The Dominican Government wants to pursue an amicable settlement in relation to the deportation of dancehall entertainer, Tommy Lee and three other Jamaican men in February last year.
This was communicated in a letter from the Attorney General’s department in Jamaica to attorney-at-law Bert Samuels who is representing the four men.
Last May Samuels threatened that the men would file a claim with the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) if Dominica did not start to conduct negotiations for compensation within 30 days.
Samuels had also written to Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, A.J. Nicholson for the Government of Jamaica to be joined as a party to the dispute.
The Goverment should not pay a dime to these people.This is not the type of people we need in Dominica.We need people who our young can learn from,and who ever is responsable fot haveing them coming especially in Portsmouth:SHAME
I am an evangelist who goes into various countries to conduct gospel services – sometimes in one single church – other times in a theater or a ball park with many churches co-operating. I have never been refused entry into any nation and have been invited back.
However, if I was refused entry by the proper authorities I would gracefully back off and not force the issue. The government of a country does have the right to refuse entry to anybody they consider undesirable. Citizens of a nation have a right to petition their government to forbid entry to any party they think would be harmful to their society. The final decision rests with the government, and the department responsible, etc.
Tommy Lee should understand that he is a quest when he enters another nation. It is a privilege not a right.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. International Evangelist.
Rev Hill
Whilst you are correct in saying that Governments have a right to refuse entry to “undesirables” the test to determine this is enshrined in law, the Treaty of Chagaramous in this case, as interpreted by Myrie v Barbados, which has not been met in this case, and no government has any right to arrest anyone without reason, deny them access to a lawyer, detaining them illegally without cause, and breaching their right to free movement as established in the treaty, so I think instead of blaming the victim, the church should applaud Tommy Lee, and encourage persons to stand up for their basic human and constitutional rights as Jesus himself would have….
Whether the government met the legal criteria for ”undesirables” is for the court to decide.
If not the question is should they compensate Mr. Lee for money he paid for rent, advertising, and travel expenses since he was not able to do his show. I am assuming he did pay money in advance for these things.
Apart from this it appears the authorities had some reason for thinking either the musician’s
performance could have had an influence they did not want in their country, or there was a problem in how he conducted his business.
When we enter another country we must be prepared to respect their culture, government, laws, and enforcement. On the other hand that nation should treat its visitors in a mannerly fashion unless they want to get themselves a reputation.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. International Evangelist.
Actually Reverend that is not correct at all, the criteria for undesirable is clearly outlined in Myrie v Barbados, which is someone who is “likely” to commit an act “prohibited by law”, and considering that none of the 4 victims have criminal records, and where in invited to Dominica to perform, this quite clearly precludes them from the legal definition of “undesirable”
And, even if the authorities thought that Tommy Lee should not be aloud to perform for whatever reason, there was absolutely no reason to humiliate them like dogs by arresting them, denying them legal representation, detaining them in unsanitary conditions, putting them to sleep on a concrete floor causing Tommy Lee to have to be rushed to the hospital for blood clots in his surgically repaired leg when their hotel accommodations were arranged and paid for in advance, so I’m quite shocked that a rev of the church would seek to justify such vile human rights violations but everyone is entitled to an opinion…
I am a Christian, I also happen to be Jamaican. I am ashamed of your analysis. The fact of the matter is who an “undesireable” is, is subjective. Subject, to bias, prejudice, nation origin, religious persuasion etc.
In many countries, your preaching would be deemed to be undesirable and I am sure you would not like if you were booked, confirmed paid for, and were humiliated at an Airport, not by due process, but on the Directive of a PM, using his minions as stooges.
I am Jamaican as I said. I don’t particularly care for what passes as music everyday. I have never even heard a Tommy Lee song. However since Dominica has decided of its own free will to join CARICOM CCJ and all of that, then under the terms of the treaty, they had no reason to deny this Tommy Lee entry and definitely not the way it was done. Cont….
Cont…
As a so called Pastor you must learn to respect the rights of all and sundry and not use the State to enforce Church edicts. Many Artistes come to and reside in Jamaica from the other islands. Some of these Bacchanal/Carnival songs are fleshly and worldly and they are allowed to pursue their Art. If there is no market, the Artists cannot be invited. Furthermore we for the most part are all black people dropped off in a strange land from ships. So friendly rivalry is good, however this hardcore us against them is total nonsense.
I hope he wins his case – in spite of the fact that it may incur some cost on the country and make us look bad at least it will make people realize that social bullying – whether influenced by religion or whatever other ideology – will no longer be accepted in this day and age.
In this day and age evangelical (born again) believers in Christ are to be the “salt of the earth” and the ” ”light of the world” standing up against and opposing demonic influences and practices according to Matthew 5:13,14. When Christian churches in Dominica protest what they believe is potentially harmful and ask their government to stop it from coming into the country you should not be surprised. This is their God given mandate.
