Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit,
It is with profound concern that I write about the vendors on the Bay Front. This eyesore approved by the Roseau City Council has severely diminished the aesthetics and value of our property and continues to undermine successful business operations.
We have had to fork out money to “mark our territory” i.e. the three feet of sidewalk that surrounds our building. This sidewalk does not belong to the vendors, the government, or the Roseau City Council. The sole purpose of it is to make the property easily accessible to pedestrians. This has been hindered by the vendors. We’ve encountered insurmountable “mepuis” and threats for establishing our boundary!
While we empathise with the vendors and understand that “everyone has to make a living” at the same time we need to be proactive. The standard of vending leaves much to be desired. This is the twenty first century and we have to compete not only locally and regionally but internationally for the tourism market! Vendors have no running water or toilet facilities and are left to face the elements. Do you think this is fair? The onus is on your leadership to provide the vendors with the basics and lay down guidelines for vending practices.
These “structures” of the vendors encourage loitering and vagrancy, not to mention the rubbish that is left there. People urinate on the premises and we have had an infestation of pests. There is damage to our property and we have no privacy. We cannot clean and maintain the building on schedule since we are at the mercy of the vendors! Who is compensating us?
We have had to offload containers on the street because the vendors have blocked one of our storerooms! This makes it more time consuming and expensive and is a hazard to all involved. We’ve endured the verbal abuse of some of the vendors on such occasions. Might I add that blocking the storeroom is a safety concern!
Parking is also an issue. Vendors put out their wares on the street limiting parking of employees, tenants, customers and others. When did parking become a privilege and not a right?
How can it be right for vendors to virtually hold legitimate business concerns hostage in their own establishments with permission from the Roseau City Council? I remind you Sir that we are part of the private sector that your government often refers to as the “engine of growth.” Where then is the basic respect for our right to operate on our own premises free from the hassles of vendors? The state must honour and protect our right to use it for our own business interest and above all for the greater good of the country!
We await your prompt attention to a proper and permanent solution to this most unfortunate situation.
“Property is the fruit of labor…property is desirable…is a positive good in the world. That some should be rich shows that others may become rich, and hence is just encouragement to industry and enterprise. Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another; but let him labor diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built.” Abraham Lincoln.
– Nancy Nassief Caudeiron, Director of Emens Ltd
I so hate to hear Dominicans go on and on about how they poor blah blah blah. Dominicans are not poor and the ones feeding Dominicans that garbage needs to be shut up. I have heard persons over the airwaves saying the poor people of Dominica or the malaway. That is nonsense. Making people think that they are poor is a strategy used to oppress and prevent progress (knowingly or unknowingly)
The very fact that you all continue to call yourselves poor you will remain poor.
The bible says : death and life is in the power of the tongue. what you poses that you will have. I am Dominican but I am not poor with you all and i will not claim poverty with you all.
No wonder people will be on the side of the road selling for thy kingdom come on some stall and don’t see the need to progress but when they see another person come and get a store or something of the sort it is jealousy and hatred that arises. If you really consider these things we will see that Dominica is even in a worse condition than we know or want to know.
Brother Telemaque, I applaud you for defining who we are as a people. Let us be aware that terms were handed down to us and were never disputed. So if those who formed words wanted to classify us as monkeys then that would be ok too. We have been so gullible that we are afraid to dispute ungodly things that have been in place. It is time that we have to re-define terms for ourselves. Like you said, we are not black or white, etc., but we are God’s creation. We have strayed so far from who we really were that we are confused. The power to define was established by those who also brought us to this side of the world. They have told us what to eat, wear, live, who to serve, adore, how to think and what laws to observe. We were a great people on the continent until the Europeans came.
When we were brought to the Caribbean we were put on the plantations to toil for the benefit of the masters. We cannot be free in the land of our captivity. That’s why everywhere we have been we have become servants to those who captured us. Even on the great continent our forefathers were held captive. Just consider the life of Nelson Mandela in South Africa trying to fight apatheid.
Brothers and sisters even the religions we have been given have caused us to stray further from the creator. The creator never instituted religion. Just look at the difference between the Old and New History book, the bible. We have believed wholeheartedly that there is a messiah who will come through the clouds without even questioning that story. Who really wrote the bible?
The people who have held us captive have tried to erase from our minds the Holy One of Israel( Yah Kadosh Yisrael) but the truth can no longer be hidden. Please check kingdomofyah.com to learn about the Hebrew Israelites who live in the holy land, Israel. The word Hallelujah has followed the slaves from Africa and is a Hebrew word that means God.
Africans are the original people from whom all other races came.
