Dear Editor: As a citizen of Dominica I have witnessed some decisions which is being made by government officials and other types of organizations, which most of the times has had a negative impact on the town of Portsmouth.
Portsmouth has been voting the Labour Party for 50 years running and still we haven’t received any kindof big investment in the town. This town is under utilized and needs some foreign investors to spend some money here, seeing the government isn’t doing anything.
Yes we have the Ross University which is growing everyday, but what if someday Ross decides it is going to pack up and move? Then we won’t have any source of revenue for the town.
Sometime recently, there were about six cruise ships in Roseau and there was none in Portsmouth; that is just a shame. Portsmouth has one of the deepest water habours in the Caribbean, yet we hardly get ships during the cruise season.
What about the arts and crafts that are in Portsmouth?
Over some time, the Portsmouth court didn’t have a magistrate and the town was heavily hit by crime and drugs. We finally got a man which is Tiyani Behanzin enforcing the laws and cleaning up our streets, yet we press him and try to remove him. I think he has done a wonderful job over the time which he is serving here.
I think Hon. Ian Douglas should respond and say something regarding this matter.
Now after 26 years, a young lady from Portsmouth Ms. Marcia Baptiste has won the queen title here in Dominica without any sponser. Last weekend she represented Dominica in Tortola and emerged winner in the Miss Caribbean World Pageant. The Dominica Festivals Committee (DFC) hasn’t come on board to give that young lady any type of support whatsoever. Yes they bought her ticket, but that was about it.
She emerged winner and there wasn’t any motorcade, any parade or anything big in welcoming her back with the crown. If it was someone from Roseau, she would have had a much bigger support. You need to treat her better than that because right now she is representing Dominica and not only Portsmouth.
We deserve better here in Possie!!!
I think it is time for us to sink or swim. las attends moun fait bagay pou nou. fait pou nou mem!! We are an educated and self sufficient people who should have long ago decided despite our representation, we can do it on our own. People of Grande Bay have not let their representation dictate the image and strength of their community. Our MP has been there ten years with hardly any real opposition. Do you think we would have continued to re-elect the Hon. Ian Douglas if he were not at least adequate! there has been a Douglas in Portsmouth for the last thirty five years and they have only gotten better as time goes by.
As for the Caribbean Queen, since when has it become the responsibility of the MP to show appreciation for the young lady’s achievements? Where were the good people of Portsmouth when she won the Dominica leg of the competition? Where were the accolades and the motorcades? Where were the bells ringing and the entourage to support her at the actual competition? I’ll tell you where we were!! At home, not even aware that the competition was taking place!! The MP was one of the few persons who supported her financially so maybe we should get our facts right before spout of none sense from our mouth. So why lambase him now that you THINK he has somehow slighted the young lady and the community. Get real!! get your priorities right!! you have the ear of cabinet in our long time representative let’s start fishing for our supper and stop expecting it to be delivered to us.
Why do we keep on blaming Ian douglas or the Government? True, Portsmouth have been a labour stronghold over the last 50 years, and while I would like to see change for the betterment of the town, we cannot leave it all to the local politicians, town representative, and mainline political party in power. We the Portsmouth people have to desire change, we have to believe in change, and we have to be part of that change, for change can only occur if we are willing to be the change we want to see.
We first have to reunite, stop the bitching against our fellow community people, and unite to achieve our goals for the town. It takes a community to build a community.
Portsmouth is a Community of Great Development Potential, but unless we cast our prejudices aside and agree to come together as one, in unity to achieve the same goals we will never get across the bridge.
Let’s not linger on the negatives but forcast our thoughts on positive achievements, planning and development. The time to start is now.
Very well said. For future reference consult the Portsmouth Development Plan 2009, a copy of which can be obtained from Dr. Lennox Honeychurch.
In response to this person who wrote to the editor mentioning that Portmouth deserves more I would like to say that you need to get all of your facts right first.
You stated that the current person who is on the bench in Portsmouth, I won’t mention the name as people are looking for their own publicity and I am having no part of this.
The person you referred to wasn’t the the only magistrate, nor is he the only magistrate concerned about law and order and may I remind you that before him was an exemplary well qualified Barrister who unlike your hero actually practiced in a reputable Chambers in London, and he inherited a huge back log of cases as well while he was there.
It is one thing to hand out decisions in a court of law but one also needs to remain within the confines of the responsibilities that they have in their capacity and no assume the role of the high court judge.
If as you say he is doing such a fantastic job and the guy before him was soft on criminals, not concerned about crime, blah, blah and blah, why is it that your friend has so many appeals against sentences he passed?
I don’t hear of any such appeals made against the guy before your hero…………….need I say more………the law is there a reason and not for anyone to abuse however they want if they are unhappy with a situation. There is a way to administer such, particularly in a democracy as you, yourself will shout out when things don’t suit you.
