Just over a month since Tropical Storm Erika ravaged sections of Dominica, Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, has said the island is on the road to recovery.
Addressing the nation on Tuesday night the Prime Minister said Dominica has had a miraculous comeback since the storm on August 27.
“We are on the road to recovery. Dominica has bounced back miraculously,” he said. “Tonight commercial activity at the air and sea ports has resumed to a satisfactory level. Anyone wishing to visit Dominica can hop aboard a private or commercial air or sea craft and arrive here safely and with no need to fear.”
He noted that cargo and other goods destined for Dominica are once again arriving on a schedule basis.
“This however does not take away from the Herculean task confronting us in terms of effectively re-outfitting Douglas Charles Airport, in particular, when landings and take offs are permissible and encouraged, that is about all that is realistically in order at the airport this time.”
He said as the Minister of Finance he “shudders” to think of what the final reconstruction, retrofitting and re-outfitting cost will be as 90 per cent of what was once there has to be replaced and upgraded and the focus will, in addition, be on minimizing the probability of the reoccurrence of such destruction in the event of future bad weather.
Meanwhile with the tourism season rapidly approaching, Chief Executive Officer at the Dominica Air and Sea Port Authority (DASPA) Benoit Bardouille said all the island’s ports are functional and Dominica is open for business.
“Dominica is open for business,” he said. “The cruise facilities that people normally visit when they are here for the cruise, from the information gathered, are prepared.”
He, however, said that there are areas, such as the Roseau Valley, where the road is still lined with mud from numerous that occurred.
“But the road has been prepared so that persons can move freely into the Valley,” Bardouille noted. “We have every confidence that the areas that the cruise visitors go to are still in the condition that it can make their experience a very good one in Dominica.”
All sea ports are open yes, but Cabrits Cruise Ship Berth, which falls under the same management as the Long House Port, is in a state of disrepair and it is also infested with BATS. But the DASPA CEO is saying all ports are ready. How laughable!
TEMPORARYLY? Give us a solid bridge with flood proof durability. One like the one over the River Thames in England.
Thanks Mr. PM for your steadfast and positive attitude. Rally your people towards a brighter tomorrow. Tearing down each other just shows the world who we really ARE!