All i can say she has the right like all Dominican to speak once something is affecting here like any one of us. She was born and brought up in this country. Alot of people only contribute rubbish here and very evil comments. As Dominican_ aferican this country belong to all who was born here syrian, caribs , mixes race and blacks. our fore fathers came from a foreign country to be here,
The Nassiefs are Dominicans like all other Dominicans and they have rights like everyone else. Stop behaving as though you are are a bunch of ……………. .I SUPPORT YOU MADAME and other business owners like you, YOU HAVE a right to be able to acess your business without any kind of hindrance. STAND for your rights. Pay no attention to your critics.
lmao.lolololol.waiiiiiiiiiii .moun dominichein ka fer mweh wee!ebeh zoh nee twah kah……But on a serious note the Government should hv already identified this so called ”EYESORE” at the Bay Front…Ms Nsassief should not have to write a letter for it to be brought to their attention.I always stress on the word PRIORITY…There are some things that jus need to be adressed with urgency.If the DLP says that they are for the ”poor people” then they should hv dealt with that already.Although party supporters are saying that things are getting better in D/A the unemployment rate is still risin…Mothers have children to feed. school fees to pay , Domlec to pay..etc….
This is where the DLP should prioritise projects geared to Develop the ”poor”.So even before they spend so much money campaigning..(which was not necessary) little thingz like these should ha ve been done first…They tried bringing all kinds of artists to d/a to butter the lips of voters now Dominicas bawlling….some of them are the same ones who were screaminLABOUR POWER!
Yes i hv to bring the political side into it. becoz think of it people…if i can recall clearly , the Nassief family was in cabinet and this means they have a big say ..dnt think skerrit goin to brush them aside for those malayway vendors ..hell no….!
I really feel sorry for these vendors. i feel their pain…i hope everything goes int heir favour i really do…i always support the….
Even if they made make their stalls untidy and the lay out may not be up to par..the most important thing is that THEY HV AMBITION, and they are not exploitin the poor people to get rich..(no offense to the nassiefs but we all no how they treat ppl, and thank God for the hard workin people who hv worked their asses to make u get where u are today….it is becoz they could not tolerate your mistreatments any more they decided to leave and make thier own money)…..
Ms nassief want to talk”THAT SOME SHOULD BE RICH SHOWS THAT OTHER MAY BE RICH ALSO” ..OH PLZZZZZZZ.SAVE YR BREATH MS NASSIEF…..more allu hv more allu want….That’s total bull….tupesssssssss.mweh bien farshay wee!!!
How many Dominicans have the Nassiefs helped since they have been inhabiting the island? Dominicans need to stand up for each other. Grand Bayrians had to take their land back from them in the 70’s by force.
We as Africans have to do so sometimes so that we are given respect by those who have controlled us, although we end up losing our lives in the process. Look at us in History. We are a strong, intelligent people but others have used those qualities for their own benefit and their monetary gain.
Yes, the Kaliango people first inhabited the island but Africans were brought to Dominicans against their will. We have been colonised and continue to be and ever since we cannot find our way back to who we were. Every foreigner that comes to DA surpass,es us because we have been divided as an African people. We fuss, fight, quarrel, hate, back-bite, and even sell out each other. The ball is in our court. If we do not band together we will get no where and every other race will just continue to use us, manipulate us and have us confused as always.
To I, you have your rights to speak on your mother’s behalf. She fought all odds and was her own businees woman. She probably did not have a formal education but she had the wisdom to do what she did. You are eyewitnees to how she and you were treated by these “SO-CALLED DOMINICANS.”
Most of the individuals who have commented negatively to this article, would be more understanding if only they were business owners. I am a frequent visitor to this site and sometimes when I read the comments posted by some individuals I have to wonder. It’s usually who is in the kitchen feels the heat.
I do not think that Mrs. Nassief would like to have the vendors discontinue from plying their trade, it’s simply the setting in which it’s done. She is running a business and her business environment has to be condusive to both her employees and customers. No one wants to be navigating through vendors to get into a business just to purchase something. Anyone would rather go where they have the convenience of accessability and parking. It’s a fact.
Dominica should be aspiring to move with the ever growing changes in todays economy and it’s about high time that Dominica has a vendors mall. Vendors should be trained in presentation of merchandise, communication with visitors etc. If we are to advance and be a success as a tourism destination we need to first address these issues which have plagued us for so long.
The general appearance of the town of Roseau needs improvement. And mind you, the government can’t do it alone. Private individuals with abadoned buildings should either renovate or sell to people who can bring about positive change. A general beautification project needs to be done in Roseau, from top to bottom. As a Dominican living abroad, I recently viewed some photos of Roseau and in 2010, there is no reason why our main town should look like it’s falling apart. We need to propel forward for the better. We need to strive to becoming a developed nation, not just be contented in being a developing nation.