This does not give any government official the right to be rude or treat a would be visitor to their nation in an unmannerly way. This applies to customs and immigration authorities, border guards and the police. Legitimate international travellers carry a passport from their homeland. When I enter another nation I enter with a Canadian passport in my hand. If my rights are violated it would be considered an insult against the Canadian government.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. International Evangelist.
they have money
I am not sure, but I think that the Caricom agreement seems to allow any citizen six months stay without any questions, but also allows for the refusal of entry of anyone deemed “undesirable”.
That is correct but they had ample notice of his arrival and could easily have prevented his plane from landing, if not notified him to stop him making a wasted journey in the first place. We simply screwed up.
Where are the Dominican lawyers who like to run to court to sue people when they speak the truth about the thieves who calls themselves honorable? Politicians has been arrested for making true statements in a public meeting.
Lennox Linton was sued for speaking out about politicians who prey on young women when they seek economic help from them. I know someone who experience a vicious attack by a politician, in his so called office, had it not been for the embarrassment of the woman I would state her name, and the politician. If I say their name some dumb lawyer would be seeking a way to sue me. Now the time has arrived for them to go to court and defend the nation from highway robbery; they are so incompetent not one of them is willing to defend Dominica. Hence that weak childish Skerrit is talking crap about settlement. Sometimes when lawyers are quick to settle it is because part of that settlement is going into their pockets.
charge them 34 million.
Let those Christian pay for it
Behold the result of dictatorship. Poor Dominican tax payers.
Yes.make a settlement and make the religious zealots pay for it.
Oh please, where’s the disaster? I’m quite content that we (Dominicans) stood our ground. If it mean paying then so be it.
I’m proud that my country stood for something. He who stands for nothing will fall for anything.
Proud of my PM
If your argument holds water why don’t we continue to stand firm and defend our position in court instead of paying out like a mother paying the abuser of her daughter.
The religous zealots have every right to protest but not to make all of us pay for it.
Your country didn’t stand for anything. A squad of outspoken deluded bigots made a big show and were vocal enough to sway a weak government concerned about it’s political future in light of a pending election.
If a settlement is in order, this means any scum-bag can enter the country and behave as they wish, violating the laws of the land, and then a weak incompetent government or prime minister like Skerrit summits to their will, by giving them money after they violated the laws of the country.
Lennox Linton among others were deported from Antigua, how much did they earn as a result of their deportation whether or not they violated any of the laws of Antigua? Skerrit took Dominica into the CCJ: just wait and see the mess that will befall Dominica. Skerrit , he takes advise from people who are less intelligent than he is,
Sir, there are protocols within Caricom (The Grand Anse Declaration for example) that allow CARICOM citizens unrestricted access into CARICOM member states. Dominica was wrong to treat a Jamaican citizen (with a Caricom passport) the way he was treated. That’s what happens when religion gets mixed up in politics, and now my tax dollars will pay for a settlement.
Cyril, I am second class you see, so feel free to refer to me as simply: Francisco, Etienne, or Son as I am called; this Sir or Mister thing is not in my vocabulary. Now a protocol is an original draft, minute, or record of a document, or transaction. The word implies a preliminary memorandum often formulated, and signed by diplomatic negotiators as a basis for final convention or treaty.
Nevertheless, I doubt that any sensible politician (Prime Minister) would sign a political treaty which gives a criminal or an ordinary citizen of any country the right to enter into their country, and violate the laws of that country, and when the immigration, and naturalization authorities take actions against the foreign violator that offender has the right to sue the government of that country for money, and prevail against the people of the country.
Only an idiot would sell out his country in such a way; such a treaty is not in the interest of the people of the country, hence it should be…
Yayaya, all along some of us who knew nothing about law and human rights gave praise to Country, Skeritt, Church and Tommy, Yet also condemn Country Skeritt, Church and Tommy. see what happen when we do things without thinking? guess there are laws for wrong doers, if Pm and Church were wrong then they should be held responsible, if Tommy and others were wrong then they should be held responsible. Lets see how all of that will unfolds…who will be the winners or losers at the end?, giving our view on DNO, will not change the outcome. “THERE ARE LAWS IN PLACE” for both winners and losers, for the weak and also the strong…WE DOMINICANS SHOULD STOP DRINKING OUR WINE IN CARDBOURD GLASSES…
God bless our people…
It has already unfolded, the fact you are hearing “Dominica is thinking about a settlement” that is already confirmed by Skerrit. Our Taxpayers dollars are going into the pocket of a who came to our country and violated the law of our land then he is asking the state to pay for his conduct.
Skerrit only have strength and courage to brutalized, and disrespect Dominicans. He wants a million dollars from Lennox, while he allows a nobody from Jamaica to enter the country screw up himself, and then sue the people of the country, looking for easy money. That has become a habit of many Jamaicans, we see more than one case on the island of Barbados. These nobody, nothing people has found a loop-hole in some dumb agreement … if Skerrit pay’s he will simply be opening the doors for the treasury to every bit of Jamaica scum who comes to the country to weak havoc and when the police intervene Skerrit will simply say lets pay when…
I think you have a problem with Jamaicans. You are working yourself into a cold sweat over something you cannot control. Artistes don’t go to foreign countries to concerts on their own. They are usually invited.
