标签： Dominica

Ahead of upcoming political activity in Dominica’s Paix Bouche and Calibishie Constituency, Christine Dupuis-Dubique, the parliamentary candidate from opposition grouping Team Unity Dominica (TUD), has laid out a people-focused policy platform centered on lifting up two of the constituency’s most critical working groups: public transport operators and small-scale fishers.

Speaking at an official TUD press briefing this week, Dupuis-Dubique framed her push for expanded support as a necessary correction to existing policies that have left key industry workers without the resources to sustain and grow their livelihoods. Her core proposal for public transport operators is a restructured, fully transparent duty-free concession program that ties benefits directly to compliance with core industry regulations.

Under her framework, only registered operators that meet strict requirements for proper licensing, valid passenger insurance, regular roadworthiness inspections and documented passenger safety protocols would qualify for the concessions — a structure she says ensures benefits go to compliant, responsible operators while raising overall service standards for the public.

Dupuis-Dubique argued that the island’s small-scale boat owners and commercial fishers, who form a backbone of the coastal constituency’s economy, deserve the same tier of targeted government support as transport operators. Beyond duty concessions for essential equipment, she is calling for sweeping reforms to expand small-scale fishers’ access to low-interest, affordable financing to purchase the safe, high-quality tools and vessels they need to operate sustainably. “Our boat owners and fishers have long powered our local economy, and they should not have to struggle to access the capital and resources they need to build lasting, successful businesses,” she said.

In addition to financial support for existing industries, Dupuis-Dubique is pushing for major investments in accessible local skills training, eliminating the burden on constituency residents of traveling long distances off-site to gain professional qualifications. She called for the immediate rollout of community-based training programs covering high-demand, local industry-relevant skills including maritime safety, commercial navigation, boat engine maintenance, hospitality services and small business management. These programs would be hosted directly in population centers across the constituency, including Bense, Anse De Mai, Anse Soldat, Calibishie and Paix Bouche, making training accessible to working residents who cannot travel for extended coursework.

Dupuis-Dubique emphasized that the Paix Bouche and Calibishie Constituency holds unique natural and economic advantages thanks to its deep, generations-long ties to both marine fisheries and coastal agriculture. These existing strengths, she argued, create a solid foundation for inclusive long-term economic growth — but that potential will remain untapped without targeted public investment in infrastructure, financial support and skills development tailored to local needs.

A further key plank of her platform calls for local hiring requirements for public and private development projects carried out within the constituency. She stressed that qualified local workers should receive first consideration for contracts and jobs generated by community projects, ensuring that economic activity within the area directly benefits the residents who live there, rather than outside contractors. “When development work comes to our communities, local people deserve the first chance to share in the benefits,” she reiterated.

As Dominica prepares for its next general election, the opposition United Workers Party (UWP) has formally announced its plan to field a complete slate of 21 candidates to contest all available parliamentary seats, marking a deliberate, step-by-step approach to building its electoral team ahead of the vote.

UWP Political Leader Dr. Thomson Fontaine outlined the party’s strategy during a recent public press briefing, noting that the incremental rollout of candidates is designed to give Dominican voters adequate time to get to know each aspirant seeking office. Following an initial reveal of three candidates one month prior, the party has now introduced an additional three contenders, bringing the total number of publicly announced candidates to six out of the planned 21.

Dr. Fontaine framed the incremental rollout as a “nice steady march” toward completing the party’s full electoral lineup, emphasizing that all UWP candidates have been vetted to align with the party’s core values of integrity and public service. He described the full slate as a carefully curated mix of young talent, seasoned political experience, and proven professional competence, bringing together diverse Dominicans committed to advancing the nation’s interests.

One of the newly introduced candidates is Jean Francois, running for the Wesley constituency. Dr. Fontaine, who has campaigned alongside Francois on the ground in the area, noted that Francois offers a fresh alternative to traditional Dominican politics, highlighting his deep sincerity and unwavering dedication to improving living standards for residents of Wesley and all Dominicans nationwide.

Ernie Jno Finn, commonly known to constituents as “Teacher Ernie,” is the UWP’s candidate for the Castle Bruce constituency. Dr. Fontaine shared that he has toured the entire constituency with Jno Finn — covering communities from Castle Bruce, Tranto and Dipa to San Sauveur, Good Hope, and Petite Soufriere — and confirmed that she enjoys widespread grassroots support, driven by her longstanding passion for serving the constituency’s residents.

Completing the latest round of candidate announcements is Martha Augustus, who will stand for the Roseau South seat. Dr. Fontaine commended Augustus for her decision to return to Dominica after completing her studies abroad, turning down opportunities to build her life overseas to instead dedicate her career to public service for her home community.

The incremental rollout is set to continue in the coming weeks as the party works toward filling all 21 candidate slots ahead of the general election, with Dr. Fontaine confirming that the UWP will remain on schedule to present its full team to Dominican voters before ballots are cast.

In a landmark ruling delivered on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has overturned a three-month custodial sentence handed down to a Barbadian man convicted of cannabis trafficking, correcting what senior judges identified as multiple critical errors in lower court applications of Barbados’ modern sentencing legislation.

The case centers on Danny Lamar Husbands, who pled guilty to trafficking 90 grams of cannabis. Initially, the Magistrate’s Court sentenced Husbands to three months in prison, basing the ruling heavily on his prior criminal convictions and concluding that his offending behavior had escalated over time. The Barbados Court of Appeal later upheld this original custodial sentence, leaving Husbands to appeal to the region’s highest court for redress.

In its official press release outlining the judgment, the CCJ confirmed it has granted Husbands’ appeal, setting aside both the lower appellate court’s ruling and the original prison term. In place of custody, the court ordered Husbands to enter a six-month good behavior bond. Should he fail to meet the terms of this bond, he will be required to pay a fine of 675 Barbadian dollars within a 14-day window.

The core of the CCJ’s ruling rests on its finding that both lower courts failed to adhere to the requirements of Barbados’ Penal System Reform Act, a landmark piece of legislation designed to expand the use of non-custodial sentencing and cut down on unnecessary incarceration across the country. The CCJ explained that the act sets a strict high threshold that must be met before courts can issue a custodial sentence, adding that Barbadian courts have routinely opted for non-custodial penalties in cannabis trafficking cases involving quantities similar to the 90 grams at issue in Husbands’ case.

Senior judges also emphasized that the lower courts incorrectly assigned excessive weight to Husbands’ prior criminal record. Under the explicit text of the Penal System Reform Act, an offender cannot be ordered to serve prison time solely on the basis of previous convictions, a rule that both lower courts failed to follow in this proceeding. Compounding this error, the CCJ found the Barbados Court of Appeal violated statutory requirements by upholding the custodial sentence without first ordering and reviewing a mandatory pre-sentence report.

The appeal was heard by a five-justice panel consisting of Justices Rajnauth-Lee, Jamadar, Ononaiwu, Eboe-Osuji and Bulkan. Husbands was represented by Andrew O. G. Pilgrim, SC, and Martie R. M. Garnes, while Krystal C. Delaney and Kevin Forde represented the respondent. Anika Jackson, SC, and Rico Yearwood appeared as amicus curiae on behalf of Barbados’ Attorney General. The full text of the court’s judgment is currently available for public viewing on the CCJ’s official website.

In the press release, the CCJ underscored that the ruling serves to reinforce the core purpose of the Penal System Reform Act, ensuring that the power to order imprisonment is only exercised in cases where it is clearly legally justified under the legislation.