Perhaps if some of the inconsistencies and marverick decisions that he made actually affected one of your relatives or people you cared about or even you, you’d be singing a different song now.
Most people I know are concerned about any crime that is happening on the island but it is not a one band brigade and laws are implemented for a reason.
Otherwise we might as well carry on like some of the countries where people in high places just have to snap their fingers and get their own way at any cost, which is not conducive to progression in the 21st century.
Over some time, the Portsmouth court didn’t have a magistrate and the town was heavily hit by crime and drugs. We finally got a man which is Tiyani Behanzin enforcing the laws and cleaning up our streets, yet we press him and try to remove him. I think he has done a wonderful job over the time which he is serving here.
We need better for real… but the Portsmouth people have to start the ball rolling but voting them fellers our.. so much yachts coming to Purple Turtle yet they decided to give us a fisheries complex instead of a Marina
Hear, hear and the disunity that is evident in Portsmouth needs to be put to one side and only then can the area, full of so much untapped potential begin to revert back to the glory days when I used to visit there from Roseau as a child, so many activities were organised by the locals themselves and they were not waiting for just government or others to do things for them all the time.
Portsmouth people where has that zest for community spirit gone to and until you get this back, it is pointless sitting back and blaiming other people for all your miscomings as you all need to take a leaf from all the little villages and districts up and down the island who organise their own activities throughout the year and maintain their areas’ pride and community spirit/togetherness.
Move away from the ‘Crab in the barrel’ mentality of trying to wish failure on your fellow citizens when they are trying to do something constructive and instead of being negative just join them and make a success of Portsmouth.
Really well said!
I would like to bring working & economic training (construction & arts) assets to Portsmouth if they would agree to have me do so.
All are welcome in Portsmouth all who are willing to bring expertise, hard work and leave grousing and name calling and finger pointing behind are welcome. It is time we start walking and talking toward development, Ian Douglas cannot do it alone, he does not carry Portsmouth and never can. Let’s extend a hand to and with each other for the betterment of Portsmouth and Dominica.
Let’s stop the HA-LAY CA-SAY and start the COUP DE MAIN!! Each for for the other, each one the others friend!
Professionals and workers alike! Let us labour together and see what happens!
all the person ask for was a little development and almost everybody gave him a back lash (its like one person asking for food and ten others saying dont feed him cause he ate already )yes my people
the main prob is leadership…ian have how much development plans for possie yet no action,no updates…what possie needs is young me/woman who are willing to grab the bull by the horns and move the town forward…it have a few good men still …
Is the verbal bashing and name calling of the MP for Portsmouth really the way to get things done in the community? I don’t think so. Instead of name calling and politicizing everything, why can’t you’ll call a town hall meeting with the rep.
Have an agenda, talk to him about what you’ll would like to see for the community and how you’ll think it should be done. Am sure he will sit and listen to what is said and act accordingly. Think positive and positive things can happen.
Negativity breeds negativity. Am sure there are lots of young and mature individuals in the community who can come together and start something positive in the community. Mr. Douglas am sure will assist.
Make things happen don’t sit and wait for it to happen, it won’t always work that way. Take charge of your destiny. After all it is your future and the future of your children etc.
All you can say what alu want, portsmouth people too “gimee gimee” for true but there are those of us who like to work for what we want; Posie is developing but when posmouth people workign to develop their town and Roseau big man through their politician frens comign and undermine us ; what alu want us to do eh? you send an application / plan to build a state of the art supermarket , you apply for a loan for Aid Bank, they tell you it is being processed, nex ting you know your plan was denied, your loan was denied but a roseau big man got the loan and plan approved to do the same dam ting in portsmouth; then you going to say is porsmouth people dat havnt got ambition? watch picard, who develop there? and still roseau big man an dem trying to squeze in and try to buy a little piece of the pie but no possie person can get land in roseau to do businessss; just watch in the cotton hill area, that land was allocated to relocate the lagoon people before election, election pass, what we hearing now? is big roseau man an dem that getting the land to set up their business on the beach and cotton hill, but blood will shed, believe me, blood will shed, because no roseau man comign here and undermine us and when they finish call us lazy; if Ia fraid to talk we will not fraid to act, then we will see who need to stand up for them selves or not.
blood will shed??? u need a rest!!!
Reggie and Ian need to sit down with the people of Portsmouth to hear what they have to say and give us updates at least quarterly on what is going on in this community.
Rum not included…!
At one point i agreed with ppl when they said that one should not depend on the government to solve all the problems in the community and although i still think that the ppl should help themselves, the government official was elected to serve a purpose. We cannot expect to keep electing ppl time and time again and see no significant upgrade. Portmouth I believe could and should be a model town in Dominca. Roseau has a few limitations that does not exist in Portmouth and if we are not careful we will drag the second town down in the gutters. Let us not be politcal by saying that the ppl deserve what they get for voting labour, Portsmouth is just one part of Dominica, and what we do in one part of Dominica affects Dominica as a whole.