Do you know who owns many of these abandoned buildingsin the middle of Roseau those Dominicans cyrians and they won’t fix or share it because its theirs. When you come DA pick an abandoned building and do research as to who owns it . We got all this wasted space and the people who own it don’t want to share it because it ain’t their fault tht those black monkeys need to make a living. (sarcasm)
I am not a vendor but my mother was a succesfull vendor and with all her determination saved money which assited me trendmously in getting into a top university in the US and being successful in my current field. so excuse me if I’m careful about throwing vendors to the side. I’m successful because my mother was a vendor and use to help me with my homework under a tapolin while she was working. This is after those political party didn’t give her a home which they had promise. I grew DA without toilet and running water my entire for 17 years in DA. This after she worked as a servant for cyrians who I witness yelling after her. They yelled after her because I at 10 years old was hungry and she gave me food in their house before their kids. Might I mention I got to their house earlier from school and my mother was serving me her own food she brought from her own shanty, but they thought it was their food and what if it was their food? Her child was hungry but hey I guess only when affluent speaks people listen. If my mother hard a choice to work in another job besides being a vendor I think she would because she hated begging and worrying about how she was going to take care of her children. My mother raised three beautiful successful intelligent kids by being a vendor. She never made one of us sell anything under her tapolin because she didn’t want her kids to beg. I am very proud of my mother and other vendors. To see your parent struggle like that can change any kids life. You get a different perspective one that includes care and concern for people who aren’t walking the same path as you. I amounted to something because of her hardwork. Thank god that I was able to get her up here with me and now she don’t have to take the shame of her fellow dominicans. True, not all vendors have the same philosophy but many of them do. There are many vendors in DA who are trying to do the same thing take care of teir family. All I am saying is respect people and understand it takes money to fix up those shanty vendor stands and thats where the government should come in. These people already not making enough money to feed their kids and you all want to ask them to take their food money to make it look pretty for tourists who don’t even care about aesthetics? Ma Nassief needs to understand that and take a different approach. The way her letter is worded it sounds as if because she have infuence and her family basically runs the private sector PM Skerrit should jump and help her first. I think he should jump and help the little man first. All Ma Nassief have to do is determine how many vendors she want around her place and it what locations . Go out there and instead of making noise with people or demeaning them verbally by “saying move” or “all you not suppose” to be there, she should gather them and speak to them asking questions and meet in the middle where it is beneficial for her and those vendors. I guess I just don’t undertsand her list of demands to the PM.
You all sit on a pedestal and look at your brothers and sisters on the bayfront in disgust. When those tourist see your brothers and sisters they are excited and they see hard working maybe very forward people but hardworking. I know thats a fact! No one is ashamed of your people except you Dominicans! Anyways I finish with respnding to this. Its obvious that negotiations doesn’t mean s** if I think I own a sidewalk in Roseau Dominica.
Sweetie whoever you are its nice that you want to be polite but these Dominicans if they are cyrians they ain’t care about that and those black Dominicans when their hand in the cyrian pot they could careless about other people even their own family that struggling and I not even covering those caribs because they don’t contribute jack squat to the economy so. But your story is a story by many kids in Dominica. Parents struggling against the big man and government to take care of their children dem.
I am from Carib Reserve and Kalinago. What makes Ma Nassief foreign and you Africans any more Dominican than her. Get real and go back to your dark continent where you belong.
We can’t go back to our dark continent because if you take a look at Dominica its the african that built it. Look at Dominican schools can you show me a successful progressive carib in common entrance or CXC? Can you show more than one of those helping this country. I hate to be insultive but all you all do in Carib resevre it sit down and wait for handouts. We are in the 21st century you know, one would think caribs might realize that and start working instead of waiting for handouts. And don’t forget you all don’t even own this country because i was the arawaks a peace loving and caring people all you brutally murdered all those years ago. Don’t get me started here on DNO. Why can’t minorities all get along?
I forget to dd some of these people Nassief and demt have citizenship somewhere else so who knows if they are really Dominicans? Please
Sometimes one should know when to quit especially when they are ahead. It is somewhat shocking to read this Carib Indian ( Kalinago) comments, that blacks in Dominica should return to their dark continent. I hate to say it however, I must draw to your attention that such are the comment that sets discord among people of different shades in skin color.
For your information, be informed that the completion (skin color is all the same). I know you will never understand that, so I must inform you the reason that the complexion of our skin shade differs is simply due to the contents of melanin in the skin, the greater amount the melanin, the darker is the skin color.
The reason there are people called white people is due to the fact that the contents of ” Melanin” in their skin is less than that of a dark person.
I the Carib skin, the contents is grearter than that found in the so called ” white people.”
And here is the shocker!
There are no white people, Black people, or Carib people since the color of one skin scientifically dose not define people.
And because I do not intend to leave you dumbfounded here is something to educate your mind, and perhaps it will also help you to stop your prejudice, and discrimination against black people.
Skin Color
Three pigments contribute to skin color: melanin, carotene, and hemoglobin. Of these, only melanin is made in the skin. Melanin, a polymer made of tyrosine amino acids, ranges in color from yellow to red-dish-brown to black.
Its synthesis depends on an enzyme in melanocytes called tyrosinase which passes from melanocytes to the basal keratinocytes.
Racial differences in skin coloring reflects the relative kind and amount of melanin made. Melanocytes of black, and brown-skinned people produce much more and darker melanin than those of fair-skinned individuals, and their keratinocytes retain it longer.
Freckles and pigmented moles are local accumulations of melanin. Melanocytes are stimulated to greater activity when we expose our skin to sunlight. Prolonged sun exposure causes a substantial melanin buildup, which helps protect DNA of viable skin cells from UV radiation.
Indeed, the initial signal for speeding up melanin synthesis seems to be an increased rate of repair of photodamaged DNA. In all but the darkest people, this response causes visible darkening of the skin (a tan).
Despite melanin’s protective efforts, excessive sun exposure eventually damages the skin. It causes clumping of elastine fibers leading to leathery skin, temporarily depresses the immune system, and can alter the DNA of skin cells and in this way lead to skin cancer.
