‘I return with a clearer understanding and plan’: McDougall tells Gutter residents ahead of by-election

Dominica: The Dominica Labour Party held a public meeting in the Gutter community on Friday, August 28, 2026, for the Roseau North candidate, Ashma McDougall, ahead of the by-elections that are scheduled for September 7, 2026.

Prime Minister Dr. Roosevelt Skerrit and Dominica Labour Party (DLP) candidate Ashma McDougall along with other DLP officials addressed supporters at the public meeting and reportedly urged residents to back McDougall over United Workers Party candidate Danny Lugay.

McDougall, noted that the Gutter Village was among the first areas she visited when her campaign had begun and it has helped shape her understanding of the constituency.

She mentioned that months of conversations with residents, including families, young people, single mothers and small business owners, had significantly convinced her that representation could not just stop at attending Parliament.

I started here by asking to tell me what exactly is gutter. What exactly are the challenges that are faced in the gutter community? But tonight I return to the gutter with a clearer understanding of what you have told me, a plan of how we will address it. And importantly, I return tonight to ask you to put your confidence and vote for the Dominica Labour Party and for Ashma McDougall on September 7th, she said.

She further listed the issues being faced by the residents in the community including, footpaths, drainage from the hospital area, garbage collection, elderly access and the state of the community facility.

The young twins in Gutter East told me about the land issues that they're facing. You have told me about the connectivity and footpaths through the ravine connecting to Tarish Pet and to Stockfarm. Mr. Piper and Miss Hector told me about the drainage and the runoff from the hospital on Gutter East.Madame continues to tell me about garbage collection in this community, she noted.

Prime Minister Dr. Roosevelt Skerrit further addressed the residents and firstly talked about the recent budget and noted that it has eased the cost of living and created new opportunities for the Dominicans.

He noted that the government had zero-rated a range of goods for VAT and import duty, has removed compounding at customs, and introduced a flat 10 percent income tax rate, down from rates as high as 40 percent when the DLP first took office in 2000.

Skerrit urged the people of Gutter Village to consider and vote for Ashma McDougall on September 7 noting that, only her and the Dominica Labour Party is the one who have come to visit them as Danny Lugay or the opposition United Workers Party are nowhere to be seen.

If you have realized, if you have not realized, ladies and gentlemen, you have not really seen Danny Lugay around. You have not seen him around. The only person and the people you are seeing coming to visit you in this time is Ashma McDougall and the Dominica labour Party and though she has not been elected yet, you are seeing and feeling and sensing a difference in the communities, he said.

The meeting also included addresses from Deputy Party Leader Dr McIntyre and other DLP officials, as the party continued campaign stops across Roseau North ahead of the by-election, scheduled for September 7, 2026.