The ppl need to do but the government needs to show us plans, thinks in hard copies and timelines with monies already allocated for projects. We tired hear they envision x and y. Any government that has been re elected by the ppl needs to work for the ppl. Come on, We can do much better in Dominica, as long as we start treating Dominica as one country, we too small, to be so separated, come on. I am not even from portsmouth and i feel thier pain.
It was well said. But at the same time Possie people need to stand up and do things for themselves. All they do is criticise and dont do anything. The town has alot of potentials. Ian is minister of tourism and if you see the beaches them they are in one mess.
Is we to develp our place, we cant expect people from Roseau to come do it for us. All who have the money have it saved up and not helping the town.
Come Possie People stand up and develop the Town.
I am applaud by the commets that has generated as this statement is made.
Yes Portsmouth has been voting labor for the past 50 or more years. I have contributed to that voting system while I once resided at home. I am away from Dominica but I still do maintain my roots and support the Dominica Labor Party.
The thing is we in Dominica (Portsmouth) at that, need to get up an do something for ourselves. Get off he mindset that the Government has to do everything for you or the town.
For example the earthquake destroyed the catholic church, we in New York formed a committee to raise funds to rebuild the church. The group does not consist of Portsmouth poeple only, but Dominicans who are in interested in rebuilding Dominica.
There is the Portsmouth Reunion planned for October, I will be there and I am looking forward to seeing the participation of the Portsmouth poeple. We will not be depending on the Government to attend, but the people of Portsmouth athome and abroad.
We need to come together to rebuild our town. We need to take our town by the head and lead it on.
The town is like a sleeping giant. People of Portsmouth do not have to wait for the Government to do things for us, we do need to do things for ourselves for Government come and Government go.
SEE YOU ALL AT THE PORTSMOUTH REUNION 2010.
Why do people think that politicians must always do things for them. Can’t they as individuals come together and do what has to be done for their betterment and prosperity? The bible says God helps those who help themselves. Why don’t they take charge of themselves and make use of the machinery government puts in place for them.
Government is really the wheels of the vehicle everything else depends on the citizenry. Dominicans get up off your rear ends and start checking for your betterment. Stop waiting on politicians to feed you on a daily basis. Learn to fish for urselves. They have given u the tools you need utilize it and stop complaining.
What a shame. All you Possie massive feeling it. Take what you get. Who’s red hot now?. Labor doing nothing for Possie.
This comment is for the retard FBD as well.
People like y’all need to learn to shut your *ss when you are uninformed about a topic.
It’s the same people like you who say Possy people would vote for a dog while we have always voted for persons who were Dominican and even regional luminaries. Mike Douglas, Rosie Douglas. Party leaders. People criticize Ian and he has his flaws but he is a trained lawyer, he has the academic qualifications.
Development has been happening in Portsmouth especially infrastructure: the new bridges, the new primary school, massive expansion of PSS, upgrading of Bay Street, Chance housing scheme, road network in Chance, new fisheries complex ungoing, refurbishment at Cabritts etc.
What we are appealing for is investment which will create sustained employment for the youth, and the facilitation of entrepreneurship.
What about the Fisheries Complex they going to build in Portsmouth>? Possie need to re invest in thier town and Ian need to find the investors for them as well, Portsmouth has potential to pull more business than Roseau, I mean Malls, Large Super Markets, Cinemas, Clubs and a super sports stadium. I’m from GrandBay but it kills me to see that our second town has no potential at all, Portsmouth needs much attention, it is the ideal tourist area for Dominica which has a good Sun, Sea and Sand image. Give me a chance and Portsmouth will become a Duty Free zone on Dominica just like St Maarten, people will come to Dominica to shop instead of St Maarten.
I have big plans for Dominica and Portsmouth.
We visited Dominica in 2008 and planned to do so again next year. We were shocked when we got to Portsmouth. We couldn’t find a grocery store or even a restaurant to eat at….ended up at the food court at Ross. The fort and harbor are beautiful, the town could be SO much more than it is. Get rid of the ships washed ashore years ago and then start with one city block at a time and spruce things up. The cruise ships will never stop if there is nothing to do and their passengers are afraid when they come ashore. We found most of the people to be exceptionally friendly, but some of the young men give visitors evil looks and an unwelcoming feeling. That can have a ripple effect where repeat travellers stay away from Portsmouth or warn others not to go there.
I, agree that Portsmouth deserves better but it is about time that we stand up and do something about making it better.
Lots of people believe that portsmouth is owed something for its 50 years of support to the labour party.
