LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Are we serious about Tourism?

garbage tourist

Dear Editor,

On Saturday February 14, there was a cruise ship in port and there were many visitors walking around.

I was walking through Roseau and was appalled by the amount of uncollected garbage on the streets.

I was even more shocked when I saw two cruise ship visitors resting on a public bench next to a pile of garbage right across from a cell phone outlet on Great George Street (See photo).

On Ash Wednesday Carnival Triumph visited Dominica and tourism officials were going up the walls with excitement. We must remember Carnival Cruise Lines pulled out of Dominica about five years ago and the government says it has been lobbying to have it return.

On Ash Wednesday there were piles of garbage in Newtown and environs.

So my question, are we serious about tourism?

At least, make all efforts to clean the capital the night before cruise ships come to our shores.

I am pleading to the authorities to take this into consideration because it looks really bad for the “Nature Island.”

D. John

Copyright 2012 Dominica News Online, DURAVISION INC. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.

Disclaimer: The comments posted do not necessarily reflect the views of DominicaNewsOnline.com and its parent company or any individual staff member. All comments are posted subject to approval by DominicaNewsOnline.com. We never censor based on political or ideological points of view, but we do try to maintain a sensible balance between free speech and responsible moderating.

We will delete comments that:

  • contain any material which violates or infringes the rights of any person, are defamatory or harassing or are purely ad hominem attacks
  • a reasonable person would consider abusive or profane
  • contain material which violates or encourages others to violate any applicable law
  • promote prejudice or prejudicial hatred of any kind
  • refer to people arrested or charged with a crime as though they had been found guilty
  • contain links to "chain letters", pornographic or obscene movies or graphic images
  • are off-topic and/or excessively long

See our full comment/user policy/agreement.

47 Comments

  1. Viv
    February 25, 2015

    Its time for the gorverment of dominica do something about the town, its a mess. When u come from England, and see such a beautiful country, Dominican hav no respect for their country. When u hav small kids and try to walk in town, its a bloody nightmare. Get the road fixed, and clean the runbish

  2. Mamizoo
    February 21, 2015

    Just a thought. The money that is/was spent buying loyalty could be used to employ city custodians to clean up the city. I have seen strong abled men and women standing at the red clinic week after week collecting free money yet at the very same time Roseau is stinking and garbage wondering.

  3. hans
    February 21, 2015

    I cane to Dominica with my wife in 2010 and a cruise ship was in Roseau and there were piles of garbage all over and in many cases unbaged raw garbage. There was one site that continue to hunt me and that was the site of disposed food on the sidewalk in front of a popular restaurant on the bayfronto area. It was obvious that the restaurant was responsible for the garbage on the sidewalk.

  4. Fast N FURIOUS
    February 21, 2015

    I have to agree but even more so in a country where 32 million dollars spent in 30 days it is unacceptable that Roseau is so filthy. The drains stink and garbage is all over The place. Whst is also very disturbing is the scent of pee particularly towards the water front area.
    I must also complain about the unmarked speed bumps thst are extremely dangerous for visitors driving our roads. The grass covered parapet walls on the edges of the roadways. What is a gallon of paint mark the speed numbs and to clear up these parapet walls.

  5. Catarina
    February 21, 2015

    To Truth, the villages look clean because they throw all their garbage in the Ravin. Take a walk through the valley and down by the sea you will see where it all ends up.

  6. Jaime Lewis
    February 21, 2015

    Well what a shame. Over and over on this and on other social media outlets we have heard that Roseau is a dump and that the stench is unbearable. Someone also mentioned that there are many villages in Dominica in similar conditions. Whose fault is it? Who is responsible? We all are. This isn’t only government’s problem. This is every single Dominican resident’s problem.

    Where is our pride? Would you feel comfortable inviting someone to your home with a lot of mess scattered throughout the house? No! You would spend some time cleaning, put on a clean table cloth, do your dishes so your sink isn’t overflowing, You would sweep your yard, clean the bathroom.

