LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Tourism Minister speaks and says nothing

Tourism Minister Robert Tonge
Tourism Minister Robert Tonge

Dear Editor,

In 2015, the Business Research and Economic Advisors (BREA) conducted a survey on behalf of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association for the 2014-2015 cruise season in the Caribbean.

Thirty-five countries formed part of the excercise and Dominica was at the bottom of the pile since the vast majority of those surveyed said they were not satisfied with destination Dominica and many said they will not recommend a land-based or resort vacation on the island to family or friends and will not return to the island in the next three years.

This was huge and stinging and soon afterwards Tourism Minister, Robert Tonge, said the island was going to get tough. In October, 2015, he said a Revised Tourism Regulation will be tabled at Parliament’s next sitting which will give the Ministry of Tourism the power to hold people accountable for not adhering to the service standards of Dominica.

Now I am not sure if holding people “accountable for not adhering to the service standards of Dominica” will result in visitors flocking to our shores but this shows that Mr. Tonge has absolutely no idea of what to do with our tourism product.

To my knowledge, nothing was done and I am not even sure if the Revised Tourism Regulation was ever tabled in Parliament (Parliament rarely meets anyway).

In February 2016, the Caribbean Tourism Association (CTO) released statistics on region’s performance in the tourism sector in 2015.

According to the statistics, Dominica was the ONLY island in the Caribbean with drops in visitor arrivals in both the cruise and stay-over sectors.

After the dismal statistics were made public, I ask in a Letter to the Editor, where was Mr. Tonge and whether he would address such poor performance. (https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/features/letters-to-the-editor/letter-to-the-editor-where-is-tourism-minister-tonge/)

My understanding is that a press conference was called to address the matter sometime late last year or earlier this year. However, the morning the press conference was to take place, it was suddenly cancelled for no reason. It was said that another press conference would be held at another date but that never materialised.

Now, on Wednesday this week, Mr. Tonge suddenly made an appearance at the launch of Tourism Appreciation Month to give the same statistics that the CTO had already made public in February. (The CTO statistics were never given coverage in the media in Dominica, except on Dominica News Online. You have to wonder why).

After his tirade, Mr. Tonge did not say anything that will pull Dominica out of this doldrum. He mentioned a few non-dramatic measures such as putting a tour guide on each tour bus, multi-lingual tour guides and the introduction of minimum tour rates, among others. He did not even mention the Revised Tourism Regulation and whether it was ever actually tabled in Parliament.

It appears that Mr. Tonge is devoid of ideas of how to make our tourism product move forward.

Meanwhile, our neighbours are counting double digit growth in their tourism sector.

I guess we can blame poor old Tropical Storm Erika.

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35 Comments

  1. Intellegence
    May 9, 2016

    you sound like you have a hand in the whole tourism sector

    you gave quit a tong lashing on the poor performance of Dominica evidenced by published statistics

    YET you yourself, have mentioned absolutely no way forward or given any advice, all you did was criticize and highlight what was already published
    meaning you are just as bankrupt of ideas as the man you criticized… why don’t you put a plan together seeing you are so apt and aware of the problem then take it to the Minister

    However it is the easiest thing in the world to sit in the dining room and criticize those who are in the kitchen feeling the heat
    Dominicans do that sooooo very well

  2. May 8, 2016

    Interesting discussion. Cruise sector. Our problem begins well before the ship arrives. Dominicans are inconvenienced too much every day we have ships in port. Can you imagine how many people swear in the privacy of their cars when they realize…..or remember that there is a ship in port. It translates to quite a bit of wasted time in traffic. Kids and workers late. So how are they going to put on a genuine smile a and say welcome to Dominica. In the late eighties early nineties our visitors felt that the best thing about our country was the genuine warmth of our people to visitors.
    They pass on a bus chew poule.
    This needs a complete article.
    So we bring in the most adversarial man to completely strangle the city and when it is completely messed up we label him man of the year.
    I am just watching for now

  3. Driver
    May 7, 2016

    It is usually easier to say what you intend to do when you don’t have to answer”how are you going to do it?”. Maybe someone should ask that the Minister explain how he will get a Tour Guide on every bus. In some countries we would simply demand that people between certain ages show up for training at Govt’s expense and put them on the buses since we own those buses. Then we could fine or jail any driver who charges less than the prescribed fare. Are we at this point yet? Or will we achieve that after the next election?
    Then we will pay the guides and drivers in the off-season. Like from May to October. Right up my alley.

