For almost 25 years, Roosevelt Skerrit has operated on one simple principle: if the public does not challenge him, he will do whatever he wants. And time after time, that silence has been rewarded, not for the people of Dominica, but for Roosevelt Skerrit, his inner circle, and a government that has mastered the art of self-enrichment.
In July 2025, Skerrit floated the idea of accepting Palestinians. There was no serious public consultation, no national discussion, no parliamentary debate, nothing that even remotely resembled democracy. And the country said nothing. Silence.
In early January 2026, he went even further, agreeing to take U.S. deportees without parliamentary approval, or with parliamentary involvement, and without public consent. Once again, the country remained silent, as if this were not a decision with permanent consequences for Dominica’s social, economic, and security future.
Now, Roosevelt Skerrit casually announces plans to lift visa restrictions on nationals of the Dominican Republic, treating it like a minor administrative adjustment rather than a policy shift with massive national implications. This is not confusion. This is not a coincidence. This is a deliberate pattern of governance without accountability.
Because our people do not challenge Roosevelt Skerrit, he feels empowered to trade Dominica’s sovereignty, dignity, and future for foreign aid and quiet backroom deals. Wealthier nations want people “off their hands,” and Roosevelt Skerrit is more than willing to accommodate them – as long as the cheque clears. Let us stop pretending otherwise.
Dominica has no housing capacity, no employment surplus, no economic growth strategy, and no future roadmap for its own citizens. Young Dominicans are fleeing the island just to survive. Skilled Dominicans are stuck, underpaid, or unemployed. Families are barely holding on by their fingertips. So what exactly are newcomers expected to do here, sleep in tents, work for scraps, or simply disappear into poverty alongside everyone else?
Most arrivals will be unskilled labour. And if they are skilled, they will directly compete with local skilled workers, driving down wages, undercutting livelihoods, and pushing Dominicans even further out of an already shrinking job market. Either way, the outcome is the same: Dominicans lose – again.
This is Roosevelt Skerrit doing what he has always done, ignoring his own people, just as he did after Hurricane Maria. Aid pours in. Press conferences are held. Promises are shouted from podiums. And then – nothing. The money vanishes. The people never see it. Not locals. Not the new arrivals. Only Roosevelt Skerrit, his ministers, and politically connected insiders benefit.
All this foreign money from the United States, from the Dominican Republic, and from other arrangements flows into Dominica, yet ordinary citizens see no improvement in housing, wages, healthcare, or infrastructure. That money does not build futures. It fuels corruption.
And in the process, Dominica’s international reputation continues to rot. We are no longer viewed as resilient or principled. We are becoming known as a transactional stopover – a place that can be bought, used, and discarded as long as the right cheque is written.
Let there be no misunderstanding: this is not opposition to humanitarian assistance. Real humanitarianism does not relocate vulnerable people into a country that cannot house, employ, or support them. Taking people out of a boiling pot and throwing them into a fire is not compassion; it is cruelty disguised as policy.
Roosevelt Skerrit claims these schemes will “create opportunities.” That claim is not just false – it is insulting. We already have intelligent, educated, skilled Dominicans who cannot advance despite having roots, experience, and commitment to this country. To suggest that foreigners arriving with no capital, no support systems, and no opportunities will somehow succeed where our own people have been deliberately failed is political gaslighting.
This is a cash grab, nothing more. Roosevelt Skerrit knows his grip on power is weakening. After 25 years, the decay is visible everywhere. So he is doing what desperate leaders always do, rushing deals, extracting value, and preparing an exit strategy before accountability catches up.
Let me be absolutely clear about what comes next. When the Dominica Reform Party assumes office, every individual brought into Dominica under these exploitative schemes will be deported back to their country of birth. No Exceptions, No Excuses. Anyone who wishes to live in Dominica must apply legally, transparently, and fairly, just like everyone else who respects the system instead of exploiting it.
- Dominica is not a pit stop.
- Dominica is not for sale.
- Dominica is not a dumping ground.
Dominica First. Our People First.
And the era of Roosevelt Skerrit governing through silence, secrecy, and cash-for-compliance deals is coming to an end – whether he likes it or not.
