Nadura Prosper (right) with Justina Robin, Brizee’s Mart representative

La Plaine’s Nadura Prosper has been told that she is entitled to EC$100.00 worth of groceries from Brizee’s Mart each month for a year.

Prosper is the winner of that firm’s Mother of the Year sweepstakes, and is being recognized by the company as its 2012-2013 Mother of the year.

In addition to the free groceries, she can expect a complimentary drink whenever she visits Brizee’s Mart, as well as “gifts at special times of the year and other special privileges” according to a release from the business enterprise.

“Brizee’s Mart management and staff are thrilled to have Ms. Prosper win this promotion and eagerly anticipate serving her and all our valued customers in the years ahead,” the company said in its release.

Prosper was one of hundreds of mothers who participated in the Brizee’s Mart Mother of the Year sweepstake, which formed part of the Brizee’s Mart Mother’s Day celebration.

According to Brizee’s Mart, lucky mothers who shopped at the store on Saturday May 12, 2012, won gifts from a wide selection of gift items such as coupons, drinks and hampers and also got an opportunity to participate in the Brizee’s Mart “Mother of the Year Sweepstake”.

Donna Summer

Disco queen Donna Summer, whose pulsing anthems such as Last Dance, Love to Love You Baby and Bad Girl became the soundtrack for a glittery age of sex, drugs, dance and flashy clothes, has died. She was 63.

Her family released a statement, saying Summer died Thursday morning and that they “are at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and her continued legacy.”

“Words truly can’t express how much we appreciate your prayers and love for our family at this sensitive time,” the statement read. She had been living in Englewood, Fla., with her husband, Bruce Sudano.

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The appeal to re-examine the nurses’ recruitment process comes from health professional Jean Jacob, a former permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health.

Jacob was one of a number of panelists discussing nursing-related matters.

Addressing the recruitment process specifically, she cautioned “you are not going to put that individual behind a desk. You are going to put that individual to care for people, to understand people… so it’s not just anybody wash foot and come”.

The observation of Nurses Month here has thrown the spotlight on those who serve in that profession – they have been heavily criticized in online blogs and elsewhere, with calls for a more positive attitude on the part of nurses.

While Jacobs is applauding efforts made at national level to train nurses in customer relations, she wants much more done.

“I think as trainers, as a learning institution we have to examine what we do, how we recruit nurses into the profession,” she suggested.

Making reference to a “pre-nursing programme”, she questioned whether it was having the desired impact.

“What is it supposed to do? Is it only to determine academics? Do we look at behaviors, do we look at attitudes during that period to determine whether these are people who should be in the profession?”

The former PS is advocating that proper standards be set in order to identify early weaknesses in prospective nurses.

“There has to be some kind of process to examine the people who come into the profession. We have to look at recruitment and what type of behaviors should be tolerated in the profession at a very early stage,” she argued.

She said that kind of proactive approach would minimize “after the fact” complaints.

She is also suggesting that a cadre of professionals be identified to assist in the development of Dominica’s nursing service.

Jacob believes it is important that young nurses know who the trailblazers in the profession were.

“I would like the nurses association to consider getting the retired nurses who worked in the community to have a dialogue with the younger ones to share their experiences and difficulties in the profession,” she said.

Jacinta Bannis, Coordinator of the National Drug Abuse Prevention Unit

An anti-drug strategy and a manual for preschools have been identified as two priorities being worked on by Dominica’s Drug Abuse Prevention Unit.

Unit Head Jacinta Bannis says her agency has been working on the proposed strategy for “several years now” and intends submitting it to Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit’s Cabinet by next month.

Bannis says a Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism meeting she attended in Washington examined “various recommendations signed with various countries”.

“So far Dominica complied with one but during the course of the year we will be working on the others. One of the recommendations was to develop an anti-drug policy. We have been working on that for several years now and it’s about time it is submitted to Cabinet.” she said.

The negative impact illegal substances can have on individuals is also about to be explained in the kind of language infants and other young children can easily understand.

“I am also editing a manual for preschools because we find that some teachers are unable to teach the topic for whatever reason,” Bannis said.

The manual is expected to be launched before the new school year that starts in September.

Henry Shillingford

One of the organizers of African Liberation Day activities on May 25 has expressed disappointment about opposition to the idea of making the day a public holiday.

Participants in a recent DNO poll voted 417 against to 309 for, when asked whether or not the day should be declared a public holiday.

Lawyer/activist Henry Shillingford says as one of the advocates for the holiday, he is disappointed the idea does not have the kind of support he thinks it should have.

“It’s a very important issue about the holiday because we’re (CARICOM, OECS) African governments, and as I have reminded two prime ministers, both this one (Roosevelt Skerrit) and the one in St Vincent (Dr Ralph Gonsalves), is that they are prime ministers of countries that are predominantly African, and that there is no holiday recognizing Africa in the West Indies,” Shillingford told DNO.

He wants DNO to ask readers “do they know why it’s a holiday on May 28 2012?”