  4. forreal
    May 7, 2016

    man it’s unbelievable what people can write about tourism,when they do not have the slightest idea of tourism,in the virgin islands which is one of the biggest tourism market in the Caribbean,st Thomas gets six ships once a week and there are no ships on a Friday, during the other days,they get like two or four ships,st Croix is worst,one or two ships per week, and st crox to is just starting to experience a tourism return market,after the fountain valley shootings couple years ago,i am talking about the US territory,dominica is only starting to experience in tourism after being a banana republic all those years,ts Erika did set back dominica not only in tourism,but every aspect of dominicas development,so all those think they know it all commenters don’t know about what they are writing.

  5. Dr. Tonge is a Brave Man
    May 7, 2016

    Dr. Tonge is a very brave man to have taken up this post.

    He has everything going against him:-

    1) Zika – the powers that be have told the world, go to Dominica and risk getting Zika which will make someone’s head very small indeed;

    2) Erika – they have also said that Dominica cannot be trusted when it comes to tropical storms. One minute, everything is fine, the next, you lose your house, your car and your way home;

    3) Child Molestation/ Gay Rights/ Women’s Rights – they have also told the world that Dominica is not to be trusted as buggery can get you in jail, whereas in the USA, jail is where you get buggery and its OK;

    4) Our new ‘economic’ citizens – the world now knows that Dominica sells its passports to people in countries where child molestation is sanctioned under the guise of child bride marriages (most of the middle east). So visit Dominica and you may well be rubbing shoulders with a guy who has a 3 year old bride;

    Good luck Dr. Tonge!

  6. committed
    May 7, 2016

    Dear Mr.Tonge,swallow your foolish pride and get the hell out of there,cause you don’t have a clue as what tourism is all about. Just as a the Sixteen other jokers have no idea what to do,you have compound ed the situation

  7. Scoop
    May 6, 2016

    So who would we have in charge of our tourism sector, DDA etc ? Any suggestions ?

  8. Champion
    May 6, 2016

    This minister is all talk and no action. Nothing is being done to improve our tourism sector

  9. Doc. Love
    May 6, 2016

    What else is new in Dominica. Holding last place in the Caribbean, is a way of life in Dominica. According to farmer Luis, “fee lamb bow go their, fee lamb bar tam go their, but caca rat stay their.” Expect a lot of spins from Tony and Simeon. The UWP have been telling Dominicans this DLP Government under the leadership of Skeritt is a disaster. What is hurtful, every time a Dominican like Dr. Fontaine would offer his assistance although free, Tony, Simeon, Skeritt and Cleville would not think of him as a Dominican who wants to help his country, but as an enemy of the state. While Dominicans are suffering, Skeritt is asking all Dominicans to put hands on deck, but, as far as Dr. Fontaine and Mr. Lennox Linton are concerned, he doesn’t want those hands on deck and while the country is going down slowly, according to Spider, he stands on the hills of V C playing his fiddle and singing Fontaine pay DASS its money, Linton go back to school.

  10. Trump
    May 6, 2016

    First of all every one in Dominica that shows competency and appear not to be bought or subjected to the Govt they get rid of them. It is sad that people who give their all grow and make organisation and industries improve the Govt and their operatives get rid of them and replace them with political hoggs. Sad, NDC, DFC, Aid Bank soon, NBD had to call Airs back, Marpin, Stadium, Min Tourism, Min of Works and the list can go on

  11. Unknown
    May 6, 2016

    How can we expect Dominica tourism industry to evolve and have increased visitors and cruise ship calls coming to the island when in the miami cruise trade show which is the biggest trade show in the industry, Dominica is the only island without a booth showcasing its products. The minister and other authorities take a trip just to show there faces an have fun while the government says the country don’t have enough money to have a booth. Yet all little islands have a booth and have nothing comparable to Dominica have increased cruis calls and visitors to there shores. If we cannot invest in the industry we don’t expect to see growth yet every year the cruis calls gets less from over 300 to just over 100.

  12. Pon De River
    May 6, 2016

    I repeat and DNO do not edit my comment. I am not libeling anyone. I stating a point of view.