    Well, that is what needs to happen. We need to take pride in our country, in our yards, in our streets, in our communities. When we feel responsible for the cleanliness of our surroundings, only then will things change.
    Nature Island is everyone’s business! We need to get off our fat or skinny behinds and clean up the…

  7. CYRIL Volney
    February 20, 2015

    Roseau is bad for garbage, but that condition is everywhere. I put out my “garbage barrel” for pickup in Wesley, and it stays uncollected for days after the pick up day.

    My garbage barrel lid, made from the top one third of the barrel, is routinely removed, and the lid also used as a garbage receptacle by others. The result is that dogs get into both my garbage bin, and into the lid, and garbage is strewn all over.

    1. We need to have regular scheduled garbage pick up, Island wide.

    2. We need to have good garbage bins with LIDS. There are enough blue shipping barrels all over the place. Use them.

    3. We are all responsible for the condition of our Island.

  8. letitflow
    February 20, 2015

    The Country Nice Boy!!

  9. February 20, 2015

    Justice, we all have a big blabber mouth, what are we doing to fix the problem, all we do is talk, no answers. Are the majority of the people living on the island are of African Decandant.

  10. Oh No
    February 19, 2015

    What a shame! Thanks for this exposure. Sometimes it may take exposure of a material problem to get immediate attention and resolution. Oh No!!!

  11. jane
    February 19, 2015

    How long I left, and up till 2015 they cannot come up with placing simple garbage bins around, especially in major traffic areas. They want to be claiming other islands more developed. You mean you cannot put garbage bins around the place and emphasize against littering in the country. Look stupids.

    • Ba Yo Bwa
      February 19, 2015

      Actually, there are trash cans around Roseau. However, if you look closely you will notice the garbage is spilled willy-nilly on the sidewalk, adjacent to the electric pole. Furthermore, look at the contents. Is suggests commercial trash at some level, meaning that it came from a shop, restaurant, or some such business place. This is fundamentally a Dominican problem, the wanton spilling of garbage all over the place is a deliberate and chronic problem. It is the average Dominican doing.

  12. February 19, 2015

    ASK NOT WHAT YOUR country, BUT What YOU CAN Do FOR YOUR COUNTRY.

    • Titiwi
      February 21, 2015

      Man, that is such a cliche as to be almost meaningless. If I really wanted to help myself I would become Prime Minister, not so?

  13. anonymous
    February 19, 2015

    this is an extremely serious subject which should be dealt with on every level. solutions need to be employed and we need to get away from this culture of inaction, it’s crippling the populace and the tourism business!

  14. chicken gone ye
    February 19, 2015

    you keep one goverment in power for too long and they become complacient,thats why a change should have been a must.

  15. TALK IS CHEAP
    February 19, 2015

    we have serious issues in that country. just today I heard a vendor they asked to relocate from courts making noise that DA unfair because Haitians can sell on lime pavement.

    dominica has so much untapped potential. it’s just disappointing. the old bridge to enter roseau alone is a disgrace. bro go dohw !the entire ministries need to be overhauled. roseau stinks. roseau is a dump. all PAROS need to be swiped and confined somewhere. just today I saw them harassing tourists by nassief .
    what is wrong with these people…I hate dominica.

    ROSEAU IS A DUMP A DUMP A DUMP. I’M ASHAMED

    • Hawk Eye
      February 20, 2015

      “Talk is Cheap”, I feel sad when i see you write that you hate Dominica. I think you are hurt by the way Dominica is treated by those in authority and ordinary citizens alike. I feel ashamed when I walk through town and see the amount of garbage piled up in every block. There must be a better way. I grew up in Roseau and my in childhood days the rubbish carts would pass on every street, and people would put out their garbage bins out when the cart is passing or on the days they will pass. There were people employed to sweep the drains and clean the sidwalks. We have come over thirty years since, and Roseau is in the worse state I have ever seen it. And our Government continually boat of being first at this, first at that. So much talk was heard about the modernisation of Roseau in the campaigns of the past two elections. Nuff slides and drawings, even consultants came to check out Roseau to develop plans, and not even the drains can be cleaned regularly. It is truly a…

  16. Truth
    February 19, 2015

    Folks,
    Three are many villages in Dominica that keep their little streets clean………Spotless……can someone give me a valid excuse as to why the Capital is so filthy? Thanks, I will greatly appreciate any good answer!

