"...... If you criticize me, you are criticizing God...." - echoes within Skerrit's head
By Halcon P. Jaime
All jokes aside, Dominica is now run by an unstable person who does not seem to be aware of the seriousness of his condition and is in denial. Over an 11-year period from 2008 to 2019, Roosevelt Skerrit as Prime Minister of Dominica, fought against Electoral Reform. He persistently interfered with and, thwarted the will of the people through antagonizing the constitutionally mandated, independent Electoral Commission. Suddenly, on the night of December 6th, 2019, after he successfully manipulated and stole General Elections for a 4th time, he went from rabid canine to solemn peace maker who is now humbly interested in electoral reform. This is a conflicted individual who is driven by auditory piquancy of unclear origins. Following this election night declaration, at a public meeting with his supporters in the Vielle Case Constituency, Skerrit castigated those who stayed home or did not vote for him. He further ranted '....I do not forget faces, I can't be fooled! I will deal with them...' One day later, this same individual is talking about peace and olive branch! This is not normal behavior; it is highly aberrant. This is the demeanor of a disturbed individual who needs assistance but, does not recognize this, nor will accept assistance. The following chronicles manifestations that should concern all Dominicans.
The Megalomaniac
Skerrit has an obsession with power and titles and manifest delusions of grandeur. This is not made up, but real! For instance, he has publicly stated that "... whatever he does comes from God and those who criticize him are criticizing God ..." This feeling of omnipotence is both dangerous and disturbing. Furthermore, he is of the belief that Dominica cannot function without him. His favorite retort is '..If not Skerrit, then who...'. The most recent manifestation of this belief was on display at the swearing ceremony of the 'New Cabinut?' on December 17, 2019. Skerrit assumed responsibility for seven (7) portfolios in a 'Cabinut' with 18 ministers! Clearly, this individual harbors the view that no one else can take on these responsibilities. Really! This is etched in his psyche and no one seems to be able to convince him otherwise. As his years in government has dragged on, he has become increasingly paranoid about delegating responsibility to others. Consequently, Dominica keeps falling behind its neighbors in all aspects of human development as this ill individual gets more 'in over his head'. His delusions precludes him from recognizing his shortcomings.
Above all, in the position of 'Prime minister?' of a 300 square mile island with the smallest economy and lowest per Capita GDP in the OECS grouping, he is of the belief that his power is boundless and that he can challenge the EU, the USA and other countries with massive economies and expansive global reach. He presents as one with superiority complex but instead, this behaviour mask his deep insecurity and deep seated inferiority complex. Hence, his unwilling to hold news conference unless he is guaranteed soft ball questions or no questions, be challenged in public, or have debates. Do Dominicans realize their 'PM?' is disturbed and heading for destruction?
Skerrit's behavior is further confounded by his obsession with titles. He wants to be called "Doctor" when, in fact, he has not earned an MD, DO, DVM, DSc, PhD degree or other equivalent academic qualification. He has honorary titles, held by millions around the globe for various reasons; but don't tell him otherwise. In this quest, he is enabled by the weaklings surrounding him; these enablers are the leeches in the DLP 'Cabinet?', the cronies who depend on him for diverted state funds and passport sales and a large number of constituents who depend on handouts for their survival. So, obviously, he sees no need to change despite spiraling into deeper despair and internal turmoil fortified by recurring sounds in his head telling him '... I am great, I am the chosen one, God speaks through me...'
The Sociopath
Sociopaths have unique features, some of which seem to contradict the features of a person who needs help. They are superficially charming so people around them think '..they are just fine; Nice, friendly, fun to be with..'. But, this charm is typically a preamble, a smokescreen, an avenue to executing their goal of manipulating and coning susceptible individuals or whole sections of society, to achieve their selfish goal. In the case of Skerrit, two features are particularly disturbing. His incessant (pathological) lying and the coning of fellow Dominicans including fellow DLP parliamentarians. He is able to do this because he does not experience remorse. For instance, the people of Salisbury were tear-gassed while asleep in the early morning of December 5, 2019. Roosevelt Skerrit was on National Radio that same morning railing against the opposing parties and was neither remorseful nor contrite for the inhumane act of gassing an entire village while asleep; a crime against humanity. He was focused on one thing, the upcoming General elections. So, hell with People of Salisbury if they are hurting, injured or killed. They are simply collateral damage (victims) in his quest to remain as 'Prime Minister' for life.
On December 6, 2019, Roosevelt Skerrit with the help of an army of collaborators and co-conspirators stole another General Election through expenditure of greater than US $75 million (XCD/EC$200 million) for all sorts of illicit acts including transportation of thousands of voters into Dominica. Here again, he goes on the Public Airways and pretends this was 'normal behavior' and profusely thanked the people of Dominican for handing him 'another electoral victory'! Of course, he will not acknowledge that he did anything wrong because in his disordered, warped thought process, stealing is normal behavior. Skerrit cannot appreciative that stealing and corruption are the scourge of all societies. He cannot seem to comprehend why thousands of Dominicans won't recognize him as an legitimate 'Prime Minister'. He is perplexed.
Remedy
The above is no joking matter. The well being of an island is at stake. In addition, the office which the aforementioned individual currently occupies, that of Prime Minister of Dominica, periodically assumes regional positions in CARICOM and OECS. Skerrit's erratic, impulsive and unpredictable behavior jeopardizes the stability of these regional bodies. He has already dragged the RSS into his dirty scheme to steal another election and defaced the value of CARICOM Diplomatic Passport by selling it to International Crooks and Scoundrels. He should have 'friends' or 'colleagues' in other Caribbean countries who may be helpful. Unfortunately, Skerrit does not recognize that he may have behavioral issues, as his frame of reference is himself, rather than society and the country which he is supposed to represent. It is time for those around him to step-up and advise this 'sole' to seek help as he appears to becoming increasingly reckless, disrespectful of societal norms and laws (local, regional and international), incessantly violating the constitution of Dominica, misappropriating funds and exalting more grandiose schemes that he alone seems to understands. He is a danger to himself, Dominica and the wider OECS region. He needs an intervention; he needs involuntary commitment to therapy and removal from public office.