    Robbie Tonge was never qualified to be Minister of Tourism. The man was placed there as a “cool guy” to appeal to those ignorant non-reading young voters who get carried away with personalities and billboards and sewo and not actual ABILITY and PERFORMANCE.

    The man did not build any business is Roseau from scratch. The man simply capitalized on what his father had already established and maintained for many years. First Domestic and etc. The hard work, vision and business strategy was that of his Father, not him. He is simply eating the fruits today. How does that qualify him to lead no ministry? Can we not see the results now?

    A total failure. Everything was on a silver platter for him. One thing he won’t get on a silver platter is the Roseau Central seat.

  13. A Dominican
    May 6, 2016

    Our leaders need to stop leading from a far and get on the front line. The minister needs to visit the bay front and various sites on cruise ship days and see what is really going on first hand. Get involved in what you a leading or in-charge of. The government also needs to invest in areas where it is really needed and not areas where they or their friends and benefit directly. Tourism and agriculture are our main industries and they can be inter twined but due to lack of investment in both sectors they a both fading away. We need to open our eyes and do what is needed for the greater good not just for direct benefit.

  14. Shameless
    May 6, 2016

    If I was Insp. Pelham Jno Baptiste (Police PRO), I would tell the PM that if Robbie is NOT fired by 16:00hrs today they both will be arrested and sent to stocky for Failure To Grow The Tourism Industry & Attempting To Mahmahguy the Dominica People. :twisted: . A secondary charge will be Constantly Lying on Mrs. Erika in an attempt to defame and humiliate her. :twisted:

    Always Assertive! :twisted:

  15. Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    May 6, 2016

    Our government officials and puppets are so dumb, they spend their days talking crap about nature Nature island, believing if the traveling public in North America, and Europe here about nature island they will run to Dominica in droves.

    Nature island indicates primitivism; who wants to leave their modern home, with modern enmities, to go on vacation in a place where they would have to live like a modern day fictional Tarzan?

    There is nothing happening in Dominica interesting enough to pull people to our island: in Cultural Anthropology I learnt about the push and the pull, everything in Dominica pushes people away, including our own native born.

    Nothing attracts investors, nor visitors; everything repels those who are curious!

    • Lynn Barnett
      May 8, 2016

      The high murder rate is pretty repelling to people who might like to come here.

    • Reasoning
      May 8, 2016

      I really agree with you Telemaque,the illegal….. posing as government,the populace,the infrastructure and whole shitstem chases all those who would be interested in visiting and living on the island.I’m out there and can’t encourage anyone to go to this dumb people island like i used to.Dominica can no more boast and depend on nature to attract anyone.In North America has plenty of nature and it is properly utilized to attract visitors.Up to yesterday my wife and i went to Centennial Park and walked for more than an hour on well paved trails, lots of visitors was there.There’s a small lake and visitors can kayak,paddle and do sport fishing.Shame on skerrit one man incompetent government!!!,

  16. Members Bagai la
    May 6, 2016

    1st we put agriculture on a side and say tourism is our economical driving force. Then before we put mechanisms in place to build n foster increased tourist arrivals we just doing things Viy-key-viy. No talks on air access, proper garbage disposal, easier site access etc. Whoever advised this government that we can’t have a thriving agricultural sector and booming tourism industry must be laughing us like the Sot we are. When Skerro finish sell allu, he packing his family and shahpay and leave all to Sousay tellment Sel

  17. me
    May 6, 2016

    if you have suggestions then give them . you are either part of the solution or part of the problem

  18. Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    May 6, 2016

    Tongue, be quiet, get back into your hole, or under cover, sometimes when people try to hard to be convincing, that they are not the problem, or part of the problem, all they accomplish in the process most of the time is digging a much deeper hole for themselves.

    Over the past days your face appears regularly on DNO, singing a stale ridiculous song, you are not saying anything that we do not know, you keep talking without suggesting a serious resolve.

    Do something that will result in a change, without some variable there cannot be a change, all of you profess the status quo, what is the point of doing the same thing over, and over, speaking the same words over, and over without any result?

