November 14th 2012 and It has been one year since a fatal traffic accident involving a stray cattle claimed the life of David Joseph of Glanvillia, Portsmouth.
As is par for the course when events of this nature force themselves upon us there was massive outrage. “Such gross negligence on the part of the owner who allowed his cattle to roam the freshly built highway from Portsmouth to Roseau, thereby causing the death of David, could ever be allowed to happen again in our sweet country” being the anthem of the day.
Promises galore were made, not least from the Police, that action would be taken to bring to justice the owner of the errant animal and clear the roads in Dominica of such hazards.
Our Parliamentary Representative, Minister of Tourism Ian Douglas and Mayor Cleave St Jean combined to make the bold promise that by December 2011 a pound would be established in the one mile area to arrest the situation of cattle roaming the streets and highways of our community ; Claiming to the effect that “in fact work is already in progress and the Ministry of Agriculture is already making resources available to deal with the situation”. Of course we know that nothing happens in Dominica within such quick time, but one year later is not an unreasonable expectation!
As recently as March 2012 the Public works Minister himself drew attention to at least 8 stray cattle which he encountered on the Picard Highway, proclaiming the danger that this nuisance represents and hinting at impending action to resolve this situation once and for all
Sadly, to this date the culprit farmer has “not been identified” or made to pay . There has been no justice for David Joseph, nor his family and friends who still mourn his passing. Grief and anger have turned to despondency and disillusionment. Mourning turned to cherished memories, scribbled poems and visits to a final resting place which still provides zero comfort for such a terrible loss.
It is often said that Dominicans have “memoir poule” meaning we forget quickly. As such, expectedly, Dominicans and the community of Portsmouth have moved on from that tragedy. We bask in our complacency and resign ourselves to the fact that this is the way life is for us. “Cest la vie”
I have not forgotten, his family has not forgotten, nor has his friends. Today the grief will return.
I still drive the Picard route to work on a daily basis and yes the cattle are still stray in their numbers roaming properties, apartment complexes and the streets freely. Their owners are incognito except for when the cattle are to be brought to market.
Those who are to be held accountable for the stray cattle , those custodians of the public trust who are charged with the protection of life and limb, live in impunity knowing fully, that they are provided immunity from consequence or accountability by a community resplendent in its own complacency.
Surely the next accident will be visited upon with the same uproar and indignation .. for a week or two .. maybe a month but then we shall settle again into our routine, apathetic, too busy, sweep the matter under the rug, because in Portsmouth and maybe in Dominica .. “even in death …Cest la vie”
Or maybe next time it might be a Ross University Student mauled to death by the normally sedate cattle or taken down like David in a horrible mishap and then; the Parl. Rep., PM., Mayor, the entire Cabinet Landlords, Vendors, “Stake holders” and the rest of Dominica will go into damage control mode and suddenly a solution might be found.
Or maybe, infected by our indifference, the single largest investor we have on island will just say “cest la vie” and life will go on as usual in our dreamy little town on our sleepy little island.
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These cows have owners only when they are stolen. In situations where injuries such as death occurs no one takes responsibility. I think the residents know full well whose cow is responsible for this young man’s death. Don’t full yourselves. Take away one of those strays and you will see how fast the owner will call the police to file a stolen cow’s report.
could not be said better than that mem c mwen pa amai tete vous!
well said…really couldnt have said it better …complacency seems to be the order of the day in this place…..serious action needed….#just my two cents
Sadly, to this date the culprit farmer has “not been identified” or made to pay. There has been no justice for David Joseph, nor for his family and friends who still mourn his passing. Grief and anger have turned to despondency and disillusionment. Mourning turned to cherished memories, scribbled poems, and visits, to a final resting place which still provides zero comfort for such a terrible loss–Ashton Reviere
Mr Reviere, you are right–this is extremely sad! I remeber reading that news articlem reporting the way that man died, and it disturbed me then.
Now, it is worse for me to comprehend, that one year later it seem as if, not even the owner of that cattle (cow) was disciplined. And yet that kind of death should not have happened on the road of a country’s city, because of that kind of negligence.
I am looking at the pictures here, and it does not matter if I had never lived anywhere else, but as someone called it, in order to offend me–the bushes of Giraudel; that is not true anyway–nevertheless, I would still view what I am seeing here as unacceptable and definitely, uncivilized!
