Members of the Opposition United Workers Party are welcoming a decision by the Integrity in Public Office (IPO) to probe the alleged Roosevelt Skerrit villas issue.
The IPO has ruled that it will investigate a complaint filed by talk show host Lennox Linton that Prime Minister Skerrit, as chairman of Cabinet, used his influence to secure concessions for a business venture in which he is alleged to have a business interest.
According to the complaint, “Prime Minister is in breach of section 47(1) of that Act [Integrity In Public Office Act 2003] by virtue of his possession of unaccounted property, namely eight Ocean Front villas at Guillette, Savanne Paille, with an estimated market value of over 8 million EC dollars which cannot be explained by his legal income,” (letter -page 2);(ii) “in order to finance his ownership interest in these villas which he could not afford on his legal income, the Prime Minister accepted ‘gifts, benefits or advantages’ in contravention of item (c) of the Code of Conduct. The source of these gifts, benefits or advantages is clearly a matter for the Integrity Commission to investigate pursuant to the specific responsibility conferred by section 47(2) of the Act”.
The complaint further noted that “on account of his chairmanship of the Cabinet meeting on October 9th, 2007 which granted a full suite of concessions to Blaircourt Property Development Limited for the construction of the villas at Guillette, the Prime Minister breached item of the Code of Conduct by using his official influence to secure concessions for a business venture in which he had an ownership interest”.
It said further that Roosevelt Skerrit is a person in public life by virtue of the fact that he has been a member of the House of Assembly and a Minister of Government listed as items 10 and 11 of Part I of the First Section to the Act.
According to the Commission’s report which was signed by Chairman Johnson, and three other members Alick Lazare, Wendell Lawrence, and Gerald Smith, the complaint concerning section 47(L) of the Act is rejected since it is outwit the Code of Conduct and not within the Commission’s jurisdiction for the reason that section 47(I) is an offence-creating provision that can only be dealt with by the court.
“It is only where the Director of Public Prosecutions has instituted and successfully undertaken criminal proceedings against a person in public life that he can be said to have been “found to be in possession of property or pecuniary resources” contrary to the section. The system of our jurisprudence when a person is accused of a criminal offence is accusatorial not inquisitorial’ And it is the function of a court of competent jurisdiction to find guilt, and not that of the Integrity Commission,” the report indicated.
The IPO stated also that the complaint concerning Rule 1[c) of the Code of Conduct cannot be proceeded with because it is unparticularized, and not supported by the content of the “Evidence Bundle.’
However it said as regards the complaint that Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit as Chairman of the Cabinet used his official influence to secure concessions for a business venture in which he is alleged to have an ownership interest (i.e. Blaircourt Property Development Ltd.) the Commission is of the view that investigation is necessary to ascertain whether Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has committed a breach of the provision of Rule 1[e) of the Code of Conduct and an inquiry shall be held into this matter.
General Secretary of the UWP Edison James is describing the move as a step in the right direction.
James told an interview Tuesday, that justice must prevail in this matter.
According to James, “the IPO was set up to deal with these issues to safeguard the country against people in public life, abusing their authority and taking personal advantage.”
Prime Minister Skerrit has made it categorically clear that he doesn’t own the villas, but James said “obviously the commission has seen a basis for them to be suspicious that he owns the villas. If Skerrit were indeed the owner of the property concerned, he would have had to declare it to the IPO as part of his assets.”
Meantime UWP Leader Ron Green said it’s a happy moment for Dominica.
“It’s a happy moment for Dominica. I think it’s important that all charges of that nature-regarding personal enrichment-be fully investigated and I am happy that the IPO has taken that decision to fully investigate it,” he said.
Open advice to Lennox Linton that his shoe box of purloined Emails and hacked electronic messages will not be accepted in any court of law.The court will not condescend to Mr Lintons level by reviewing what are obviously stolen property,does Mr Linton not know about the CLEAN HANDS rule.When Mr Linton is asked the all to important question “How did you come by these documents”,either as a coward he will sell out his Deep Throat or face the consequences.Mr Linton better be careful with his SHOE BOX filled with purloined Emails
YOU ALL ARE KILLING DA NO PM. BECAUSE WHO NEVER HAD JOBS IN DA ARE WORKING NO MATTER WHAT THEY ARE GETTING A SALARY. I WAS IN DA
LAST WEEK AND I SAW SOME INPROVEMENT. PLEASE
WORK TOGETHER AND TRY TO MAKE DA A BETTER
ISLAND. IT IS SO SAD BECAUSE OF SO MUCH OF
HATRED JEALOUSY AND MALICE YOU ALL ARE DESTROYING DA.
DA
some time ago the IPO was ineffective, rubbish, poitical etc etc, today the IPO has decided it will INVESTIGATE, I REPEAT INVESTIGATE THIS ALLEGATION, AND SUDDENLY THE ipo is everything good we have al;ready proven guilt because there is going to be an investigation. I am happy so we will once and for all get over this thing.
