Dominica News Online – Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has stated he will not allow his dignity to be “dragged” in Dominica, whilst reiterating his position of relieving the state of his $32,000.00 monthly rental at the end of his two-year lease.
Dissent flared over a decision taken by the Cabinet of Dominica on June 9, 2020, to approve a monthly payment of EC $32,000.00 for the property from Mercury Properties Development Ltd. in Morne Daniel for the Prime Minister and his family.
Leader of the Opposition, Lennox Linton, was among many who strongly condemned the “hefty” approval and wrote to Skerrit, demanding immediate revocation.
In October, just three months in his new residence, Skerrit assured opponents of his $32,000.00 rental property that the lease will not be renewed at the end of the 2-year contract.
Reprising his position on his recent Anou Palay show on November 29, the Prime Minister stated, “I have started making plans to relieve the state of the money that it’s paying for the prime minister and I am moving to build my own residence for myself and my family so that I will have my own keys for the home and I think I will be better off that way.”
He added, “It’s unfortunate though that a prime minister would have to spend his money, whether it is borrowed money from the bank, to house the prime minister. It’s unfortunate but that’s how it is and life goes on.”
According to Skerrit, he is hoping to get out of the current accommodation paid by the treasury before the two-year lease agreement is up.
“I’m pushing with lightning speed on this,” he declared, adding, “I will not allow his dignity to be dragged on the streets of Roseau or anywhere in Dominica, so I will have to use my children money that I was saving for them to go to university at some point to build them a home for now and we will see what happens when they get to university age. So I am pushing very fast to get out of this rent and then the people’s tax money as they always say that’s paying my rent,…the government will be able to use the $32,000 as the government wishes to spend the money every month.”
The property which the prime minister is renting as his official residence at Morne Daniel is owned by Mercury Properties Development Ltd.
Some have suggested that Skerrit should relocate to his home in Vieille Case, an option which he stated that he too considered at one point. However, he said that he was concerned about the impact the distance from Roseau would have on his police security officers and their families most of whom live in Roseau and environs as well as the increased cost of providing security for the prime minister in Vieille Case.
