The gruesome and most brutal murder of Tricia Wiltshire of Castle Bruce (who resided at Stockfarm) – in the prime of her life – has left we the members of the Alternative Peoples’ Party (APP) numb.
As women, we are torn for our sister, Tricia, who is now lying cold. Dead! Our entire team offers our deepest condolences to the relatives and friends of sister Tricia. We are indeed devastated, deflated, flustered, ruffled, and torn, but we are ever more determined to stand and fight for women, men, our children – the youth – and Dominicans from all walks of life. We have a soft spot for women, hence the reason our Movement of Mother (MoM) Initiative had been established.
These sorts of actions do not just float in thin air. There are conditions in society that give rise to such activities and we need to speak up against them. This senseless murder of Tricia should be a clarion call. Let us not just pretend as if this did not happen. Let us keep the ‘silent cries’ of our dying sister in our mind, and please, Dominica, let us rally together for progress. There appear to be some who are too comfortable to hear and feel what the majority hears and feels, so we need to devise a way so that they will hear and feel what we have to say. Let us get them out of the way, if we have to, and let us address our problems.
Who have we become? Why have we stopped progressing? Our nation is hemorrhaging. Crimes have been on the rise, people are suffering, and yet some say we are living nice. Have we lost grip of our conscience? Who is willing to bring a stop to the slide of the social decay which is taking place in Dominica? Can we not see what is so evident? What are we waiting for to turn the corner, which is begging us to turn? Shall we elect to go over the precipice of despair instead of taking the turn towards progress?
Ladies and gentlemen, Dominicans, friends, and political foes: we are at a dangerous crossroads of selfishness and greed, political stagnation and diminishing foresightedness, suppression and oppression, and progress, together, as a united and determined people. Which road will we take?
We need a fixing. Dominica needs an overhaul. Let us at least try a different path, because something is not working. Tricia could be you or one of us. Tricia could be someone else’s daughter. Let us stand up and fight for her. Let us not forget her. This crime should bother us to the point where we take action. Let us decide to embrace good and decency on our island, and let us work towards progress. We have become too tolerant of the things which should bother us to the core.
Talking is a good action, but let’s move the talk to the sort of activism which finds its way at the top of the agenda-setting priority list of the Dominican administration. We are ready to lead where you, the people, direct us to lead. We have made and will continue to make the sacrifices. Let us change the tempo of civility and grab a more progressive and united mantra for growth and development.
The anger which we now feel will not subside until you are angered as we are, and you join us to help steer the ship of the State towards calmer waters. The precipitous slide to pain, hurt, selfishness, hunger, destitution, and the apparent immunity to the suffering of others is rapid. We need to level out the slope or face sudden despair.
Our society needs to be led in a different direction, and that direction depends on your progressive action.
APP Interim President
Tahira Blanchard