WE GET BARRABASS,THE CRIMINAL WHAT CAN WE ASK FOR NOW,IS FOR JESUS TO HELP US,
CAUSE REPEATING GOD IS GOOD COULD NOT MAKE HIM JESUS.THE PERSON THAT CALLED HIM JESUS
BROUGHT CURSED TOO THE MAN.
SO BARRABASS WE GOT.
BJ THAT FULL HIM.
we all know that there is corruption with governments.
difference is , this govt is not using state resources, unlike the UWP did.
still bouquets to UWP to want to investigate and brickbats to the DLP for not investigating the UWP and holding them accountable when they first came into office in 2000.
Corruption is corruption ya!
u knw what i think they should do. investigate both parties. common pple think, see hw money waisting on like tht. common UWP party stop them shit their cause u guys did the same.u all were in power an d/ca was down look skerrit there trying to mke d/ca look alil better all u vex, why? just join hands and build d country. doing all this nonsense only going to keep the country back.stupss i tired here all u. election pass already. go bulid busineses to provide employment and stop waisting money.
i meant hear instead of here and build instead of bulid
PM skerrit tell them no retreat no surrender
It is amazing how we as a people can be so divided. We do not agree on the simplest of things. We say good is bad for some things or people and likewise say bad is good for others. I have seen so many of us here crying down the PM/Govt. and the opposition. Am sure we can find many good things to say about the PM or the opposition, but we just will not because we who cry corruption are not much different. We do our best to kill some of our people and do the same to lift others.
People Dominica belongs to us. Lets not get fooled by these politicians. Let us all judged them on the facts that we have and not the propagandas that are so easily decimated throughout the media and haters. Lets do what we can and punish them at the polies whether they be on the Govt. side or opposition.
Please people, now that an investigation has been lunched in allegations made against the PM, let us all allow the investigation to take its due course and let us move on with the country business. Lets not be distracted by the negative but press forward with the positive. Dominica is ours to build.
i am amazed at the way we think in dominica and especially in this day and age. bon diay we really not easy some times …
sometimes i think maybe i should join the merry gang and profit personally no matter what
the real shameful thing is that if it was UWP that was in office some of us would be burning fire on them …i know because i did when they were there …. so why do we now believe that because is skerrit we should just turn the other cheek?
the day will soon come when we will regret our actions eh … dominica is a blessed country, but alas we could have so much more if them shit was not happening
sometimes i wonder if i even dare think that i am dominica …much less to say it
one word “utter rubbish”
let’s Wait for the investigation to put Eddie , Linton and the UWP at peace,
IS THE GOVERNMENT FAULT, FIRST THING THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE WHEN THEY GET IN OFFICE WAS INVESTIGATE THE UWP, TODAY THEY WOULD KEEP THERE BOTTOM QUITE. AND NOT BRAGGING LIKE THAT THAT’S WHY THEY ARE DOING THAT IS TO KEEP THE GOVERNMENT BUSY SO THEY WONT HAVE TIME TO GO THROUGH THEM.AND THERE CORRUPTION
GOOD EDDISON JAMES RON GREEN AND THE UWP,,GLAD FOR EVERYTHING BUT ONE THING WE TELLING YOU ALL WHEN YOU ALL COME IN POWER THERE WILL BE NO OPPOSITION THE OPPOSITION PARTY WILL BE US AND IT WILL BE WORST FOR YOU ALL SO U ALL BETTER BECAREFULL ALL YOU ASS WITH US WE WATCHING AND WAITING FOR ALL TO WIN NEXT ELECTION
I do believe that UWP had corruption too.I am not an advocate for UWP,I am an advocate for Dominica.It is just remarkable that human beings tolerate that”they used to do it too”.Two wrongs does not make it right.There is a time when an example need to me made and there is a time for cleansing and being in anew.Politicians are beholden to special interests.The game is to secure political clout and milk the system for they and their friends.It happen under Patrick John,it happened under Eugenia Charles and it happened under Edison James.There was so much hope for Dominica when Rosie Douglas became Prime Minister,but he has gone to soon and the hopes of a better more progressive Dominica died too.It is now a wild wild west situation.
YOU ARE ABSOLUTYELY CORRECT MYSTIC 71. I REJECTED CORRUPTION UNDER UWP. IN 2000 I VOTED AGAINST UWP FOR THAT REASON. THERE IS NO WAY I AM GOING TO SUPPORT WORSTE CORRUPTION UNDER LABOUR. I DON’T BELIEVE IN PARTY. I BELIEVE IN STANDARDS AND FAIRPLAY.I VOTED AGAINST UWP IN 2000, BUT IF I KNEW THAT THIS IS WHAT IT WOULD HAVE LEAD TO I WOULD HAVE VOTED FOR THEM. I AM STILL TRYING TO UNDO MY MISTAKE…AND ONE DAY IT WILL BE UNDONE. PRAISE GOD FOR THAT
Well do the investigation and let’s get this episode behind us. there is much work to do in this country and wasting time and resources on investigations of little significance robs us of the precious little that we could have focused on more important aspects of our development.