The fact that dark-skinned people seldom have skin cancer attest to melanin’s amazing effectiveness as a natural sunscreen.
Now, don’t wish that you were as dark as I am?
Finally, as of today learn and understand that black people were the first created by God, on the dark continent, of Africa, and all other people derive from ” the Black Man And Woman” this theory has been proven beyond any doubt, I hope that this information will help you to be less prejudice, and your discrimination will subside!
As simple as I stated it above in the event you fail to understand some of the scientific, and medical terminologies used, I am sorry, I suggest you take a class in Human Anatomy & Physiology, or go to medical school.
I learnt that as a premed student!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Sakway compawayzon. Who the hell do you think you are? with that stupid comment you made about Dominicans going back to their dark continent. Zo toot Kalinagos kar santee fwey.
Suggestion, why dont the Nassief family donate the burnt out old nassief to the government to crate stalls for the vendors or better still , donate the nassief on the bay front for the vendors to have an covered market. the nassief family are dominicans and should contribut more to a land from which they benifitted when they ran from Syria.
you are o right. Do you know how many run down buildings those cyrians have all over roseau? Then tey want to talk about vendors selling here and there. They own a bunch some not even being used right in the middle of roseau but those so called Doimicans want to attack those vendors. Share the space!
Don’t you people read? the Government had already announced plans to build a vendors mall in Roseau to rid the eyesore at the bayfront area. And for the person who called Nassief foreigners, they are Dominicans just like the rest of us and have a right to be heard.
NO THEIR IDIOT DUMB ***** DONT READ, THEY DOESENT LISTEN, THATS WHY THEIR NAME SPEAKS FOR THEM DUMB IN CANS
idiots call others idiots
Most of these foreign people don’t think of themselves as part of the general community. They do their best to keep it that way, always trying to keep their distance. Check out their social associations and the kind of people they align themselves with. These are the kind of people who might secretly try to undermine the Government.
They feel threatened because the government is allowing everyone to have equal access to education. But we are going to be right there in their faces in the driving seat telling them what the agenda is.
Dominica is not for some and not for others. It is for everyone.
I can remember years ago when all these so called ‘big shots’ use to get automatic places to DGS and SMA for their children, while the poor people had to seat the common entrance test.. The message must go out loud and clear those day are over, confined to history.
The complexion of people’s skin and/or their social position will never be a guarantee of any kind of privilege in Dominica.
Everybody has equal rights to everything.
That’s how it is going to be.
Ma Nassief may be Dominican but that doesn’t mean anything. Where did her ancestors come from? We are the ones to help each other. Foreigners stick together. When will people see the light? Do you think they will leave their inheritance for the poor people of Dominica?
I agree that the Government has to look into the development of the island and that’s an issue that needs to be taken into consideration. The people elected the PM so his government has the right to work for the people’s interests. It is a shame that foreigners have to be the ones to see things for us. We need to take the blinders off our eyes. It is time to wake up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you know all our ascendants at some point immigrated to this island. africans, syrians, caribs. so if that basis for your reasoning, you have no grounds for that statement. you are no more dominican than they are.
Africans did not come here willingly. We were brought here as slaves. Let no one forget that fact. Foreigners will only be in Dominica if they a exploiting the Africans, making plenty money and life is good for them.
We the Africans are in Dominica through good and bad times. So let no one start getting ideas.
Although I’m against Ma Nassief approach to the issue she isn’t a foreigner neither is her family. They are simply part of the affluent community in DA who see fit to make up rules as they go and also ignore the poor man as they see fit. In every country there are those like that who make their money and just don’t care. I ‘m commenting on tis topic so much because I believe its time that all Dominicans look out for the little man.Have some respect, because they know the situation in Dominica. I’m sure if those vendors had the choice to sit in a/c in another type of job they would probably move. Why can’t Ma Nassief call a meeting and try to meet these people her fellow Dominicans half way?
Nobody except the indigenous indians own Dominica and look at what we other Dominicans have put them through. We don’t respect people in Dominica and there is a sense of entitlement. When I left DA I learnt the hard way what it meant to make compromise and listen to others which is more important than speaking.
Perhaps the most silly, or outright foolish thing I’ve read in many moons are the comments where someone assorts that because the parents of a Nassief is foreign born, that classifies his, or her sibling a foreigner also.
In that case all of us, even the person who in their innocents wrote that silly comment; is also a foreigner to Dominica, considering that most of our ancestors came out of Africa through Slavery.
Actually, the indigenous Carib Indians, may be the rightful owners of Dominica, and one may want to debate that!
Foreigner as define means ” person or persons belongindg to or owing allegiance to a foreign country.” Or, one may conclude; one not native to a place or community ( a stranger in other words).
So, I am born in the village of Wesley, so when I head to Marigot, for a visit I could well consider myself a stranger in a strange place, or foreign territory.
Does that make any sense?
Not very much I assume!
However, residing here in Los Angles, I have absolutely no doubt that I am a foreigner in this country.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
I agree with the lady 100%. I do understand everyone needs to make a bread. But that mentality about rich man and poor man needs to stop. Grow up, move on and try elevating yourself like them. When I was in DA it was a shame to see the waterfront and then to just go back on the ship to hear the tourist talking about poor structure, not great organize and numerous things I refuse to say!
