Following the passing of TS Erika, the road network in Dominica wAS severally affected. One of which is Gros Morne Feeder Road which runs along the Macoucherie River and is the only farm access road for farmers from Salisbury, Mero and St. Joseph.
Following the storm, farmers have to drive through the river bed to access the farms. Countless efforts have been made by the farmers to get assistance from the government but all have been futile.
In January 2016, a group of farmers visited the area with the media and following their visit, Special Project Coordinator in the Ministry of Agriculture visited the area with a contractor to do an assessment.
According to a clipping on Marpin 2K4 News Dated 28 January 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfwMlHH6rSU, Special Project Coordinator in the Ministry of Agriculture stated that the road has been discussed in the Ministry of Agriculture and is something that they must do and will be doing very soon.
According to him, heavy equipment will be sent within three (3) weeks to reinstate the river to its original path. An estimate from the contractor who accompanied him was $60,000.00.
Five months later, nothing has been done and on a daily basis, farmers have to struggle to access their farms. A senior officer in the Ministry of Public Works once asked, “Why the farmers are still farming in that area if they know that the road is so bad?”
Farmers in need of help!
Face the facts
God help those who help themselves. Help allyou selves. Rise and fight for ones self
God help those themselves , while the others are helping themselves with the building of VILLARS in the north of the country have U ever thought of that?
while others getting the Dominicans who he say are to poorest in the world to pay his BILLS of 80,000 and 79,000
THEN HE OPENING BUSINESS OPPOSITE HARRIS PAINTS
WHY U NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT!!!!
Why me? Darned if I do, darned if I don’t. You lack appreciation. Where is your compassion?
Can you not see the river is obstructing them from going about their business to farm their land and provide food for their people? Imagine if more rain fell, it will create a worst scenario and will be impassable. They alone cannot fix this situation. It is obvious they are in dire need of government help. I reiterate, I hope they get help soon.
What is more, they are trying to help themselves and are patiently suffering.
May God send some help for them.
The farms are the breadbasket of the nation.
Anything that hurts the farmer hurts the people and troubles the economy.
T.S. Erika was not asked for. It was something those victimized by it had no control over.
This story appears to have a political underbelly. Normally it is not something I would even comment on. But some unreasonable and unkind things have been said that are sure to hurt good people who don’t
deserve to be hurt.
Imagine a government minister saying “Why are the farmers still farming in that area if they know the road is so bad?”
Let me guess…
Could it be because that is their land and they have no place else to farm?
Do you think it is because the road was not so bad when they began farming in that area, and they had no idea Erika was coming and the damage it would do?
Could it be they were expecting the road would eventually be paved and made worthy of the people it serves? After all, this is something governments do
Sincerely,…
I support that 100%.
Characters like Gary said agriculture is a waste of time just because the Labor Party decuded passport selling was more important and the dollar a year minister said enter my dream. Today the same characters are now saying that farmers should abandon their field because roads are bad . Not because the government neglected the farmers. Its like they blaming everyone else but the government.When farmers complain they call them lazy. Now this Laborite is asking why the farmers are so persistent against the onslaught by the Labor Party government.
We all know that this wicked regime has left our farmers to do nothing, but “Sousay Sel.” Where is Drigo is all of this?
The fruits of corruption is what we are sering. On less than a year pasdport money provided $30 million for airport repairs, bridge, NEP, buy petro casas etc. The question that DNO and other media joints are not asking is ” why we did not see that happening prior to Erika. In other words where are the many hu dred millions that are unaccounted for.
Ah where all thee passport money gone
Tell md tell me where yee gone
Look in offshore banks
Look in hairy bank
Chdck Panama papers
“Why fstmers fsrming on thst area when they know the road is so bad” Guess who would tslk like that? A Skerrit generation Laborat. The afflicted farmer should absndoned their only means to financial independence and come beg or wait for handouts every election. Indtead of holdi g government accountable they nlame the farmers. Becsuse these farmers are making an effort they cannot call thrm lazy so indtead they blame them for trying.
Un f $*** ng believable. We wonder why our country is in such decay.
How it is thst friendly governments gave Roosevelt Skerrit 32 million to campaign yet these “friendly” governments are not there to help out in these situations.
This brings to focus the truth about how corruption hurts the people. Friendly governments my @$$$. Pasdport money is what it was.
While Skerritt’s DLP Gov’t has been facilitating foreign Cos. and others to sell our passports and make millions, while a foreign Co. again is awarded the contract to build a bridge in Roseau, although local construction workers, and engineers have built bridges in DA ,over decades and decades ago, under very difficult circumstances, and while Skerritt has given a foreign co. again, based in Dubai selling our passports, to be in charge of rebuilding a Petite Savanne Community, our FARMERS, producers of FOOD, trying to earn their living, see the treatment they getting for Years, from that Skerritt Gov’t.
Plain WICKEDNESS.
Skerritt and his Cabal keep forgetting that it is farmers all over Dominica, it is our local construction workers, it is our people who have built and continue to build their country. It is WICKED to deprive those hard working farmers from accessing their farms to earn their living.
