Gonsalves praises Dominica’s economic resilience, calls for unity at Roosevelt Douglas Memorial lecture

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves

Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, has lauded Dominica’s economic recovery following years of adversity, describing the island’s progress as remarkable and worthy of recognition.

Speaking on Thursday night at a lecture marking the 25th anniversary of the death of former Dominican Prime Minister Roosevelt Douglas, Gonsalves — the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) longest-serving head of government — said Dominica’s achievements should not be taken for granted given the many hardships the island has endured.

“Bananas collapsed, Hurricane David, Hurricane Allen, Hurricane Maria, the global economic crisis, COVID, and the occasional droughts — all the vagaries of climate change, the harshness of the external world — and through it all, we have survived and thrived,” Gonsalves said. “We have much to be thankful for.”

He credited Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit for guiding Dominica through difficult times but cautioned citizens against complacency and political division. “Many in the Labour parties across the region want to bring the temple down,” he said. “But when you divide yourself and create confusion, and bring the temple down on everybody’s own, including your own, the morning after you will say, ‘Oh God, what do I do.’”

Gonsalves pointed to Dominica’s placement in the 2025 Human Development Index Report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which ranks the country in the very high human development category, as evidence of its resilience and progress.

Reflecting on Roosevelt Douglas’s legacy, Gonsalves described him as a man who “loved people in the particular,” emphasizing that true leadership requires a deep, personal connection with the people one serves.

Douglas, who served as Dominica’s prime minister from February to October 2000, was a lifelong advocate for social justice and Caribbean unity. He gained international attention for his role in the 1969 Sir George Williams University protest in Montreal, where Black students demonstrated against racism at the institution.

Douglas was arrested and imprisoned for 18 months following the protest before being deported from Canada as a “national security risk.” Gonsalves joined calls from Dominica’s ruling Labour Party for Canada to exonerate Douglas, asserting that the late leader was unfairly targeted.

“When Rosie was in jail, he did not waste time — he taught prisoners, educated them, and wrote a report on prison conditions recommending reforms,” Gonsalves recalled. “Even in the most humiliating moments, Rosie found humor.”

Gonsalves said Douglas’s courage and conviction continue to inspire the region. “He sought to unite the people of the Caribbean, Africa, and other countries,” he said, adding that Douglas’s vision of solidarity remains vital to the Caribbean’s continued progress.