Where is our people’s money: full accounting please in what is brewing as the mother of all scandals in the Commonwealth of Dominica.
In a breathtaking moment, the incoming Prime Minister of Dominica the Hon. Lennox Linton has asked the parliament of the Commonwealth of Dominica, where de money gone”? as he submitted a masterful response to the national budget of 2019-2020. Hon. Linton rightfully observed that something re: CBI revenue estimates were fishy.
Since this history-changing question, the government of Dominica has had to grapple with inconsistent and dubious responses from which Hon. Linton has been proven correct in his subject observations from non-other than Mr. Skerrit himself, “had we included this in the Estimates the Budget would not have been one billion dollars, it would be about 2-point-2 billion dollars”, Skerrit stated as he fought with himself on a radio Kairi Fm show.
In other words, the PM has informed that 1.2 billion which is unaccounted for in our national revenues for 2018-2019 has been placed in an Escrow Account for social housing. “If we did not have the Housing Program and if we only had the Range and the Marriott, you would see a dramatic number in terms of revenue for the Government. The Housing Program is doing better than the fund option… If we did not have this project and we had this agent selling for Dominica, all this money would have been part of revenue in the Consolidated Fund”, according to Mr. Skerrit. In effect, ‘ these state CBI revenues are placed in PRIVATE CONTROL and not State control which ought to have been. This type of governance fits perfectly in “KICKBACKS”.
The PM attempted to bamboozle the nation by stirring the emotions of our people, but he has yet to provide the figures to account for the missing 1.2 billion. He directed our minds to housing/hotel projects around the Island, but clearly, that is the work of a questionable leader who refuses to come clean with the nation.
In his failed attempt to deceive the nation, the PM had a lot to say about the Montreal Management Company arrangement to construct social houses.
We are aware that there is an agreement with MMCE and Dominica for Montreal Management to construct housing for the displaced Petite Savanne residents at Belvue Chopin since 2016.
Without full public disclosure, we are left to speculate that MMCE assumes all costs and responsibilities related to the construction of the said houses and finances its investment from the returns of the passport/citizenship sales. The said proceeds are then transferred to an escrow account according to our PM.
But where is that Escrow Account? How much /citizenship passport sale proceeds have gone into it? How much of the said proceeds have gone out of it? What is the actual amount of money recorded per year since 2016? Is this arrangement even legal?
What is the distribution of the citizenship funds between MMCE and the Commonwealth of Dominica? Who are the signatories to that Escrow Account?
Who oversees the arrangement of these agreements? Are there recorded reports in the Ministry of housing/finance?
What is MMCE’s net revenue on the project thus far? What is the cost of construction of this project anyway?
Isn’t it a conflict of interest for the Prime Minister and his Wife’s so-called Foundation to receive campaign Funding from MMCE? …especially if Mr. Skerrit is a signatory to that UNACCOUNTED ESCROW ACCOUNT for the said project?
One thing is certain in this dark CBI scandal, is that Dominica is being governed in muddy and murky waters and our own resources are being used to fatten a few in irregular and abusive business relationships.
Clearly, our many questions re; CBI are left unanswered and the mystery of unaccounted monies and abuse of Dominicans continue.
This piece cannot explore all areas of shady dealings but let us be reminded of the sale of our diplomatic passports; missing US100 Million Loan from Venezuela, appropriation of US10 Million for our Kalinago’s; the PM’s harboring of international fugitive, Monfared…
Dominica Dominica, these wrongs must end now!
This article is copyright © 2019 DOM767