My view is if you have something (your vote) (your town) and you give it away freely then you should expect nothing in return. “Nail will come out of your eyes” remember the old saying ? Now if you demand something in return .. if you let it be known that there are terms and conditions for your vote and then you enforce those terms then that’s a different thing ! Now you can make a big noise until you see
” something happening”
Honestly though .. Possie people need to develop a sense of community and each one help one to build the community.
Portsmouth suffers from a lack of leadership in all institutions; and i am not referring to Ian Douglas at all. We need to escape the dependency syndrome which plagues us and do something for ourselves!! Act … Be the change you want to see !
Couldn’t be said better….this letter needs to go to Ian desk and skerrit desk!!!
if you all want better you need to teach labour a lesson. let the seat go to somebody else for once you will see how their eyes will open lol
Every person has their democratic right to vote for who they want and Dominica has not reach the stage where one can dictate who another vote for. Portsmouth voting Labour does not mean the people there do not deserve what is due to them. Portsmouth should be the heart of Dominca because we have everything to offer.
In Portsmouth you will find the best port of call if developed and utilised properly, tourist attractions like Cabrits and the Indian River and so much more.
I agree with this article writer that it is time Portsmouth thats getting some very good development and investment not just because Labour is in Government but for Dominica to move forward some serious upgrading and development needs to be done in the North of the country and more Portsmouth has been the back bone of Labour from day one.
So I will say to the Portsmouth people it is time we put hour feet, hands and heads together to start putting a strategy together to get this administration to look at the positive potential of Portsmouth.
Possie people take what all you get ! ! ! LABBBAAARRR POWER ! ! !
Very interesting article indeed, writers of such scripts must not be afraid to publish their names. I must ask the writer though, WHAT ARE THE PEOPLE OF PORTSMOUTH DOING FOR THEMSELVES???.
It is well known that there are alot of people in the town with lots of money in the banks,are we seeing that money invested in the town which holds so much potential?. Shamefully to say the town is without a descent supermarket, and Whitchurch had to come from Roseau to start something.
Much congratulations and praise to Miss Dominica, Marcia on a job well done, but couldn’t the business places in Portsmouth come together and sponsor the young lady?, for that matter, every year there should be a young lady from the town, sponsored by businesses of the town in the Miss Dominica pageant.
Whenever there is a cruise vessel in the town, regardless the size or capacity you see the visitors walking right through the town back to the vessel for there are little avenues for them to spend their money, imagine a town with no craft or souvenir shop, little to no restaurants and bars, or any entertainment for them. I guess the Government should do the investments or when Nassief come and take the opportunity you surely will hear the comments.
I’m of the view that the people of Portsmouth should take charge of developing their town by partnering with each other and interested investors / financiers to take advantage of key investment opportunities which are available in the town.
Government is there to create the enabling environment and source foreign investments like the Cabrits Mariner, the fisheries complex and the soon to come water and sewage project, but with all that if the people are not ready to do their bit, others will come from far and wide to rip the fruits of the town.
The attitude of Portsmouth people is everyman for himself.
Real talk!!
too much untapped potential in possy for real. lots of people got rich off Ross i don’t see them re-investing in the community, sponsoring community activities etc..
time for ian and all them doglasts to go!!! need new blood to represent the town!!
this letter is so true!! having grown up in possie all my life i cant disagree with on sentence!! but the thing is,what do we have in possie to offere our tourists? a lot! but it seems that we as a town dont want to work together to develop the sites… the writer talked about Ross and i know if Ross pulls out we finish!! but again the people of that area wont work together…see how they allowed Whitchurch to come and open a big store right under there noises!! all of them building appartments and none not seeing anything to do with the monies they earn from rent…just living off it! doe worry,ian is the last doglast to represent this town in parliment because he is a failure!!!
Porsie resident, I love it….especially how you say ‘heavily hitten by crime’. Seriously I get your drift, Ian dog cannot be last.
man phillip i back u up on that all ian doing is drinking doing nothing
you must be doing even less if all you can do is watch the minister. How about putting yourself out there and contributing something other than blabbering and hot air!! It’s time Dominicans stand up and show what they are capable of! Stand up and lend a hand instead of your mouth!!!
I thought……and perhaps silly me for thinking so that the whole point is that the Government is working for the people and are placed there by the people. And perhaps silly me to believe that this means they are to work for and with the people.
If persons are expressing such views it leaves the assumption that they are not being heard or perhaps even worse listened to. Communication goes a long way to mending bridges…especially without rum.
I recall that at the last graduation held at PSS when the Parliamentary Rep. for the area showed up … to give his speech at the ceremony…..
This is not to say that am blasting anyone but where is the civic duty!
i will back u up on that they are not doing notthing for Possis i think is time Ian do some thing .
Went a little off track there, didn’t you?
Well said!
Amen