Being a vendor does not mean you have to build a shanty town and look ghetto-ish. To be ignorant is to be a fool and Mr/Mrs……………I……………… I think you should rethink the situation because people visiting DA on the cruise ship comes off because its already in the package, how many does return back to Dominica as a vacation destination?
I advise you to take a course on professionalism, customer friendly, marketing but more important learn how to be a real entrepreneur. Then you will understand how the lady feel. Maybe you should take a picture of all those stalls and watch and see how horrible, nasty and discouraging you all look there clog up like sardines or refugees!
You advise me to take a course in customer service? Okay if you read my comment you would notice that I never promoted run down looking shantys for vendors. And excuse me you might think those tourist don’t like those things but many do. Because its different from what they have seen. What they don’t like is people harassing them to by stuff. Also they don’t like products that say “made in china” from a place that not china. So the commentor who stated Dominicans need to get more creative was absolutely correct. Plus those tourist aren’t being taken to Dominica first and they have already spent all their money in another island so I am not sure what you are talking about.
You are another name caller. That the problem with DA folks, people can’t have a civilized conversation without name calling.
Excuse me while i light my Cigar…ALL SHALL EAT….
I think that the Ms Nassief is right!!
She has a right to enjoy the economic benefits of her property without that nuisance that is on the bay front. But my concern is about nasty looking stalls we have on the bayfront!!!
I have already said that a lot of Dominicans have no pride in aesthetics. They build a stall, and they will use the dirtiest piece of wood and nail everything in the most crooked and untidy way. We could have stalls on the bayfront, but not in this distasteful way those things are on the bayfront! No ofense to Gutter and Yam Piece, but it is as if you take those areas and bring it to the bayfront! What a shame… The look of those stalls discouraging the tourists from coming near those things!! Vendors have some pride!
Imagine tourists coming to Dominica, and that is the kind of view you greeting them with. While I agree that is the people’s livelihhod, I think the Roseau City Council and Government should ensure that vending is done in a manner which is aesthetically correct. After all the left hand (Tourism ministry) cannot be trying hard and the right hand (Roseau City Council) defeating the purpose! Government and the Roseau City Council have some pride! Stop playing polictics
I think a prettier bay front environment can be achieved. Government must give some thought to it, invest some money in ensuring the people have portable and more decent looking stalls.
Well
I totally understand the young ladys concerns, Dominica has a lot of wasted space that can be used by the vendors. there is an area in the market that is empty and i could remember they were spaces for venders. so y these spaces are vacant and no buisness? i guess Dominicana forget or dont know the word “enterprise” urban regeneration-the re-use or redevelopment of decaying or run-down parts of older urban areas to bring them new life and economic vitality. thats what needs to do with roseau while our prime minister need to do something about the development of or country, whats wrong with the people who are owners of the run down properties in roseau.
How did I guess this conversation was going to degenerate into a matter between rich and poor? Thanks god there are more intelligent Domincans out there to drown the voices of ignorance. So if the person has money, they supposed to allow all and sundry to pee all over them and keep their mouths shut?
This is a matter between right and wrong, not have and have-not.
Its not about black and white because nobody in DA is white anymore. What is the problem is affluent against the non affluent. The affluent believing that they are entitled. DA don’t have place to work. The affluent in DA society treating the non affluent like shit for years. If these vendors stop just because she say stop what going to happen to them? Is she helping to find a potential solution? Thats the problem with people. The rich have a problem with the poor in their space all the time but the rich don’t understand is that you have to assist the same people who may have brought you to your current prominence. Their families have made lots of money on Dominicans whats wrong with one or two vendors trying to make some kind of money? Why she doh let them use inside her property because emens closed down right? It is an ideal location for vendors to try and make money. Ma Nassief can set strict rules as to cleanliness and use of her property by vendors. But nope “we don’t want poor folks in there, we don’t want to deal with those kinds of people” As I said before, peebles park is usless and if the government can set strict rules for vendors they should convert the park to a vendor market and all this crap will stop. Limit the amount of vendors in the vendor market and have appearance regulations for vendor stalls. And since ma nassief claiming she own a side walk charge her more for owning a piece of public proeprty and not only that if the side walk have any holes make sure she fix it. If someone get injured on her side walk sue the hell out of Ma Nassief. I mean thats how its done why I am…lol
Excuse me I’m not sure how it became legal for you to own a side walk in the middle of the capital but you need to re examine that and if the government allow you to own a side walk in the middle of the city then they need their head examined. The building maybe your property but the side walk should be public area. I haven’t gone to one city and see any buisness owner stating that they own sidewalk before but hey I could be wrong. Secondly Ms Nassief, many of those vendors have been loyal patrons of your families buinesses for years.
Better good of the country? Are you serious? Mrs Nassief, I’m your family has lived of successfully on people like the vendors for years and it hasn’t been for the better good of this country, but for the better good of your family.
