Haitian youths in Dominica are seeking to meet with Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit to discuss his appeal to the Haitian community on the island, to help stop the illegal movement of Haitians from Dominica.
In a statement, the group recognizes “the migration system” as a major global issue affecting many people in the world today, especially blacks and says the prime minister’s call is a good move.
“This is a good step as it is what the Haitian community wanted to hear from the Government of Dominica; not all of us want to leave Dominica illegally,” the group, which calls itself Young Haitians Focus Group, states. “We all know that Haitians left Haiti because they are looking for a better life; because of the situation of the political system of Haiti, they want to leave the country to go somewhere else to look for peace.”
The young Haitians point out that not all Haitians want to leave their country and their families to go elsewhere but, according to the group, those who migrate don’t have a choice.
“Most of the Haitians who left Haiti to come to Dominica are young people; most of us are professionals – educated, talented people with a lot of determination – who want to realize our dreams,” the group states in its release. “The Haitian community has always wanted to change the situation of Haitians living in Dominica but it is not something easy; it will take time and we need the Government to help us to change the reality that we are living today in this country.”
The group started in December 2019 with six young Haitian men who say they came together to consider ways of helping their fellow-countrymen who entered Dominica without a visa. This move, they say, followed a CARICOM decision to allow Haitians to travel within the Caricom region without visas. Dominica implemented that decision on October 1, 2018.
“When most of them came here, they did not have family, or friends in the country. They could not speak English; that is why our purpose was to support such individuals,” the young Haitians say.
According to the group, most of the Haitians who leave Dominica illegally to go somewhere else, are young people who, after coming here to start a new life, don’t feel welcome.
“It is unfortunate, because when they go on a boat to Guadeloupe, Martinique or St Martin, we do not know how many of them who have died in the sea, how many of them who lost their lives and their family never heard about them again. It is really sad,” the Haitian youths lament.
The group maintains that for the situation to change, the government needs to get in touch with the Haitian community – the young people and adults – to work together for a better society.
“We don’t want the government to meet with a set of people and forget about the vulnerable. If it goes that way, the situation will remain the same. We all know that the corruption started with the Haitian community; we as young people, we want to change that,” the group maintains. “We would like to present to the Government a group of young Haitians who put themselves together to work and to think about a better Haitian community and migration system in Dominica.”
On behalf of the Haitian Community, the group expresses gratitude to the Government of Dominica, “especially the Prime Minister, for their love and concern for the Haitians who are living in Dominica”. They also thank the Goodwill Secondary School “for supporting us in one of our missions last year which was to open an English class for our Haitian brothers to facilitate them to speak and understand English.”
Fallando Versil – Secretary Louvens Jean group delegate
The full statement from the group is posted below.
my sentiments exactly
Veni, vidi, vici: which translates as “I came, I saw, I conquered,” was given in a message from Julius Caesar to the Roman Senate.
It was apparently written in 46 B.C. in the city of Zela.
The battle took place near Zela (modern Zile), which is now a small hilltop town in the Tokat province of northern Turkey.
The Pontic army positioned itself on a hill near the town, but as Caesar’s men were entrenching their own camp on nearby high ground the Pontic force suddenly attacked.
So, the Haitians heard of Dominica, they came they saw, nothing different to what they left behind in Haiti; their experience in Dominica is worst than in Haiti, as such their alternative is to leave and continue to search until they find what they are looking for.
They are a modern day tribe of hunters and gatherers, if they can’t find it in Dominica they must leave!
Dominica born has left, and continue to leave.
You know what Xenophobe is? It makes me so sad to see a black person talk about another of our people like that. “Our Country” do you have a country? The Caribs were here we were in Africa>>me>>You>>and all of Haiti. The boat stop Haiti first and put them down then put you down. You believing you have a country.
Dude you sound like a white man go read your history and love your people. Fight for them. Teach them if you can but never look down on like “chupes” and that nonsense satan tell u write. Dont Dominicans go everywhere in the caribbean to get visa to do the same?? #BLM You should be proud young people speaking out.
Roosevelt Chichi Royer Skerrit cry’s for help from Haitians to prevent Haitian nationals from leaving Dominica illegally.
It is the first time in history I’ve heard or read such nonsense from a leader of any country on the planet.
Some of those people entered Dominica illegally anyway, if they find it necessary to leave, they should be able to do so by any means.
Haiti, is the poorest nation, second to Dominica; most people are aware that they chose to come to Dominica to be used as a stepping stone to move on to greener pastures, let them go!
In life people are looking for better things, better opportunities, there is no life in Dominica; no employment opportunity, talking crap about they contributing; to what?
