Linton: UWP member of executive in sex scandal must resign

Lennox Linton, the Leader of the United Workers Party (UWP) wants the member of the UWP executive who has been "facing allegations of serious inappropriate behaviour towards a minor" to resign or he may be asked to leave.

"The allegations have been denied but the individual has been charged under the Sexual Offences Act," Linton said in a statement published on his Facebook page today.

"We believe that resignation from office, at least while the matter is before the court, is the only honourable course of action available to public officials in the leadership of political parties facing such allegations of serious inappropriate behaviour," said Linton. "And that is precisely what the UWP Team Dominica expects of the accused executive member".

In other words:jump.

Linton added: "Alternatively, the appropriate organs of the Party will be engaged to act decisively in the public interest and for the general well-being of the Party".

Meaning: you will be pushed.

Allegations of inappropriate behaviour with a minor by three prominent men, has been the main talking point here in Dominica over the past two weeks.

Since then the men have been arrested and charged.

One, a businessman, was slapped with six charges and is now on an EC$75,000 bond; the other two received lesser charges and were bailed at $15,000 each for their involvement with a 15 year old school girl.

Last week Minister of Public Works, Ian Pinard resigned because of the allegations of inappropriate behaviour made against him.

Pinard, who is also the Member of Parliament for the Soufriere, Scottshead, Galion and Pointe Michel constituency said he tendered his resignation to Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, on Wednesday March 2, 2016 with immediate effect.

Though the member of the UWP Executive has not been named (in keeping with the Sexual Offences Act) Linton says the UWP apologises "for the widespread disappointment, hurt and discomfort among nationals at home and abroad caused by this most regrettable development."

"This is not a fall that defines us," Linton said in the statement. "It is a stumble that caught us by surprise."

He said the scourge of sexual abuse in Dominica must be defeated and though the member of his executive has a right to his defence, the alleged victim also has a right to have the matter prosecuted "without fear or favour, affection or ill-will".

Linton added: "If we don't give the complaints of abused children the importance they deserve in the judicial process; if we shut them down through payments to parents; if we intimidate them and trash their truth with legal technicalities then the menace of child abuse will continue to wreak havoc without let or hindrance".