Re: Tennyson Joseph warns Skerrit and Other Caribbean Leaders

On Thu, Jun 17, 2010 at 5:17 PM, Philipson Dobson  wrote:
Thanks for your feedback: I will attempt to be response in green.

On Tue, Jun 15, 2010 at 2:08 PM, Christian Volney  wrote:
PD Wrote’

“I am again going on principle that if corruption was wrong under UWP and we said we will put them in prison and Tony Astaphan, after all was won, said it was a political strategy, then the principle of corruption under Skerrit and the DLP is also wrong,. on principle. where were you all then and after we were lied to by Tony etc, just to get into office”.

Philipson, I agree with your sentiments ‘wholeheartidly’ and do not dispute these facts at all. It was wrong under the UWP and it is wrong under the Labour Party. And I do remember it being a ‘political strategy’ utilized against the UWP by Labour which worked. Our constitution allows for such provisions; the manipulation of such ‘provisions’ will continue to divide us unless we recognize the need to implement and facilitate ‘legislative’ change.

Christian,
NO, our constitution DOES NOT allow for this provisions and practice, lobbying providng for it and our intelligent people went for it ….therefore majority did not vote on principle, that is we were lied to re UWP and accepted and voted for DLP/ Forget Skerrit … it is not him, it is the principle. I cannot condone it, that is we have set a precedence that will get out of hand. Look at Jamaica, look at so many African countries today. Only before the World cup opening in South Africa, the BBC interviewd distiguished people including Kofi Annan and the same issue came up , politicians who assume roles of good looks, manipulates the poor people, buy and embrace the intellectual (because something there for them) and get voted in. In Dominica we had one so called businessman says he gave his service of $1.00 to Skerrit  – Not to Dominica (interesting eh). The same man who did not want the little black girl Lorraine Bannis to be the minister for Tourism because he did nto want that little black girl to be his boss. Today he is ripping his earnings as Chairman of one the Boards. I am really studying the trends of politics in Dominica and it is becasue I observe and studied around the world I keep a close eyes of these trends in Dominica. Patrick John ruled supreme and fell, If you notice now these events has so far occured under a DLP government and both leaders have been young. Never me a gain to vote in a 31 year old to office.
Now, our constitution is a set rules, principles etc, it is our leaders upon enmtry into government applied disciplne in good goverance to govern out poor nation. Why is it that barbados is th emost stable government in the CARICOM, where yo have a literacy rate of over 99%. I am fed up of hearing excuses for our PM. It is our leaders who fail us not absolutely the constitution. I will only agree to some changes to ensure that the instututions of government etc, be stregthened and independent with some level of independent intervention.

Your argument stems back to my continued ‘call to action’ for ‘legislated’ constitutional governing framework changes to our system; a system that was developed by our Imperial Masters to ‘segregate’ and ‘plunder’ the wealth and resources of our country for the coffers of Great Britain. The same system which today, segregates the people and allows for the plundering of countries resources; this is not new or surprising by any means; this is a stated fact which continues to plague us with little or no acknowledgement for change! 
Leaders/Parties come and go, yet we are subjected to the same ‘assertions’ year after year without ‘legally’ being able to challenge them in a court of law. To shoot the messenger is a band aid solution to a deeper ‘underlying’ issue that has been ‘neglected’ during the rewriting of the constitution during our succession from Britain.

I concur, we therefore should not have voted for mediocre and we should have rallied around and louldy voted for good governace. The false statement that no other leader can bring in aid etc ….is so much a catch that everyone fell for it. Dominica`s revenue base is diminishing and there are no programmes in place to generate employment and all we hear is that we are geting aid as our debt incresses. How are we going to repay,. The Chineses promised aid, gave roads, stadium etc…and now they throw at us a US110million loan to repair State House and renovate State College among other stuff. We have to pay back this loan, what revenue is the State HOuse going to generate to do so. YOu think So you see how they take their money back. Who are the fools the Chimese or  we Dominicans, while our youths are migrating like mad, The contry is in a constant decline in agricutural production. Where are the new jobs going to come from. Ask how many Dominicans are emplyed inthe road constrcution and how revenue in real terms lstay here. Our villages are still closed and non prodictive  and all there waiting on hand outs. Why are we importing fish fish from Jamaica when we are about to build anothe Chinese stupid or are we back to colonialism?ther fishing complex in Portsmouth…and find out who is importing this fish. Why can`t this business, who so kindly gave his sevice for $1.00 import fish form JA, develop the current fishing industry, is it becasue his wife is Jamaican. Whay can`t we defvelop a  fisheries industry with our fishermen?  There are so many questions. YOu know, teach a man to fish he wil survive, give him fish he will be back for more. Is we survive in DA.
Those asre our priorities, and Domininca now calls for sound leadership, mature leadership, and not a soap opera government promtiong beauty and fame.We need to get serious.
“My God, go ahead and support Skerrit is you want, but do not take me for a fool when they were on air saying that they will pay back the bib money. Where did the money go, who stole etc. ? A a paying citizen, I want to know, I demand to know, until then Skerrit and his gangs have lost credibility in my book”.
I also agree that the Prime Minister needs to make good on his word that the ‘excess’ funds charged for the bins were to be credited back to the treasury. This is indeed a very contemptuous issue with me and many Dominicans of conscience and it will not go away! The Prime Minister’s credibility is in question on this issue and it would serve him correct if he did ensure the funds were returned to the treasury, as indicated some months ago. 
I accepted his word as an omission of error and so have many. This does not constitute ‘corruption’ if an error occurred and has been recognized. Yes, it occurred as a result of the Prime Minister involving himself in a procurement without following protocol; which he should not have done.
I also await closure to this issue and it will not be dismissed by any means!

A trend has been set and this is certainly not the only one and there are people who say, well it is a little bobol, give the man a break. Sorry in another country , in Barbados it do not stand. I run a business and this is fraud, deliberate , not a mistake. Do not blame the poor innocent civil servant, they do not have access to  the political platform and cannot and not allowed to compete with the politician. Due process, due deligence, was not taken. These guys tried something and were caught with their pants down, I take the State money and its reserves very seriously. That is why on principle we were ask to kick out UWP. On principle we should have stood up ………. the constituion could not help us. , someone should have been arested. It is only when Lennox Linton presented the evidence that they came out wi the truth, they knew all along he was right.
“Ranking of these countries has always been seen as a superfluous thing played in the minds and pockets of politicians when it suits them”.
I know you are not insinuating that ‘Transparency Internationals’ credibility is ‘somehow’ capable of being compromised by politicians. I truly value your opinion and respect your wisdom, but please do not expect me to accept this reasoning.
As for comparing Dominica to Haiti, i will not dignify that comment just as i would not dignify anothers’ suggestion comparing Prime Minister Skerrit to Hitler.

I looked at Corrupt leaders all over the world and who statred young and innocently and gradually developed in corrupt or tyrant leaders, we too small for that. They poison their countries and left it tainted. Our history is well written Eugennia was not peerfect, but at least, no one can point a finger at her, she did not abuse her posituion and power to take fromthe country. She established a standard, and we should have followed.
Your passion and your love for your country is strong; that I commend you for, but please do not let your judgement or that passion be clouded by your political ideology!
Respectfully yours.
Christian. 

Many thanks for your compliment, I think from what I read, I say the same for you. There is no “judgement”, but analysis and facts, let us look at it that way. I do not wish to be swayed or caused others to be with “judegement”, that limits the morale of the story and may even personalise my points, not by you , but by others. I however take your points in good faith.

Finally, what political ideology, I have studied all……i come from the ideology of good governance, Transparency and accountability.
Regards

PD

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