On a beautiful road like that, I can see more cows than people–with only one person in view. What! What! What! What in our Dominica is this! Is it really true that most of us still exist in the “stone ages” by our shallow state of mind?
Are there no means by which those animals should be seized and taken to a place where owners should go to claim them, while at the same time, they should be served with intense discipline for their negligence?
Would an approach like that not provoke a farmer to maintian responsibility for the livestock on his farm. I mean we are blaming the government for the lack of concentration on agricultural activities–but if a farmer cannot maintain two or three cows by his own strength, what is the point at all?
Cows and people do not mix, I personally am afraid of them, and I do not care too much for their meat either!
Really and truly, we have to get rid of that primitive mind, that we nature, as Dominicans, otherwise woe be unto us.
We should not have to depend on the police and other authorities to tell us that cows do not belong and a city street–my goodness, what is wrong with our thinking mind? Ayelass! Ayelass! Ayelass!
LOL. You are so interestingly a pokwit bias person.Ashton is talking about the unresponsive reaction from the authorities yet again you choose to dance and hop around the subject matter.
Your little subtle and deceptive ways of defending those in authority who are clearly incapable and often irresponsible. You choose highlight nice road and insinuate that government should not be blamed for the state of agriculture.
There is a special place in your christian hell for hypocrite christians like you. You claim that you book your ticket to your heaven but i hope you verify seat number and who is sitting next to you
Assertive, NOT Agressive!
“You claim that you book your ticket to your heaven but i hope you verify seat number and who is sitting next to you”
@Frenz
I know now that you are someone on that other email forum, that I write to; for I did not write what you mentioned above on DNO. Besides I am sure that no one on DNO would remember those words of mine.
And so you have been getting my messages, but you are too damn coward to answer to them there–I believe that I know exactly who you are as well for I know this sentiment of yours and the pattern of your writing on the forum.
I have a good feeling that you are the one on that email group, who is afraid to use your real name on DNO as well–I challenge you to write your real name in your next comment against me–if you are not the coward whom I think you.
I also believe that you are simply jealous of me, but you do not have to be so, all you need to do is to turn to Jesus Christ, He will give you what it is that you are jealous of in me.
Now continue to get choked in your jealousy, your stupid judgments ain’t moving me one bit. But I will get concrete knowledge of who you really are, by God’s Will, because the fool and the coward in you will cause you to reveal yourselfm just as you started to do in comment above–mark my word!
Liz4jesus you have selective memory. Check the archive , roughly two weeks ago you responded to one of my comments by telling me that your ticket to heaven is booked. The next time I call you out for hypocrisy I will attach the DNO link so you could read your comment.
You blaming someone from some forum. Why don’t you call the heaven hotline to get you a detective?
I hope that you will remember to write your real name as well, because here or there you are still a damn coward, if you don’t.
two weeks ago you responded to one of my comments by telling me that your ticket to heaven is booked. The next time I call you out for hypocrisy I will attach the DNO link so you could read your comment. Frenz
DNO
You should noticed that the attitude of that commentator above–Frenz– is out to harrass me, based on my reltaionship with God, and nothing with your news article. I would hope that is not what this News Site is about, and your would make it be known to the person.
You will notice that he or she said above–the next time I call you out for “hypocrisy”–what or who gives that person this right to do that here?
Crismas coming we just need to make up our minds to eat all cows b4 the yr end
its do sad we are only reactive and not pro active. Well said I certainly hope it shall not take a Ross University student for us too do something. What I have realized we do too much lip service and nothing else. Even we as citizens we are outraged but do we do anything? or do we wait by the sidelines because it has not hit home.
well said…..portsmouth residents should be having cook ups every night…
Well said… no extra words needed..
It is not obvious from looking at the photo but the woman in the picture was so alarmed at seeing the cattle crossing the highway like this at high noon that she whipped out her camera and started snapping photos of the spectacle..
Maybe .. just maybe those photos may show up in a magazine somewhere promoting Dominica ;)
Let’s pray that a Ross student don’t get injured because that will be a next story.
There was a time when cattle lost their tail for being stray then the owners took responsibility. Maybe this should happen again?
Ashton thanks for bringing that serious issue to the forefront again. Hope the powers that be, read this article and get to work.
