Two Strategic Errors by the Do-Nothing Campaign in Dominica

May 29, 1979, is the most famous date in Dominica’s political development—second only to November 3, 1978, the date of political independence from the United Kingdom.

            May 29, 1979, refers to the campaign of do nothing or strikes; violence, especially the burning of the Treasury Building and koolwosh brigades, or stone-throwing mobs; and parliamentary maneuvers that started on May 29 and deposed the budding dictator, founding Prime Minister (PM) Patrick John on June 21, 1979.

            On March 2, 2024, former United Workers Party (UWP) Political Leader Lennox Linton launched a May 29, 1979-inspired campaign explicitly intended to overthrow PM Roosevelt Skerrit. The do-nothing or strikes component never got off the ground. The Police forestalled the violence component. And like a FB post mocked, How can you kick anybody out of the House when you’re not even in the yard. Translation: The UWP is out of the House of Assembly, Dominica’s Parliament, therefore, has no leverage to kick Skerrit out. Someone send them a memo—quick.

            Here are two large strategic errors that proved catastrophic in 2024.

            One, a senseless premise. In 2022, the PM that the campaign targeted for overthrow voluntarily and under no pressure to do so announced he would retire in April 2025—just 13 months from now. Further, the mastermind, Lennox Linton, voluntarily and under no pressure to do so resigned his UWP Political Leader position and passed up his Leader of the Opposition position in the House in 2022.

            Two, the May 29, 1979, model that overthrew John could not apply to Skerrit. By way of the Eastern Caribbean Model, Dominica’s political system has two political limitations: no-go areas that warrant termination—an out-of-touch, high-handedness, and arrogant government; and, brutality by government. John committed the first infraction: out-of-touch, high-handedness, and arrogance. He secretly leased nearly half of Dominica to a US Ku Klux Klan sympathizer of Apartheid South Africa. This infraction promptly gets a PM out at the next election.

            However, the other infraction—brutality—gets the PM out immediately, by democratic means, and undemocratic means if necessary. John got this treatment because his Dominica Defence Force killed two individuals protesting the first, milder, offence. The 2024 copy of John’s bio claimed to be about economics.

            To be clear, the May 29, 1979, model of overthrow is reserved for a brutal regime. Formally called a ‘civilian coup,’ it is understandably extremely rare.

            At the launch of the 2024 May 29, 1979, campaign, someone with the handle ‘sociologist’ was in the Dominica media asking, If it was right then, why is it wrong now?

            Sociologist, you now have your answer.