Special activity replaces Market Day with a Difference in Roseau (with photos)

It wasn’t the usual ‘Market Day with a Difference’ as expected at the Roseau, however organizers believed that a special activity that took its place this year was different allowing vendors and customers to go deeper into building their relationships together.

Vendors were encouraged to consider the activity to be sort of a customer appreciation day.

Damages around the Dominica China Bridge during the passage of Tropical Storm Erika forced organizers to scrap the usual ‘Market Day with a Difference’ at its usual location, the Roseau Market on Saturday.

“I am very satisfied turnout,” Superintendent of the Roseau Market Julius Carbon told Dominica News Online. “I believe it showed a difference and it allowed the people themselves, the vendors to dig deeper and try to see how much they can contribute, what they can do, how creative they can be in making their own stall and building their relationship with the customers out there.”

He continued, “What is happening here today, vendors as well as patrons at the Roseau Market, people who regularly come here to shop, they are being encouraged to be at the Roseau Market and to do as much as possible to dress in some of our Creole wear to engage in more evening shopping and behaving Creole.

Carbon pointedout it was not the usual ‘Market Day with a Difference’ because there is no sound system, “making noise in people’s head in here”.

“People can still shop because when you get to the market you have to ask for prices and you might have to bargain but if the sound system is overpowering you there is always difficulty in shopping, so there is not that high pitch sound system in the area,” he stated. “Most of the music in here was done culturally. What we have there is that persons are going around shopping, having the exchanges between the patron, the buyer and the vendor. We can see quite a few persons are dressing in Creole, and a lot of traditional cuisine including black and white pudding, souse…..”

He noted that fresh produce was not plentiful at the event.

“There are fewer products in terms of fresh produce but you can see there seems to be a wider range of textile, arts and craft, and for persons who can shop they will be able to get a very good deal here at the market,” he remarked. “That is what we have a very lively exchange, a lively relationship.”

Meantime Minister for Commerce, Enterprise and Small Business Development Roslyn Paul said although ‘Market Day with a Difference’ is different, the special activity has added a little spice to event this year.

“We know due to Erika the normal Market Day with a Difference could not be on, but we were happy to be able to add to it this morning,” she told DNO shortly after a performance of the Paix Bouche Cultural Group at the event.

According to Paul, the Paix Bouche Cultural Group, which performed at the function, is on a fundraising drive in aid of the victims of Erika especially members of the Dubique and Petite Savanne Cultural Group.

“Every new opportunity to promote Dominica’s culture is a good experience and today is very special in that way,” she noted. “Today we have been doing some performance and selling some of our CD’s, all proceeds to towards Erika victims; the cultural groups of Dubique and Petite Savanne.”

She revealed that last week the group traveled to Marie-Galante to organize open market shows and sell CD’s.

“It has always been good to share on our culture and you know we have been a group in existence for 34 years so we continue the work of promoting and preserving our culture,” Paul indicated.

See photos below on sights at the event.