Bellevue Chopin is the main site being considered as the new home for the displaced residents of Petite Savanne, Chairman of the Ministerial Subcommittee for Resettlement, Dr. Colin McIntyre has announced.
“We think that Bellevue Chopin is an ideal piece of land,” he said. “We will select a proper piece of land to carry the necessary studies to make sure that it is suitable for that sort of development.”
Eight hundred and twenty-three residents were evacuated from Petite Savanne after the area was deemed unsafe following the passage of Tropical Storm Erika which severely affected the island on August 27.
McIntyre said the land in Bellevue Chopin is ideal, lovely and flat.
“Right now our survey division they are in there, they are looking at the topographical studies and the survey plans and looking at an additional amount of land there to look at the resettlement of the people of Petite Savanne in the first instance,” he said.
He added, “In terms of livelihood we have a lot of farmers from Petite Savanne…you don’t want to take people too far away and displace them, you cannot suddenly take them and put them in the Roseau Valley, that’s not where they are from, they will feel a little displaced. So we want to keep them as close as possible to the area where they can still feel at home.”
He stated further that the land for resettlement has to be carefully selected.
“We cannot take the people out of Petite Savanne and Dubique and put them in lands that are vulnerable or susceptible to further damage in the future, given Erika,” he noted. “Our intention is not to take the people and put them under cliffs, under mountains, under edges of rivers, floods…so we are selecting carefully.”
McIntyre also that there are other sites being considered for the general resettlement of other residents affected by Erika.
“Don’t forget we have the people of Coulibistrie, the people of Colihaut, one or two folks in Checkhall, there are a lot of people affected in Dominica,” he explained. “So we will look at all the different sites and of course as we continue to move along in terms of the policy, we will look at where is best suited.”
Meanwhile Chairman of the Technical Committee for Resettlement, Lucien Blackmoore, stated that the first priority is to deal with residents from areas that were heavily hit by the storm.
“So we are looking at Dubique, Petite Savanne, and, of course, we are looking at the areas in Coulibistrie, Colihaut, Checkhall, Paradise Valley and even the Dead End area,” he said.
Will the government of skeritt buy Petite Savanne like they want to buy the failed Dominica Coconut Product Ltd. (DCP)?
Well, well, well the best lands at Bellevue will be allocated to other people and the native of the community are saying nothing. I guess your children and grand children will build in the deep ravines in the next 10 to 15 years.
Soon those affected by the storm will realize that no one of importance really cares about them!
how I love that name,beautifull hot bread lol,i think that is a good choice,keeping the area of their foreparents contituency
What is the bigger picture plan for this part of the Island. New industry, new university ,new fisheries at stowe if so when.I Think if these people are going to be relocated have a vision and a purpose for a future with improved opportunity
I wish that the displaced residents of Petite Savanne will be relocated to the most appropriate and suitable place so that they will not futuristicaly encounter what they did during the passing of Erika. We must not be so negative about what is being planned and sought out for their welfare. We need to think more positively as a nation and stop letting politics divide us so much. There is a saying, “united we stand; divided we fall.”
We need to stop displaying our ignorance to the whole world. We are not an ignorant people but sometimes it appears that we are by what we display.
PEACE
Well well, boy look a “snail pace” government,,three months just to arrive at a location
Government need to consult the villager of Bellevue Chopin and at least a few acres of that prime land should be sold to the people of the village. Common Bellevue you need to have a forum with the Parl rep.
My humble opinion on that, have the authorities consulted with the residence of Petite Savanne ? Yes ,the authorities are responsible to get the place but please consult with them.let us not treat them like beggers are no chosers. They are the ones who really have to move and be relocated. The mental effect on them etc.
Mr. McIntyre I hope that you all consulted with the people and arrive at consensus because you all red tricksters like to do things in a devious way.
seriously???bellevue chopin?? out of the frying into the fire……we are not going there!!That place is a major problem for water……no where close to the sea so we can go fishing……put us warner tannn!!
What water problem? Thats the best village in Dominica.
You are an idiot if you are interested in fishing leaving in Bellevue is no problem because Bellevue is just 10 minutes aways from Gbay, Loubierre, Scotts head. When you go fishing you don’t stay by D bay in T-Savan, u go out at sea. So short your mouth.
What about the Geneva estate. Endless land that go all the way under Belvie. And it’s closer to Dubique and T savan.
Hello that\’s my family land there, you willing to pay me for that? When all you finish all will say that Government bribe people for land watch me. Belle vue chopin is ideal
sonny its all about voting logistics…
Dr. Colin McIntyre you must be joking. The most suitable location for these people is Vieille- case, the home town of the Mr. Skerrit. Bellevue is too crowded, in compared to Vieille case that is empty and dead, as a result of the poor policies of Skerrit.
When Skerrit became parlrep in 2000, the population was about 1100, with 12 shops, many were employed in Roseau, Portsmouth, many farmers were selling their produce on Tuesdays and Saturdays at the Portsmouth market, as well as many were selling pickup loads of bananas weekly, villagers were building new homes every year, over 100 pupils at the primary schools, 2 bus loads of young men and women going to PSS, and no more than 3 paros.
As of today under Skerrit, we have less than 500 residents, 2 shops, many are unemployed, no bananas, maybe two farmers, 33 pupils and at least 35 paros . So pwe need people to move in to Vieille Case, and I am disappointed Skerrit did not push to have the Erika displacements move to Vieille…
itassi man also, the truth will always offend… Vielle case is a dean paro zone
That man nuh that is the next PM dere? Bon Dieu …look how we come. He can hardly finish a full thought oui.
I think if they could be resettled in Bellevue that would be a good move for all parties involved. The displacement wouldn’t be too far plus they remain in the same constituency. I hope the final decision can come soon because the process of rebuilding will be the biggest challenge; daunting even..but life must go on. We should never give up!! Big Support for Ti Savanne and the other Dominicans directly affected by Erika!!..God Bless!!
I have empathy for the government in finding a suitable location for the displaced people in general. I do not envy you. This is a huge undertaking and decision, in addition to satisfying those who are displaced. I wish you well.
God bless you and guide you in this endeavor.
it will be a huge undertaking if you don’t have common sense and by passing the reports from you technical staff…
the recommendation from technical staff is 100 percent of the time put aside for more selfish reasons….
take for example, the people houses that were washed away in petite savannah. most of the new houses were built in a particular area by government funded election money during the last election… to buy votes so to speak.
BUT ARE THESE PEOPLE AWARE THAT THERE WAS AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY AND ABOUT 90 PERCENT OF THOSE PLACES DEVASTED WERE DEEMED POTENTIAL HARZADOUS AREAS IN THAT STUDY… SO THE PRIME MINISTER AND HIS PEOPLE ARE AWARE THAT THESE PLACES WERE NOT SUITABLE TO BUILD, BUT THAT MAN CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE AN ELECTION EVEN AT THE COST OF OTHER PEOPLE LIVES … SO DOMINICANS MOST TIMES “FREENESS IS WORRINESS”
You are keeping them there so you won’t lose votes on that side of the island. They are used to farming, f8shing, a river, distilling their own rum. But all you focused on was the agricultural part.
At Petite Savanne, do u have a suitable site at Marigot, Salisbury and the other areas where the Govt. lost votes? I think that Bellevue Chopin is the most suitable site to house these people, from there they could still go back and forth to their holdings in Petite Savanne
how Bellevue is the most suitable and stowe is empty. stowe can take these people including those of dubic…. and their life style will remain the same…
If you were right petit savanne they would have put them Salisbury or marigot constituency, idiot