Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has warned regional heads of the need to implement the decisions of the Heads of Government as it relates to the free movement of persons element of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, CSME.
Delivering the first David Thompson Memorial Lecture in Bridgetown, Barbados last Thursday, Prime Minister Skerrit observed that the most controversial aspect of the CSME, was the commitment to the free movement of persons across the region.
He took the opportunity to remind his regional colleagues that “if the decisions to support and promote intra-regional travel are to make a difference, it is absolutely critical that they be implemented as intended”.
The people of Dominica warns Skerritt and his DLP Govt. to implement Electoral Reform. The Minister of Finance must provide the money to the Independent Electoral Commission. Dominicans realize that the authorities are reluctant to assist the Electoral Commission in its request for funds to implement Electoral Reform.
After about SEVEN (7) years, the proposal by the Commission to Govt. for Electoral Reform has been on the backburner. No forward movement. No money from Govt. Nada. The Electoral Commission has been disrespected. Free and Fair elections in Dominica may be a thing of the past if those Reforms or changes are not made to our Election Process.
Imagine a few people in our beautiful island are stalling and some are supporting the stalling of the genuine request of the Commission? Isn’t the Commission responsible by our Constitution to conduct elections and to ensure those elections are Free and Fair and in obeyance of the laws?
Imagine my people, after 33 years of Political Independence, authorities are displaying open reluctance to providing funds to provide Voter ID cards and to Clean up a Bloated Voters’ List? What kind of people is that who would not want to clean up an unclean Voters’ list?
We Dominicans smell a Big RAT. So instead of Skerritt warning about implementation of Free Movement of people in the Caribbean, within CSME framework, he must first look inside, and implement what the Electoral Commission and the Dominican public have been pleading for. Elections that are not FREE and FAIR in any one Caribbean nation will surely be problemmatic for integration and free Movement of people.
Without Electoral Reform now, clearly, cheating, fraud, irregularities, more and more bribery, actions against the Electoral Laws would prevail. People take heed.
Man that is pure BS, I am not in favour if the CSME. If we really have to way it out, we have the most to loose from that. We are poorer than most of the other Islands and we cant even get contracts for anything in our own country, what make you think we will somewhere else, when is the other Islands companies that is getting all the contracts. We get people from other Island to run things which should be OURS and run by us (WCMF). I do not suooort that one bit have been against it from the begining and still will not supprt it. Our PM should look at his people situation before asking for it to happen. After all PM seems you do not want us to send money to our relatives in the USA anymore….ou remember that thing are so good in Dominica, we are sending money to our relatives in the USA” come on man, how stuid does tha sound.
I am not into ploitics, just looking out for Dominica and Dominicans.
Low minded people,, da why all u dominicans will stay backward……….. Look at martnique and guadeloupe and french st maarten…… they all have the same passport, when a person from guadeloupe reach s/m, is just take your bag and go……. When a Dominican reach in Antigua, with the same Caricom passport, they want to bring u in a room and investigate you.. All u low minded, we of the eastern Caribbean English speaking countries are small minded people….. If Dominica help Vincy, Grenada help St. Lucia, Antigua help Dominica, see how unified and strong we would be, but instead Antiguans saying they doe want Dominicans in their place, that place saying they doe want people of this place in the place…… Da is why we doe going nowhere….. And lng it like that. Wonder when it will ever end…. I doubt it will
The French, Dutch and British Territories in the Caribbean have free movement of people, amongst themselves. I believe, it is because there are elements of EU legislations they have to comply with.
The other islands who gained independence from their then colonial rulers, made their own legislation regarding immigration. So, Antigua has the right to question a potential immigrant from another CARICOM country.
I have my reservation on the free movement of people because there a some member states like Jamaica, Haiti, Suriname and Guyana who would have a higher exodus, while Barbados, T&T and Antigua would have a greater influx.
Then, there are the criminals and the health care tourists (usually with HIV) who can create havoc on a country’s financial resources. For that reason, let’s begin with the professionals only (i.e Healthcare Workers, Teachers, Business persons and maybe skilled labourers). Screen everyone who wants to participate.
Firstly, there is a need for there to be a procedure by which the free movement of persons, is allowed only after they are certified as medically fit for purpose, financially credit worthy, as well as having no criminal record.
Tessa,
We are not asking for entry into heaven.
Agreed…..But what do you do about, or rather, how do you curtail criminal elements with criminal intent?…..
Peace….
And all the best……..
REBEL!!!.
Well said Mr. Prime Minister. It is up to us to prepare our table the way we want it for us to eat comfortably.
Is it for travel purposes or to facilitate permanent migration because we cannot find jobs in Dominica?
What difference does it make why people travel within the region? When a person moves from New York to North Carolina, does anyone question their motive? That is the true spirit of Caribbean integration. We are one people, only if the politicians would see that.
I have travelled throughout the Caribbean and I always feel at home wherever I go. People feel resistance when people from one island are over represented in crime in the host country. If you go about your business and do your thing, people tend to not pay any mind to you.
I look forward to the day when we can move from one place to the next the same way people within the EU do.