    • Met Jel
      February 20, 2015

      Its a lot of these same village people who come and help to litter and dirty Roseau. Remember Roseau is not used by Roseau people only. All people from the villages come to do business there and they too contribute to the garbage, litter and congestion in the city. Government needs to decentralize some services, schools, businesses etc, so that village people will stay in their tidy little village and continue to keep it clean and leave Roseau people to try and clean up their city as best as they can.

    • PS
      February 21, 2015

      That is because Roseau has a mayor. Maybe the lady’s hands are tied but I would not want to be the worshipful mayor of a midden, would you?

  17. Watching
    February 19, 2015

    True say! I have talked to many persons that visited Dominica and their response to me is this… Dominica is a beautiful island, however, it is filthy, especially in Roseau the capital. They find it distasteful and many states they would not come back. How sad hearing such from foreigners when I myself comes from DA.
    CLEAN UP THE FILTH YOU SWINES .. and make DOMINICA PROUD.

  18. enough!
    February 19, 2015

    But where is my comment nah dno? what happen you against suggestions?francisco telemaque dodds writes so much nonsense and you post his comments and my suggestion you dont?sheesh!!!!i marely suggested that they relocate the cruise ship berth.embeh weh!!!

    • enough!
      February 19, 2015

      i meant “merely”not marely

  19. February 19, 2015

    The people must be educated about garbage, hospitality and general communication skills with each other and guests. The garbage situation is throughout the Caribbean. But friendly, honest, caring people are hard to find anywhere in the Caribbean (even though every island promotes itself with the phrase “our lovely, friendly people”. Education is the key to being a successful destination…or even a successful country. A bunch of twerking, threatening, screaming dummies does not promote good times anywhere especially if you have to wade through piles of trash to be accosted by the “friendly people”. Dominica is a beautiful island, but education needs to come into the 21st century.

  20. Abolor
    February 19, 2015

    Hopefully they will listen this time. But I don’t have much hope. We don’t really want to progress or too lazy to do what it takes.

  21. But wait
    February 19, 2015

    This letter comes 2 months after a general election where Dominicans (many of whom are not around daily to witness/experience this, and many other travesties) reelected the majority of leaders that were responsible for such improvements in past years.

    The lingering question remains: what more can citizens do that talk, write, complain? Clearly voting isn’t working!

  22. Francisco Telemaque
    February 19, 2015

    You know this nature island thing, I supposed means the accumulation of garbage in the streets and roads of the country. I will forever say our nation is the most backward place on earth! When we speak of “Nature island;” what are we talking about; what is the definition of Nature island?

    If I am asked I’d say nature island has no meaning. Nevertheless, if am asked to define “Nature” I would simply say nature means original, or natural condition. There are many different definitions, however, it would appear that the mind of those who are backward in our country dubbed the island nature island telling the world that since the beginning of time nothing has changed, not even the land form, and we exists in an none developed country.

    Hence, visitors to the country should expect to endure the smell of decaying filth in the streets of nature, that is what nature island represents!

    • nonsense
      February 19, 2015

      Shut up you moron.how the hell Dominica is most backwards in the whole world ?you stupid or something you sound like a proper idiot.in my African voice (nonsenseee)

      • Francisco Telemaque
        February 19, 2015

        Your name is nonsense, that speaks volumes, do you expect some who’s name is nonsense to know and understand that Dominica is the most backward place on earth!

        You mentioned Africa, tell me where in Africa you went and met conditions as miserable as they are in Dominica. I know some of us believe what we see on Television, oppressed, naked children. That is not due because most countries in Africa is backward, that is as a result of dictatorship. Perhaps if you were not filled with nonsense in your damn head you would have known Africa is the richest continent on the planet.

        I reiterate Dominica is the most backward place on earth, and the poorest place in the Western Hemisphere, like it or not you cant do anything except call me an idiot:

        Hahahahahahahahahahahahhahaha!!

