(SNO) – One day after international news organization, Al Jazeera, aired its report on the alleged sale of diplomatic passports in the Caribbean, Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit, has not given an opinion on the matter.
Dominica was featured prominently in the investigative report, Diplomats for Sale, including Skerrit’s interaction with a former Dominican diplomat, Iranian Alireza Zibahalat Monfared, who was accused of helping to embezzle billions of dollars while his country evaded international oil sanctions.
He accused Al Jazeera of being an agent of the opposition United Workers Party (UWP) in Dominica, saying that party provided information to the network for political reasons.
But the report did show that both Skerrit’s Dominica Labour Party (DLP) and the UWP appear willing to receive money in return for diplomatic posts, allegations the leaders of both parties strongly deny.
The report was aired on Monday and by Tuesday, nothing was heard from the prime minister but his supporters have rushed to social media and the airwaves to defend him.
The report did state that there was no mention of donations for the alleged post in an MOU written by Bruney and Linton was not directly involved in the entire matter but it did offer fodder for Skerrit’s supporters to pounce on Linton.
They castigated him for doing exactly what he has accused Skerrit of doing.
Minutes after the documentary was aired, Linton took to the airwaves to deny he has offered to sell a diplomatic passport.
The two lessons of this story are perfectly clear.
1. CBI programmes wherein politicians sell citizenship to anyone with enough money clearly invite political corruption.
2. Our honourable leader, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, is 100 percent correct to state that our previous Vincentian birthright is not for sale.