Contributing to wasting time on plantations, where there is no market for the crops they produce.
Haiti is poor but less backwards, Dominica is both poor, and very backward; free the people let them go; you Roosevelt have billions, let them go and find…
Can’t You Read. Dont you see they are desperate as the young men explained in the article. He said:
“It is unfortunate, because when they go on a boat to Guadeloupe, Martinique or St Martin, we do not know how many of them who have died in the sea, how many of them who lost their lives and their family never heard about them again. It is really sad,” the Haitian youths lament.”
These people our people are killed, used for slaved labour on most , human trafficking and Jah alone that know the other evils they have to face. And listening to you and people like makes me so angry with this world.sigh.
You are one hell of a sick ignorant person!
Your …….. has blinded you; you can’t even recognized how ignorant a comment you wrote!
If as you suggest, they are desperate; and found what they are looking for in Dominica, asks yourself why are they smuggling themselves out of Dominica?
In case you are too ignorant to understand, Roosevelt has begged the Haitians to help him stop the people from leaving.
It is not I chasing them out of the country, I don’t know of any native Dominican chasing them out of Dominica; they leave on their own accrued!
And in event you are not familiar with English grammar; note this:
When one does something on their own accord; it indicate that someone does something because he or she wants to; not because someone has asked the person or coerce him or her to do it.
They are leaving or left on their own accord!
So, what do you care about what happen to them on the ocean?
Telemaque, that is why you always get the negative thumbs rating–not when you write for the UWP anyway–you don’t try to read carefully to understand what is placed before.
Here is what the Prime Minister spoke about in another news article about the Haitians in Dominica: “
But you will also agree that there are some who engage in activities that place Dominica in some difficulty especially those who leave our shores illegally and go into Guadeloupe and Martinique, and St Maarten,” he remarked.
Do you understand that passage? Those who do that are simply using Dominica as a channel for their getaway, which is a wrong thing to do–that is the problem he wants to fix with them.
Stop saying about everything you read, that it is nonsense; when everything you write, in response, is nonsense.
Hey guys what s up?
My name is jeff pierre paul i in dominica for over 7 years.for time i there i never leave dominica.cause God bless mi always working.i don’t have any reason to leave dominica matter fact i consider Dominica as my second country.labour ka travay mesi thanks you primer minister Dr Roosvelt on behalth of haitian community especial tankfull.please i beg u start back with the poccess of wrk permit please
Just remember jean claude duvallie AKA papa doc and baby doc and what happened to them. We will not let Dominica be ruled by corruption and fraud. There is a reason why you left your country. The party color will not only be on post and billboards.
I have been associated with Haitians for the pass twenty years and I have had no problems with them. They are hard working enterprising people and as the young people say, very educated, talented and skilled, if they are lacking in an area they are always willing to learn as nothing is to hard or simple for them to give a try. We need to stop stereo typing Haitians as being this or that – in fact Haiti has a rich heritage and culture having produced many jazz and compa greats, dancers, artist, soccer and baseball players and intellectuals etc. In fact certain parts of Haiti are 1000 times more developed than Dominica, they have more tourism, commerce ,agriculture business than us in Dominica. Their soccer is at a much higher standard than ours having qualified for concacaf and World Cup consistently.Unfortunately the disparity between the haves’ and the have nots’ is very wide and that;s one of the problems. I support the initiative of the guys there can only be mutual benefits .
@ CHILDISH, The Prime Minister is not speaking against that, he is speaking about those who use Dominica as a channel to move on with their illegal behavior–even the Chinese people do that.
When I was traveling to Dominica in 2008, I met a man in Barbados, who told me he was from Dominica; he knew some of my family in Dominica, he was living at my home village at my uncle’s guest house. He was in Barbados to acquire a Visa to go to the USA, but he did not get it. He never told me that he was Haitian; he had a Dominican passport.
When my uncle told me that he was from Haiti, that was when I figured out why he didn’t get the Visa, even if he had a Dominican passport, his place of birth would be on it–I hope because that is the rule for a Canadian passport–which I have.
The authority is familiar with that kind of move. He would go to the States, get a Green Card, and never return to Dominica–that kind of conduct is not good for us.