  23. Anon Again
    February 19, 2015

    Dear D.John,
    Point well made about the level of garbage that has overtaken the city of Roseau. And, not Roseau only, but, as Sean Ensch intimated in his post, the entire country. It’s really sad for a country which boasts of being the Nature Island. However, I want to disagree with you very strongly that it’s a reflection that we are not serious about tourism. What you are suggesting here, by extension, is that we must clean up for the tourists. I have a serious problem with that. Unless we accept that we first have to do this for ourselves, that we have to keep our homes clean for our own sakes, keep our country clean for us, first and foremost, that it is to our benefit to keep our surroundings clean, it won’t happen. Asking Dominicans to clean up for the tourist is a sure way of keeping the place dirty. So, I agree with you: Let’s clean up, but for ourselves, and invite our guests to share it with us.

    • Titiwi
      February 19, 2015

      Man, you are splitting hairs. Who cares whether we keep the country clean for ourselves or the tourists. This is not a philosophy class, just keep the place clean for everybody’s benefit, damn it!!

      • Moving Forward...
        February 19, 2015

        @ Titiwi:
        I agree with Anon Again. It begins with each person taking care to keep his/her surroundings clean. It saddens me when I visit Dominica to see how people no longer seem to take pride in keeping their homes and its environs clean. I remember as a child, sweping the yard until it was spotless – not a leaf to be found. This is not the case anymore and of course, this laissay faire attitude just spills over and the entire town looks like a garbage dump which by the way, is a perfect breeding ground for rats and other varmins. I remember coming to DA on a cruise ship and noticing the ring of garbage, predominantly plastic waste, around the coast line. This saddened me immensely. As for the paros – well that is another matter.

        By the way, what is the new mayor of Roseau doing to solve these problems?

      • Anon Again
        February 19, 2015

        Titiwi, I’m not splitting hears at all. I’m simply pointing out what faces us. Traditionally, we do not like tourists. If this is not obvious to you, just see how we behave towards them. For the most part we tolerate them but we don’t like them. They come to our country, particularly those on the cruise ships, take up all our space in Roseau, spend little, get privileges we don’t get. So we resent them. Our authorities are yet to convince us that tourism is everybody’s business. We don’t believe them when they try telling us that. Therefore, to tell us that we should clean up for the tourist is the surest way of having the place dirty. The energy we spent trying, and failing, to convince Dominicans to clean up for the tourists can be better spent on demonstrating to Dominicans how keeping our surroundings, our city, clean will benefit us. I want a clean, comfortable home for myself, not for someone who I resent.

      • Titiwi
        February 21, 2015

        So now we resenting tourists are we? Charming! I hope the people at Discover Dominica do not hold the same view or that the chairman of Carnival Lines reads this because he may well decide that his customers do not need a place where they are not welcome and can easily spend their money somewhere else. Thanks for your help pal. The bus drivers and vendors must love you!

  24. Zandoli
    February 19, 2015

    The biggest problem with the industry is that it is run by civil servants.

    I had a discussion with some tourism officials in St. Kitts recently and it did not take me long to realize, although they are ahead of Dominica they still have some way to go in their thinking. And then it struck me. These people do not think like business-people. They come in, put in their time and then they go home. I am not talking about the front line people only. That mentality goes all the way to the top.

    They are slow to see and take advantage of opportunities. They do not quickly recognise when something is not right. Unlike business whose livelihood depend on performance, governments do not have to operate that way.

  25. February 19, 2015

    I was lucky enough to spend two months living on Dominica. In LaPlaine and then mostly in Picard. The island is beautiful and truly unique with so much opportunity to have massive tourism generated. However, the island is not taken care of at all. Which is sad not only from a business point of view for tourism, but also from an environmental naturalist view. The island is nicknamed the “Nature Island” and rightfully so because it’s beautiful nature, but the people and towns do not represent this name. There is trash all through the towns. I spent a good amount of time photographing and diving the island and the condition of the reefs and beaches are not good. Also the killing of native species, such as the sea turtles does not reflect well on an island all for nature.