    You would be much better off if you simply shut up, because as it is right now, you are powerless to do anything to attract more people to visit Dominica. Which editor are you referring to; everything I’ve read in that pile of garbage is very damaging to the country; what are you doing…

  19. Returning National
    May 6, 2016

    Well well well!
    Its there for all to see.
    Dominica’s little fragile tourism industry is crumbling down!
    In any event, do we expect anything different when absolutely nothing is done to enhance the tourism product?

    Look at the quality of our roads with pot holes and overgrown bush!
    Waste disposal contracted to paros and wild dogs in Roseau!
    The so-called capital city of Roseau stinks with peepee every day!
    Roseau itself is like a shanty town. So many little match boxes with rotten galvanize and dangerous walking pavements in this old stinking place.
    Give me a break!!!

    • Lynn Barnett
      May 8, 2016

      Hi murder rate

  20. lightbulb
    May 6, 2016

    the fact is the current strategy is flawed.
    we have yet to capitalize on stayover visits from the neighboring islands, and that goes hand in hand with our culture and musical product.

    look at these right, we know that people will travel for a fete (Chris Brown in Gwada), and our own WCMF. I am suggesting the Bouyon Monarch should be held outside of the Carnival period. It might sounds ridiculous, but it will pivot the art form as genre beyond mere jump up and dance, and provide the island with another showcase for her musical talents.

    lightbulb out.

  21. Dominican in T.O
    May 6, 2016

    I went to school with this guy,……………….The fact the he became tourism minister or minister of anything is beyond belief. I guess the old saying is true; “it’s who you know, not what you know”.

  22. Moussy
    May 6, 2016

    square pegs in round holes.

  23. DRASTIC
    May 6, 2016

    This Minister is very ineffective….He should RESIGN

  24. joe hy
    May 6, 2016

    Dominicans have made their contributions to tourism,we must give them all the praises for the effort.the industry needs foreign investements,not only to create jobs,but new systems of management new work attidutes new tecnology and a more profound understanding of the tourism product by Dominicans.tourism is a foreign based industry. The govt needs to build an international airport.we could put the tourism industry in the hands of Dno and all the critics combine.they will not make a difference.
    We need people with a more profound understanding of the industry to be involved in Dominica tourism industry.

  25. forreal
    May 6, 2016

    after reading this letter to the editor by whomever wrote it,the realities of what or what should have been done by mister tonge is real,but your letter also answers it own question,” I guess we can blame poor old eriks” seriously”are you saying that Erika has not been a factor?boy you all people political science is astounding.

    • Titiwi
      May 6, 2016

      First of all, if you read the letter from A to Z you would have noticed that it was penned by D.John.
      Secondly, Erica took place in our off-season May to Oct.) and our performance card therefore has nothing to do with the storm. The writer’s comments about blaming Erica , at least in my mind, are an expression of wry humour, witty sarcasm even, lest somebody has the the temerity to use it as an excuse for our poor performance.

      • AAGabriel
        May 6, 2016

        Labour supporters only read what they want to read. In general reading isn’t their strongest subject anyway.

    • DDA Rasta
      May 6, 2016

      lets take a look at visitors’ numbers prior to and after Ekria….. http://tourism.gov.dm/images/documents/dominica_2015_visitor_report.pdf

      was there an Erika in 2013 to blame for the drop in tourism….. and when you compare arrival numbers for 2014 and 2015, after the month of August there was only a slight decrease….nothing major……..Erika is not to be blamed …… I strongly believe it’s the lack of vision for the island’s tourism industry (there is not a clear path), lack of tourism dollars being put back in the development and marketing of island as a destination AND its having too many square pegs in round holes.

      I know a girl who holds a B.Sc and a M.Sc in tourism development and because of politics she is serving another island……..DOMINICA WILL REMAIN IN THE STATE IT IS BECAUSE OUR LEADERS HAVE NO VISION!!!!

    • Pon De River
      May 6, 2016

      And that is the type of brain that re-elects labour everytime. Erika hit Dominica AFTER the tourism season had ended with the bad results. The line “we can blame poor old erika” is just some sarcasm that you clearly missed.

  26. BETTER OF RED THAN DEAD
    May 6, 2016

    lol, ericka is not to be blamed….but that corrupt government

  27. AAGabriel
    May 6, 2016

    A government that does not account to its citizens surely can not hold citizens accountable. Or can it?

  28. Lil
    May 6, 2016

    I cosign this letter to the editor. Truer words were never spoken (written).

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