I have known Dominicans all my life who are hard working talented and skilled. I know countless Dominicans who have accomplished high awards in sports and science. Dominica has a rich culture and heritage and has developed the cadence and bouyon music that has influenced both the english and French caribbean. In fact some of those legends are alive today but most times disregarded. In fact most of Dominica is 10 0000 times more beautiful than most of Haiti. We have lush green forest that maintain our rivers and wildlife. My problem is not with haitians but our government for years allowing the illegal migration and profiting on the lives of these people. Some of the nicest people i meet but uncontrolled migration can have serious consequences on host country especially when the lives of nationals of home country are in despair and outsiders are elevated above them. Do we have a shortage of Dominican workers for our growth? We all know they came for one purpose.
Good move, because something definitely needs to be done about this situation. I wish you all success with your dreams; and let us hope that the Prime Minister responses positively. Gos bless you all.
Wow amazing!! These young people are motivated and determined.
10 000 more beautiful than most of Haitian?
I cryn’ for u
Where?
chupes….
“The young Haitians point out that not all Haitians want to leave their country and their families to go somewhere else but, according to the group, those who migrate don’t have a choice”
all you don’t have a choice? well don’t come DA to use our country to get papers and then migrate to another country…. PERIOD
@SMH, that is what I just said in my response to CHILDISH, that is what PM Skerrit is speaking against.
It is good to read all about their professionalism, but when they say “we don’t have a choice” they are putting down their home country as well as our Dominica, claiming us to be their last straw–that humiliation. As educated as they proclaim, they should know that that statement is inappropriate.
But with a clean and honest approach, I would welcome them. Dominia needs people like that.
Why do that special fish tuna (ton) enter Portsmouth habour during certain months? Well according to local fishermen, it is because of the bountifulness of the chacha on which the ton feeds – Wise. How many Dominicans went to SM, St Thomas, ST Croix … and ended up in America? Maybe you are angry because the Haitians see something in DA that you do not see. Ah doh kno.
But if you had studied migration patterns, including the Africa Great Migrations where the animals understand the seasons and migrate in search of food, you would never have written something like that about Haitians. Because it also relates to so many Dominicans who did the same and end up sending so many barrels back home to feed members of their families. Should not the Haitians have the right to do the same thing too? Boy slavery and colonialization did a number on us as a people.
Ok I very much appreciate that
Ignorance, these people come here for refugee, and I know for a fact that they are treated like dogs by some of us Dominicans…..We talk about black life matter but we fail to help our own brothers and sisters….how we treat them are no different from how blacks are treated in the US….We need to stop treating people like animals because they are not from our country, Haitians are people just like you SMH….next time you feel like posting …. ask yourself a question!
How would you feel leaving your family and love ones to travel to a foreign country without knowing that language, having no job or means of income although you may be well educated, looked down on & hated just because you are a haitian…..
I APPLAUD THESE YOUNG PEOPLE AND I PRAY YOU GUYS GET HELP…KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK DESPITE PEOPLE LIKE SMH….
then i wont go any where! i would make end meet in my country so what is your point
Soon Dominican young people will be doing the same thing your youth is doing, getting out. Dominica has no new jobs, we have not seen this situation improve for many, many years. Sorry you had to leave Haiti to find that out. Best of luck.
Foreigners break our laws they get to hang out with PM and make their demands yet nationals born and raise excersise their rights so we do not get like Haiti get harassment by police. There is a volatile situation brewing and it will come to pass. It will not be pretty
Well first of all, your people come here as a transit point to overseas. It has nothing to do with the situation here because you all already know that even Dominicans cant survive in this country. Please do not pretend as if you running backdoor because you did not get opportunity here.
That being said, congratulations on your venture. I do hope you are successful in getting the attention of the PM. If we Dominicans only get lies, I hope you will be luckier than us. Bless you, young people, be strong. I am in support of you all trying to do something worthwhile for your people, its admirable.
I really do not understand what you are struggling to accomplish in the first paragraph. “…….even Dominicans cant survive in this country.” So where are you? Did you escape like the rest of them, and like the Haitians, leave Dominicans here to suck salt? Everything for you is politics, and you do not even articulate it with fluency and clarity. Please think, write, then proof-read before you post.
Typical Dominican scholar without the scholarship.
But I must say you did a reasonable job in the second paragraph, I hope you can emulate the Haitians because Dominicans like you cannot get it done.
@Frank N Stein: “If we Dominicans only get lies”
So, let us say that there is 100 people in your surrounding. 67 of those people accept your ideas, but 33 call them lies, unacceptable, corrupt, whatever the other ugly and negative nouns and adjectives to go with these–they belong in that 33 people group.
Who is the “we the people” of that group? The 67 or the 33? Try any figure with an 18-3 percentage of 21 the result is the same.
That 33 group has it’s right to its dreadful critics, if that is all it has to contribute; that is what causes others to improve themselves, even if that group remains blind to the improvement.