“In fact it is the feast of St Isidore, it’s a major feast, a major fete and partying in the villages of Dominica, specifically San Sauveur and Grandbay. Now I did a small poll in Grandbay on my own of significant cultural actors, and I’ll tell you not one of them knew what was the significance of St Isidore or St Isidore Monday – but it’s a holiday,” Shillingford, a Rastafarian, said.

He is recommending that the St Isidore holiday be turned into “Africa Day” on May 25.

He describes the St. Isidore holiday (the date varies but it’s usually at the end of May) as “clearly an old Catholic (Church) holiday” that nobody cares about, according to Shillingford.

“People don’t celebrate St Isidore now, all they do is fete,” the activist said when asked whether the Catholic feast and African Liberation Day could share a holiday on May 25.

“They could go to church and celebrate Africa.  Let them have a holiday, at least they know why they are having a holiday,” he suggested.

According to the attorney, that’s preferable to having “holidays for Catholic saints that we know nothing about, that have no significance to the people’s lives”.

Photo taken from Fond Cole by Eugene Royer

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Timothy has been quoting a 2011 study “which showed that Dominica in terms of the youth and tobacco use we were probably the lowest in the Caribbean.  But in terms of the youth and marijuana use we were the highest in the Caribbean”.

The health minister says there is a perception that marijuana is a substitute for tobacco.

“I want the population of Dominica to be very clear on this thing, that marijuana is not a substitute for tobacco, because that seems to be a concept these days,” Timothy said.

The minister later told one local radio station that his health experts were telling him that the majority of young men treated at the island’s Psychiatric Unit have gone there because of marijuana-related health problems.

His focus on the use of the illegal drug came as the minister disclosed that the government of Dominica is working on proposed legislation to ban cigarette smoking in public places.

Timothy says efforts are being made to get more Dominicans to stop smoking cigarettes.

He added however that the prevalence of marijuana smoking among young men was also a concern requiring attention.

Staff there report having been informed on Monday that the company will be shutting down its Portsmouth operations next week because of financial difficulties.

Several employees from the fast food franchise will reportedly be affected by the decision (one report puts the number at 50).

Indications are that the employees have not yet received any written letters about the matter, and aren’t clear on how they will be compensated.

KFC management are expected to issue a statement on the development.

The company responsible for KFC – Fine Foods Inc., has already closed down its Rituals franchises in Roseau and Portsmouth, reportedly also for financial reasons.

Members of the group

The Committee for the Improvement of Bense, Anse de Mai and Anse Soldat (CIMBAA), hosted its 2nd annual Mothers Day bash this past weekend.

The group, which comprises persons from that community who currently live in the New York metropolitan area, has been in existence since 2010.

Guest speakers for the occasion included Dr. Karen Gordon (PSY.D), an experienced psychologist, specializing in the disruptive behaviors of children and adolescents, as well as anxiety and depression in adults, and Anad Lonia Thomas, RN, Ms, GRNA(graduate Registred Nurse).

Both professionals trace their parentage to the village.

Euthelie Marcelle received standing ovations for her solo renditions, and Kay Scotland received a Mothers Day poem.

Chairman for the occasion, Mac Gordon, welcomed the audience and invited them  to join CIMBAA in the first ever Bense-Anse De Mai- Anse Soldat Reunion, scheduled for June 29 to July 9.

DJ Falkon kept the crowd away from their seats with some old and new school tunes, generating a sweating mass of revelers on the dance floor.

CIMBAA is currently working with the local chapter in Dominca to formulate plans for the upcoming Reunion, and to  implement some of its goals. These include obtaining better street lighting, erecting a village bus stop, obtaining contemporary supplies for the health center and establishing a village library.

Further information on CIMBAA can be obtained on its website, www.cimbaa.com and its Facebook page.

The village of San Sauveur

Five contestants from the villages of San Sauveur and Petite Soufriere will participate in the Miss Isidore Pageant set for Sunday May 27th at the San Sauveur School grounds.

The contestants are Ayesha Nichols of San Sauveur and Kerlincia Bernard, Shermaine Eustache, Denise Durand and Lina Nichols of Petite Soufriere.

The contestants will appear in talent, casual wear, evening wear and interview segments. The interview segment will be based on the history of St. Isidore, the patron saint of farmers.

The show begins at 4 p.m.

Andra Stoute of Good Hope is the reigning Miss Isidore.

Fete Isidore is observed by the villages of Good Hope, San Sauveur and Petite Soufriere. A panel discussion on the topic-‘Reviving the Agriculture Sector-Challenges and Opportunities,’ will take place on Wednesday May 23rd.

A games night and Lapeau Kabwit competition will be held on Friday May 25th and Fish night and the Kubuli 360 Big Truck Jam are planned for Saturday 26th.

On Sunday May 27th the Miss Isidore pageant will lead into a dance with popular DJ Miguel Labadie.

On Pentecost Monday, May 28th, a parade featuring local bands and groups will proceed to High Mass which will be broadcast live via radio. One elder who has given long and faithful service to the communities and to the celebration of the Feast of St. Isidore will be honoured.

Fete Isidore will climax with music from the Bouyon Pioneers WCK.

Se contestants for the pageant below.

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