New hours have been put in place at the Woodbridge Bay Port to facilitate the clearing of barrels and to ease up storage issues due to a lot of items entering the country since Hurricane Maria.
The port will now be opened on Saturdays and will go on for up to 7:00 pm on weekdays.
“We are in fact going to work on Saturday …we are going to work from 9 to 3 along with the customs to faciliate the person especially individuals persons who want to clear barrel, boxes, to be able to do that,” CEO of the Dominica Air and Seaports Authority, Benoit Bardouille, said at a press briefing on Wednesday. “We did so last week Saturday and quite a few people took advantage of it.”
He stated this is being done so that people receive packages sent to them quickly
“We are doing so all in an effort to ensure that all persons can receive their packages, we have been saying to them, within two to three days after the goods have landed on the port,” he noted. “For those indivuals who may be awaiting a generator or their tapaulin or a mattress, we want to make sure that they get it within the shortest possible time and I think based on the way it is being expidited by the individual agencies, it is done so that persons can turn around at the port very quickly.”
Badouille said the port will open on until 7:00 pm to facilitate the business community and the moving of containers.
“I am sure the truckers, especially so, can move containers to the merchants location …from about two in the afternoon we will be dealing with them, once there is no vessel in port and take them up to about 7:00 pm so that they can move as many containers as possible to the premises of the mercantile community,” Bardouille noted.
He explained that those who want to clear barrels and boxes will be dealt with in the morning and the truckers in the afternoon.
“The thing is we want to make sure that the persons, especially the family and friends who are moving individual barrels and boxes, that we will try to deal with them and early as possible in the early morning from 8:00 to about 2:00 pm because we know some of them come from very far areas and have to go back up to the countryside and so if we are able to deal with them in the morning then it will make it far easier for us to do the truckers later in the afternoon.”
He said this is being done to “ease up on the storage issues that we have at the port.”
It’s all lies same hours for port close at 4 lies
Am very disappointed items sent to my family were stolen on the port. Guess the workers needed them more than my family. Shame!!!!!
The Trinidad team needed to know that there are rules and regulations that operate in our country Dominica. Not because we are in a crisis people going to take advantage. I appreciate what the Trinidad crew did. But you can’t come to my country and bring who you want inside the port, will not be tolerated. You could not have done that in TT. 2nd you they wanted to be selling some of the aid they brought. Now we appreciate everyone’s help but he had to apologize to Bardoulle after. We need to find fats before we speak. Badouille has his ways but he gets it done. And no one no matter our country situation will take advantage of us. I have more about the TT coast guard crew. Let me know when you all want it.
“Former employee”my behind. Mr. Bad-will, for brief moment forget the TT incident. Your arrogance and disrespect for people that work around you is well know. Police and customs personnel at the port are having a very difficult working with you sir. You need to check your ego and get some humility before it too late. Now, please resign, will you?
Assertive like Mama Eugenia!
Nonsense Hot and Cold always trying to make a political issue of such matters. Why don,t you go and do some voluntary work on the port. Give a helping hand. Thank you Mr. Bardouille for trying your best in putting a strategic plan in place to ensure that everyone gets there stuff from the port.
Volunteering work on the port?What world are you living in.We need Professional admin and organisation.Sadly lacking.
The port and admin should be open 24/7 to clear the backlog and then ensure efficient clearance.
We know that the port hasn’t had to handle this sort of cargo,shows the complete lack of leaders and organisation.
If Bardouille is serious and really would like to keep the congestion down to normal at the Ports he should move all the barrels for the north down to Portsmouth that would be a great help for the people and it can be done. I don’t understand why everything have to go to Roseau , why ?.. to much politics and that’s hurting the Island .more than anything else .
Hello and good afternoon my people. Sir why don’t you have two twelve hour shifts which would make it easier for people. This isn’t ordinary times we are sending materials and food stuff but my family can’t pick it up. I checked my tracking number which indicates that the materials are in Dominican since Friday and my uncle made four trips but he still can’t get the materials because of long lines then the port closed.
For the life of me, I don’t understand. You have cargo piling up, you have people unemployed. Why for God’s sake can’t the port work 24 hrs. a day, seven days a week like they do in most other part of the week? Do airlines only work half-day on saturday and not fly at all on sundays? Please wake up Bardouille, we have a crisis on our hands.
Good luck! “#BadwilledMustGo”
Assertive like LL:
AY AY MR BAD– WILL show up nu ? where have you been mr BAD-WILL? you did the DOMINICAN people a dis service by disrespecting that Trinidadian team who came to our rescue with food and water , your ego is on steroid be humble for the better good of your people, this shall pass but your legacy will be membered , I never knew of you now the world was watching when you call security on the Trinidadian barge owner who came to our rescue in time of need, the world is watching mr BAD–WILL.
I have been saying all along that some Dominicans in DA haven got any costumer service training and this individual is one of those person, I saw the video and I ask what did those in the current administration handle that matter because Dominica was the one with egg on it’s face, it was very bad reflection on my island .There are lots of Dominicans who need a job regardless if it’s for a short period of time the Port should net be so bugged down, get the people working and stop starving them .
As far as I am concerned, the “Bad-willed” guy should have been sent packing a very long time ago. You cannot disrespect donors in time of need and still be calling the shots. Further, the port has been grossly mismanaged which has cost us dearly. Why is this incompetent, arrogant and boaster-Karla- Chess “Bad-willed” guy is still managing the port. We in this country just loveeeee mediocrity I suppose. He, the Chief of Police and deputy are among a couple top civil/ public servants MUST go for gross incompetence. Oh what a calamity.
Assertive like the rod of Moses!
But long I heard callers of q95 giving them that suggestion. Why they took so long? Anyways good step as the saying goes better late than never. In fact today I spoke to my brother who told me he has galvanize sitting at the Port for two weeks and customs to busy they can’t handle the work load.
It’s a relative government that’s lazy, short sighted, visionless and corrupt. A proactive government would have done that long time ago. I guess thanks to Linton UN speech the United Nations must have suggested that to them and now the Bad will trying to make people think he is a thinker.
@Hot and Cold…AT least something is being done unlike your leader who goes all over letting off hot air and doing nothing else. Oh he made a speech? Guess he is not as important because I never heard of a speech made by him until now. If elections where to be held now in Dominica, I bet you Skerritt would win, so why waste your time coming with your bitter comment?
correction: should read “A reactive ” government and NOT ‘relative’ government. In other words, is a government that re-acting rather than planning ahead