Dominica PM Skerrit calls for a “better opposition” at budget presentation
The prime minister of Dominica clapped back at the opposition’s criticism on the proposed budget for this year, saying that their comments are undermining the welfare and wellbeing of the country.
At the recent budget debates held this week, Roosevelt Skerrit took the opportunity to respond to the leader of the United Worker’s Party (UWP) Lennox Linton’s feedback on the 2022-2023 National Budget. Skerrit hoped to hear “sound proposals” from the opposition for this fiscal year, but instead he received unhelpful criticisms from the UWP.
“He would have at least pointed out which measures he would have included in or excluded from this year’s budget,” Skerrit argued.
“The country could be better served if we had a more constructive opposition,” he added.
Linton, in his written response to the 2022-2023 National Budget, said that this year’s funds must be allocated to electoral reforms, search and rescue, protection of children, police inquiry on given allegations of misconduct, peace plan, and national security investigation.
“For more than two decades, this National Budgets of this administration have focused on designing and upgrading tools that build dependency, deepen poverty and dumb down the native population to secure longevity in political office,” Linton wrote.
Skerrit called this vision “blank.”
“We are about delivering on our promises to the people of Dominica,” he said.
The proposed budget includes focusing on the youth, entrepreneurs, “the vulnerable,” the Kalinago territory, farmers and agro processors, and fiscal measures to bring relief to vehicle owners, and electricity consumers.
Linton has yet to respond to Skerrit’s recent statements.
Dominica’s Housing Projects
Skerrit said he has received “very positive feedback” on the 2022-2023 budget from Dominicans here and abroad, and organizations from the international community.
He attributed this to the housing program for the Dominicans that has continued despite the crises that has challenged the country in the recent years.
Many people have been impressed by Dominica’s continuous efforts to build back better, and Skerrit’s response to them, he said, was “God continues to provide.”
The Citizenship by Investment, a programme that has been criticized by the opposition, has helped provide funding for most of the housing projects of Dominica.
Skerrit lamented that Linton has been attacking the entities that have helped get Dominica back to its knees, whether it is an individual, country, or organization, such as Mr. Sam Raphael, Range, the World Bank, the Chinese, the Moroccans, Venezuela, and Montreal Management Consultants Est. (MMCE) headed by Anthony Haiden.
MMCE has been working closely with the government of Dominica in providing climate-resilient homes in the island.
Over a dozen housing projects under MMCE’s developing arm MMC Development Ltd., have been completed and turned over to residents.
The Government has also entrusted MMC Development Ltd to oversee the new housing initiatives to be built by local contractors.
“We understand the importance of having a safe place to live and this is why we heeded that call of the government of Dominica to help them build back better,” MMCE’s CEO Anthony Haiden said in a previous email interview to the Caribbean News Now. “Taking on projects doesn’t promise a smooth journey; we encounter challenges along the way, but we’re committed to helping Dominica in any way we can, any where we can.”
Skerrit is the frontrunner of the Dominica Labour Party and has been holding Dominica’s top post since 2004.
To watch Skerrit’s argument, jump to 1:21:50 on this video: