Prime minister Skerrit has described as heart wrenching, the loss of life from the devastating passage of Tropical storm Erika.
Erika hit the island on Thursday August 28, 2015 and caused, in the words of the prime minister, “extensive damage across our small island after floods swamped villages, destroyed homes and wiped out roads.”
However, he said in an address to the nation on Friday night, that the loss of life is of greatest concern.
“So far we can confirm that at least 20 citizens have died, and some are missing. This is heart wrenching! I give you my pledge that we shall not cease until contact is made with every community and a full account is given of every single missing person,” Skerrit stated.
“We shall rebuild Dominica in honor of those who lost their lives in this particular tragedy,” he promised. “In the hours and days ahead, respective Parliamentary Representatives will be meeting with families to discuss and formalize arrangements for burial of those who succumbed, as well as to help provide adequate care for the injured.”
Skerrit said the widespread damage to highways, bridges and motorable roads that he had seen during an aerial tour of the island on Friday, sounded a call to rebuild the country.
“We have, in essence, to rebuild Dominica! The visual damage I saw today, I fear, may have set our development process back by 20 years. I will not attempt tonight to affix a dollar value, but it is substantial,” he noted.
He called the disaster “a national tragedy that requires us to forget political affiliation and other differences that divide us and to make a united effort to relieve suffering and rebuild Dominica,” and urged to every Dominican to “reach out to your neighbours, find out what their needs are, and share whatever resources you have with them.”
He further called for the national response to this disaster to be “A New Beginning for Dominica” and for Dominicans to treat the devastation of Tropical Storm Erika as a wake-up call to do things differently.
“As the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica I want to start the process of reconciliation for reconstruction. I cannot do this alone! My Ministers and Parliamentary Colleagues cannot do this alone. We need to unite, my brothers and sisters,” the Prime Minister urged.
He said he had invited all 21 Elected Parliamentarians to form the national reconstruction advisory committee and to attend a special meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on Saturday morning to chart the path forward for the recovery of Dominica “from this terrible disaster.”
“Tomorrow, I want us to sit as patriots to draw up a strategy for relieving immediate suffering, rebuilding our homes and infrastructure, diversifying our economy, and generating the wealth to improve the standard of living and quality of life of our people. Dominicans we can do this! Dominicans, we must do this! Dominicans we shall rebuild Dominica,” Skerrit urged.
The prime minister said he intends to visit every single constituency in the days ahead and have the assurance that,”as Parliamentary Representatives we shall all sit around the table, as of tomorrow (Saturday), and formulate strategies for relieving your pain and anxiety.”
I pray for our Prime Minister, Government, Opposition and people of Dominica. I thank God for sparing Dominica from a worse fate. I pray for a humble and prayerful nation that will return to our Great God Almighty, Alpha and Omega. I pray for forgiveness from sin and cleansing from all unrighteousness. I pray that the love of God would touch our hearts and make us more humane and caring. I pray that people will remain sane, sober, watchful and grateful. I pray that Dominicans would love God and his or her fellowman, the two commandments given by Jesus. I pray that Dominica would become a nation of people who please God and seek after Him. He is our creator to whom all glory and honor is due. Let us thank Him for His grace and his mercy. Let us thank Him. Let us become a nation after God.
It is my wish that GOD will bless you sir( Mr prime minister ) . Also , this is a time to pray Dominica . I t is time to turn back to GOD . We should not only pray when we are in trouble . May by if we payed more attention to him before this would not have happened .But be sure that HE did save us from much more that what we are in now . PRAY AND ASK FOR FORGIVENESS WHILE YOU HAVE A CHANCE .
It is my wish that GOD will bless you sir( Mr prime minister ) . Also , this is a time to pray Dominica . I t is time to turn back to GOD . We should not only pray when we are in trouble . May by if we payed more attention to him before this would not have happened .But be sure that HE did save us from much more that what we are in now . PRAY AND ASK FOR FORGIVENESS WHILE YOU HAVE A CHANCE .
Brother I can see your pain. However, Do not let this flaw you. You have set the right tone for the people in your address to the nation. This is an opportunity to build a better Dominica.(Love God and each other)
I see job opportunities for putting the Airport back together, Building Higher and better bridges, building a better and higher river bank, building better drainage systems and the list goes on. I see a bright future my brother. Lift your head up to where your strength comes from and go to work. (God bless)
I comment the prim minister for the union of the parties to save this country . A question i have though …. how can the church be of assistance ?
…. and in the meantime, have a look at this: http://montalk.net/conspiracy/142/haarp-earthquakes-and-hurricanes. Could our government have sunk that low to engineer something to ‘unite’ us all???
Finally, an event to ‘unite all Dominicans’ – couldn’t have come at a better time for SK to hide in the cloud of corruption and injustice which led the attempted assassination of GON and his wife; the fact that Dominica is not only bankrupt, but is being banked by those who pay our debts; that cancer and NCCD are on the rise in Dominca – the ‘nature’ island of the Caribbean????
My condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this horrible event and reachings of comfort to those who remain affected by loss of property and personal damage.
I wish Dominica and Dominicans all the best in their search and rescue efforts. I would also like to wish for you all, cool heads and patience at a time of understandable anxiety. May the creator bless you with knowledge and understanding as you begin to assess your needs in rebuilding your nation. Together, you can rebuild it better and stronger for yourselves and those to come.
To the leaders I say this. Stand firm, be strong, your people need you more than ever before, and you need them. Remember, a call for assistance is not a sign of weakness, and certainly nothing to be ashamed of at a time like this. There is such a thing as world citizenship, and the world sees and feels your pain.
A special prayer for the teachers as they will have to continue to educate under what are sure to be very trying conditions.
Also for those in the health and social services field, who will be among those most challenged in all this.
God bless you all.
Mr. Prime Minister you’re reflecting on life. One thing that you should know by now is that life is very futile. In the Bible,the book of life, life is describe as vapor, wind, dust , truly one can’t make much of it. And it’s for that reason I can’t understand why all of the forcing and fighting especially among politicians.
And whilst lives were lost on one hand, on the other we might as well say thank GOD for Erika it is serving a different purpose. At lest, she got the PM reflecting on life. I hope you find yourself sir.
DNO..I was around for hurricane david. When is the anniversary ? I know it’s some kind of 29th but not sure sure as to August or September..time fly by so quickly
It was 29th August, I want to agree with you. He needs to Reflect real good.
We just have not learnt how angry trees get when you keep cutting them down for no Good reason – just to build a big house ND A lawn. just think of all the Big houses that are gone now, and giving work to outsiders while the people starved. The people of Dominica need to reflect and that Mr. Skeritt need to apologize to the people before he starts getting on another type of High Horse – Bringing all Parliamentarians together etc. What has he done with the projects that people of Dominica like Danny Lugay and others have initiated, he has to come clean now or God will never forgive us.
I am so Sad, I cannot even get Mad;, but I will forgive, and I need Reparation – Like accepting and realizing the wrong that has been done. We can certainly go for ward with that
new mentality is needed,cause you can rebuild all you want but as soon as a next storm hit,the same process will happen all over again and the same thing will be said,you can do the same thing over and over again and expect to get a different result,seriously we have some insane leaders in the caribbean they are clueless
seriously,when our leaders gonna start look towards african countries and countries like brazil for investments and financial aid,do they know that african countries has the fastest growing economy in the world.no country in the world right now has a faster growing economy than nigeria.but you will never see or hear about this in the news cause they will always keep we black ppl in the darkness whilst the white ppl go into africa and make big investments and get rich off the natural resources which africa offers.we have some backward colonial leaders who are just house slaves who still serve the colonial masters and they think that they are leaders and they are important,who are they really fooling though,maybe the ppl of dominica who has no knowledge of what is going on outside in the world and what moves are made by other countries to secure the future of their people.i can bet you say if skerrit go into africa now and meet with some african leaders da will move forward way quicker
please my people can we just put aside our political differences aside for now and try rebuild the nature isle.this is not the time to point fingers at anyone.we are all affected…lets stand together as on people one nation
If we can fix it.Economies are bad lok at last week and the dow.
China is experiencing a slowdown
it brings tears to my eyes to hear this man call for unification of the nation when he has been the biggest most divisive figure in Dominica. He divides to rule. let’s hope that for all it is worth this time he means it and he start including the opposition and their supporters in nation rebuilding. that’s the only way that Dominica can come out of this situation. There are brilliant Dominican minds and thinkers across the parliamentary divid, so all views must content and respected. Now is the time to show your worth as prime minister so let us see…
We are inneed of an intersectoral national reconstruction committee for handling this situation. Assigning various committees to handle things e.g roads, relief supplies, building, health, security, each community to have a committee doing likewise.
Things must be properly co-ordinated. All hands must be on deck. Do not wait to be called in, those with the expertise or know how offer your service to the country.Tell the authorities you want to help and in what field. Dominica is for all and to build back. God’s love.
seriously with the way the country is set up we have some backward thinking leaders,is like everyone is looking for jesus to help them,like seriously,none of them have ever seen this brother name jesus and he never gave them anything but for some brainwash leaders wish we have,they all look on jesus to help them.i tell you the brainwashing of we black ppl in the west is deep
amen to that !!
The unity needs to start with all those that suddenly became millionaires off Dominica\’s back giving her back her money she needs it back now more than ever. Can\’t have unity and rebuilding if dishonesty and greed is not corrected and the entire country benefits and not just one set.
I fully agree with this view… stop the prostitution of Dominica’ ‘s passport and allow the government to handle the sale of Passport so all the monies can go into the treasury for proper accountancy and transparency. Dominica needs it’s money to rebuild itself. No individual should get rich on the back of the bleeding country. we are begging the international community for aid while some in authority are scuffing away the countries scarce wealth. this is outrageous and shameful.
I hate to have to be classified as a negative viber .Not only global warming cannot be out done in the way he said it.
There are those who will seize this opportunity to profiteer. They already own all the equipment/instruments according to Earl William back in 96.
<\My little illgotten house in Mero is flooded and am out.
You think those guys will help me?
mr Skerrit please help me. Things are very dire.
