DISCAIMER: All views and claims expressed in this article belong solely to the author.
Dear Yvor
With reference to my view on the DAIC matter in Plantation Politics its interesting to note your wisdom and naivety happening at the same time. Gregor is your brother. He and the DBF agitated, and wrote for, an extension of voter confirmation. You agitated at exactly the same time for the same from the DAIC and indeed resigned to further that aim. Less than a month later the same brother launches as an independent candidate. But according to you it is all a massive coincidence driven by your insistence for a public good. Yvor Nassief. Champion of the Dominican Public. Sounds like a bouyon track in the making.
This should never be the remit of the DAIC in my opinion, but more importantly, it should be the DAIC membership who decides this, not Gregor, Yvor and friends. I provided your missive to the Board for context.
It is a further conflict of interest that the new President is head of a company that you operate in Dominica. To further pretend that you were not aware of what would happen next, when as soon as she took the post she issued a statement mirroring your sentiments is another kind of magic where wisdom meets naivety. The readership may have biases but none are so dotish to not understand what was at play.
I was never asked to make a statement or representation by any DAIC member at the time on the First Domestic matter neither was it needed but I did make a presentation for a subsequent budget for a revamp of the regulator because that’s where this should have been captured. I have sent a copy of the budget submission for further transparency. I don’t know of any scenario where a Chamber of Commerce intervenes on a matter of dispute. Not the US Chamber with Enron, not the UK Chamber with BCCI, not even the Barbados Chamber of Commerce during the Clico scandal. I trust the aggrieved have been satisfied through the courts or otherwise.
Unfortunately, I really cant take you seriously at present on any claim of conflict of interest. That’s not a philosophical musing, that’s just recognising hypocrisy.
With regards to the concern regarding the Saudi contract I don’t know what the details are or how that relates to your coup. Seems to me you are engaging in a series of whataboutisms to distract from the topic at hand.
As for the history lesson, I’m sure your ancestors faced discrimination and ostracisation. As you can tell from current events elsewhere it is often the oppressed who turn into the oppressor given the right circumstances, leverage and power.
You have that power dynamic and exercised it to the benefit of your brother and his nascent political career and sacrificed Olive Strachan for it. Its very simple, and whilst a mea culpa will never be forthcoming from you, a “I wasn’t aware” from you is pretty much the same thing when you can be so nuanced about other matters.
Lastly on the matter of compounded VAT and Excise Tax on imports, I can concede that the measure may not automatically result in a cost saving for the consumer who is buying general commodities through the traditional private sector. You are correct in that regard. For the traditional larger private sector entities there is a cash flow benefit since the amount payable to customs is less because of the new VAT calculation on CIF. The ultimate goal of a government is to improve the livelihood of the people it serves. Any measure that increases the disposable income of individuals and businesses should be welcomed.
Years back, I pushed for relief measures specifically for car imports for Dominicans. The reality is in 2026 a vehicle is considered an essential tool. Based on consistent prompting from the DAIC in the past, the government has made it cheaper for families, bus drivers, truckers, farmers and the likes to own one. The benefit from ending compounding extends beyond just vehicles; the majority of Dominicans import items for their personal use. While goods under $150 CIF receive complete exemption under the De Minimis system, a reduction in the VAT payable at import for items that do not qualify keeps more money in the pockets of the people who work hard for it.
The point remains.
Again, I recommend that the DAIC Board resigns and a new Board be generated via an AGM to be transparent. Given all the ‘coincidences’ of your involvement, maybe you could consider making it happen. For the public good, right ? Otherwise life goes on. This ends my contribution to a back and forth. Whatever happens from here on in, as my Jamaican friends say, ‘tek win’. Be healthy and happy.
