A week-long protest demanding the resignation of Attorney General Levi Peter over his recent “drumstick” comment in Parliament continues to gather momentum. On Thursday morning, Dominica News Online (DNO) caught up with Rosie Felix, the former president of the Dominica Nurses Association (DNA), a lone protestor who stood outside the parliament building, chanting, “Levi must go.”
During the interview, Felix explained that AG Peter’s reference to the opposition nominee for president, Anette Sanford, by the aforementioned term was one of the most disrespectful actions to come from a parliament member. Therefore she expressed her
unwavering commitment to the protest until Peter either resigns or is removed from office.
Felix criticised Peter, stating, “The dishonourable Levi Peter, who was supposed to be giving congratulatory remarks, chose to add derogatory remarks about the opposition nominee, who also happens to be a Kalinago woman, referring to her as a drumstick.”
Peter has since commented on the matter, initially claiming his comments were taken out of context while issuing an apology. However, Felix remains skeptical about the sincerity of his apology, citing his initial excuses for his actions and his statement in the
House, where he suggested using stronger language in a different setting.
As such, the nursing professional believes that Peter’s comments were calculated and intended as an attack on her colleague, Mrs. Sanford, who is also a former parliament member.
“So that’s why I’m standing up for women. Mrs Sanford not only represents herself, she represents all of the women from Dominica,” she stated to DNO.
“This is the last time a parliamentarian will degrade a woman in Parliament, he must, he must, he has got to go.”
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has also commented on the matter, urging everyone to “move on.”
He expressed his belief that Peter’s apology and clarification should be accepted, arguing that the comment does not warrant resignation. Skerrit questioned the sincerity of those objecting and pointed out that similar offensive comments about women in the past did not receive the same attention from women’s rights organisations.
However, Felix maintained that she would have taken the same steps to demand resignation if the comment had been made by an opposition member.
“The prime minister always boasts that he has the most female parliamentarians but how do you protect them? How do you stand for them? It is just unacceptable. Where do we draw the line for disrespect in the parliament?” she questioned.
Felix used the opportunity to call on the Minister for Gender Affairs and the new president, whom she congratulated on her election, to condemn the statement. She urged the Speaker of the House, Joseph Isaac, to bring the member responsible for the “drumstick attack” back to Parliament and have him withdraw his comments.
She went on to encourage other Dominicans to speak out against injustices, emphasising that tolerating abuse is not an option.
“Dominica is constantly being abused in so many ways and we are lying down and taking this abuse and we are giving excuses for us to not stand up but one of these days it will either be too late or if we really decide to stand up we will be victorious,” she said.
“It is not the first time that I am standing for a sister nurse it is not the first time I am standing for an abused woman, and I will continue to do it,” Felix added
While she did not disclose her next move she vowed to continue on with her actions and urged anyone willing to join forces with her to contact her at telephone number 1 767 617 0833.
Since Peter’s comment on September 27, there has been growing anger and a chorus of public demands for either an apology or Peter’s resignation. Various individuals and organisations, including the Dominica Nurses Association (DNA), the Dominica
National Council of Women (DNCW), and President of the United Workers Party, Lennox Linton, as well as social and cultural activist Delia Cuffy Weekes, have expressed their concerns, as previously reported by Dominica News Online (DNO).
Get rid of this sorry excuse of a man!
Children calling each other names in the kindergarten playground that is Dominica. It’s all pathetic. Grow up.
If someone refer to someone as a drumstick and you know to a fact you’re not a drumstick why make this a problem. If you want to be a politicians and thin skin it not for you sister. In politics you must have back to take blows and sustain it. If this lil drumstick talk hurting you well you’re in the wrong profession muchless to be president. Most people like fry drumstick so this simple mean you’re are being like all our Dominica and you vexed. In law that’s how it is, you compared something to explain something. My interpretation is that you’re a nice lady. Maybe if Levi had said you’re an apple or a rose you would feel better.
But there remains the issue of common decency and basic respect. Skerrit and his gangster demand that for themselves but equally they love dishing it out to people that refuse to sing their song. The government is made up of hypocrites.
