Piper wants more Portsmouth ownership of Jazz ‘n Creole

Patron at Jazz 'n Creole 2015. Photo by Zaimis Olmos
Patron at Jazz ‘n Creole 2015. Photo by Zaimis Olmos

While admitting that “things are difficult,” Director of Tourism Colin Piper, is urging property and business owners in the north of the island to take more ownership of the annual Jazz ‘n Creole event.

The event which took place on Sunday 24th May 2015, is held every year in the picturesque Cabrits National Park, located a short distance from Dominica’s second town, Portsmouth.

Piper said all business and property owners were approached to be partners in Jazz n Creole but the response was lacklustre and all major sponsors were from Roseau.

“We know things are difficult but here’s an opportunity right in your backyard to give a little something back and we would certainly welcome some of the businesses in the Portsmouth area to come on board,” Piper told Dominica News Online on Wednesday.

He noted that businesses and properties in Portsmouth are utilized when the event is held.

“We continue to utilize the people and businesses of Portsmouth and one of the areas that we would like to make a significant cry out to is the businesses of Portsmouth,” he stated. “People need to come on board and support the event because there are a number of people who stay over in Portsmouth and so it is a major economic activity…”

Piper stated that not a single sponsor for Jazz ‘n Creole 2015 came from Portsmouth.

“If we have to look at the partners and sponsors, we have we do not have any properties and businesses from Portsmouth who are headline sponsors or main sponsors, they are still primarily from the Roseau area,” he said. “So we want to make sure that the businesses in Portsmouth really take ownership of this event and drive it.”

Meanwhile, he is reporting that “from a logistical standpoint” the event appears to be a success based on patrons’ response of it.

“Logistically, we did not run into any major issues that severely impacted the show and we think from a patron’s perspective they came to see something and they saw it and everything went smoothly down to what they saw on stage,” he remarked. “I think most patrons were able to get food and drinks in a timely manner.”

Piper said by mid-week next week they will be able to have all the figures of the exact amount of patrons who attended the event.

He said Digicel also had for the first time a VIP booth something, he said, was welcomed by patrons, however in the areas of lighting and having the park ready for visitors the following day are some things that need to be worked on.

Michele Henderson, Barbadian Aturo Tappin, Ronald Tulle and Ralph Thamar of Martinique were among headline acts for the event.

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13 Comments

  1. Civilized
    May 28, 2015

    In a day like today, we are still fighting a Portsmouth / Roseau War? Where is the civilized movement? Elitism still exists here man. What a downright shame.
    If DFC or DDA is planning the event that is within a major town like Portsmouth, why aren’t the locals consulted and or dialogue with as people? The up-down approach will always result in dissatisfaction of some sort. We need to pay closer attention to the fact that, development and participation must be a two way street.
    Mr. Piper Sir, all due respect to you, I beg to differ with your sentiment about Portsmouth Businesses not participating as your sought. Did you really seek their participation? That is left to be seen and or known.
    Portsmouth has its challenges no lie, but all these people who claim to be from Portsmouth and bad-mouthing the town – what good are you doing to allay its problems? SMDH.
    We still have time – Mr. Piper and Team, come Possie, meet with the locals, Evaluate the past 5 festivals SOON!

  2. David
    May 28, 2015

    Michele Henderson and Aturo Tappin were fantastic and delivered awesome performances- and should definitely be on more events here in Dominica. The two French performers from Martinique were boring and one dimensional with very little response from the crowd- I would have preferred Dominican Heston from last year instead of them. Overall a great success and should be continued at the Cabrits the perfect venue for such an occasion – Roseau can continue to have the overpriced and too long WCMF to celebrate regional acts.

