Gretta for Grand Fond

Gretta Roberts, the daughter of Gertrude Roberts, a former minister of the United Workers Party (UWP) government is to be the candidate for the Dominica Labour Party (DLP) in the upcoming general elections.

A well-placed DLP insider said Roberts, a career school teacher and the former principal of the Goodwill Primary School, has been confirmed as the candidate for the Grand Fond (Morne Jaune, Grand Fond, Riviere Cyrique) constituency to replace the ailing Ivor Stephenson.

"A primary was held in the constituency and she won that hands down, now that Ivor Stephenson, the sitting DLP parliamentary representative is out on sick leave, she has been the contact person dealing with matters of the constituency," the source said.

Gretta Roberts is the daughter of Gertrude Roberts who won the Grand Fond seat for the UWP in 1990, in 1995 and in 2000 when her party lost the reins of government.

The source said since the Roberts family have been strong supporters of the UWP from its inception, Gretta Roberts first consulted her mother, Gertrude Roberts, now aged 91 and other family members before deciding to enter the political arena.

"She has discussed the matter with her mom and has her blessings. Remember when Roosevelt Skerrit entered the political arena in 2000 and won the Vielle Case seat for the DLP, Mrs. Roberts gave him her full blessings at the first sitting of parliament," the source said. "She has already been doing all her ground work…meeting with the people and doing her meet and greet in the community."

From June, 2018, Greta Roberts has been holding the post of UNESCO Secretary General. When contacted, Greta Roberts first refused to disclose any information on her candidacy but when she was pressed further for comments she said: "When it is official I will let you know."

Making the contest in Grand Fond especially interesting is that Gretta is expected to come up against economist Dr. Thompson Fontaine of the UWP who narrowly lost the 2014 election to Ivor Stephenson of the DLP by just eight votes (622 to 614).

Born in Grand Fond, Roberts attended the Grand Fond Primary School and then moved to the Convent High School. However, after Hurricane David in 1979 she moved to St Vincent to finish her schooling; when she returned she attended the Dominica Grammar School.

In October 2014 Roberts won the 2014 Primary School Principal of the Year Award at the National Excellence in Education Awards ceremony held at the Arawak House of Culture. Her teaching journey began in the Grand Fond Primary School in 1980 where her mother was the principal. While at the Grand Fond Primary School, her mother was transferred to Roseau Boy School; Gretta Roberts moved to the St Martin Secondary School, previously called the Vocational Section.

Roberts was transferred again to two schools before spending most of her teaching years at the Goodwill Primary School.

"From there I was sent to St Martin's Primary where I taught at the grade six for years and following that I was sent to Roseau Boy School with my mother. I spent a year there and then to Goodwill Primary where I spent the rest of my life, I probably stayed at Goodwill for over 15 years," Gretta told the Sun in an earlier interview.