标签： Dominica

As the highly anticipated Roseau North by-election approaches on September 7, Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has launched a targeted campaign push to win over voters for the ruling Dominica Labour Party (DLP) candidate Ashma McDougall, while leveling sharp criticism against the main opposition United Workers Party (UWP) for failing its long-time supporters. Speaking at a community gathering in Gutter Village, Skerrit focused heavily on mobilizing young voters, emphasizing that their electoral choices will directly shape their own future prospects in the country.

Skerrit told attendees that meaningful progress for young Dominicans begins with intentional, informed decisions at the ballot box on September 7. “You cannot want to sit out in the campaign or vote the wrong choice and expect things to get better for you tomorrow,” he noted, urging all eligible residents to show up to vote and back the candidate he frames as the best option for the constituency. The prime minister extended his appeal even to voters who have never backed the DLP in previous elections, saying their past political allegiances should not stop them from supporting McDougall this time around. “As far as we are concerned, that doesn’t matter anymore,” Skerrit said of non-traditional DLP supporters, adding that the by-election presents a unique chance for voters to reassess their political choices and prioritize the nation’s long-term prosperity and public welfare.

In his sharp rebuke of the opposition UWP, Skerrit claimed that the party has abandoned the very supporters who poured their time, limited financial resources, and energy into building the organization over decades. “Because the reality is the Workers’ Party has let you down. They have disappointed you. You invested all your years in them. You spent the money that you never had in them. You followed them. You fought for them, you cursed for them, and they have always abandoned you,” he told the crowd. Pointing to the UWP’s current standing in the constituency, Skerrit argued that the choice facing Roseau North voters is the clearest it has ever been in the constituency’s modern political history. “The choice couldn’t be so clear and so easy to make on September 7, that is to vote for Ashma McDougall and the Dominica Labour Party,” he added.

Three candidates are vying for the open Roseau North seat in the upcoming by-election: McDougall representing the DLP, Daniel “Danny” Lugay running for the UWP, and Sherman Boston contesting as an independent candidate. With just days remaining before polling opens, all three candidates are making their final direct appeals to undecided voters across the constituency to secure their support on election day.

As the September 7 by-election for Dominica’s Roseau North Constituency draws near, Dominica Labour Party (DLP) nominee Ashma McDougall has laid out a clear, community-centered agenda for the Gutter Village area, focusing on long-overlooked infrastructure, public services and constituent engagement. During a recent face-to-face meeting with Gutter Village residents, McDougall broke down her key priorities if elected, starting with improving walkway safety and accessibility for all community members.

A Dominican national residing overseas has penned an open letter to the nation’s public and leadership, urging a long-overdue, serious public debate over the country’s historical territorial and maritime interests connected to Bird Island, also known as Isla de Aves, a small Caribbean landmass currently under Venezuelan control.

The author, who identifies as a concerned citizen deeply invested in Dominica’s long-term sovereignty, resource security and prosperity, frames the call for discussion as a timely step amid a global wave of nations revisiting their territorial borders, historical rights and natural resource claims. Bird Island sits in close proximity to Dominica’s existing maritime boundaries, and has been a source of quiet regional debate for decades. While Venezuela’s sovereignty over the island has been formalized through past international agreements and historical arrangements, the letter raises unresolved questions over how much maritime jurisdiction and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) rights a tiny landmass of this kind should be granted over the surrounding Caribbean waters.

Against this backdrop, the writer argues that the Dominican government cannot afford to dismiss the issue out of hand. Protecting the interests of current and future generations of Dominicans, they insist, requires a full review of historical records, factual verification, and deliberate public engagement rather than continued inaction.

Crucially, the letter emphasizes that this call for discussion does not equate to a demand for confrontation or hostility toward Venezuela. Any process of review and negotiation, the author stresses, must be rooted in peaceful diplomacy, mutual respect, and strict adherence to frameworks of international law.

