(DNO)
Opposition Leader, Lennox Linton, has responded to statements made by Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit during an address to the nation on Tuesday, in which he blamed the United Workers Party (UWP) for protest actions which took place in the City of Roseau on Monday night.
Videos circulated on social media showing the actions of some protestors in Roseau, uprooting plants, blocking the roads, burning garbage, and some even spreading garbage on the streets. There was also an incident of direct confrontation with the police when barricades which the law enforcers had put up, were removed.
However, Linton said at a UWP news conference on Tuesday afternoon, the UWP is not directing any protest action and the incident on Monday night in Roseau was instigated by the police.
According to him, the young people of Dominica are protesting to secure free and fair elections with integrity as the backbone of government of the people, by the people, for the people.
“I want to be clear this afternoon that the incident in the evening of November 18, 2019 was instigated by members of the police squad,” he said.
He continued, “It was not the protesters but the police, that interrupted the flow of traffic to the entire south of the island, because of the directive from higher authority that the people should be prevented at gunpoint from having an audience with the president, the key guardian of the constitution.”
Linton believes it’s the dispensing of tear gas canisters against persons who carried only placards, that was an act of violence.
He also accused Skerrit of being “violently in breach” of the oath of office of which he swore to serve without fear or favour, affection or ill will.
“And that, in the execution of the functions of the office of Prime Minister, he will honour, uphold and preserve the constitution of the Commonwealth of Dominica without favour to himself and ill will to the people of Dominica,” The opposition leader remarked.
“Mr. Skerrit has violently attacked the people’s right to free and fair elections and he is unrelentingly assaulting the constitution of the rule of law and good governance in our nation,” Linton contended.
He said the UWP stands firmly with the people of Dominica, protesting, standing for their rights and insisting on electoral reform.
“These protest actions did not fall from the sky; they are not being pursued by aliens. The people involved are Dominicans, Dominican human beings with rights…,” The UWP leader stated.
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