It is clear that you belong with that minority group, but FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! Stop calling yourselves “we the people” you all are speaking for 33% of the community.
“We the people” don’t even join you all here, on this comment board– this constant ramble is dark & dull. A 4-0 win in 4 straight plays cannot be wrong.
Nothing you wrote here makes any sense; and then you of all persons wrote in block (upper-case) letters “for crying out loud.”
Tell me in the English language; little twelve year old teacher, before you got your teaching credential in Dominica in 1950’s where in the Cambridge curriculum it taught you it is appropriate to write in block letters within normalcy.
No wonder you failed as a teacher, never passed a single teachers examination; and when you got fired you ran to Canada and hide,you cannot go back to Dominica oui!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
Telemaque, that is why you always get the negative thumbs rating–not when you write for the UWP anyway–you don’t try to read carefully to understand what is placed before.
Here is what the Prime Minister spoke about in another news article about the Haitians in Dominica: “
But you will also agree that there are some who engage in activities that place Dominica in some difficulty especially those who leave our shores illegally and go into Guadeloupe and Martinique, and St Maarten,” he remarked.
Do you understand that passage? Those who do that are simply using Dominica as a channel for their getaway, which is a wrong thing to do–that is the problem he wants to fix with them.
Stop saying about everything you read, that it is nonsense; when everything you write, in response, is nonsense.
Telemaque, I have already said it above. I asked you to stop saying everything you read is nonsense when everything you write is nonsense–you can neither read nor write in the first place.
Now try to listen to me.
I am not you, who grow up in the stone ages–with everything about you being from that era. I know very little about myself in the 1950s as a baby–and thanks to God that you are not, and could never be my father.
But I give myself the wrong for taking up friendship with an old monkey like you–even if it was hello and goodbye; as soon as I found out that you were not human. I will go to my grave with that regret.
I am asking you, once more, to stop writing those lies about me–if it is a joke to you; I am not amused!
You don’t know anything about me! And all I know about you is that you are uglier than the character you present about yourself and that ugliness is getting worse by the minute.
Now, do you hear me!
‘Tell me in the English language; little twelve year old teacher, before you got your teaching credential in Dominica in 1950’s where in the Cambridge curriculum it taught you it is appropriate to write in block letters within normalcy.
Miss/Madam Elizabeth, the question I asks you in the quote above you have not answered; until you do you will have a problem with me.
I have never told a lie on you nor about you; you are the one who each and every day continuously lie on me!
And be informed it does not matter how many thumbs down I get they do not fade me; the negatives does not touch a single vein or muscle in me eh!
You are the one who cry when you get your pile negative review; you know (dem thumbs down).
As for Mr. Clown, you are a master of writing in upper-case letters, I know that you are trying to emphasize a point:
That’s only done on certain warranty documents.
Francisco,block letters or not,all Elizabeth want you to understand is,THE PEOPLE IS THE MAJORITY.18-3,18 is the majority,and so,the people.You are too overeducated to understand.She is also saying the MAJORITY of Dominican voters has NEVER voted UWP.Only a JACKA cannot understand something so simple.
You see I was trying to avoid responding to you because you are one of people who reminds me never debate or try to argue, or reason with a kind; because you only understand what comes out of your thoughts and mine.
The fact that you believe writing in block letter is acceptable informs me that you did not go beyond elementary school, and if you did English was not one of your subjects.
I have had English at different levels, my last English class I took dealt with creative writing, I am sure you have never heard of that level of English in your life.
It is a level of English medical students must take as a prerequisite; so if you think I am a jackass who cannot understand Elizabeth writing in block letters in the middle of sentence, I cannot help but feel sorry for you!
I inform you now; a smart phone, google cannot educate you as an educational institution; not even in a thousand years!
Lin Clown, thank you for your support, in as much as I will always support yours, for it is clear that we understand each other.
And believe it or not, there is no way that Telemaque is an educated person–not academically anyway.
He seems to be like the people who have no education, but they can do many amazing things. My aunt’s husband was one of those persons.
The man could not even spell his name far more to sign it. But he would take a blank steel drum and set the notes on it to play the most beautiful music, it was amazing!
Not only that. He could play the accordion musical instrument with such fashion; so that with him and the other instrumental musical pieces, our Jing-ping music, from Giraudel, made the news in Dominica–just imagine that!
No comment; I have no response, I shall remain mute until you and the clown turn on each other.
You usually buy friends to help you fight me; but before long, they usually turn on you like a wild tornado eh!
Hahahahahahahahahahahah!