Being in charge has serious challenges, some people do not understand the weight on your shoulders. Hold strong, take care of you and then take care of others. We stand and support you everytime. Dominica is ours to rebuild again and again.
Don’t criticize, mobilize…
Roosevelt, we must morn our dead, nevertheless, people die everyday, when they die all of there sufferings are over; they have no need for wants! You can stand there looking bewildered, for as long as you wish that will not help.
This might be the right time for you to regain some confidence, and shed your political bankrupt thoughts, you need to prepare a outline, if you claim to be a former English major, and one who claimed to have studied psychology you perhaps knows the purpose of an outline, prepare one and use it to the letter in developing the country.
By now you must have learnt a lesson based on what happened at Melville Hall Airport; that how I will call it to the day I die, you can say Charles-Douglas. But the lesson learned will forever be. Whatever you do an this time an International Airport must be part of our new development. Certainly something remedial have to be done to get the airport functioning again, however, your priority must be an International…
dominicaa news online, please help to to clear my ignorance,why hasnt Dominica called a state of emergency..to receive formal intl help…
Where is the crisis center in Toranto can you bring cash and dry goods any where now that will get to dominica in a few days, I want to pledge a large sum of money to an orginized organization in Toranto I need an address.
Do they have a crisis center in ny where you can donate goods and cash which will get to dominica in a few days.
I just hope the PM’s cry for unity and our forgetting political lines to rebuild our beautiful Dominica is not like the olive branch he preached about after winning the 2014 election; then in full rave victmization started pouring down on the nation as TS Erika drenched Dominica on Thursday. I am waiting with bated breathe to see how long this uniifying spirit will last…like the 2015 budget, I am keeping it real.
ehh stop with the idiotic politics talk if you have something to help just help the ppl who need it and stop with all this politics and who offering olive branch
why the hell cant you people stop your nonsense for a while’ this is not the time for politics and tricks
its persons like you that have no concern for others but yourselves. its best that you just shut up .
Let’s us start the unity by dropping the politically motivated charges against Danny Lugay and the people of Salisbury.
This is not te time for this comment.
COMETH THE HOUR! COMETH THE MAN!
The Prime Minister has set the right tone, now ALL DOMINICANS must be of one mind, one heart, one soul and one strength and one vision! TO REBUILD DOMINICA as quickly as it is humanly possible!
WE CAN DO IT! Dominicans are a smart, resilient, loving, compassionate and practical people. Let’s all do our bit!
BS! What right tone? That is just talk so that people like you can come to his defence when others start to point out his foolishness and call his actions into question. Skerritt plays his armature psychology on guillible people like yourself who refuse to apply common sense.
Papa Dom
Perhaps unlike you they do not see foolishness only on one side and gullibility only on one side. Can we please cut the bitterness even at a time like this? What will it take to get this cancerous hate out of you people’s system, the disappearance of Dominica? Can we please pray for this country? The country is not Mr. Skerrit!
You are right; Skerrit always plays the victim, and uses that to play on peoples sympathy. He is going to do everything in his power to convince the nation he wants unity among the people. Again that is a lie in disguise.
Days ago he went around in ordinary cloths, no red, today the 31st day of August, he is sitting there on DNO in a shirt which contrast red, the color is Violet, or absolutely pink.
The people must see red, that is what he is all about!
Hurricane season has two months to go so we are not out of the clear for the year yet.
My bad three months to go.
In addition to ministers a team of professionals who are experienced in their fields, engineer, scientist, planners, and architects ect need to be involved. Politicians are not the total solution and the interest of the country need to be first not that of politicians who may or may not try to score points and claim fame or credit. My trust has been lost and will only be back if you use this opportunity do what is right. We have to think Dominica first ourselves second. Let the professionals do their work.
Let me add good leadership is putting the right people in the right place. Landslides flashfloods, and hurricane are scientific, environmental, and engineering, problems, therefore need engineering, scientific, and environmental solutions by respectve professionals. Not political solutions. We can say all the right thing and do all that is wrong. Let’s see if our leaders, opposition and Gov can listen to those who knows best. Yes those who knows best.
These word are deserveing of a great Leader . let us see how it goes from here. Dominica should rally behind this call for unity and togetherness. let us take this opportunity toput our differences behind rebuild bigger, better and stronger nation.
The People of St Maarten did it in a big way after Hurricane Louis. Dominica can and Dominica will with united and spirited Leadership which the Prime Minister seem to provide.
The people must follow.
This is great, and not before time. Our government should also bear in mind that there are also many people in and around Dominica who can offer advice and practical solutions to helping rebuilding the island. These people are apart from our representatives. We must be a nation that is mature and brave enough to listen to the silent voices of those with ideas and particular skills. Have a system in place to let those people help too. Lets work together to rebuild Dominica.
the only solution for dominica is to look towards africa and the countries within for help and investments for the future,the people who we look for help from could care less about us,they don’t identify with us,we are black people who are the descendants of slaves from africa and we have to look towards the homeland to help us secure our future as a people.until we get out of our backward thinking about africa and our thinking about europe and other so called 1st world countries who could care less about us we will continue to struggle and be looked down upon