To move the process forward, the writer calls on Dominica’s Prime Minister and national cabinet to launch an inclusive national conversation on Bird Island and its adjacent maritime areas. They recommend that the government engage independent legal and historical experts to assess whether any legitimate, unresolved claims related to Dominica’s maritime interests remain outstanding, and hold consultations with regional and international partner bodies to inform the process. The author also suggests that Dominican diplomacy should engage with key international stakeholders, including the United States and other friendly nations, not to solicit third-party intervention on territorial claims, but to access diplomatic support, technical expertise, and guidance under international law to advance the country’s legitimate national interests.

A core component of the discussion, the letter notes, should center on untapped natural resource potential. For years, industry and academic observers have speculated that the broader maritime region around Bird Island could hold commercially viable reserves of oil and natural gas. While the existence of such reserves can only be confirmed through rigorous scientific and geological survey work, the author argues that Dominica has a fundamental responsibility to investigate any areas connected to historical contested maritime claims, given the potential upside for national development. If viable resources are confirmed, the letter notes, revenue from these assets could transform investment in key public services across Dominica, from public education and healthcare to infrastructure development, affordable housing, climate disaster preparedness, youth employment and broad-based economic growth.

The author underscores that all final decisions related to territorial claims and natural resource development must remain the sovereign right of the Dominican people, guided by the national constitution, international law, environmental stewardship, and the long-term public good. No territorial claim or national resource should be negotiated or surrendered without full transparency and thorough public consideration, they add.

Acknowledging that the issue is complex and unlikely to be resolved quickly, the writer argues that avoiding public discussion only does a disservice to the Dominican public and future generations. As an overseas citizen, the author notes that while they are physically separated from their home country, their commitment to Dominica’s future remains unshaken. They conclude by calling on elected representatives, historians, legal experts, diplomats and the general Dominican public to join in a deliberate, responsible review of the issue. The letter ends with a rallying cry for the nation to commit to researching its history, upholding the principles of international law, protecting its legitimate maritime interests, pursuing peaceful diplomatic solutions, and never shying away from asking hard questions that shape the country’s future. ‘The future belongs not only to those who inherit a country, but to those who are willing to protect, question, and responsibly develop its potential,’ the author writes.

Ahead of the September 7 by-election for Dominica’s Roseau North Constituency, the country’s longstanding opposition group the Dominica Freedom Party (DFP) has made a landmark strategic decision to throw its support behind United Workers Party (UWP) candidate Daniel “Danny” Lugay, framing the move as a commitment to advancing the island nation’s core democratic values over partisan priorities.

In an official endorsement statement released September 4, 2026, the DFP emphasized that its backing of Lugay is a principled stand rooted in the party’s foundational commitments to democracy, transparent good governance, the rule of law, and governmental accountability. The organization was careful to clarify that this cross-party endorsement does not signal a retreat from its own independent political identity or core ideological convictions. Instead, party leaders argued that extraordinary political moments require putting national interest above narrow partisan gain, and the Roseau North by-election qualifies as exactly that kind of turning point for the country.

“This is not simply about Danny Lugay,” the DFP statement noted, tying the election contest to broader national conversations over democratic accountability and institutional integrity. Echoing the party’s long-held slogan, “PEOPLE BEFORE POWER, PEOPLE BEFORE POLITICS, PEOPLE BEFORE PRIVILEGE AND THINGS,” the DFP reaffirmed its mission to center citizen welfare in all national decision-making. The party also outlined its long-term goal: to collaborate with all pro-democracy and opposition groups across Dominica to rebuild public trust in state institutions, strengthen democratic governance frameworks, and place the needs of ordinary Dominican citizens at the heart of national policy.

The DFP’s endorsement follows a August 24, 2026 virtual solidarity rally organized by the Electoral Reform Coalition (ERC), where the party joined other opposition forces in rallying support for Lugay. The DFP is not the only opposition group to back the UWP candidate: the fellow opposition United Progressive Party has also publicly endorsed Lugay ahead of polling day.

Three candidates are contesting the open Roseau North seat: Lugay for the UWP, Ashma McDougal representing the ruling Dominica Labour Party, and Sherman Boston running as an independent candidate.

