Dominica PM Touts ‘hope over confusion’

Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit says his ruling Dominica Labour Party has the broader vision for the future development of his country.

He has accused the opposition of failing to put forward comprehensive ideas for national development in the current election cycle – saying that it has instead embarked on a strategy of “confuse and confusion.”

“No seeds of confusion could ever devalue that we have built together,” Prime Minister Skerrit declared Thursday night during a public meeting in the rural Petite Savanne.

He sought to paint the current campaign as a stark contrast of what he sees as the hope his platform offers, to the confusion and chaos of the main opposition United Workers Party.

Prime Minister Skerrit appeared to be referring to claims made by the opposition which has been critical about the management of the country’s Citizenship By Investment program.

“They are seeking to confuse people with their fuzzy maths; their misleading analysis; their wild assumptions; their baseless claims; their manufactured indignation,” he said Thursday night.

The opposition United Workers Party has openly expressed its frustration that the government has refused to engage it on its claims about the CBI.

While acknowledging that the government has spent huge sums from the program in building houses following the destruction by Hurricane Maria two years ago, UWP leader Lennox Linton said there has not been proper accounting.

He announced earlier this week that his party will, from next week embark on a campaign of civil disobedience to force answers.

But on Thursday night, Skerrit said the opposition is seeking to bring the name of Dominica into disrepute.

“They have decided that if their confusing don’t work, then they will have to stir confusion. Their political strategy is to make confusion about the CBI; make confusion about the elections; get up tomorrow and find another excuse to make some kind of melee.

“They have vowed to make this country ungovernable; to bring Dominica’s name into disrepute,” he declared

Prime Minister Skerrit scoffed at the opposition’s plan saying, “civil disobedience is their code for illegal behaviour and disruption.”

Skerrit accused the opposition of offering no firm policy ideas on which they can debate.

“History has proven time and time again – that you may try to run a campaign on old talk, but you cannot govern on old talk. You govern on a vision. You govern on a plan,” he declared.

Skerrit said his party is governing at a time of economic expansion and growth in many areas. Stating he is satisfied where the country is at the moment, he acknowledged that there is more work to the done.

“We are far from finished,” he declared.

The Dominican leader said he is confident that his people will vote for hope, instead of fear.

He declared: “We are confident that when people are given the choice between standing tall and moving forward, or acting small and reaching backwards – that they will ultimately choose moving forward.”