Parking in the middle of the city Mrs Nassief isn’t a right, ITS A PRIVILEGE! I’m I lost here? Look around Roseau if everyone claimed rights to parking infront of their buisness or their family own buisness there would be serious issues. First comes first served.
As for the vending in 2010, Ms Nassief even in America there is vending so there is nothin wrong with trying to make a living this way. Are you hiring people at your establishments? Is Nasssief and Astaphans providing safe and respectful workplace for potential employees? Please Mam, many of these vendors and people in DA tend to do those kinds of jobs because the people who own buisnesses in DA like Nassief, Astapahn , Whithchurch etc etc aren’t very respectful to their staff, so people chose to become entrepreneursand do things on their own.
You will find little loyalty in DA for you guys anymore because of the way you all treat persons who aren’t bourgoise. The growth of Dominica is its natural and human resources. This is what has held Dominica and poor dominicans for years. Private Sector has only robbed Dominicans for years with inflated prices and limited options of products.
True the vendors shouldn’t block your storeroom area but I have been in one of your families establishment and have seen first hand how your family speak to its own employees, so I can’t even imagine how respectful you are to the vendors themselves, so they retaliate by being verbally abusive.
True its not your fault that they are trying to make a living and they don’t have money like you and you have rights, but they the vendors have rights to. The government and the city council should have codes but the last time I checked that buisness out I don’t even see how vendors preventing all you from making money. All you selling electronics, washing maschine and they selling souvenirs etc so where is the conflict?
I know what the conflict is and you know as well. Be respectful to the little people and maybe they might be inclined to show you the same respect. Countries all over the world have been built and are still being by vending.
The side walk isn’t yours and if there is a law in DA stating so I see why this country is so backwards. PM skerrit fix that law asap cause you say you for the little people!
Dude, you sound so unfair. You seem to equate ” standing up for the little guy ” with mediocrity; with ghettorization. We are building a country; not a ghetto. We’ve had our conflict with the Nassiefs in Grand Bay but we must be fair and civil. Can you imagine the homeless setting up tents in the government owned Botanical Gardens? They do need a place to stay. But would you tolerate that kind of squatting? The vendors do need a well organized mall with neat stalls. Private sector businesses do need designated parking spaces within the vicinity of their business places, whether they own the sidewalk or not. The foreign countries you make reference to, would have illegal / unauthorized parking towed away; even for rushing to shop in an adjacent business place. So when we think of development and of giving everyone a piece of the pie, always think of high standards, health and safety,
Could not have said it better
Yes they would have people towed and that because they have made selective areas for those kinds of people and also there many vendors on the street infront of big buinesses and even public library. The problem isn’t the vendor its the government all you voting for and those affluent types who are only disturbed when things are directly affecting them. I bet if all these vendors were to go by rituals and live ma nassief place she wouldn’t care because its not infront of her property. Look I’m not saying that they have a right to be a nuisance or pee on her property . What I am saying is that she needs to change her tone about “vending” , be polite and find alternatives instead of coming on here like she is entitled. She isn’t supppose to own a sidewalk and unless she paying to lease a parking spot in the middle of the city then she can’t come talking about folks can’t sell here and there. This isn’t the vendors issue, its a government and city council issue and I am wondering that instead of posting it on DNO , did she contact the people they voted for? Labour power all you say right?
STUPESSSS !!!!! Incoherent …………..!! ( I try my best to stay away from the belittling and name calling. Standards matter to me. I do not play petty party politics. )
I could not agree with you more my child. The vendor setup on the Bay Front is an EYESORE.!!! It is very embarrassing to come in on a Cruise Ship and your first impression of Roseau is tarpaulin covered shacks on an otherwise well built / beautiful Dame Eugenia Charles Blvd. Through no fault of theirs or alternate location, they have taken over sidewalks, camped in alleys and virtually hidden the facades of restaurants and other business places. It’s a disgrace to pass in the alley behind the Royal Bank and the Post Office when no one is vending. We should be ashamed of the way in which we resort to impress tourists and even locals for that matter!!! Something should be done to centralize the location of the Craft Market, provide facilities for the vendors to operate in a clean, safe and pleasant environment. Use local materials like Bamboo and coconut branches and sell authentic Dominican products!!! Not some Chinese imitation. I understand that everyone has to work for a living, but in reality, the vendors are struggling… Imagine being the Manager of Digicel who can’t even park properly in front of the premises in which you are paying RENT!!! The appearance of the stalls takes away from the ambiance of the city in general. That is where the Ministry of Planning or Urban Renewal (did they even revive that Ministry) comes in. Have an overall vision for our small city and get the general public to understand. Here some suggestionss:- redo the drains so that the water always flows and for God’s sake – COVER THEM! If done properly, you will get sidewalks!!! Instantly… Well nuff said, I just want to extend my support to Ms Nassief and all the other people who want to see Dominica moved to the next level!!!
