Children's Authority chairman caught up in Dominica election protest

Children's Authority chairman Hanif Benjamin.  - Lincoln Holder
Children's Authority chairman Hanif Benjamin. - Lincoln Holder

Chairman of the Children's Authority, Hanif Benjamin, was caught up earlier this week in fiery protests which has gripped Dominica in the run up to that island's general election set for today.

Benjamin, who was in Dominica on official business, was forced to walk over a mile through rocky pathways and rivers to get to the Douglas-Charles Airport to board a flight to Antigua where he is at the moment. This after the main road leading to the airport was blocked by protestors and burning debris.

Supporters of the main opposition United Workers’ Party (UWP), led by Lennox Linton, have been behind the protests as they demand reform before the holding of the general election. Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has refused the UWP's demands and made it clear that today's election will go on.

Legal attempts made to call off the election were thwarted after High Court Judge Bernie Stephenson ruled on Tuesday that she did not have jurisdiction to block the election.

As the main road is impassable, reports coming out of Dominica are that enterprising residents are demanding money from stranded tourists and other travellers, to take their luggage to and from the airport through the protest.

Benjamin shared with Newsday, a series of short video clips and photos as he shared his harrowing experience. One of the clips show a wide expanse of rocks over a river on the end of a shoreline which he said he had to cross over in order to reach the airport in time for his flight.

In that clip, Benjamin narrates: "this is what I have to do to leave Dominica. Walk through the sea. I have to cross the river.” As he focused the cellphone camera to show the rocky terrain, Benjamin captures images of a woman with her luggage perched on her head while a young girl carries a bag as they manoeuvre the rocky terrain.

In another video clip, with beads of sweat running down his face and black smoke billowing from a roadside fire, Benjamin states, “this is close to the airport. After having walked and walked and dropped, I got a good gentleman to take me to the airport now. So, God is good.”

Another clip shows a man removing debris from across the road so the vehicle in which Benjamin is seated could pass. As the man removes the debris, people in the background could be heard cursing loudly.

In a What’sApp conversation, Benjamin promised to speak to Newsday when he got a break to give some more detail on his experience, but up to Thursday night, Benjamin could not be reached. Today, 74,895 Dominicans are eligible to vote for a new government. Skerrit leads the Dominica Labour Party which is seeing a fourth consecutive term in office.

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"Children's Authority chairman caught up in Dominica election protest"

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