A text taken out of context is a pretext. This deafening drumroll with tolling bells against “drumstick comments” is nothing but a pretext for diverting attention away from the historic presidency of H E Sylvanie Burton and the visionary foresight of P M Dr. Rousvelt Skerritt.
Here’s why: The chances of Annette Sanford becoming President of Dominica was 9 times better than the chances of her securing the resignation or dismissal of AG Peter. Place your bets.
AG do not resign. I am already disappointed you even attempted to apologize. There is nothing to apologize for as any half brain could see you only referenced what was said by the member for castle Bruce. Let all children go to sleep on their makintosh. There are more important things to discuss.
Levi only in Dominica you skerrit austrie can do that, somwhere else people would find your homes your wife your girl children, your side chick, and call them S ,P, then you would know what its all about bunch of grumpy and disgusting preverts.
In the house of commess you all have balls but in the streets you all a bunch of cowards.
You know, anger can be detected in someone’s written comments, as in your case, yes it is a crippling emotion, it robs you of reason. I will end my comment with this, saying, most misunderstandings in the world could be avoided if people would simply take the time to ask, what else could this mean.
Your last sentence has exposed how outstandingly daft you are. Your comprehension skills can be equated to that of an amoeba.
How about a paramecium, Mr. Impeccable? You keep insulting people yet, you demand an apology for calling you a drumstick.
It is funny, the content of your reply does not surprise me at all, it is consistent with your ad hominem attacks, which only shows weakness on your part.
My apologies to Percy Bysshe Shelley for the minor addition , but it so closely reflects the situation here. Please read the entire poem, The Mask of Anarchy., if you can.
“Next came Fraud, and he had on,
Like Eldon, an ermined gown;
His big tears, for he wept well,
Turned to mill-stones as they fell.
“Last came Anarchy: he rode
On a white horse, splashed with blood;
He was pale even to the lips,
Like Death in the Apocalypse.
And he wore a kingly crown;
And in his grasp a sceptre shone;
On his brow this mark I saw—
‘I am God, and King, and Law!’
‘Thou art clothes, and fire, and food
For the trampled multitude—
No—in countries that are free
Such starvation cannot be
“As in England (Dominica) now we see.
Ye who suffer woes untold,
Or to feel, or to behold
Your lost country bought and sold
With a price of blood and gold—
‘Rise like Lions after slumber
In unvanquishable number—
Shake your chains to earth like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you—
Ye are many—they are few.
Why are you trying to sell a truth with deceptive intentions. Yes, it is a nice poem, but why use such a poem to justify your perception and your partisan beliefs as to what you believe about the current issue, does it really relates to Dominica, lol, is there anarchy in the Country that is being masked. I wonder if you really understood what anarchy means before you wrote such comment. I would describe your comment as ludicrous reasoning on your part, it is very sad as to what partisan politics can do to the mind.
@Gary, first I thought of challenging the piffle that you’ve written here, but then I asked, what’s the use? So all I’ll say is I’ll leave it to those with a modicum of intelligence to read and understand the poem – either the bits that I’ve posted or the entire thing.
Lol, the issue is not about reading and understanding the poem, it’s your deceptive representation of an issue using such a poem that is irrelevant to what you believe or conceive about Dominica. You know it would be more authentic expressing your opinion as to what you believe rather than using the poem to justify what you believe.
The modicum of intelligence that is needed is to
ask, is there anarchy in the Country that is being masked.
The bishop and Cardinal were humiliated and called all sorts of names in Marigot no one asked them to apologized, none of them condemned the act but parading over drumstick. Drumsticks make noise and this is what you all are doing with a bell on on the street.
Here we go… the bishop and the cardinal… They deserved ALL they got, the bishop and the cardinal and the braying donkey.
The man apologized, you should focus on the nurses with the bad attitudes being you are the president. When young women were called prostitutes and other women were called bad names you all did nothing. If you can do it for one, you should do it for all.