I agree with Mrs Nassief, Have you seen the bayfront? it is an eyesore!!!! Vendors piling up on one another selling the same chinese/st martin merchandise….not an original bone in their body….they would do better for themselves to plant some vegetables like the Hatians and sell at the market. THEY ALL SELL THE SAME THING!!!! No creativy, I am sure the tourists are annoyed by that anyway. I feel sorry for the businesses on the bayfront who have to contend with these vendors. The city council needs to ease up on the permits they give to the vendors, very soon there will be no space for the tourists to walk on the bayfront. To add insult to injury they harass and overcharge the tourists anyway and they have made the beautiful bayfront look like a GHETTO
DO SOMETHING TO HELP THE LADY MR PM…
am just wandering if this letter gets to the PM, or was it sent first to the media,
I am in agreement with her, we should really build a facility/shopping centre to house our vendors. It is not a pretty site seeing the vendors seating on the Bay Front like that.. Whenever this vendor situation is taken care of I hope we see another open letter to Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit thanking him..
Lets build country TOGETHER
To some of the time wasters and uneducated responders I wonder how much time you took out of your school days to actually understand the english language. Maybe it should be in Patois for you to understand that your responses have no basis here and that you have completely missed the point this woman is making. Iliterates like yourselves will always remain where you are at the bottom you can only see the $2 you receive at the end of the month or whenever you get paid if you get paid …. I do pity your employers for having such idiots like yourselves in their employ.
Maybe you can try to if possible understand this scenario that you have a business place in Roseau. You pay the City Council tax for that property or you perhaps pay a landlord for this property. You expect certain standards to be kept don’t you? You probably won’t go to the city council you will in-fact call on you landlord to have repairs or make complaints to about vagrants and maybe some vendor putting up a stall infront your place of business….are you following on? Then why oh why the comments you make on here as so negative, totally unrelated and in no way helpful to either the stall vendors or the business place owners?
You are either completely ignorant with nothing better to do or just plain stupid….If I were to ever set up a business in Roseau I will definitely ensure that whether it’s the landlord fee or my personal tax on a property I pay to the Roseau City Council somebody in there will answer to me about these monies and service I receive in respect of that. I don’t even shop in Roseau for it is such a distateful place to be at any time. I drive through and that cannot be quick enough. So you educate yourself about your environment and how exactly your tax money is being spent and perhaps you could even ask the IRD for a breakdown on how your tax money is being spent then you will understand the frustration of some of these business people before you comment and don’t look at their last names or skin colour or whether they give to charity or not. I don’t know them or her but I do care about the level of service that is available even to the vendors on the roadside that is provided by the Roseau City Council’s croonies.
You sound so educated calling your fellow Dominicans names. If this is what education does to people then I rather be a dummie in a can! When we pay for things in Dominica we all think we have rights, when simply we don’t. Why don’t you show your alternatives in a different way rather than name calling? By the way I am defending the vendors because thats what I do. Protect the little people from the big fish. I’m a proud waster I guess who graduated magna cum laude and top 5% of my law school class to become a proud successful attorney at the ripe age of 28!
And my employer counting all the $ I bring for him after I sue the hell out of those big fishes! DA I about to turn upside down. Anyways in the next election there will be a new set of kids on the block if Dominicans know what up they will vote for the youngsters. Skerritt watch out!
well ya i do agree with mrs nassief to a certain extent but bonde come to the reality of it them rich people dere cannot see a poor black man make a dollar for their self nah . the more they have the more they want them people have all their money and still want to be beating down on the poor man . and you doesnt hear no one say ok ma nassief help a needy person in her neighbor hood to buy a good pice of galvanize , i mean i not saying she did not work for it but i believe if these people there stretch out a hand the country go go further than that man and is dey that always crying things hard u know , and do u know why is the rich man sons and daughters that smuggling all the drugs into the country and still giving it to them lil boys to sell for them. and wen thye go court the magistrate cannot do nothing with them because they have surname . and dem police know that they just checking is big shot so … thats why we have to educate our yutes and dem better than that. tell ma nassief stop complaining . imagine dem ppl … actually selling black plastics on their shelf and they giving you your messages in an old see through ting by the time u reach in the market it burst on u . in that way u will always face problems cuz wat goes around comes around. them ppl always vcrying things tight things tight . anyway is a whole cycle yuh . all we need to do nnow is educate our children rightfully .
Before you talk about educating our children, you need to educate yourself, because what you saying there not making any sense. You totally miss the point of the woman letter… What rich man sons and daughter and drugs have the do with anything? And nobody forcing allu to shop there for them to give allu clear plastic bags! The issue here is the vendors blocking access to them people business place that’s all! Let somebody set up business on your doorstep to the point that you cannot even enter your home and then I want to see you come here and run your mouth about the rich oppressing the poor…
I couldn’t say that better myself. These people cry for help for everything. As long as the vendors not blocking your front door I see nothing wrong with people trying to make a living their. I mean you are on a cruise ship area, where the hell do you expect them to go. The space is limited. If you so proud of being in the private sector you sould be a little more considerate to them. And they are the same set of people that have all their contacts in cutsoms making their container come cheap on port and then want to overcharge people for crap.
If the government throw out the vendors UWPites will bawl.
Ok, i understand and agree with the lady 100%.
Now am going to give her a little piece of advice. Customers need privacy and respect from u guys am not saying that your staff is disrespetful but am merely complaining about the bags that you all put customers goods in after they have cash for it………………………………………………………you Mrs Nassief would not go into astaphans and buy goods and expect that ur goods be placed in such a fragile bag.
tou mon pa ne pou sav zafer moi. EVERYBODY DONT NEED TO KNOW MY BUSINESS!
