Leader of the United Workers Party Lennox Linton says the Electoral system in Dominica has been corrupted by the Dominica Labour Party,
 
He warned that Elections Thieves become brutal dictators, advising Dominicans to demand Electoral reform to ensure that independent bodies within the government, work in an independent fashion in the interest of the Electorate.

Meantime, Linton says the party’s call for Electoral reform in Dominica began in 2005, and has been cleverly ignored by the Dominica Labour Party Administration, which formed the government in the year 2000.
 
Linton added that in March 2008, the then independent Electoral Commission, decided to undergo the process needed to effectively implement electoral reform in Dominica.
 
However, The UWP Leader said Attorney Anthony Astaphan, then advised Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit against the Commission’s move for Electoral Reform, calling it madness. Linton said Astaphan told Prime Minister Skerrit the move would tarnish his re-election legacy.

​Leader of the United Workers Party Lennox Linton spoke at a recent National consultation on Electoral Reform

Chairman of the Police Welfare Association Jefferson Drigo is calling for the immediate reinstatement of Corporal Jemma Louis to the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force.
Corporal Jemma Louis was one of five police officers charged in connection with the death of Augustus Etienne, who died while in custody at the Portsmouth Police Station in 2014.
 
The charges against Louis were discontinued in 2017.
 
Charges against Sergeant Hayden Morgan and Constable Orlan Vigil were also dropped.
 
The other officers involved in the matter Constables Martin Seaman and Devin Challenger remain on remand at the Stockfarm prison.

​Drigo is also calling for Government to review their nominees on the police service commission.
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Chairman of the Police Welfare Association Jefferson Drigo

Minister Responsible for Agriculture Reginald Austrie is making a case for changes in the Ministry of Agriculture.
 
Austrie told Focus on Government on Thursday night, that some personnel in the Ministry of Agriculture need to be given different roles.

He says improvement in the communication system within the ministry of agriculture is also needed.

Minister Responsible for Agriculture Reginald Austrie

​Government says it is continuing to take steps to create a system of more consumption taxes rather than direct taxes.
 
This as a bill to amend the Income Tax Act will be brought to the House of Assembly when parliament meets this week.
 
PM Roosevelt Skerrit says the new amendments to the bill will result in reduction in the amount of income tax workers’ pay each month.

He says the new bill will also make provisions for people within the private sector who are paid travel allowances. He says the ultimate goal is to have one tax rate in Dominica.

​PM Roosevelt Skerrit

Director of Tourism Colin Piper says the 9th annual Jazz & Creole Festival will take a different approach this year. He says the passage of Hurricane Maria has forced organizers to alter the fringe events leading up to main festival. Piper made the remarks at the first Jazz & Creole press conference for 2018 last week.

Meantime Piper says this year's Festival will be under review as a means of seeking ways of improving the event.

Director of Tourism Colin Piper

Ministry of Agriculture Official Nichols Esprit is anticipating an increase in economic activity in Salisbury with a new $560,000 road project to begin.
 
Esprit says rehabilitation of the Salisbury main road has been on the cards.

​Ministry of Agriculture Official Nichols Esprit

Director of Agriculture Ricky Brumant is calling on the general public to support Dominican farmers by purchasing and consuming what is locally grown and produced in an effort to reduce the country's import bill, while at the same time help maintain a healthy people and a vibrant economy.
 
Brumant spoke at an exhibition organized by the ministry of agriculture at the government headquarters. He also commended farmers on their resilience and contribution towards helping to revive the agriculture sector and to help reduce the country's import bill.

Brumant added that the ministry of agriculture will continue to partner with the ministry of health as part of its mandate to ensure that Dominica becomes the first in its thrust in being the healthiest and most resilient people in the world.

Director of Agriculture Ricky Brumant
 
Meanwhile, Aquaponics will soon be introduced to the agriculture sector here with the help of Benjamin Frederick based in St Lucia. Frederick believes Dominicans have the potential to do several things to boost the agriculture sector here with the inclusion of aquaponics.
Frederick says this type of agriculture is very popular in St Lucia.

​Agriculture official based in St Lucia Frederick Benjamin

Accusations and counter-accusations of healthcare “terrorism” were flying in Saint Lucia last week between Prime Minister Allen Chastanet and the opposition Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP).
 
On Friday, Chastanet was quoted as saying, “But what I see that’s taking place, this level of terrorism taking place in this country, is to suggest that our government needs to be limited in what options it has. The Labour Party lost its ability to determine that direction on June 6 2016.”
 
The SLP responded strongly condemning what it described as this “reckless and appalling statement” and the prime minister’s “arrogant reaction” to the urgent and legitimate concerns of not only its members but a growing number of Saint Lucians.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone for more than an hour Sunday, agreeing to work closely to preserve the Iran nuclear deal, according to a statement from Elysee Palace.
 
Macron said he wanted to see the original deal preserved but also called for further talks on areas the Trump administration has singled out for criticism, including "the control of nuclear activity beyond 2025," according to the statement.
 
A readout of the call provided by the Iranian government included an accusation from Rouhani that the US had breached the agreement by criticizing it ahead of President Donald Trump's decision about whether to abandon the deal.

​Police have identified Victory Lloyd, 72, & James Austrie, 84, both of Castle Bruce, as the two fatalities of Thursday’s accident at Castle Bruce. Police PRO, Acting Inspector Simon Edwards, said the accident took place at about 5:15 pm.
 
He said Lloyd was the driver of the vehicle, registration number, PK498, and he was accompanied by his wife Juliette Lloyd and Austrie. He added, “Lloyd apparently collapsed while driving & lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle subsequently went off the road & plunged 150 feet into a ravine.”
 
He said the three were taken to the Princess Margaret Hospital where Lloyd was officially pronounced dead by a medical doctor. He added that Austrie succumbed later to his injuries and was pronounced dead by a doctor. Edwards stated that “Mrs Lloyd is a patient at the Princess Margaret Hospital, and Investigations into the matter continue.”