By not resigning from her job after accepting the nomination for President as per Section 21(2) of the constitution is dishonesty.Therefore Annette Sanford is dishonest.DNO will not post that comment because it is NOT against Labour.Everybody supporting the wilfull and calculated violation of the constitution is a crook,traitor and a drumstick.Levi should not resign and he should not apologize.Labourites should take to the streets demanding the dismissal of Annette Sanford from the state college for violating the constitution.Instead we are hearing a one woman protest as gaining momentum,a protest that has not attracted more the six people.According to DNO a decrease in activities is gaining momentum.Another arm of the useless UWP failed political party.
I do not believe in ad hominem, but I feel I must say this. Your post’s grammar is an ergregious rape of the English language, in text form. Where is your spacing after every full stop? Those 12 people who disagree with you probably almost got an aneurysm trying to follow your post
why all those that talking now did not stand and talk when Linton call them prostitute why they did not stand and say to stop say things about the pm wife but no those fool will not talk but they have mouth to talk now so what if she is a Dumstick that have nothing to do with what the man say they vex because Annette did not win but she don’t have what it takes so she need to behave her lelf and those fools need to stop what they are doing they should not vex for petty things so many things uwp saying on DLP woman and they not acting like that Annette need to stop that nonsense uwp not doing anything for Dominica they are dead
That’s a lie perpetrated by fools who try to defend the indefensible wrongs committed by Roosevelt and his amoral disciples.
Even if you only have a medium of intelligence, after listening to the particular clip, no honest, sensible person would accuse Mr. Lennox Linton of using that derogatory term to describe the fairer sex.
But, no surprise that the minions of a failed ruler are ‘trying a ting’ to discredit this patriot. That’s their modus operandi. Tarnish, soil, discolour Mr. Linton’s impeccable, and immaculate character. This smear campaign has not succeeded for the last twenty years and will NOT prevail now, NEVER.
When you make comments like this, it clearly exposes your true purpose on this forum, questioning what you believe is fruitless. I will tell you this, belief can contribute to the death of intelligence, does Mr. Linton’s has an impeccable, and immaculate character, do I have to refresh your memory, be content with your belief. I will also leave you with this, it is easy to forgive a child who is afraid of the dark, the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light, so long.
Suffice to say that Lennox has got ten times more character and integrity than Skerrit or any of his braying donkeys in his cabinet.
You asked for it, now you got it.
Go ahead, Mr. Impeccable and Immaculate. Is he Jesus Christ also? All you do is write a bunch of nonsense on DNO why you are a sorry loser on Election Day. Stop beating a dead horse, Mr. Impeccable.
let’s solve this right now….Attorney General drumstick
: 
Totally agree. DNO must not have anything better to post. Ms Felix was on “live” yesterday so what’s the point in posting the same thing again today. If there’s additional material to add to the story, do so but don’t repost the same thing.
I hope that there will a drumstick calypso coming soon
So you want to add fuel to the fire 🔥? No wonder these calypso songs in Dominica makes no sense. They only degrade themselves and women. I’d like to see one of these calysonians write a three Paragraph paper that makes sense on any topic. Look you want a song made on drumstick. Drumstick you want? Stay with your Kayee.
SIA, That came to my mind, I am sure Mr Hunter, by now must be putting words to music, If someone else is not ahead of him!!
And when that Drumstick Calyso is played on the radio, I hope both the Attorney General and Mrs. Sanford get some money from the procceeds by giving the calypsonians the “DRUMSTICK TOPIC”
This reply is not to SIA, but to the people who thumbed down. Be reasonable; what he or she said was neutral and innocent. This is Dominica. If you pay attention, how many times has someone said something notably polarizing and just weeks or a month later there is some sort of song or track about it. Example: “pampalam”
Ms Rosie Felix has implored the Minister of Gender Affairs, the Speaker, the new president and other members of Cabinet to demand that Levi Peter tender his resignation as Attorney General. Good luck with that. All members without exception are of the same ilk.
