Caricom and the Betrayal of Dominica

By Dominica Patriot News Special Correspondent

Caricom was formed by mostly honorable men such as Dr. Eric Williams, Errol Barrow and Michael Manely. Some like Forbes Burnham did sully his reputation by engaging in strong armed tactics to include the stealing of elections and oppressing democracy activist such as noted scholar Dr. Walter Rodney. Rodney was killed under murky circumstances with convincing evidence Burnham’s regime had a hand in it. However, no one accused even Burnham of selling Guyana to swindlers, mobsters and mafias in exchange for gold bars. No one accused even Burnham, far less Dr. Eric Williams or the courageous Errol Barrow or Tom Adams as crooks of the highest order or thieves who plundered the treasuries of their countries. Michael Manley was a hero of fair and just governance revered even by his opponents who never accused him of stealing money from that country to buy million dollar apartments in New York or many mansions under the names of his associates. However corrupt leadership is the modus operandi of the current Dominica regime – the most rotten leadership of crooks in the history of the former British West Indies.

On Dominica we have an unapologetic thief as head of the government. Someone whose business associate in Malaysia called him and his cabinet associates hungry hyenas. In the November 2019 Al Jazeera documentary which unmasked the thieving nature of the kleptocratic regime, Skerrit and company were said to have been given expensive gifts and gold bars in Malaysia. In exchange the Iranian agent Ali Reza Monfared was given a diplomatic passport and an Ambassador position so he could escape justice. Skerrit has not addressed the nation two weeks after the revelation. His silence is proof beyond a reasonable doubt of his criminal enterprise. Not a whimper of outrage from Caricom or its Dominica born General Secretary Irwin Laroque have been heard since the odious revelations. That, even where the passports vended like johnny cakes were Caricom passports to be granted the highest respect. Not a word of protest is heard. How sad. How telling of the character of so much of the current Caribbean leadership.

Despite all of the evidence of the disgraceful plunder of misrule of our fair island, Caricom has sunk into silence. Led by its disgraceful General Secretary Irwin Laroque, who is a friend of Skerrit, Caricom has made not one statement calling for good governance on Dominica. Caricom has made not one statement demanding rule of law on Dominica. Caricom has not condemned Skerrit’s failure to enact the electoral reform that the OAS, Caricom and Commonwealth team recommended. Instead, it has maintained the horrid silence while Dominicans are oppressed by an evil regime beholden to international criminals.

Psuedo leftist and dictator lovers such as Barbadian Ambassador to Caricom David Commissiong now sing a song of sixpence in defense of the Skerrit kleptocracy. Skerrit the heroic black man is now rendered white as snow by those who would cry shame on colonialism but would not recognize a snake in their midst. Poor Skerrit is a victim of imperialist plots they cry. The misguided bleatings of the so-called Caribbean left is burdened by the false narrative of blaming the United States and Organization of American States as the enemies of our people. They blame the United States and OAS as the source of our problems never calling to account the crimes against Dominica by Skerrit and his modern pirates of the Caribbean.

Caricom supports the kleptocracy that has Dominica in economic and social malaise born of crookery, thievery and victimization by a biased regime. The same kleptocracy that imported hundreds of bribed voters in the past to steal an election. The regime is at it again, bribing and importing voters for the December 6, 2019. Brazen in their criminality the regime has now called on regional forces to help prop it up. The troops are landing on Dominica today, December 4, 2019. Unlike the Caricom troops we welcomed after Hurricane Maria we reject those who come to prop up Skerrit. We shall hold them accountable where they harm any Dominican defending their country and its liberty.

Why this support for Skerrit?
Is it because Caricom has become a sordid boys club with one cherry Motley at the center? How many of those in the Caricom club received money and gifts from Skerrit’s soiled hands? Who among them were in underhand deals to get contracts for Ross University to relocate to Barbados or help Skerrit pervert the polls?. How many have secret diplomatic postings and passports such as the disgraced St Kitts former leader Denzil Douglas who traveled as a Dominica diplomat unbeknownst to the world and the Dominican people.

When the history of self government in the Caribbean is written this episode when Dominica was betrayed by its own neighbors shall be shown to be the most shameful. Caricom has betrayed the majestic effort and promise of its founders who brought us independence and pride. Today, Caricom has slid down the ladder to infamy in its silent support of the outrageous regime on island that has plotted, schemed, bribed and slithered its way to elections burdened by unfairness.

May the spirits of our valiant ancestors who fought for our freedom consume them and confound the Caricom traitors to the Dominican people.
May history damn them all to shame.