Skerrit owns Dominica lock, stock and barrel it will no longer be my business what he does. Until then, as a born and bred Dominican, it is my business what he does in my name.
I often wonder why some people don’t remain quiet when others talk. SMFH.
Yes, there is. The islanders themselves said they wish to stay with England.
Tho I support Argentina’s claim, It is also up the the inhabitants of the islands to decided where they stand.
Will someone tell me under what Treaty we lay claim to Aves Island? We can mount a force of “THE PATRIOTS” to occupy it,at least that will keep them busy as they have gone to sleep.
Yes Mr. Skerritt,
Can you imagine the marine ecotourism that is possible on Bird island. Turtles,Humpback whales during the winter. Up to yesterday the boys by the bay were talking about getting permission to fish off Bird Island. But doh worry with them we like it so. Black and poor.
so hold on here u r supportin argentina to stake claim over a set of islands yet u just givin to chavez what should b ours… where dem get this man??? a record that man!!!
Dominica must remember that the UWP who was government at the time allowed Venezuela full right of Bird Island, Antigua’s Government at the time of Tim Hector advised Edison James to pursue the matter and he advised that Dominica will not get into any disputes over it. So, it is not skerrits fault why Bird Island is still runned by the Venezuela.
LEAVE SKERITT OUT OF IT.
Oh Skerrit! Now is the time to tell daddy Chavez to free up Bird Island. You are interfering in big country business while your daddy has laid claim to our Bird Island. Are you a puppet?
Mr PM, before you go canvassing for Argentina’s right to the Falkland Islands, put than same energy into confronting Venezuala on Dominica’s right to Bird Island…geesh!!
IS THE Prime Minister awake, or is he sleeping. Which other minister was present with him at that Alba meeting.Is he smoking some good south American Pipe, OR what.Dominicans! we got work to do,rise and open yours eye.
I would like to know what Is the PM’s decision over Dominica’s dispute over Bird island. AND! Why he not
Sitting and discuss that instead of Argentinas
Problem with England. Talking about Dominica’s issues
Sounds like a better way for the PM to spend his time.
yesjames well said! Couldn’t do better myself!
We have more rights to claim Bird island and Antigua would have more historical rights to claim Montserrat following this logic. I suspect we only cast our vote because of the benefits we expect from doing so. We are portraying ourselves as unmitigated beggars and opportunists.
“Roseau’s support for Argentina’s claim to the Falkland Islands.”
When did Roseau start to have political opinions??????
From the article: ”A declaration from the 11th summit of the Venezuelan-led ALBA group of countries, says the heads of state and government of the “Bolivarian Alliance For the Peoples of Our America … reiterate their strongest support for the legitimate claim by the Republic of Argentina on its sovereign right over the Malvinas, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands as well as the surrounding maritime areas”.
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit was part of the decision to support Argentina in its dispute with Britain which owns the Falklands.”
Does Skerrit care if the UK imposes visa requirements on Dominicans traveling to the UK?
The UK dosent care about us, we are a Republic, blame your fore fathers.
This position coming from the Prime Minister is unbelievable! To get Venezuelan money, the PM seems to be prepared to jettison long standing relations with Britain. As a member of the Commonwealth, I thought Dominica recognizes Britain’s claim over the Falkland Islands. If the PM is now prepared to recognize Argentina’s claim, why doesn’t he similarly ask Venezuela to recognize our complete maritime boundaries?
This Government is conducting Dominica’s foreign relations like a prostitute-anything for money even if it means risking antagonisms with long-standing development partners and the world’s lone superpower.
It really is up to the inhabitants of the Falklands(or the Malvinas) whether they want be remain British subjects, become Argentinians or even proclaim independence.
However, to refer to the islands’ current status as an “anachronistic colonial situation” is a bit rich, bearing in mind that today’s Argentinians themselves are descendants of outside settlers, overwhelmingly of European origin with, at most 2% of the population the descendants of indiginous, Amerindian people.
In other words, the vast majority of Argentinians themselves are of “colonial” stock, who settled native lands, reminiscent of the development of the U.S.A.
Now why don’t we have a similar declaration on Aves (bird) Island ?
Closer home, What about Bird Island??????
i agree argentina should have the rights…. now wouldn’t you expect that our leaders should feel that Bird Island belongs to Dominica hhmmmm…
you stupid man argentina never had posettion of the falklands ever in history what made it worse they invaded sovereign land in 1982 so tell me when u say ur nonesense why do u turn and refer to bird island when basically the people of dca lay claim to it then we give it away my idiotic grandbarian friend shut up keep ur nose out of world politics and tell our president to do the same tell him dont join clubs just so we keep getting money ask the people of falklands what they want before he go and vote ( and ive been to the falklands they dont and never will want to be argentinian and britain will never give them the falklands)
Interesting when we just allow Venezuela to take Bird island from us.