Anyone who is closely aligned with the Merchant of Corruption is outstandingly atrocious. Roosevelt presides over a Cabinet of sin. All of these cutthroats robustlyly and vehemently defend each other in wrongdoings. Not one of them will come out from among the stenchful flock and condemn their fellow gang member, Levi Peter.
If the new president were as magnanimous and pious as her supporters claim she is, she would have immediately distanced herself from Levi Peter’s unrefined remarks. Her pregnant silence speaks volumes.
Haven’t you insulted Skerrit innumerable times over and over? All Skerrit did was to ignore both you and Francisco each time you insulted his education and abilities. Now, you feel offended by the AG calling some UWP woman a drumstick and, she is a drumstick. Weren’t you offended when Ugly Lennox called Dominican women prostitutes? You kept your mouth shut because, he is a UWP boy like you. What is good for the gander is good for the goose. Levi, stay strong, we got your back and front. They mad because they could not get Annette to be the next President of Dominica. You all UWP n….. not easy. We strong, we going nowhere.
me Dana! I’ll stick with my Crafish!!
This is the precise reaction as expected from someone like you of minimal intelligence. You very much remind of a cartoon character called Hard Head Harry.
That is exactly who you are because you keep loosing big time on Election Day, your hard-headed mule. You remind me of West Indies cricket today – big losers and bums.
Answer this, haven’t you insulted The PM, His wife and other members of The Government innumerable times over and over on this forum. Why is it that when someone question your behavior and double standard, you accuse them of having minimal intelligence. You never seem to take responsibility for your obnoxious behavior when pointed out to you. Your above reply is typical of your behavior. What is it you are trying to achieve on this forum by behaving in this manner, what is your scorecard of achievement. How long do you intend to persist or sustain this, lol, so long.
Peters who you think you are ? you and your gang in government beleive you all can insult women as you please, you all have something coming .
How is calling someone a drumstick degrading? The UWP stands tall when it comes to insulting its political opponents, words like prostitute, rapist and vemine are some of the language they use to describe the men and women of the DLP. UWP hypocrites like Felix only talk when perceived insults are aimed at the UWP.
Peter has since commented on the matter, initially claiming his comments were taken out of context while issuing an apology. However, Felix remains skeptical about the sincerity of his apology, citing his initial excuses for his actions and his statement in the
House, where he suggested using stronger language in a different setting.”
Exactly. If he was allowed, or in a place where he was really free to talk God alone knows what else he would have said about the woman. but he clearly stated he would have liked to say much more. Therefore that “apology” is just words and insincere. If i had a drumstick in my hand id just lash him with it. SHAME!
“If he was allowed, or in a place where he was really free to talk God alone knows what else he would have said about the woman.”
Probably you did not listen to the AG’s statement. The expressed disgust in his opening comment is not directed at Sanford but at the Opposition’s treatment of the process…..rejecting a strong Kalinago candidate only to nominate a “mimic”/shadow of the same category of candidate, Kalinago woman (he draws a parallel between this abused process and the child who rejects KFC chicken but requests a downscaled version of a grand KFC meal). Then again, I do not believe that you care about such facts.
You are spewing rubbish. People like you do not condemn wrong but encourage it. You belong to the same band wagon and can’t see the damage that has been caused by a man who is supposed to set a standard. Again, this present administration likes to wallow in mud and believe it’s clean water. It’s a shame that an Attorney General could disgrace Mrs. Sanford to that degree and to say that what he said was taken out of context. He purposefully made that degrading remark and knew exactly what he was saying. Paraphrasing, “if he was in a different setting he would have used more viscious words.”
UNAPOLOGETIC
Putin those arent facts buddy. Those are assumptions and inferences you just stated. the fact is he said that is he was in a different setting he would have used harsher words. i may be paraphrasing wrongly, but everybody got that part. that my friend is a fact.
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has also commented on the matter, urging everyone to “move on.”
He expressed his belief that Peter’s apology and clarification should be accepted, arguing that the comment does not warrant resignation.
For that Skerrit should go too. He is a disgraceful PM, the worst we ever had in DA. That says a lot since one of them even ended up in jail. That’s were the current one belongs. No doubt about it.
