Pastor Randy Rodney has sharply criticised what he describes as attempts to use the recent trough system and disaster recovery efforts for political advantage, warning that assistance to struggling families should never be tied to political loyalty or influence.
Speaking on his Kingdom Connection programme, Rodney said Dominica should have already learned difficult lessons from previous natural disasters and national crises, arguing that moments of hardship should bring communities together rather than deepen political division.
“I am deeply concerned,” Rodney stated. “We should not have used it for political gain. However, from the reports that we’re getting, it appears that it has been another political game, another political gimmick.”
He argued that any effort to benefit politically from the suffering of affected families was morally wrong and inconsistent with Christian values.
“If somebody has a misfortune and you are able to help them, you should in good conscience help them. But to expect to benefit from somebody’s misfortune, it’s terrible,” Rodney said during the programme.
Rodney also addressed the controversy involving the Kalinago Council, which recently disputed claims that it had failed to attend a post-disaster meeting convened by government officials. According to Rodney, bypassing established local authorities during disaster response efforts damages public trust and weakens community coordination.
“The evidence came out from the Kalinago Council that there was no rapport with their council, with the Prime Minister and the government of Dominica. That is shameful,” he stated.
He maintained that local government structures within the Kalinago Territory should have been fully engaged in recovery discussions and criticized what he described as politically motivated approaches to relief distribution.
“You want to make sure that it is seen that the fifty dollars is coming from your red envelope or your yellow envelope,” Rodney remarked while condemning what he believes is the politicisation of assistance.
For many Dominicans, the real test after any disaster is no longer just whether roads are cleared or roofs repaired, but whether compassion can survive without a party colour attached to it. Many people listening to Rodney’s comments were likely asking themselves a simple question afterwards: when somebody’s house floods, should the first response be help or politics?
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