Dear Editor,

I had to instantly jump on my computer to pen this letter after seeing a video clip on your widely read news portal. Does the Dominica Prime Minister suffer from a disease of the mind?

Serious question, because, how comes up with these madness?

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit’s is proposing to resettle hundreds of Palestinian refugees in Dominica is both baffling and deeply troubling. After more than 20 years in power—presiding over what is widely considered the weakest economy in the OECS—Mr. Skerrit now wants to take on the responsibility of integrating foreign refugees, while neglecting the real and urgent needs of his own people.

How can a leader who has failed to address the long-standing economic stagnation in Dominica suddenly champion a humanitarian effort of this scale? This is the same Prime Minister who imposed visa restrictions on desperate Haitians fleeing chaos—many of whom share historical, linguistic, and cultural ties with the Caribbean. His track record on the Haitian crisis, which continues to deteriorate right on CARICOM’s doorstep, has been one of silence and inaction. Skerrit, a longstanding member of CARICOM, has offered no tangible solutions to the region’s most pressing humanitarian emergency.

What’s worse is the sheer hypocrisy. Dominican nationals themselves are scattered across the globe, many living in difficult circumstances due to the lack of opportunity and infrastructure at home. Our own citizens require attention, jobs, and dignity. Instead of fixing healthcare, education, and basic infrastructure—or tackling the rampant youth unemployment that plagues the country—the Prime Minister is entertaining a plan that seems designed more to curry favour with wealthy foreign governments than to genuinely help anyone.

Moreover, the timing of this announcement could not be worse. Global tensions surrounding the Middle East are at a boiling point, and this proposal risks injecting unnecessary geopolitical complexity into our small, vulnerable nation. Dominica should not become a pawn in international diplomacy or a recipient of external pressures masquerading as generosity.

This is not about being anti-refugee. It’s about responsible governance. Mr. Skerrit should first fix Dominica before offering it up as a solution to crises he has neither the resources nor the moral credibility to manage.

Sincerely,

Dominican Abroad