A deeply disturbed Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit on Friday said he is “really, really pissed off” with certain elements in the country who are seeking to undermine the future of the Dominican people.
At his daily media briefing the Prime Minister called on those who are using social media and other methods to spread false information to stop it.
“This talk about food supplies and partisanship with food supplies and politicians are the ones dealing with the delivery of food supplies – this is total nonsense,” a visibly upset Skerrit said at the briefing which was carried live on social media.
“As the Prime Minister of this country, I sleep on the floor. As the Prime Minister of this country I bathe this morning from a bucket of water. I don’t need corned beef, I don’t need sardines, so where the hell am I going to put corned beef or stock up sardines at my home or anywhere else.”
Skerrit explained that while supplies are coming in, there are limitations in terms of places to store the supplies in communities because every single home got damaged in the country.
He further outlined that the distribution of supplies is being managed by the international aid agencies in the country.
“People who are seeking to undermine the government’s effort of bringing relief and bring aid and bringing restoration of services to our country need to stop it,” he said.
“We can’t be going out there on social media, on the radio and elsewhere and making these unfounded, baseless, malicious allegations. It’s not going to hurt me and this thing must stop. Because it’s really pissing me off that there are people out there talking a bunch of nonsense about food supplies … which all of these attempts are geared to undermine our efforts. This damn country has been destroyed. It’s been devastated. Schools are destroyed and people are out there talking a bunch of nonsense about food supplies and political interference.”
The Prime Minister said his mandate is to ensure that this country has adequate supplies to get to every single home and every single individual in Dominica.
“This is really, really pissing me off and I am very upset about what some people are doing in this country. We have to stop it. There are people ‘bussing’ their asses out there seeking to bring a better way of life for our people,” he said, adding that “the only people who will be affected by this are the most vulnerable in our country, the people whose homes have been destroyed, who do not know where they will be sleeping tonight, the people who do not know whether when Monday comes if they will have a job, who do not know how they are going to pay their mortgages.
“I am telling you I am really pissed off and I have not gotten pissed off since the hurricane but this nonsense must stop. What the hell, we have to stop it. Do we want to wake up one morning and have no government in place to run this country?”
Skerrit said he will address the nation tonight to give a full update on the relief efforts thus far.
The PM is absolutely right. The language was strong but in the circumstances he must let loose. Too much irrespobsible behaviiur in the part of some of our people. Tell them hiw it feels PM.
He is totally write Dominicans never apeichiate wat people do for them this man doing the max he can’t for them he cry on social media to help them but they don’t see it not all but most off them,he go to all contry frensh, British, americanes,Spanish,Trinidad but wat all you want him to do again
Mr. Skerrit, I understand your frustration about others who some of us consider to be less than desirable. However, I take issue with your response. It does show true humility. A better response would be we are trying our best to recover from this devastation. I know you have frustrations about the relief response but we are doing our best. You cannot do this on your own, you need the other half of the country who did not vote for you to be on board. Meeting with the leader of the opposition would be a good start and do you know what would be even more impressive taking some members of the opposition out of state when you travel a true presentation of unity. Lashing out is beneath the office of the Prime minister. You should not be preoccupied about gossip. Stay focus on the facts and the matters of fact. Truth is the devastation alone will note determine the state of progress right now. It will be the political decisions right this minute that will make the transitions lighter. Politics affect our daily lives based on the executions of our political leaders. People are going to express their frustrations. You need to accept that as a leader and lead with respect. This hurricane will test our very substance as humans. Show substance and compassion regardless.
It’s time this PM realize he alone cannot run the dam country. There are supposed to be a ton of ministers where the hell are they? Why is it this PM thinks he is the only one trying to do everything? He must get pissed off, but again is his fault. Let the people you appoint to be Ministers do their part, and you mr pm,do yours. Get the opposition involved, get the village council involved, get the churches involved and let’s do what needs to be done instead of getting frustrated and behaving like a dam toddler. We all need to come together. Get the press conference going and start dishing out things for others to take care of.
He said he don’t EAT not NEED
Correction It does not show true humility.
I dont care about the pettiness a man of your status constantly engage in. However its 11 days and 3/4 of the island has not received any aid. Just because you are the p.m. doesn’t mean everything you do is right. Sorry this is unacceptable. Aid should have already been distributed. And yes the people who post online are posting the truth. Their brains work fine. So if they posted and said that they didnt recieve aid i believe them. If people say politics involved i believe them. it happened during Erica. Share the food. Stop focusing on pettiness. You always know what going on fb. You sitting too high to always be stooping so low. Poor planning. You should have a serious disaster management program going on.
Btw you are not every where. Yes your parl reps discriminate. I cant blame you for their action. Every man has to answer to himself.
The Prime Minister is so right and has been doing the best that he can.. Dominica was devasted by hurricane Maria. And in three days he was in new York addressing the United Nations to seek humanitarian aid for the country. Now it’s going in three weeks since hurricane IRMA destroyed the VIRGIN Islands which is a territory and part of the United States. And the governor of the VIRGIN Islands has not yet been to the US to meet with the President if the USA.
The Prime Minister cannot do it alone and is not involved in distribution of supplies.
When Tropical Storm Ericka destroyed the country in 2015 he brought on board the leader of the opposition and some of their representatives. To be part of the rebuilding effort and before time what happened , they all left and did nothing for their constituents the government hired and paid for their Mobility to get to their districts and they did nothing .I do not hesitate to say I would not have involved them in nothing .
I have seen videos of young men in Roseau sitting around rubble but they cannot think to store it up in one place ready for collection. Help to clean up your community. I saw the for the first time how the mentality of the village people is so different from those in town. You look at the pictures of some of the villages and you can see some kind of order they have cleared as much of the road as they can. They take pride in their village but a lot of the people in Roseau have become to dependent on handouts and the government. I live in the UK and remotely I am trying to get builders from neighbouring islands to go and help my dad with his roof, I have sent food and water to the relief effort. We are doing our bit so come on young people of the city you can help you are on the ground get on with.
People and friends of Dominica now isn’t the time for us to be fighting but rather working together in harmony to help rebuild the nation. The prime minister is right and he has a country to manage under this circumstance instead of malicious social media comments we should join hands and minds and work tirelessly to being Dominica back. We in the diaspora doing all what we can to support our brothers and sisters and disseminating such information is only causing more damage
Let’s rebuild Dominica
Pr worse off so for me from the outside looking in Mr Pm continue the good fight for the ppl of Dominica. Let love n righteousness rule N guide your heart n everything will be alright
I can certainly understand your of frustration Hon Prime Minister at those making unfounded, damaging and disparaging comments via social media at a time like this. You are demonstrating and providing exemplary and exceptional leadership, providing open and honest communication which keeps us (I echo the sentiments of those of us in British Columbia) abreast of the ongoing state of affairs. I implore you not despair, steer the course which you and your govt have determined is best and rest assured of the continued support of and by many. Encourage those who are in opposition to look closely into the mirror (if any is unbroken and available) and set aside their differences and gripes and to channel all their efforts towards helping in the recovery process by providing help wherever and whenever it is needed. God bless you Roosevelt Skerrit PM, give you the strength to persevere and to make Dominica strong again. Blessings.
My family in one of the small villages have received NO AID AT ALL!!!!! Is this really fair after almost two weeks in.
They are risking their lives to get to other neighbouring islands just to get basic supplies for themselves and the other villagers.
God Guide And Protect Them Because there own Government has forgotten about them.
Boudier Help!!!!!!