Members of the opposition and many Dominicans continue to criticize PM Roosevelt Skerrit and President Charles Savarin over several government policies or activities deemed exploitative to the people. Two of these in recent times are the decision of the DLP administration to not renew the 2-year rent of the prime minister’s palatial residence, and the government’s unilateral initiative to hire and pay Sir Dennis Byron $450,000 for sweeping political reforms in the country.
Thousands of people opposed the prime minister when he first announced that he would be renting a building for his official residence. Many Dominicans rose against him on the grounds that the monthly rent of $64,000 is considered way and above aboard when the monthly rent could have been channeled to other productive enterprises for the common good of improverished countrymen. And when Skerrit announced in a seeming volte-face that the rent for the official residence will not be renewed after two years, many people opined that the prime minister’s promie must be taken with a pinch of salt.
Given the violent opposition that greeted the government’s appointment of Sir Dennis Byron as the sole commissioner for electoral reform and constitutional amendments in the country, the prime minister bowed to the demand of the people and requested prominent experts across the region to join Byron for the task. Skerrit even admonished Dominicans to be less vindictive and desist from the “crab in the barrel mentality”.
But the opposition countered by pointing out that the DLP administration should have consulted every stakeholder in the country before unilaterally appointing Byron for electoral reform on a $450,000 invoice, and that many Dominicans are intelligent and competent enough to be given the job. Members of the opposition said Dominican political experts within and outside the country could have done the job superbly at a cheaper price, and that the payment for the job could have stayed within the country to develop the nation instead of potentially being transferred out of the country to develop other nations.
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