Opposition Leader Lennox Linton has called for the release of a report by a team of regional investigators that probed the circumstances that led to the disturbances last year that Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said was part of a plan by the leadership of two opposition parties to “seize the seat of power”.
“So where is their report, this is more than a year later,” Linton told Parliament here on Tuesday night.
National Security Minister Rayburn Blackmoore had said last year that the investigators, two police superintendents and an attorney at law, would have assisted in directing the investigation into the February 7 disturbances, reviewing all evidence gathered, submit reports to the Commissioner of Police and make recommendations based on their findings.
“There is a need for a detailed, comprehensive, independent and transparent investigation into the riot and all preceding circumstances and events leading into it,” Blackmoore said.
“In that regard, the government of Dominica has made a request for investigative services to the CARICOM Implementing Agency in Crime and Security Impacts under the regional investigative management system to assist in the investigation and review of the evidence gathered of recent public events,” Blackmoore said then.
Skerrit had in a radio and television address said that the demonstrators who had been calling for his resignation and that of his government were being pushed by the “militant, irresponsible behaviour of the leadership” of the main opposition United Workers Party (UWP) and the Dominica Freedom Party (DFP).
He said 32 males were arrested for various offences in relation to the reported incidents
Linton, who was making his contribution to a measure seeking further budgetary finance, said the government was seeking EC$88,500 “to settle outstanding invoices for accommodation for four investigating officers under the regional investigative management system….
Linton said that he was not happy with statements made by the government on the issue “for the simple reason that all that has been in the public domain for public consumption is that there were some officers from the regional investigative management system in Dominica on the 24th of February, 2017 to investigate the events of February 7, 2017.
“So where is there report? This is more than a year later. What did they find out about this allegations of a coup attempt against the government of Dominica and why have we heard nothing further about it. Are we then going to drop the charges,” Linton asked.
He told legislators that ‘there were members of both sides implicated in this matter” and wondered whether the government “would exonerate those on your side”.
