“Roosevelt Skerrit announces a decision to restructure the Dominica Youth Business Trust this year.” DBSRadio
Roosevelt Skerrit has announced a decision to restructure the Dominica Youth Business Trust this year. After nearly twenty-five years in power, this sudden concern for young people raises serious questions.
For decades, the youth of Dominica have grown up entirely under the leadership of Roosevelt Skerrit and the Dominica Labour Party. During that time, opportunities for young entrepreneurs remained limited, access to financing was constrained, and meaningful long-term support systems were neglected. If youth empowerment were truly a priority, it would not have taken a quarter of a century to act. This announcement does not reflect the vision. It reflects desperation.
Older generations are increasingly turning away from the Dominica Labour Party, disillusioned by broken promises, economic stagnation, and declining trust in public institutions. Now, faced with that reality, the government is scrambling to secure the support of the youth, hoping short-term gestures will erase decades of inaction.
What is being ignored is a simple truth: this entire generation grew up under Roosevelt Skerrit’s leadership. Young people are struggling today, and it is not because of a lack of time or opportunity to act. It is because their needs were not a Roosevelt Skerrit’s or the Dominica Labour Party’s priority. Not theirs, and not those of their parents.
Restructuring an institution at this late stage does not undo years of neglect. Announcements do not replace outcomes. Rebranding does not substitute for genuine policy, accountability, or results. The desperation is showing, and the youth of Dominica are more perceptive than this Roosevelt Skerritt assumes. They are not looking for last-minute promises. They are looking for leadership that has proven, over time, that it truly cares, which is the Dominica Reform Party.