I still think about David.
I like this paragraph:
“Or maybe next time it might be a Ross University Student mauled to death by the normally sedate cattle or taken down like David in a horrible mishap and then; the Parl. Rep., PM., Mayor, the entire Cabinet Landlords, Vendors, “Stake holders” and the rest of Dominica will go into damage control mode and suddenly a solution might be found.”
Let’s hope that a Ross student don’t get injured by one of those loose cows roaming the area, because the owner will see what time it is. You just cannot afford to have cows roaming the area like that. Even on the stretch of road in Tibay you see the cows owner(s) putting-up hand-painted signs on the utility poles saying to lookout for cows crossing, that’s total nonsense. The way things going, it look like it’s when some high profile person gets injured or killed by those same loose, roaming cows, that something will be done to rectify the situation.
What happen you did not understand eh article? Somebody did get killed and nothing was done.
All you have free meat roaming on the streets like dat….man is time some body start killing them cows and eat it….
My deepest sympathy to the family and friends for their loss…
Establish a pound in 1-mile? is there self a cow just step onto the road in front of my vehicle. The cows are not a safe vegetation management tool so close to the road. Next time it shall be BEEF for dinner!
Ashton, if is one time i agree with yu is this time; unless something doh happen to those dam cows there nobody will do anything; lastnight one of them frightened me in that same general direction which that pic was taken but i have a cutlass under my car seat, is meat the owner will get, not cow. is time we possie people take matters in our hands and rid our town from all such menaces – cows, parros, etc etc
Ashton is not saying anything from what he has been saying: that is empty promises, lack of focus and urgency and just straight up inefficiency on the part of Ian and his government. The only reason you share Ashton,s point of view now is because of the death of the young man.
The cattle roaming the street is not the problem, it is just a symptom of the malaise that pervades our country.
If they can identify the owner, the estate of the deceased should sue for negligence. That would send a message that that behaviour is not acceptable in a civilized society. Depending on the governement to solve these problems is a complete waste of time.
How many people drink and drive in DA? How many people refuse to wear their seat belts? How often do you see blantantly dangerous driving in DA? The more pertinent question is, how often do you see those laws enforced? Or are there even laws to govern that type of behaviour?
We are so busy enforcing simple marijuana possession (one joint), that we fail to see the bigger picture.
Those cows look like they going to work at the abandoned KFC .
Things are so bad not even grass cows can afford to buy.
On a serious note we are up to our necks with promises from Ian ,his government and cabal. What is obvious is that the country is broke. The government have no money to pay daily paid workers, no money for domestic spending, consumer goods and services, they do have money to sustain their high salaries though.Ashton things are bad and so such important things like road safety , cutting Forrest along the roadways, pounding stray cattle and insuring safety for edge strains, motorists and passengers . What is important are minister bank accounts, bidding on government projects , state mansion, changing the color of their vehicles to distinguish their vehicle from that of those of the opponents, keeping the poor loyal and myopic and holding power by any means necessary.
u know what lets take matters into our own hand a start killing all stray cows one by one then the owner can come to the market and buy the meat from us the money will go towards help the needy in our community
Powerful article Mr. Review..because of politics you aren’t the mayor of portsmouth..however you are the man for the job…may I even add the Palrep of portsmouth..May God continue to bless the good work that you do..
A simple solution is for the police to take the cows and the government can sell or put them up for auction if the owner claime them before they are sold let him pay a $ 600 fine
Thats the problem in dominica,take matters in your own hands.Shoot the cattle or poison them,then the owners will get it.
Please don’t poison the cows.Shoot them by all means and use the meat to feed the hospitals, homes for the elderly and other needy insitutions.If the minister of national security will not act, then by all means we have to do what we must do to prevent one more death.
Ashton Riviere: “Those who are to be held accountable for the stray cattle , those custodians of the public trust who are charged with the protection of life and limb, live in impunity knowing fully, that they are provided immunity from consequence or accountability by a community resplendent in its own complacency.”
Well-said. A deep problem for us in Dominica is that leaders at all strata and in all sectors are not made to pay when they fail to deliver. With an ingrained tolerance of incompetency, we will find our development even more stagnated.
This is so true. Our leaders are not made accountable fro anything!! It is amazing. They however realize how quickly we forget and take advantage of it.