Following a wave of violence in the capital city of Roseau on Tuesday 7th February, Hon Prime Minister, Dr Roosevelt Skerrit addressed the nation concluding that Dominica is bigger and better than those who seek to tear it apart.
Acts of vandalism, looting and arson took place following protest action orchestrated by the opposition, United Workers Party.
While the police granted permission for a public meeting scheduled for 11:00am to 3:00pm on Tuesday 7th February, 2017, the activity went past the end time under the instruction of the Opposition Leader, Lennox Linton.
The Hon Prime Minister explained in his address that when Linton addressed his supporters the mood of the meeting changed.
“In his pronouncements during his address Lennox Linton, the Leader of the Opposition in Dominica and the man who fancies himself the Commander in Chief of the armed forces of Dominica made it clear that the Chief of Police had no legal authority to tell him when to end the meeting and therefore the meeting would not end at 3:00pm,” he explained.
Despite repeated request from the police for the public meeting to end at the agreed time, the Opposition Leader persisted that the meeting would end at the time the people pleased.
“This is when and where the cue was given for persons to do whatever they deemed necessary….” Hon Skerrit said.
The situation deteriorated even further when protestors and the leadership of the party refused to follow police orders to move a truck which served as the platform for the meeting.
Hon Skerrit says, according to police intelligence, the ultimate plan of the Opposition was to overthrow the Dominica Labour Party administration
But at AID Bank’s 24th Annual General Meeting on Wednesday morning, the Hon Prime Minister stated strongly that his Government will not be forced out of office.
“Let it be known that there shall be no action on the part individuals in Dominica to overthrow this government…,” he said.
Protestors set fire, threw missiles, and fired live rounds of ammunition at the police.
Several businesses were vandalized including Dons and Divas, Piwi Ice Cream, Out-Door World, Shine Union, First Caribbean Bank and Duncan Stowe’s Building. The Muslim Store on Dame Eugenia Charles Boulevard was also set on fire.
Hon Skerrit visited some of the affected businesses on Wednesday morning.
The situation was brought under control at about 2:00 am on Wednesday.The nation’s leader said that the events of Tuesday night are currently under police investigations.
Hon Skerrit implored citizens to reject the leadership style of the opposition leader whom he says he can no longer call honourable.
The nation’s leader saluted the Chief of Police and Dominica Police Force for their restraint in handling the events of Tuesday night.