The Dominica Labour Party remained in the political wilderness for about 20 years and during that time, the late Mike Douglas, the late Pierre Charles and Urban Baron kept the DLP in parliament with their 3 seats.  After the passing of Mike in 1992, his brother Rosie won the Portsmouth seat. These 3 seats and others and with the help of the Dominica Freedom Party got the DLP in government in 2000. That is when the first seed of the Northern Bandits was planted. The hierarchy of  the Labour Party promised to tie Rosie to a chair because he was travelling too much. Sadly Rosie died on October 1, 2000 at his home in Portsmouth. At the infamous meeting in St Joseph on December 28, 2003, Roosevelt Skerrit was well on his way to sideline the Southern Boys (Grand Bay and Petite Savanne constituencies). At that meeting Skerrit threatened to slam Pierro with a chair and days after Pierro died with Skerrit becoming the Prime Minister by default.

As soon as Skerrit TIEF his mandate in 2005, some Labour stalwarts were on their way out. Arthur “Wrecker” Shillingford who was very instrumental in using his money, trucks and platform speaking skills to get Labour back in government in 2000, was seen as a traitor for standing with Pierro till his death. Urban Baron was treated like an enemy by Skerrit and before the 2009 election, Baron was already out. Para and his brother Osborne were out. Bernard Wiltshire, the late Don Christopher, Athie Martin, Severin McKenzie and others left. Nichodemus “Forche” Francis, owner of JX Car Rental, who gave Skerrit all his vehicles to campaign during the 2005 elections felt rejected. Soon after he started complaining how Skerrit and Austrie treated him very bad. Austrie’s property at Morne-A-Louis was incomplete and he refused to allow Forche to provide housing for the Venezuelans at his place for a few weeks. 

All the time Skerrit was putting his Bandits and Rogues together. They have to swear allegiance to Skerrit, defend him at any cost while grabbing for themselves and to hell with their communities. They have all gotten rich illegally and continue to be involved in illegal activities. With all these rich individuals in Portsmouth, the town remains in a deplorable state. Some of the Corrupt Bandits meet at the Purple Turtle bar on Saturdays as a De Facto Cabinet. They take decisions and the Rubber Stamp Cabinet implements.

The Northern Bandits are headed by Skerrit assisted by Reginald Austrie with members like, Levi Peter, Charles Savarin, Alick Lawrence, Lennox Lawrence, Remy Lawrence, Renneth “Bubbles” Alexis, Emanuel Nanthan, George Nanthan, Vincent Ofay Etienne, Chris Walters, and Dixon Sylvester. With moose boys like Titus Francis, Minchinton “Minchie” Burton, Collins Guiste, Hamid Leblanc and Eustace Bolo Brumant. They are the Creme of the Crop of Corrupt Bandits under the wings of Roosevelt Skerrit. They breathe, eat, sleep and sit on the toilets of corruption. Philsbert Etienne cried to be on the “Borbol List”, so Skerrit shut him up by giving him to fix a water crossing between Colihaut and Bioche. 

For how much Charles Savarin sold the Dominica Freedom Party during the signing of the “Roseau Declaration” with Skerrit in 2005? Where Bubbles got the money to build Villas at Savanne Paille while M&R Trading was coulaying?  Where Hamid got money to have several concrete mixing trucks? Where Chris Walters got the money to buy a cement plant, concrete mixing company and million of dollars worth of heavy equipment? ( A special report will soon come out on Walters). Who paid the debts for Lennox Lawrence when he was on suicide watch? How many international crooks, Alick sold passports to? How many young women Etienne got intimate with by promising them state funds while he was head of the Small Business Unit? How George Nathan got state wetlands along the Indian River and is destroying the Bio-Diversity in the area? Ask Cobra. Where Remy got the money to be fronting for international criminals? Why Emanuel tried to use Rubis to create an account to launder money into Dominica and why did he try to deposit about $2 million of passport money on his personal account at the NBD? Also, why Emanuel had one of the vehicles of international criminal, Alireza Monfared at his home in Bourne? Why is Dixon the holder of a diplomatic passport? Is it payment for organizing and bringing in illegal voters during  elections? Who is the real owner of Megawill Energy LLC located opposite the Purple Turtle Bar, where Skerrit sent Scaby for a bobcat that got burnt? 

These Northern Bandits are ruthless and boldface with their corrupt practices. They are about themselves and will kill to keep their master in power. They will also expel and belittle those who dare to speak up. Sean Douglas and Dr Stephen Sabin have been labeled as traitors for standing against the ills. Ian Douglas is in the dark most of the times, because he love his booze, so they keep him out of the loop. Meetings are held without his knowledge. They said that he will dèparlé when he is drunk. 

Ambassador Crispin Gregoire is the only true Labourite with testicular fortitude that continues to stand up against this Rogue Regime. Gregoire is the only voice from the South. Justina Charles and Ed Registe are just rubber stamps. The struggle out of the political wilderness was strongly and proudly fought by the Southern Boys like Pierro, Baron, Wrecker, Amour Thomas, Willie Fevrier and Gregoire. Now benefits are only being enjoyed by the Just Come Blood Sucking Corrupt Northern Bandits. The South is being totally neglected while the Northern Bandits continue to suck the life out of Dominica. It is also a blessing in disguise, because the Southern Boys will not be implicated with the Sticky Fingers Northern Bandits. They left that for Justina Charles.

This piece submitted by a Special Correspondent