Vote DOMINICA FREEDOM PARTY

STATEMENT OF THE POLITICAL LEADER
Fellow Dominicans,
The 2009 General Elections is an extremely important event in
our history, not to be taken lightly. The results will determine
whether we continue on the slippery slope towards becoming a
failed State or we take back our country and build a society
that is free, prosperous, is at peace, where the rule of law is
observed and where everyone has a stake. When you go to the polls on
December 18 to vote, send a loud and clear message to those who seek public
office that you will not tolerate corruption any more and that the public trust is
sacred. Use your vote to reject the mendicancy and political patronage that
have been offered to us as a substitute for a well-thought out development
strategy for the last five years. Conversely, by voting for the Dominica Freedom
Party, you will be voting for accountability and integrity in public office, honest
leadership, the application of the rule of law, economic renewal and people
empowerment. In short, your vote for change will give Dominica a breath of
fresh air and restore our health as a Nation State.
While the Labour Party Government makes pronouncements on road
infrastructure works, it has been unable or incapable of completing these
projects on schedule and within original budgets. No other government has
been so scandalous with public funds. The netball stadium at Stock Farm now
stands as a testimony to the folly of the Labour Party. Recall the millions that
were expended on constructing the foundation of the original Windsor Stadium
project, which was laid to waste when the Chinese took over the project. We
have had the most recent experience of the garbage bin and fertilizer "bobols".
According to the Government’s own statistics, four out of every ten Dominicans
live in poverty. The poverty situation is considerably worse in the Carib
Territory where 70 per cent of the indigenous population lives in poverty and
almost half are indigent. The number of banana farmers has fallen
dramatically. Those who have remained in the industry are struggling. Their
income has declined by more than half and continues to fall beyond belief since
the Labour Party came into government in 2000. It is not surprising therefore
that unemployment is high at 25 per cent with the rate for youth more than
three times higher.
Instead of focusing on the job at hand - creating employment, improving the
quality of education and health care and arresting the upward trend in major
crimes - the Government is busily engaged in corrupt practices. The quality of
governance has sharply deteriorated. We have witnessed the undermining of
the Parliamentary system. Public procurement and public financial
administration have broken down. The Integrity in Public Office Commission
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