The Dominica High Commission in London hosted the National Olympic team at an official function at their office located at Collingham Gardens. The event was under the patronage of His Excellency Dr Nicholas O.J. Liverpool President of the commonwealth of Dominica and Mrs. Liverpool.
The Olympic team comprising of the two athletes, Erisson Hurtault and Luan Gabriel also included Mr. Felix Wilson President, Mr. Thomas Dorsette General Secretary along with coach of the team Mr. Joel Hamilton.
According to the acting High Commissioner Miss Janet Charles, there was a lot of excitement around the team as this was the first time that Dominicans living in England were getting a chance to interact with a national Olympic team.
Attending the event were members of the diplomatic Corp of the Caribbean community, Chairpersons and Executive members of Dominican associations in and around London, along with the media including BEN TV.
The group was addressed by Mr. Felix Wilson, who welcomed the individuals present, while encouraging the athletes to strive for the best for their country. Mr. Wilson also thanked the President and his wife for gracing them with his presence and Miss Janet Charles and her staff for the wonderful gesture.
On a lighter side Miss Charles in her welcoming remarks made reference to the team GB. It was thought she was referencing the British team when in fact her intention was to recognize the large and very exciting group from Grand Bay. This group was headed by Mr. James Henderson and included members, Jeanne Merrifield-Bannis and Beverley Merrifield-Fountain along with Mary Fountain-Richards and Laurencia Phillip. This team from Grand bay explained that they had been involved in a number of support initiatives back home. These include, the provision of scholarships for two students annually, support for the hospital, the Dominica Infirmary and making contributions to St Jerome Ministry and the order of St Vincent de Paul. They hailed from Lalee’ and Hardley in Grand bay.
The national team took pictures, conducted interviews and appeared to have enjoyed some very friendly company.
Miss Charles meanwhile is of the impression that stronger links and support should be provided to the Dominica athletic Association. She is of the impression that with greater support, Dominican athletes could be encouraged to attain higher heights. According to her the high commission would seek to work with the various associations in an attempt to realize that support.
To the editor or news reporter , it’s ‘Lalay’ and ‘Hagley’not Hardley.It’s ‘Fontaine’ not Foutain.In the meantime I enjoyed reading your write up and the Grand-Bay/UK team is very productive, my cousins are part of this team.
A misseed opportunity in my opinion!
The Office of the High Commissioner of Dominica represents the interests of Dominica in the UK by helping to forge closer economic bilateral relationships between D/ca and the UK. In doing so it has a role to play in building bridges between D/ca and the wider UK Diaspora. This brings me to ask the question to Miss Janet Charles our acting High Commissioner: why was this gathering only open to a select few? I have been on the High Commission’s database for as long as I can remember but I receieve no official invitation from Miss Janet Charles to attend this rare opportunity of also wishing our two athletes well in London Olympics 2012.
Quite a number of D/cans and friends of D/ca in the UK said that they knew nothing about this event. I can only guess that invitation to this prestigous event was extended by word of mouth to Miss Janet Charles’ close circles (family and friends).
A fabulous event attended by Dominican Nationals in London and further a field. Jan, great hostess!!
Now, we need to work at getting other athletes in all fields to part-take in future games.
Nevertheless Erison and Luan make me feel proud to be a Dominican!!
Jen J-J
Team GB. WATCH-A-MA!! I just love that. Grand Bay repping all the way. And you Jumi always providing leadership…be it La Jeune Etoile, Scouts, making mess by you…whatever. I suppose you are the one to the extreme right in the pic. But congratulations to all of you who form team GB. And you just do not age Jumi. I suppose you’ll bury us all…Tony, Grenfell, Zyro, Eddie, all of us who were in THUNDERERS…smh. Take care anyway and may God bless.
GB is the #1 city in Dominica overall,GB always lead and the rest follows, i am not from there but i think it is fair to say.
big up GB.
Grand bay is always on top of every thing.i am a proud grandbayrian all the sout fans in london keep up the name of our contry,this also goes to canada and wasin dominique in st,thomas and freda and his group in atlanta,GRAND BAY IS ALWAYS ON THE TOP OF THE MAP.THANK U,
Thats the story…Grandbay?
When was that picture taken??? not in 2012?
Boy people in dat country does get me vex eh. All you couldnt put a decent team together zoh adah high commishan ka take pickchores? all chiney and rushan sweating, zoh say diplomat?
the olympic team of chaperons and no competitors
Call me a spoilsport if you like but the fact is that the offical Olympic web site still shows Luan Gabriel as “unconfirmed” today. So officially we have only one athlete representing us, Erison Hurtault, in the men’s 400 mts where he is not expected to to go past the heats stage and who is not a homegrown talent anyway. Are we so desperate to justify the presence of a Dominica Olympic delegation in London? We even saw fit to wheel out our President, a gentleman who by all accounts is unfit to serve out his full term of office but has no problem in making an intercontinental journey and chair functions all under the guise of the Olympics and at public expense. Of course I’m angry at this charade and wish we would exhibit a more demure, dignified attitude and spend that attention and money on training facilities for our budding young athletes at home instead.
well said
Haven’t you ever heard of overseas based athletes???? You are too educated. All countries utilize athletes who were born and trained in the USA, but have roots in the countries of their parents. WHAT IS WRONG WITH MR HURTAULT REPRESENTING DOMINICA!!!!
All countries Homeboy? That is a very sweeping statement. I challenge you to name all athletes with U.S. nationality competing for another country. There are some but they are the exception rather than the rule.
Why do all these Desk Bound Technocrats have to travel with a team of TWO athletes,these Technocrats have no interest in sports just the PERKS of the office,on that trip there were more technocrats than participants .As far as I can recall these guys cant even play Marbles for knocks.Did the President go to GB especially for the Olympics or was he there on some other official business.His appearance at the Olympics should be investigated,his attendance was unwarranted and at who’s invitation was he in London this we should know and the Olympic Committee should be impeached,they are there only for the prestige.AMEN
Dno Hagley not Hadley
Good stuff Janet…
Very POSITIVE vibes……….. love that!
Go Janet go.
Janet Charles HC so where the former AG F Baron Royer? She getting paid and Janet Charles doing the work
The Olympics for Dominica should not be only about athletics. For starters we do not even have an proper athletics track.
What about developing other sports that maybe do not require heavy infrastructural development: Boxing for example, wrestling, judo?
What about all the water sports? After all we have the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea and 365 rivers. So why can’t we have athletes rowing, swimming, kayaking, diving etc. at the Olympics?
It seems to me that the DOC has no strategy and they are just there to take the trip around Olympics time.
It is a real shame that we only have two competitors in the games. (Especially when you see the other small Caribbean countries doing so well. I am not even counting Jamaica and Trinidad who are way ahead and are world competitors on the own).
We simply need to do better. We can start by having a visionary Minister of Sports and replacing these tired people on the DOC.
Instead of always coming with a negative spin on things, what can YOU do to help accelerate the change that you want to see happen? It is all well and good to sit on your sofa and criticize those who are doing something. What can you do about it? How can you help other than running your mouth?
Marcus, do your homework. You have to qualify to a certain standard before you can enter a competition. By the way the swimming is done in a pool not in the sea. By your suggestion we can enter those cashakoo fishermen in the canoe slalom? or coxless pairs perhaps?
Not a typo by the way. I did say “coxless” LOL.
very funny….
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wow! well put…