‘PISSING ME OFF’: Dominica PM blasts those playing politics over relief

Last updated: September 29, 2017 at 17:42 pm

The prime minister of Dominica has launched an attack on people spreading rumours that food supplies are being handed out based on political preference.

Roosevelt Skerrit dismissed the claims as baseless, and said he was “very upset” by people whose focus was to "undermine" his administration instead of help the country.

Speaking at his daily news briefing following the passage of Hurricane Maria, the prime minister began by advising people that roads in the capital Roseau were too busy.

He is due to address the nation later to discuss a number issues affecting the country, and explain what has been done since the island was battered by the category five storm.

But things got heated when he reached the topic of ‘keyboard warriors’ making claims on social media.

“We can’t be going out there on social media, on the radio and elsewhere and making these unfounded, baseless, malicious allegations. Don’t think it’s going to hurt me, it’s not going to hurt me and this thing must stop.

"Because it’s really pissing me off that people out there talking a bunch of nonsense about food supplies and political interference, and the delivery of food supplies... all geared to undermine our efforts.

"This damn country has been destroyed. It’s been devastated. Schools are destroyed and people are out there talking a bunch of nonsense about food supplies and political interference.”

'Nonsense'

None of the claims of supplies being subject to political preference have been made by senior members of the opposition United Workers Party. Instead they appear to come from anti-government forums on social media.

A source based in Europe told WIC News that the "nasty politics" that is a feature of could "turn the wider world away when we need them most".

There is a time for politics and it is not now, he added.

This morning Skerrit made clear that his mandate is "to ensure that this country has adequate supplies to get to every single home and every single individual."

“I am telling you I am really pissed off and I have not gotten pissed off since the hurricane but this nonsense must stop," he said.

"What the hell, we have to stop it. Do we want to wake up one morning and have no government in place to run this country?”