  3. sailsbury farmer
    May 28, 2015

    Every country in the world busineses are not in one place the capital, busineses are spread all over the country.in the caribean all country people have a sickness which is called Roseau fever? Why do they love Roseau so much , some one should educate them the oil and wealth is in the country. Spread the busineses all over the country, save the environment and save your self from distruction

  4. Lawrence Ettienne
    May 27, 2015

    Mr. piper, I am a native from Portsmourh, and your appeal cannot be closer than the truth, but sad to say, the majority of the business owners in Portsmouth are locked into a particular mindset, that defeat their Own purpose for continued growth and economic stability. An event of that magnitude should attract every business and property owner in that part of the country, besides there is a demonic spirit that has been lodged itself in our town, that must be first uprooted. Even our so- called spiritual leaders are myopic in this realization. We hope for the very best in the further though.

  5. Calibishie Warrior
    May 27, 2015

    These comments by Mr. Pipier are unfortunate and unfair. And I do wonder whether they are a precursor to an attempt to move the festival away form Portsmouth for parochial reasons. Firstly the biggest businesses we have in the north (who are all commendably philanthropic) are dwarfed by those (headquartered) in the south and so have much more lattitude for sponsorship. Our market is just much smaller. Having said that people from the north use Digicel phones and drink Kubuli beer like everyone else. These are national companies not just southern ones. Sponsorship comes out of advertising budgets. A sizeable portion (if not a majority) of the patrons come from the south. Why would a northern company be marketing to them?
    If the objctive is to move the festival closer to the sponors (he who pays the Piper calls the tune .. so to speak) it would be massive shot in the foot. Jazz at the Cabrits works .. Mess with it at your peril , DFC. You’ve done good work so far .. don’t spoil it

  6. Justkum
    May 27, 2015

    I want to commend the organizers of the Jazz and Creole..It takes hard work to plan organize and put on any event. Mr. Piper is right in encouraging people from neighbouring portsmouth to get on board, I hope that they will also be given a chance in the planning process as well ’cause that is when they will feel a part of the event even more. Spread the money around, move the economy, they will get tax breaks as a result of their sponsorship I know.

  7. John-3-16
    May 27, 2015

    Go easy piper, Portsmouth Just have two businesses.

    Rudolph Thomas

    M&R Trading.

    Every other thing that portsmouth eats and drinks comes from Roseau

    Go Easy

  8. Annick
    May 27, 2015

    Dear Colin Piper ,why did not you work with NNETEDC,we would have loved to assist you in searching for sponsors.
    We are as you know a non profit Organization whose goal is to enhance Community Tourism in the North
    Hope we will work together for next year and when there is an event in the North….

  9. Cry for Dominica
    May 27, 2015

    The Question is at which property on the North did the oversea performers stayed. As Sailsbury farmer state where are all the meeting being held.

  10. JoJo
    May 27, 2015

    What mr. Piper is saying in a polite way is that he wants business owners in Portsmout to put their hands in their pocket to help finance his festival. I believe they would if they could see profit doing that but from the looks of it this is very much a festival for the bourgois from Roseau so it is mostly Roseau people supporting it. Mr. Piper has to make it more attractive for the common man without lowering the standard. Not easy.

  11. Possie Can
    May 27, 2015

    Mr. Piper this is a great observation. I am from Portsmouth and I could clearly count the number of people from that area on my hands. Portsmouth people has an old mentality. They don’t support their own. Carnival, Independence, nothing. Whenever the positive members of the community try to organize and initiate activities in the town, they are faced with objections. Mr. Piper there is a stagnant pool in Possie, and a dose of flowing water needs to poured in. In due time the Jazz and creole will be moved to an area where the sponsors can get their monies worth.

  12. sailsbury farmer
    May 27, 2015

    Mr Piper thank you very much the people of the north and every where else must learn to get involved in commerce , every thing is in Roseau, we must train and educate every body in Dominica to make money all over the island. Move some of the meetings we have in Roseau to the country side. The tent people will make money, sound people, cooks and chefs, buses, waiters, security guards, we as a people have to help create private wealth for every body.

    • Tjebe fort
      May 27, 2015

      What is stopping you farmer? Go ahead and organise something like that in your community. Business will always follow its natural course and today the centre of that is Roseau even if some us don’t like it.

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