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DOMINICA- United Workers Party Leader and Vice President arrested and charged

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UWP leader Dr. Thomson Fontaine and and UWP Vice President Ronald Charles (file photo)

Political leader of the United Workers Party (UWP), Dr. Thomson Fontaine, has been arrested in connection with what is being described as ‘unlawful assembly’ following a March 19 protest in the Capital City of Roseau.

Local media reported that he was taken to the Roseau magistrate court today, where the charges will be read to him, and he is expected to be granted bail.

In the meantime, UWP Vice President attorney Ronald Charles was also arrested yesterday and charged with the exact same offenses.

He appeared before Roseau Magistrate Hansel Valerie at a Roseau Magistrate Court on Wednesday, April 9th, where he was bailed in the sum of $25,000 on his own recognizance with no conditions attached.

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Charles and Attorney Joshua Francis have been actively involved in representing protesters who have been arrested and brought before the court.

So far, 24 persons have been arrested as police continue in their spate of arrests of those who were part of that protest.

The matter was set for August 21, 2025.

Charles is being represented by Attorney Geoffrey Letang.

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Comments (8)

  • Island Girl April 12, 2025, 4:26 PM

    The same demons in Antigua politics are in Dominican politics. Gaston and Roosevelt peas in a pod.

  • Donna April 11, 2025, 5:04 AM

    In the Bible, the people protest and march around the walls of Jericho, the city for their rights. Are you saying in this twenty-first century, we don’t have the freedom to protest against corrupt government?? Are we still in slavery under the hands of the black Massa??

  • Faithful national #1 April 11, 2025, 1:56 AM

    Everyone “teacher” fot life is entitled to his/her BS, as you eloquently opined.
    So I can tolerate yours.
    However laws do and should always apply to ALL without fear or favor. If Johnnie the street cleaner flouts the law in any way no one would object to his being arrested and made to answer to any charge(s) that may arise as a result. Why are we so willing to make an exception for so-called big shots in our society? Isn’t this a form of serious corruption? Then we are among the first to accuse, usually the politicians and their administrations that we do not support ofcorruption!!!!
    How could we, why should we pre-judge a case simply because our big-shot friends are involved? Allow the judicial process to take its course! Then and only then, should honest people knowledgeable of the facts as determined by the outcome of a case be able to pinpoint with accuracy who is corrupt, entitled and above the law.

  • Luka Johnson April 10, 2025, 11:08 PM

    A lot of corruption in Dominica.

  • Teacher for Life April 10, 2025, 5:16 PM

    Faithful national, while you the right to your BS opinion, so too do other people.
    Peaceful protest is a form of that and a doggone right. People anywhere and everywhere should be able to make their voices heard when their rights are being trampled on. In the words of the late John Lewis, people have the right to “make good trouble”.

  • Unruly One April 10, 2025, 4:20 PM

    Lol Tato the man has a right to an opinion

  • Tato Tato April 10, 2025, 1:48 PM

    Faithful National I suspect you have moral issues. You are always so grumpy and miserable. It must be hitting 90. How can anyone get arrested for protesting? Only in DUMMY-NIKA can this happen. One party state. No real opposition. Dummy-in cans. The UWP is a mess for real, but the way Skerrit called the election in the dead of night, knowing the people wouldn’t be ready, was very unfair. Not even Gaston would do that. Skerrit will find out. Sooner or later. Tato Tato

  • Faithful National #1 April 10, 2025, 1:40 PM

    Only in the corrupt USA can political “leaders” flout the law with impunity!. The garnering of sympathy votes might work well in these parts. However the records admonish us; You do the crime, prepare for prison time! Respect the law just aa your lowly subjects must.

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