Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit called for resilience of character in nation-building, and to end the dangerous and divisive political tribalism and polarization. The national leader said it is high time every individual and all political parties put aside partisan affiliations and joined hands for the betterment of the country. He lamented the situation where people and groups are not able to contribute to national growth because of personal and political divisions.
“We must invest in our future through our collective efforts, to build Dominica and most important, by putting an end to the dangerous and divisive political tribalism and polarization that is keeping us apart and stopping some from giving their best to our country and to each other,” Skerrit said.
The prime minister emphasized that nations are broken when its citizens lack a sense of unity, and that the national identity of people become eroded when they live in mistrust and rancour. He noted that the resilience with which the people had rebuilt broken houses and dilapidated roads in the wake of Hurricane Maria must be applied to healing old wounds and fostering national unity and peace.
“Just as we pieced our country back together, we must now sow seeds of national unity, binding up old wounds and creating an environment of peace of national unity and a common and collective consciousness of who we are,” he said.
He revealed that the DLP administration has gone a long way in rebuilding the country after several natural disasters. He said the government restored electricity, rebuilt houses, repaired roads and bridges, replanted crops on farms, revitalized fishing businesses, regrew tourism, and provided food and water in many regions across the country. Without these interventions, Skerrit said diseases would have been rife after Maria and many souls would have been lost.
He disclosed that businesses have been facilitated in the private sector and those in public service never went unpaid even for one day. Skerrit said Dominica belongs to all Dominicans and every hand must be on deck to build a new and more prosperous country.
The prime minister gave the charge during the thanksgiving concert and two-year commemoration of Hurricane Maria. Meanwhile, former US President Bill Clinton, head of the Clinton Global Initiative, commended the DLP administration for all they have achieved in rebuilding the country following Maria. He said Dominica remains a model of climate change resilience for countries affected environmental disasters. Commonwealth Secretary General, Baroness Patricia Scotland, agreed with Clinton, saying the Commonwealth will always support countries fighting against climate change.
In a related development, Minister for Youth Affairs, Justina Charles-Riviere, used the opportunity of the World Peace Day celebrations on September 21 to caution against violence among youths and called for harmony across the country and the world at large.
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