    I do not want to bad mouth the island, I also know that it is no one’s fault but the leaders of the country. Without properly educating it’s people, how can they do what is right? Push for environmentalism and…

    • Zandoli
      February 19, 2015

      The people who are entrusted to run/regulate the industry talk a lot and they convince the local populace that they are doing the right thing. The problem is, they themselves either do not fully understand the industry or they are willfully misleading the people.

      I often wonder how many times Colin Piper has been on a cruise? That would have to come out of his budget, but I think it is very important that he and a few of his key people take a cruise at least once every two years. That would provide them with invaluable insight on what we need to do to move the industry ahead. They would have to treat the cruise as a business trip as opposed to one where they booze it up on the ship.

      On my mast cruise I met an American travel consultant who told me she always accompanies her clients when the group exceeds a certain number. I think that is a very good idea.

      You cannot teach that kind of experience.

    • February 21, 2015

      No, the people who do this should take their blame. Dominicans are not so ignorant to need papa government to tell them not to leave rubbish everywhere. People know that already, they just need to do what’s right rather than what is convenient.

  26. Frank Talker
    February 19, 2015

    Of course we are very serious about the tourism business. Just walk through Roseau on a Sunday when a ship is in port and you will see how bustling the city is. All restaurants are opened and tourists are having a ball of a time shopping and eating out. Yes Sire! We are very serious!

  27. Ma Moses
    February 19, 2015

    Sorry folks but Roseau is a smelly garbage tip. I really hate coming to town now and only do so if there is no alternative but I don’t dwell because there is nothing appetizing about it. Why would you bring cruise ships in there? make a new , purpose built-terminal on the outskirts of town

  28. Oh La La
    February 19, 2015

    It is really like inviting a guest to a dirty home. Can you imagine inviting a friend to your house for dinner and the floor is dirty, the bathroom is messy and the table where she/he has to eat is covered with a soiled table cloth. This is the way I see we prepare for the tourist. The cruiseline pulled out five years ago and nothing has been done to make the city a cleaner, more appealing – if you have not changed anything, why would they stay. Lets see how that goes. All I hear is Bardouille and Collin Piper talking; have not heard much about Mr. Tonge, but I have a high level of confidence in him. We can make things better. Tourism is all of us business.

  29. prince Perry Klein
    February 19, 2015

    Who is really managing the affairs of Dominica? It seems to me like they are all asleep whilst they remain in positions collecting tax payers money month after month,.
    Come on people it’s time to work hard to make Dominica a true paradise…. & Not a “fools paradise”

    I’m serious
    We have a problem. We only talk and there is absolutely no action

  30. Titiwi
    February 19, 2015

    Lip- service my friend! You know what is lip-service, when you move your lips and words come out but no deeds. Would you believe we even have a city mayor? What does this good lady actually do for the city? Maybe she cannot move without the P.M. say-so but honestly, if I were Carnival, I would think twice. But it is not important what I think, the cruise ship visitors will make their report and when it is negative govt, will blame people like you and me for causing that.

    • MUDD
      February 19, 2015

      Of course is you and me to be blame because when we see business places like the one on Great Marlborough Street with the wholesale and pampers putting their empty boxes by the roadside we say nothing. When we see the chines putting all their garbage by the roadside we say nothing. When all the restaurants in Roseau throwing their waste into the gutters which brings a bad odor to the city, yet we say nothing. Even in our homes we take garbage out on the street way before garbage collection day, is still us to blame but no one.

      • Titiwi
        February 19, 2015

        Mudd, and who is responsible for enforcing the law? You and me too? Everywhere I see signs saying that if you dump you will be fined $5,000. Have you ever heard of the police or any other authority taking anyone to court for that, never mind making them pay a fine? But if you let a man return his crabbacks to his home in season you lose your job? Weird country we are living in.
        PS. my garbage is always put in sealed plastic bags inside a proper poubel from Solid waste and put out on collection day only but it can be hit and miss whether they come on that day

  31. THEY ANTI DOMINICA
    February 19, 2015

    they will criticize and hate you because of what you wrote even if it is the truth. thanks D. John but I don’t think they really care about us.

Post a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

:) :-D :wink: :( 8-O :lol: :-| :cry: 8) :-? :-P :-x :?: :oops: :twisted: :mrgreen: more »

 characters available