I do not believe, that among the powers that be in Dominica, is there the intellectual capacity, in those who manage our legal affairs to banter with proponents of such sophisticated issues as human rights, civil rights, freedom of expression et cetera and that is why Dominica is trying to chicken it’s way out of this situation by suggesting mitigation.
The people of Dominica ought to join forces with the government of Jamaica together with Tommy Lee, in a class action suit against the government of Dominica; an opportune moment for the CCJ to comport itself as the main jurisprudential organ of the OECS; simultaneously the entire proceedings would teach the people of Dominica, one way or the other, lessons that are so imminently needed for their resurrection and their survival.
GaZa Me sey, i was looking forward for the show, bought my ticket, and was shocked that our pm could prevent a fellow caricom national from entering the nature isle due to his beliefs, what if America stopped skerrit from coming in because he is friends with Maduro. This was wrong. Sadly taxpayers will pay for it.
Laborrrrrrrrrrr
, you love ur PM huh? You vex he married huh? 
!
The Skerrit government must understand that when agreements for free movement of citizens are entered we cannot treat it like they treat our constitution. Yes the constitution did not stop him from running for office as a frenchman but the free movement agreement that we entered into will hunt us when they are not respected. Now the poor tax payers of Dominica who has not gotten their campaign promised raise, who can’t even feed their family properly have to sit by and see our money go to Tommy Lee because our Skerro’s lack of respect for law and agreements. But, we got just what we voted for and deserve. And so my friends, I love it, love it, really really love it
Assertive NOT Aggressive.
Seem like laughed last and laughed the best. Ler us see if the promoter gets a settlement as well.
Where was the doctrine of necessity, where the big shot senior counsel who defended the action of the government.
one artist was such a threat to national security yet thousands of illegally voters weren’t. They mistreated Tommy but they are trying to cover up the Haitian Visa scam players -we know who they are; those preaching adherence to rule of law, those wearing suits.
All those who claim that their prayers and candle light parade were answered when Tommy was violated they must now ask whether the curse fell on all tax payers of the country – Ebeh weh god,Jesus Mohammed,SilasI work in mysterious ways
As if i heard he was coming soon
Woy there u go money the country doesn’t have wat a disaster
The chirch dem shoupd put a certain percentage of their collection towards the settlement….after all its their fault!!!
yes i lol…..smh
Labour Ka Tawvey. ( excuse the spelling ) So let them spend what they work for. LOL
haha Tommy Lee must be brokes or hungry
how you figure?
Tommy Lee can go to hell,what settlement.
Yeah.. that’s how you all deal with anyone who doesn’t want to be part of your club right? Well you all better start changing that attitude because people are waking up all over the world and soon very few people will willingly submit to absolute nonsense.
grell you have never struck me as a well read person and your comments above further my beliefs.
Skerrit try a thing and get Shook, uncle Demon, Spartaaaaaaaaaaa
boy that government can waste money eh…
What on earth???!!! If our Government don’t fin them desirable then they should sling their hook!! Let them go elsewhere. No one should tell us whom should admit or not!!! Damn nonsense!! I’m so annoyed!!
@Cyrique go read The treaty of Chaguaramas, It will tell you if the Caricom Citizen is not a threat to national security, you cant deny them entry ..Like it or not it is the LAW!!
This case should go to the CCJ as a matter of public interest. I would like to see the court rule on two points:
– were the claimants’ human rights violated?
– were any rules under the Caricom agreement, with regard to the movement of Caricom citizens broken?
This would be an excellent opportunity for the CCJ to gain some badly needed credibility.
I am no fan of either the the artiste or the type of profane music he produces but we should not allow this case to be bought off for the sake of expediency.
I think that this case should go before the courts, period!
i can’t believe 2 peopel gave a thumbs down for this insightful comment.
What is insightful about it? The man has been to other countries. Done his shows, paid his taxes, not robbed, raped or killed anyone. On that basis alone they will never be able to come close to proving he was a threat to public order. The Dominica AG and FA Minister knows this.
The concern of Dominicans should be they have a PM who can control government agencies by edict. That is not by business however.
That is what happens when people make autocratic decisions without regard for how it jibes with the law. Before the minister(s) decided to bar the gentleman from performing in Dominica, they ought to have consulted with their legal department to ensure they were not violating treaties.
There ministers are so used to acting like emperors that they have come to believe they are a law onto themselves.
Good for Tommy Lee to pursue the matter in the courts. My only concern is that the already stretched treasury will have to pay for dumb decisions taken by our even more dumb politicians.
Thank you government in your great wisdom for costing taxpayers more money.
Allu doe c/ get nothing yet!