This investigation will yield nothing and will prove another futile attempt by the opposition to create unease within government’s ranks. Lennox and the rest of the ‘motley herd’ are trying hard to create all sorts of distractions for government and it’s leadership but let this one be another loss for their archives.
these people are just sick.
way papa if that is not an important issue I wonder what is? Come on people we need to be serious about law and order in this country.
Atlas one institution is attempting to seek accountability and maintain the democratic system of government in Dominica.Every poor nation in the world became poor because they destroyed their institutions. Well done.
I don’t kno why this people don’t lost them self some were far and live the P.M alone
two wrong dont make a right stop being on the defense
What are you happy about. I wonder if the former UWP members have never taken gifts of any sought. What is not known doesnot mean it did not exist. UWP you make me so sick that you pretend that you never take any bribes, what about the sale of Dominica passport to foreign officials, the list goes on and on.
There are many other important issues that needs to be addressed.
two wrong dont make a right stop being fooled
Amazed you are really amazing, pl read the article and make sense out of what you read, there was no IPO act during UWP governance of this country, pl,pl, pl, move to the next level
your comment has not denied the allegations eh!!! eehh!!! why??
you listing one thing and saying the list goes on and on
wake up foolish Dominicans
HA! I BET YOU WERE RESPONDING TO A LABOURITE! HA!
oh you are so right …. i too convinced that they have done things too. but remember brother astaphan investigated and found nothing..maybe as earl claimed they knew how to cover their tracks… but don’t you think that we have too many allegations in government these days….if a quarter of these allegations are true then what does this say about our present administration?
i believe that it’s high time that when politicians form the fool we put them in their place and i don’t care which side of the fence they are sitting on. we need to send a clear message once and for all that these things will not be tolerated. because in the end if we only talk and take no action we are the ones who are being short-changed and made complete fools of.
there must be a zero tolerance on these matters and our politicians must be taught (if necessary) that they are the servants of the people and not our masters. let’s face it i am not going to have any servant in my house doing what he/she wants with my property.
and make no mistake … government’s property is in serious danger these days
Of course those UWP bandits had their own party the good thing is that they only had 4 years in office. What is frightening however is that the DLP has taken this corruption to the highest Next Level. While UWP had their own on stage corruption there was never scandal after scandal. The same DLP that promised to prosecute the former UWP administrative cabinet did nothing to prove the allegations of corruption against the UWP.
Stop being a donkey @ amazed…
Amazed, well i’m not amazed at your retort, the country is full of people like you who would rather see the country sold down the drain for your own greed.
The laws were made to protect you and all Dominicans and while I accept your right to support whom ever you want you cannot seperate parts of the law as it suits you.
If you have evidense or reason to think the opposition are doing wrong as it pertains to the IPO then take it to them stop being an idiot.
TRULY PUT
all wrong is wrong i say invistigate him…just yesterday all you was happy the young man from calibishie was shot dead and was saying they both should have been shot cuz they want to live a life of crime..well if you cant do the time don’t do the crime so IPO i support your decision 1000%
the list goes on and on pls go ahead enlighten me as to the so on and on pls i beg.
Let he that is without sin throw the first stone.
There was only one, and he walked the earth among us in the form of an ordibary man. Now that they are out they claim to see clearly inside, but when they were in, no one could see what they were doing.
they knew how to cover their tracks….
For once i agree with the UWP, investigations into these allegations were long overdue and it is indeed a happy day for the Dominica.
But here is my two cents:
After all is said and done and after the findings and results are given, I hope that the matter will be dealt with appropriately. If Mr. Sklerrit is guilty penalize him, but if he is found to be innocent……….MEN…..let it rest.
Bravo…. well said
I would prefer stand on the side of caution than on the side of optimism. I can’t help but to take this position as we all know that the very people who are supposedly trained in criminal investigation are already in the pockets of those to be investigated. We need look to far- take a quick look at the Xmas day fire. After such a fiasco how can we have faith in the justice system.
I will also put my neck on the line and state that plans are already in place ” to derail any investigation by the IPO. After all the spin doctor had already made all kinds of move to “kaibwosh” the Villa issue. Don’t forget that he was adamantly against Dave Bruney being on the commission so I suspect he will pursue the matter from that perspective.
You all are just jockers. It doesn’t matter whether the person is not guilty. We have already found him guilty before reviewing the facts. Tell me whos corrupt now.
It is the right thing to do in the name of justice. It’s also high time to investigate all allegations of corruption by Mr. Skerrit and his gang. How long can this continue without anyone being held accountable for their actions? Whatever happens in the dark, will definitely be revealed in broad daylight.