People should be protesting every day, Monday to Sunday until this man resigns or is removed.
We already know Skerrit will not fire him because Skerrit is not better than him and based on the support Skerrit has given to him it seems to me me that Levi Peter was just the gangster spokesman.
But we should not stop protesting until Livi is no more because enough is enough man
Ain’t you a people? Why don’t you start the ball rolling then others will follow. Put your A on the road every day Monday to Friday let us see how serious you are or else stop giving useless advice. Enough is Enough
Trying to argue with a fool to change his errant thinking is like trying to nail Jello to a tree n sweltering weather. Impossible! This is the exact case wth you KID in an adult body.
Do you really think that this is something Dominicans need to be in
the streets, Monday to Sunday. Do you really believe that such action is going to get The AG to resign. You self confess that, we already know Skerrit will not fire him, well if you know that then why would you conceive such action, I’m bewildered.
Oh, by the way wasn’t a protest called, how many people turned up, doesn’t that tell you something. Dominicans are not interested in mischievous frivolous issues, they have now come to understand the sinister orchestrated modus operandi of the Opposition whose only skill is creating such issues bent on chaos. There is a pattern recognition to these recurring frivolous issues, but then the Government just do what needs to be done, soon this will be all over, but rest assured there is another frivolous issue in the works, let us be ready and vigilant for the next issue.
DNO self is more idle than Rosie and the loud-mouthed midget backing her up to keep reposting this story. So many other stories of worth t report on but DNO keeps throwing up this insignificance to its readers. Not even UWP supporters see merit in this hypocritical nonsense.
why are you people so fixated with uwp. dominican politics is so backward. there are absolutely no political parties worthy of my vote on this island. same ideas same self enrichment. same corruption. did you not see the aljazeera passport documentary. they all involved. move on demand educated, ethical leadership.
Make a difference, Jeff. Be the change that you wish.
Take no notice of these baboons Mr Levi Peters, let them go and play with their stupid politics and beat their Drumsticks dam hypocrites b*****ds.
When water is stagnant it gathers moss. I believe the same happens to the brain of a human. If a neurosurgeon were to make an incision in your skull he would find more instead of brain matter.
Think of the number of times you have insulted The Prime Minister and his wife, calling them derogatory words including you and Francisco swearing that Skerrit never attended University in America. Have you both ever apologized for call his wife, the First Lady, dumb? No apologies. You cannot do anything but run your mouth as usual, your big election day loser.
They deserve everything they get, end of story. First Lady my foot!!
Is Melissa bright? Melissa has never attended an unwritten of higher learning nd take any course to improve her academic prowess. All the last does as a Minister of government is to organise sewo. She is NOT parlimentary material. She is not even capable to teaching pre-schoolers.
Mrs Skerrit is NOT parliamentary material. Let me remind you of your past support for a candidate named HANDBAG in the Grand Bay by-election. Is he? Think about that, you hypocrite.
I have told before that you lost all credibility when you decided to travel down that road. Think about that as well.
Melisa Skerrit she is the most foolish person you have in the house of commess ,that woman is Dumb she cannot even keep a proper conversation,the only word she have in her vocabulary is sewo, the minister of nudity and sewo ,is that an example for our young girl’s in dominica i dont think so that dunce.
She told her good friend she is longing to leave that BS and come back to New York and do her thing dominica is to slow the only thing they do is mine people business.
So you fell authoritative making such comment about a person, wow, is this what motivates you every day, you get up in the morning looking forward to this forum to belittle people about their education simply because you do not like them for political reasons. Tell me, what do you gain from making such comment other than satisfying Ibo France the political fanatic who turns a blind eye from relevant arguments from the other side, and fail to see faults in your conduct of double standard.
As I have told you before, your behavior on this forum does nothing constructive to bring about the change you want to see in the Country politically, so long.
So Ibo MALAPROP France, that’s why you are all over that site spewing your filthy moss? Wonder if your brain is stagnant what will the neurosurgeon find!?
Brain matter in superlative condition.