In its closing appeal to Roseau North voters, the DFP urged all registered constituents to turn out in large numbers on September 7 to exercise their democratic right, framing the vote as a critical opportunity for residents to signal their desired direction for national leadership. “The final decision rests with the electorate,” the statement acknowledged, urging voters to cast their ballots with the future of Dominican democracy and country in mind. The party closed with a clear, unifying message: “A VOTE FOR DANNY LUGAY IS A VOTE FOR DEMOCRACY.”

As the highly anticipated by-election for the Roseau North Constituency draws near, local media outlet Dominica News Online (DNO) has opened a public opinion poll to invite community members and political observers to share their predictions on which candidate will secure victory.

Three contenders are currently in the running for the vacant constituency seat, each bringing different political backgrounds and platforms to the contest. The ruling Labour Party has fielded Ashma McDougall as its official candidate, while the main opposition United Workers Party has put forward Danny Lugay to challenge for the position. Completing the candidate lineup is Sherman Boston, who is running as an independent candidate aiming to win support from voters unaligned with the two major established political parties.

DNO is encouraging all interested participants, regardless of their voting status or political affiliation, to not only cast their prediction in the public poll but also share their detailed thoughts and perspectives on the upcoming race in the comment section below the survey. The poll serves as an informal snapshot of public sentiment ahead of the official vote, giving political analysts and local residents an early look at which candidate may hold a leading edge among engaged community members.

A growing political dispute centered on governance transparency, electoral reform, and the management of Dominica’s lucrative Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program has intensified this week, after two major domestic organizations threw their weight behind prominent local businessman Gregor Nassief and condemned actions by the administration of Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit.

The conflict dates back eight months, when Nassief began publicly and privately pressing for answers around the country’s voter confirmation process, submitting formal proposals for improvement directly to the Electoral Commission. His scrutiny extends further: correspondence shared with the Electoral Reform Coalition (ERC) shows Nassief has raised serious, unresolved concerns about the administration of the CBI program with Prime Minister Skerrit dating as far back as 2019.

Tensions boiled over at an August 29 executive meeting of the ruling Dominica Labour Party (DLP), where Skerrit delivered what the ERC describes as a vulgar, insulting, and unprovoked verbal attack on Nassief, delivered without naming him directly. In an official September 2 statement, the coalition, which advocates for fair and transparent electoral processes in Dominica, announced its full solidarity with Nassief, saying the Prime Minister’s remarks are deeply alarming and entirely inappropriate for a sitting head of government.

Rather than engaging in personal attacks, the ERC argues, Skerrit should address the core substantive questions Nassief has raised about transparency and democratic accountability. The coalition also praised Nassief for his courage in speaking out on issues of public concern, noting that open debate is a cornerstone of healthy democratic governance.

Separately, the Dominica Business Forum (DBF) has sparked fresh controversy over allegations of state surveillance of a private gathering involving Nassief. On August 26, the DBF co-hosted an invitation-only closed meeting at Roseau’s Fort Young Hotel, bringing together a cross-section of Dominican society: local business owners, legal and medical professionals, construction contractors, sitting and retired political figures, former military and public service personnel, and ordinary engaged citizens. Attendees were told the off-the-record discussion would focus on new ideas and global best practices for key sectors of the Dominican economy, including tourism, the CBI program, and reforms to the national voter registration and confirmation process.

Meeting organizers explicitly promised all attendees that the gathering would remain private. But in an official letter signed by DBF President Daryl Bobb, the organization confirmed it has obtained concrete hard evidence that unidentified state operatives accessed the hotel property during the meeting and were actively recording the identities and actions of attendees.

The DBF said it regrets that the trust placed in it by participants was broken by the alleged surveillance, and reaffirmed its institutional mandate to facilitate open, inclusive national dialogue on critical issues “without fear or favor.” Nassief has confirmed he is currently seeking formal legal advice over the reported presence of state-funded security personnel at the private event.

The back-to-back developments are the latest escalation in a widening public confrontation between Nassief and Skerrit, as questions around electoral integrity and the governance of the CBI program continue to dominate public discourse in Dominica.