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News : International : Caribbean News Last Updated: Feb 25, 2017 - 2:25:33 AM


Statement by Dominica's Foreign Minister re Allegations
Feb 21, 2017 - 3:35:24 PM

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DOMINICA - The following is a statement by the Honourable Francine Baron, Dominica's Minister for Foreign Affairs and CARICOM Affairs made on February 21, 2017 in relation to allegations made about her by Dominica's Opposition Leader Lennox Linton:

Over the last several months there has been a sustained campaign by Lennox Linton, Angelo Alleyne, Matt Peltier and others aided and abetted by Q95 to damage my reputation. They have alleged that I received a cheque of USD10,000 while in Malaysia for a Dominica Disaster Development Fund and that I misappropriated those funds for my own use. This is a very serious allegation which has led to calls by some persons for me to be arrested and investigated by the police.

I had hoped that common sense would have prevailed and that people would have realised that I could not possibly have cashed a cheque that was not made out in my name and further that they would have done even a cursory internet cheque to verify the existence of the organisation referenced on the cheque and to contact that organisation to determine whether they received those funds.

While I was based in the UK as High Commissioner to Dominica, I was asked to represent the Government at a function being held in Malaysia to celebrate Dominica’s Independence. I arrived in Malaysia on the 2nd , participated in the function on the 3rd and left the next day to return to London. At that function I symbolically accepted a cheque from the KB Foundation made out to the Dominica National Disaster and Development Fund, the (DNDDF). This is an amalgamation of a number of Dominican Associations in the UK and it is a registered Charity established since 1991. I am neither a Member or entitled to any benefit from that Charity. As soon as I returned to London I informed the Secretary of the Charity of the donation to them and asked them to contact the Foundation to have the funds transferred to them. I am informed that the Charity has since received those funds.

Lennox Linton and his fellow presenters on Q95 have persisted in repeating these false allegations about me under the false pretence of the public need to know, however not once have they sought to contact me to ask me about this cheque, They never once contacted the High Commission in London, they never sought to contact the Charity. If anyone googles that name they will find all of the contact information of the Trustees of that Charity. They never contacted them.

The representatives of that Charity came to Dominica in September, 2015 after Tropical Storm Erika and made a public donation to the Red Cross of $65,000 and a container of supplies valued at £15,000. This was reported on the front page of the Chronicle of 9th October, 2015. These people who were so interested in what happened to Dominica’s money, made no attempt to contact the representatives of the Charity and ask them one question about that cheque. You should ask them why. Because it is not about telling the truth, it is not about gathering the facts.

Unfortunately the practice has arisen in Dominica where people feel empowered to make all sorts of baseless allegations against others without providing any proof of what they say.

I have today issued a letter to Lennox Linton, Matt Peltier, Angelo Alleyne, and West Indies Communications Enterprise the owners of Q95 where I have demanded an apology from them for defaming my character. I am of the view also that I am entitled to significant damages for this sustained campaign, much more than Checko was recently ordered to pay, but I do not want one black cent from them, instead I have asked them to pay the same USD10,000 that they were so concerned about, to a Dominican Charity of my choice.

We enjoy freedom of Speech in this country, but with Freedom comes responsibility and when one abuses that freedom there are consequences. I will not stay silent anymore on this issue.

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