"This miraculous recovery must be protected!" SC Anthony W. Astaphan

The devastation and despair after hurricane Maria were mindboggling. Many of us thought that the end had come. Experts were saying that Dominica was set back some twenty years. Prime Minister Dr Roosevelt Skerrit thought differently. He put his wet shoes on and began the relief and recovery campaign on the morning of the 18th September 2017. Within days our Prime Minister flew to the United Nations and gave one of the greatest speeches ever from the podium. By the time the speech ended, the world was looking at us. Following this extraordinary performance, many world leaders came to our shores.

Its been two years since Maria and the recovery of our Nation is nothing short of a miracle, a miracle made possible by the grace of God and remarkable leadership from Prime Minister Skerrit. No public servant was laid off. The promised double bubble was paid. Roads and infrastructure are largely rebuilt. We have more houses and homes repaired, and constructed as climate-resilient homes than any other OECS country. Dominica is in the midst of a hotel and tourism boom. The deposits, savings and assets of the local banks and national credit union are the highest they have ever been. The private sector is reopened and in full competitive flight. Social Security has record numbers of contributories and contributions. Our CBI program has been the best in the world three years running creating a significant revenue stream. Poverty and unemployment are the lowest ever. Agricultural production is the highest ever. The World Bank has funded the construction of the geothermal plant. The first wing of the new hospital has opened. Schools are functional. Dominica’s students have excelled. State College is now free. Tertiary education has been funded by the Government so no deserving student is left behind. In summary, Dominica is now better off for full-scale development in the next 5 to 10 years than it has ever been in his history. We will become the first climate-resilient country in the world.

We are now the envy of the Caribbean.

These successes are being achieved because of leadership matters. It matters who is or becomes our next Prime Minister. There however exists a real and existential threat to this success and the dignified leadership and development of our land. This threat comes from men and women who deny the existence of a fact, and are hell-bent on destruction, deception and violence, at least the threats of civil commotion and violence. These men and women seek an alternative planet on Dominica by daily robbing the people of the truth and facts. They deny obvious facts and rely on fake news, calculators and assumptions as to the new harbingers of reality and evidence. They say nothing is happening. They focus on the CBI just like terrorists or warring nations focus on oil wells. It’s all about destruction. This poses a real and present danger to all that has happened since Maria, and what lies ahead. This danger is compounded by the past record in public office between 1995 and 2000.

Dominica deserves better. Indeed Dominica and Dominicans must demand that the country be given the fullest opportunity over the next 5 to 10 years to continue this glorious recovery, and breathe in peace, politically cleansed of those who seek and do nothing for the country except deceive and threaten civil commotion, riots and threats of the same. This is why elections matter. This election is critical to the recovery and development of this country. The progress must continue unhindered by a leader and party who ate yet to give is a defining moment, who can show they are competent, qualified, committed and honest to lead this Nation to a stage of life and living never before within the contemplation of those who came and went before us.

Tomorrow is a day of prayer. This Nation needs prays to remove the evil spirits in our midst. It also needs prayers for its protection, future and children. While we pray the destructive forces will advocate demonstrations or some commotion to give credence to their dishonest machinations. Pray for them we must because it was Jesus Christ who said “Father forgive them for they know what they do,” and forgive them we must until election day. Then we vote to put Dominica first to protect it from all threats and our children for generations to come.

Anthony W Astaphan, SC 18th September 2019