That is another Nassief…not the chinatown one
But to me Emens close down so what is her cry about??
Emens/Nassief same thing……………….
the store is closed but they still own the building which currently has tenants, Digicel Upstairs, and Muslim store downstairs.
Touche Mr. Prime Minister,and members of Parliament… The Lady is within her rights,you Sir,must take immediate action and correct this injustice.
hey, i talking straight talk, i not no Skerrit-fan, best believe, but her husband was minister of tourism, he could have started plans to relocate vendors instead he had other priorities,
nobody tell me i not dealing with the issue, i AM dealing with the issue,
i respect these people, they are good people, but they only talk when things affecting them.. liek d rest of allu dominicans
NB. There are two Nancy Nassief, 1. the daughter of deseased Emens Nassief (Authur of the letter) and Nancy Nassief- 2, wife of Yvor Nassief, former minister of tourism. jumping to conclusion is a bad exercise!
It has been high time that someone speak out about this vendor situation on the bayfront. I can understand that everyone is trying to make a dollar but I dont believe that the location and setup are ideal. I am sure that it does look unbecoming when cruise ships dock at our port. In the case of Ms. Nassief, I do empathize with her. While I may not be a business owner, I can understand the financial losses that she is counting as we speak due to the current situation on the bayfront.
I believe that the vendors should be placed at a more tasteful and fitting location rather than on the bayfront blocking access and hindering other businesses in permanent structures.
Mr PM
So called lover of the poor..If you REALLY CARED about the vendors you would set them up properly..You would provide them with an attractive market thereby giving them shelter from the elements.storage, washroom facilities, drinking water etc etc (their day starts at 3pm transporting and unpacking to display their goods) Do they wash their hands after using a bucket for human elimination. What a health nightmare.
These hard working mostly women need a BETTER VENDORS MARKET…BETTER VENDORS MARKET = MORE INCOME FOR VENDORS
You do not give a damn about tourism because in this industry its all about IMAGE..This eyesore just will not cut it..For all your travels in the world cant you not bring home some standards to the country.
CAN THIS BE CALLED AN ENVIRONMENT FOR INVESTMENT?????????
I agree with everything the lady said in this letter . We Dominican not easy. WE are int he 21 century. We must conform ourselves to the international law. My country men like to be roung and strong I can inmage the vebal abuse Miss nassief must be encounting. The way our people behave i am sad to say Dominica will never move forward. I hope the prime minister do something about that.. She is a Dominican too….
Mr prime minister while i support you asa government you must be fair to all citizen so please do something about the matter. God bless my country
To the Person “EMENS” are you an idiot …. have you actually read the woman’s concerns…It’s idiotic comments like yours which is keeping Dominica in the pits. Emens may have shut down but hey she has tenants to protect in there now? Stupid.
I totally agree with what she has to say and I do believe that it is high time that some of these persons take the Roseau City Council to Court for this “CRAP” service which they provide. Has anyone of these City Council Tax payers ever inquired as to what is being done with their tax money? Why are the streets riddled with broken sidewalks? and the drains are smelly and filthy and hey see just where they claim to be so proud to put a cruise ship berth. In my experience as a council tax paying citizen of the UK I had the legal rights to sue the pants of the council if I stumble over an uneven sidewalk or step in a pot hole….that is why most of the councils in the UK endeavor to always keep the streets in good order….Maybe the Nassief’s and the other big paying businesses like whitchurches and even cable and wireless consider what to do about all this
Also why on earth doesn’t the “so-called educated tourism officials” never saw it fit to erect a small plaza for the vendors on the Bayfront…..Look in between Nassief and LA Dupigny there’s and empty lot. Whomever it belongs to can come to some arrangement to have the purpose built building erected there. If it is a lease then do something everybody wins. Just behind the Coco Rico building is a dilapidated structure why not make use of these empty lots and have the vendors pay a small fee to recoup the monies spent to erect and maintain those buildings. You all come out on radio and tv telling people what you think they need to hear and forget that some of us actually are educated and have travelled and lived abroad long enough to see how it’s done. I avoid any possible injuries when walking along the streets of Roseau bu by God should I have any bad experience I will import lawyers if I have to to sue this so called Roseau City Council…A waste of time and money this organisation is.
Dominica will never move forward. Where do you all expect the people to go? Tell her to close her buisness down and move somewhere of the cruise ship area because Nassief have money! Those people don’t have money to move for Nassief. All you Dominicans too bad. Or nother solution is for Mrs Nassief to support using peebles park as a vendor market. So absoultley nobody will be on bayfront. If the tourists want to buy go to the vendor market at peebles park. And also another rule should be That no buisnesses on the bayfront or in a tourist area sells vendor products like souvenirs etc because vendors can’t compete with bigger buisnesses. So while MaNassief want them to go she needs to look for alternatives to help the vendors. I can’t stand people who create issues without having an alternatve, away to resolve the problem. Find a way. Ma Nassief Dominican right? Well help your country man thats what successful private sector owners should do.