The Castle Bruce Tourism Association Inc. (CBTAinc.) has elected a new team to run the affairs of the organization.
The nine member is made up of Adrian Bannis – President, Leontyne Bellot – Vice President, Nicole Thomas – Secretary , Charline Bannis – Asst. Secretry/ Treasurer, Austelle Lockhart-Treasurer , Marian Jno-Finn – PRO , Edgar St. Aimee, Joan Lockhart and Andel Joseph – Committee Members. Election of the new board was conducted by President of Dominica Community Tourism Association Inc (DCTAI) Mrs. Josephine Dublin Prince..
The new board was encouraged to the carry out their role in order to achieve the organization’s goal. “Unless you govern yourself you will never accomplish anything”, CBATAinc’s new president, Adrian Bannis, told his team. “We are at work, working for the future, play your part”, he urged them.
The new board has since met twice to plan a way forward, putting together a project for the bay front and the community, by extension. Meetings have been held with DCTAI, Invest Dominica and Ministry of Tourism who have expressed their satisfaction with what has happened so far and say they look forward to working with CBTAinc. in pursuit of greater things.
Planned projects with immediate, short and long term goals include:
- Extension and completion of gazebo with bar
- Entertainment stage
- Camping site
- Vendor stalls
- Picnic table and benches
- BBQ pits
- Enhancement of road /footpath to river
- Website
- Marketing and promotional material
- Training in Capacity building, governance, tour guide and emergency etc.
- Information booth
It is the CBTAinc’s goal to transform bay front as a family entertainment and tourism spot, a place where locals and visitors can meet and experience Castle Bruce and all it has to offer, create sustainable employment, develop the artisan industry and all that is Castle Bruce. The CBTAinc. has begun discussions with tour operators to offer Castle Bruce as a tour destination to cruise and stay over visitors beginning this coming season.
Are the current investors in tourism -hotels, guest houses etc on the Board?
Congratulations to everyone involve. your involvement is a commitment to contribute to the development of your community. I have a suggestion…. What about building a hotel. The government policy is to build hotels in this term. You can form a company ” Castlebruce Dev Co” with a goal to build a 100 room hotel. By the river, by the sea , on the hill overlooking the sea. There are many people from the area living overseas who could participate. a nature island hotel like Jungle Bay would be perfect for that area. Staffing could be arrange by the National youth programme. Government is sure to assist because this could be a model for other communities on the East coast.
I see the NEP arranging staffing for a year. The IBC financing. Total government partnership. O yes ignore all the negatives from those people who have nothing to contribute.
What about the previous plan, how far is the project which began earlier this year at the bayfront ?
Boy, seems Dominica have more boards than planks. Not even 70,000 people and so many chairmen and women, secretaries this and that. Every day on the news and GIS I see meetings and more meetings, no wonder little real work gets done. You mean to tell me that for a small place like that the Min. of tourism and Discover Dominica can not cover that? if they can not afford to buy a doctorate in the Punjab, they want to be chairman of something. Our heads getting too gonflay.
This new tourism association led by Mr. Adrian Bannis-president, is further proof that former tourism, minister Mr. Nassief was right when he said to Matt that agriculture is dead in Dominica. I mean Adrian Bannis is a big name in agriculture and has been involved in agriculture all of his life. Also, let’s not forget agriculture minister, Mr. Drigo is from Castle Bruce. You mean to tell me with the two being from the same village Mr. Drigo could not find a way to get Mr. Bannis more involved in agriculture, with view of bringing back our once bread basket back on its feet. Shame on you Drigo and is another reason that Drigo should go!
@A Bernard……why don’t you do something to resuscitate the banana industry or the agricultural industry. It is very easy to criticize when you are doing nothing. People like to say that Dominica is going nowhere fast. That is because there is no support or encouragement coming from people like you. The talk and do nothing people are very vocal. There is an old saying. ” If you cant say good, say nothing” Unless we change the plantation mindset there can be no improvement. Think positive !
Way to go and a hearty congratutions!