Plain WICKED to Dominicans. So Shanks working harder than farmers
You are such an idiot and BLUE liar, while this article is apolitical and the writer is genuinely in need of help
i am a civil engineer in Dominica and quit involved in the industry we do have great engineers here however to say that we have contractors that have built bridges “decades and decades ago” therefor they can build bridges now…
shows how tremendously ignorant you are about the industry. the same local contractors who could not even qualify to tender for DOWASCO west coast augmentation projects, it had to be split into lots to assist then
the same local contractors who retro fitted the RCCU building with a cost OVER RUN or 4,000,000, and almost two years BEHIND schedule
the same local contractors who constructed the Roseau catholic church with a cost over run of 8,000,000 and again over two yeas BEHIND schedule
Which civil engineer you are there? Chile keep your tail quiet!
BABA you are so bright
i suggest you go back to grade school to learn proper spelling and diction.
then attend state college to learn proper sentence structure
Man, many Dominicans have come to dislike hard-working fellow brothers and sisters. The beggar mentality, the hand-outs is the order of the day and modus operandi. PWC workers, Young Call Centre workers, farmers, teachers, police, every sector facing hell under that regime.
Dominicans stop experimenting with DICTATORSHIP. The realities, the stories of PAPA then BABY DOC in Haiti should be enough to spur us to denounce that kind of rule. Not even the TRUTH will set many free. They prefer dictatorship, exploitation, MASSA RULE. It is a new kind of Slavery being experienced in Dominica. Black brothers and sisters have replaced the white colonial Masters. They are even more ruthless, treating their fellowmen and women like commodities, like objects. A people, who allows others to THINK for them and thus control every aspect of their lives is doomed to fail. The country becomes impoverished. Corruption takes Centre stage. Laws are changed to suit illegalities
Now they are telling the farmers to help themselves. Can they not see the condition of the road makes it impossible for the farmers to help themselves?
Added to this is the fact that the farmers serve the public. How are they going to get their produce and products to the stores and markets?
No help for the farmers when they need it the most? This is appalling. The whole Caribbean is aghast.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. Evangelist.
Is it possible to construct a bridge? After TS Erika the river took another route. It may have to be re-directed in another location. This too will be difficult and will require funding.
I hope the farmers will receive assistance soon. Pray also for that possibility.
A moment please, why the constant complain? This is the leadership they want so. Bear it. It is true that a government has a basic responsibility to the people if we keep putting the same irrisponsible leaders then what?
all this is provocation and we all know the result of persistent provocation.
Why is this a Letter to the Editor? This should be a press statement, news release. The conditions that farmers face must be brought to the public’s attention again and again, so that an impact is made.
I still love the old time way – That\’s why I still have my donkey. She never gets stuck.
Some people in Dominica turn a blind eye to the plight of others simply to support and benefit from a certain political party. One person told me that the Government “gave me a house” and said that “those who don’t get just vex and jealous…let them suffer for not voting the shoe”!!! I shook my head and felt terrible for the type of mentality so many of our Citizens possess. Please assist the farmers!!!!
All will suck salt for toffy when skerrit and labour give all you pass, let go and marry somebody for a green card. Pa mwen key ka weste’ en misser eve’ zor!!!!!!
The Government of Dominica is in a serious state of “recession thinking”. It does not take a person that long to reach such a conclusion. The combined crania of the DLP is in recession. Nothing new or creative or initiative is coming from the Cabinet. According to Lord Caressa, it is really a “Cabinet of Forks.” A cluster-f**k, rather. Every sector of the Society and economy is falling apart. The Government is in a state of inertia; unable to even speak the truth or motivate the citizens to have hope. What a shame! What a waste of Time!
A senior officer in the Ministry of Public Works once asked, “Why the farmers are still farming in that area if they know that the road is so bad?”
Folks I really cannot believe this comment from an official…..Therefore I will answer.
Reason been they don’t have a choice as this is the only place they own farm lands……are you providing alternate farmlands for them.
SMH…..Just get these guys road fixed.
The officer who said that is a fool and he could have said they same thing for all the roads that farmers are using to go farming because all are in very poor condition..
Excuse me for wading in again.
This is the stupidest and most heartless thing I’ve ever heard a government minister say. Is this person an elected official or is he (she) appointed? Elected officials are usually more sensitive to the feelings of the people.
A government that treated farmers like that in some countries would be toast.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. Evangelist
I mean like duh its common sense but we know alot of people lack it smh.. can’t believe one would even ask that question
Complain complain complain.
I would love to see a change of govt to see those ppl boyo burst complaining for a new set.
Nattering nabobs of negativity.
Why is it that every sector in this country have to be appealing for help from the govt. This pisses me off. Clearly the govt is incapable of meeting the needs of the people of the country, their basic needs. They want the people of the country to BEG FOR BASIC NEEDS . How much more incompetent can you be. This is rubbish and something needs to be done about it.
Although this one is necessary, much money is needed to assist everyone. May they be helped soon.
The government is all citizens of Dominica and not just the members of parliament because everyone is capable to think logically and be progressive. A political party comes and goes but progressive people thrive under all political parties. I remembered when my grandfather and other framers in his area came together and laterally fix and maintained the road that was leading to their gardens. My grandfather and the other framers never ” BEG FOR BASIC NEEDS”, they worked for it under each political party. If anyone “BEG FOR BASIC NEEDS” under this party they will still ” BEG FOR BASIC NEEDS” when a new party comes into power.
What’s your point?
Dominicans are the most tolerant people in the entire world or maybe the …………..I hate to call names.
poor us……………….under skerrit and his regime