The NEW Dominica Reform Party believes it is time for real change, and that change begins with ending the government’s absurd and outdated dress code rules. Right now, Dominicans are treated like children, forced to follow ridiculous government enforced regulations just to access government buildings and basic services. This must stop!
In this modern world, people are allowed to enter their government offices as long as they are dressed respectfully, and they are treated with dignity, because that is what a government that serves its people does. Yet here in Dominica, we are still trapped under archaic rules: no exposed shoulders, no small tears in your pants, no camouflage clothing. This is not about respect. It is about control.
We have watched our government deny a citizen tot their entitled public service, not because of bad behaviour, not because they lack a legitimate reason to be there, but simply because their clothing did not meet this governments self-imposed standard? It is a clear reminder of how far Skerrit’s goverment has drifted from the people it is supposed to serve.
Meanwhile, Skerrit and his wife Melissa do not have a problem with these absurd rules, because they do not live under the same struggles as ordinary Dominicans. We watch Melissa Skerrit parade around in high-end designer outfits, of which we never see her wearing the same outfit twice. But when you have five government salaries in one household, it is easy to afford meeting the government’s self-imposed dress code.
While everyday Dominicans are being denied access to basic services because of a sleeveless shirt or a small tear in their pants, the Skerrits live in a completely different reality, one of luxury, privilege, and hypocrisy.
And then there is the ridiculous camouflage ban. You can not wear it. You can not bring it through immigration. Why? Because this government claims a piece of fabric is somehow a “threat to our democracy.” Now this is a joke! Meanwhile, you can buy camouflage openly on the street without anyone batting an eye. The hypocrisy is staggering.
This is the mark of a paranoid, BIG BROTHER government obsessed with dictating how you should look instead of fixing the real problems plaguing our country. While people struggle with poverty, unemployment, crime, and a collapsing economy, the Skerrit government wastes time policing clothing. It is not leadership by any stretch of the imagination, it is authoritarian theatre.
The NEW Dominica Reform Party will end this outdated, discriminatory practice once and for all.
Under a NEW Dominica Reform Party government:
- No one will be denied entry into government buildings because of their clothing.
- No one will be judged based on exposed shoulders, ripped jeans, or camouflage.
- As long as clothing does not display offensive language, graphic imagery, or is excessively revealing, it will be acceptable.
Is this what democracy looks like? A government that wants to cover the island with surveillance cameras while also policing how you choose to dress?
Step back and look at the bigger picture: first, they ban camouflage, claiming it’s a “threat to democracy.” Now, they want to watch you everywhere you go. Is this really about “security,” or is it about control?
Tourists come here expecting a free, welcoming island, but instead, they see a government micromanaging appearances and treating its own people like suspects. While they install cameras and enforce absurd dress codes, the real problems, jobs, healthcare, housing, education, and poverty are left ignored.
This is how freedom is quietly stripped away: one ban, one camera, one restriction at a time.
Dominica deserves a government that trusts its people, not one that treats them like criminals for expressing themselves , whether through their words, their clothing, or their choices.
The NEW Dominica Reform Party respect your opinions, your right to speak your mind, and your freedom to express yourself. We also respect your right to dress how you choose in what is supposed to be a free and democratic country.
When you want to enter government buildings, the very buildings you pay to maintain, you should not be denied access simply because your clothing does not fit the government’s outdated and oppressive dress code.
Everyone is equal. Everyone has the same right to access their government, regardless of appearance, whether you are in a suit, in casual wear, or even homeless. Democracy means representation, not restriction. The time for this hypocrisy and control is over. The time for respect and fairness is now.
Team DRP