Dominica Students – A March for Dignity 

By Josh Shaw
On Dominica we have a culture of marching. Much of it has to do with the fact that Dominica, as with other British West Indian colonies, was a garrison island with many forts and cannon emplacements scattered about. In the days of early colonial settlement and slavery the forts were used to guard the riches of what were sugar islands – and sugar was even more prized than oil is today, fueling Western industrialization. The forts were also organized to suppress our brave Kalinago warriors and the rebellious Negre Maron; our  heroic ex-slave freedom fighters who made their free settlements deep in our forests.
 Our people over the centuries grew up alongside marching soldiers, visiting sailors from Man-o-Wars (battleships) of the Royal Navy and a tradition of schoolchildren marching on Empire Day. Later, as the postwar flames of nationalism took hold, we moved from Empire Day to celebrating our very own National Day. In that period  all  schools marched and we did so at the nicely appointed Dominica Botanical Gardens cricket grounds; the alluring aroma of freshly cut grass whiffing past our nostrils as we marched with pride past the reviewing stand. 
In the early mornings before parade we would grab a quick cocoa tea, coffee or bush tea with bakes or bread and cheese. As we had to rise early we often rarely ate. Weeks before we would have had rehearsals. For those of us at rehearsals that was when we looked at the girls and I am sure they looked at us. We would drop off our enamel cups at the school before. We brought big cups from home in the expectation that we would get more drink during refreshment time that would follow the marching. That was a time of Eric’s Bakery and rough cake, milk buns and coconut turnover. Excitement was in the air!
As we streamed through the city one would see Roseau Boys School coming from the West, Saint Mary’s Academy boys coming down Constitution Hill, Convent High School girls coming down Bath Road and  Dominica Grammar School students  cutting smartly  in drill formation through the Botanic Gardens. Along with the schools came the DGS and SMA Army Cadets and the Girl Guides, the Scouts and the Cubs and Brownies, smart in their uniforms. Saint Martin School girls in blue and white and Roseau Girls  School in green and white, with white tennis shoes and white socks adorned feet would march along, lustily singing songs like “John Brown’s Body lies a moldering in the grave but his soul keeps marching on.”
 Marching was the highlight of our entire year in the public space. No other event had such a pull on the attention of our students and proud  parents.
Therefore, any government that cannot understand the pride and dignity that is associated with the Dominican tradition of  marching is tone deaf or woefully blind. 
When on November 1, 2019 the officials said students could not march because of rain, the students were incredulous. Prime Skerrit had come late  and  left early. His submissive cabinet failed to inquire of the matter and tailed behind him into history. The students demanded “We want to march.” An education official said to the students “disperse” as if she was addressing a riotous crowd. This was no riot. This was no mob. These were proud and conscious Dominican students – our future leaders. And they showed leadership displaying  patriotic love of our country in the best way. The students had earlier performed in the drizzle on a muddy field. They performed for Dominica not Skerrit.  Now because Skerrit had to rush away to other pursuits,  the lame excuse was made that it was raining. We had drilled in rain before. In days past cadets would faint at attention. We had a tradition of a  stoic sense of duty where we marched for country, come rain or shine.
 Dominicans are a  proud people. The students rose up. The Dominica State College led the way. The Scouts and Army Cadets assumed the leadership yielded by their distracted and cowering  elders. Our young are fearless and will not submit to cult-like leaders. They will never surrender their dignity and independence of thought  before the one-man government of Skerrit. They did not bow. They marched in dignity and with pride in country. They saluted Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition Lennox Linton who saved the day by ensuring our small republic still had leaders of sound mettle. Lennox returned the salute on behalf of a grateful nation. Linton was not afraid. No, he did not melt in the drizzle. 
The crowds of students and their parents applauded. Some students cried shame and others said “Skerrit must go!” This was an unprecedented demonstration of pride and patriotism for which we are thankful.
The students have spoken out. They have stood for a dignified nation. They desire a free and prosperousl country rooted in good governance, equality of opportunity and free of the sexual abuse by high officials of our boys and girls. Yes, they all hear and know of the abuse meted out in exchange for “favors.” They want this awful state of affairs to stop.   There is a shift in the land.  Let no one mess with our patriots when they decide to march.
We shall be forever  proud of our students who marched against the ridiculous order to “disperse” on November 1, 2019 and made history in so doing.

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