Dear Editor,
I write in direct response to the deeply flawed and dangerously misguided letter titled “Skerrit DAM Hypocrite, Clean Up Your Backyard First,” which not only resorts to vile personal insults against the Prime Minister of Dominica but also wilfully ignores both Dominica’s proud humanitarian history and its role in the regional and global community.
To ask whether the Prime Minister “suffers from a disease of the mind” is not commentary it’s malicious, unproductive drivel, and it undermines the very values of decency and discourse we should be promoting as Caribbean people.
1. Dominica’s Humanitarian Legacy – Including Haitians
Let’s set the record straight. Dominica was the first island in the Eastern Caribbean to open its doors to Haitian nationals, granting them visa-free access and work permits going as far back as the 2000s. News articles from Dominica News Online and regional outlets document this, including reports of then-Prime Minister Skerrit publicly defending Haitians against xenophobic attacks across the region.
The writer’s claim that the government has “failed Haitians” is simply uninformed or dishonest. Dominica extended compassion long before others did, often at the expense of political popularity. It is only in recent years, due to increasing abuse of entry protocols and regional pressures, that additional controls were introduced. Even so, many Haitians continue to live, work, and raise families in Dominica.
2. We Were Once Recipients of Refuge and Still Are
The letter conveniently forgets that many Dominicans have lived and still live as economic migrants and, in some cases, refugees in places like Guadeloupe, Martinique, Antigua, St. Kitts, and even Canada and the UK. In fact, there are Dominicans today who have entered these countries illegally due to hardship (As they claim) at home. Should those countries now be condemned for offering them safe haven?
Our own experience with hardship should make us more compassionate, not less.
3. Hurricane Maria Taught Us the Value of Global Solidarity
Following the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017, Dominica received critical aid from nations around the world even some grappling with their own economic challenges. We were not asked, “Is your economy ready to receive this help?” The only question was: How can we help?
Today, in turn, when war and devastation threaten others, especially Palestinian families displaced from their homes, Dominica is doing what decent nations do: standing up for humanity, not hiding behind excuses.
4. False Equivalence Between Refugees and Domestic Challenges
No one denies that Dominica as every other Caribbean Island in the region has socio-economic issues. But nation-building and humanitarian outreach are not mutually exclusive. One can care for refugees and still invest in healthcare, education, and youth employment. To suggest otherwise is to promote isolationism cloaked in faux patriotism.
Moreover, refugee programs are often supported by international funding, not drawn from local social budgets. The idea that Palestinian families will come to Dominica and drain public resources is unfounded fear mongering.
5. Moral Leadership is Not Measured by Size
The world isn’t only watching what the big powers do. Moral leadership today is often found in small, principled nations that lead by example. In choosing to offer sanctuary, Dominica is showing courage, compassion, and maturity qualities sorely lacking in the writer’s letter.
6. Let’s Not Forget Our Roots
The ancestors of most Dominicans were taken from Africa and displaced to Kalinago lands, most of us are descendants of the world’s earliest refugees and enslaved peoples. The Kalinago themselves were nearly wiped out by European settlers who arrived as “refugees” fleeing religious and political persecution. If we forget this, we forget who we are.
This is not madness. This is what leadership looks like. It’s easy to mock and condemn from the sidelines. It’s much harder to govern with vision and integrity. Prime Minister Skerrit has chosen the latter, and history will judge that decision far more kindly than anonymous internet rage.
Sincerely,A Proud and Informed Dominican