Shipping company, Geest Line, has said that congestion at the Woodbridge Bay Port in Dominica is not acceptable and will be coming to Dominica monthly for delivery and discharge of cargo.
The company also said that it will be making fortnightly calls to the island for container repatriation only.
“This decision has been made due to service issues at the port,” the company said in a letter to shippers. “On Monday the 15th October, Geest Line was instructed to vacate the berth by DASPA (Dominica Air and Seaport Authority) although the vessel had not completed operation/discharge.”
The company said this had not only added ‘huge expense’ to Geest Line “but most importantly delayed our customers’ cargoes that will remain on board for over a month.”
“The current situation is no longer acceptable but will be reviewed once the port congestion issues are resolved,” the letter said.
Geest is right for one point of view.
there are 3 machines for unloading on port.
2 of them are down since January.
no one was bothered to fix them or do something.
When a ship is coming to the port. all truckers and other people should delay their deliveries because 1 machine working with ship and no one is to load the trucks. Which making delays in works. which effecting trucker people cant have trip one day and cant earn anything on that day. and shipping companies keep charging demurrage because containers were not empty on time.
though the legislative bodies has the responsibility to take action , not every time a department head makes a mistake the prime minister is to be blamed I am definitely sure Mr. Badouille did not call the the prime minister on his decision ; now if the prime minister done make a thorough investigation then he has to bear the blame ; I personally believe there are too many don’t care people starring that that unmanned ship our LOVELY DOMINICA
DASPA needs new management the current one is not working out.
They did not finish unload and they were asked to move because of the China’s medical ship. This is unacceptable and I hope we will hear strongly from the merchants…That Government just has to ..Time to go and they will go…People Fed up now. They killing the Country slowly. Incompetence. Get out!!!!!!!
We are a bunch of talkers here in Dominica
in any other country the CEO would be asked to walk or face protest action by the people
You are so right my friend! But this country is infested by corruption.
Guest is right… Tell them as it is. Not even the port is sorted out and PM talking bout clean sweep.
The clean sweep should be to dump this incompetent and waste of time government.
Ross left, Chinese left, business people left, nurses n doctors left, investors running daily, cause Dominica has lost its way.
Let’s compare Dominica to Grenada, St Lucia, Barbados, St kitts n nevis, St Vincent, Trinidad n Tobago, n Jamaica, you have people who don’t sell their votes, they will vote for good governance. Yet in Dominica, the country is bankrupt n in a royal mess and they voting Labour. Does that mean that Dominicans have embrace defeat n low life? Just a thought. Please vote out Labour.
This is a culmination of terrible mismanagement of DASPA. Sack Badouille.
Where’s the Labour KA Twavay crew? Guess they still celebrating their fake doctorates
Interesting wow… Then next thing you hearing Geest not coming Dominica again. We need to set our priorities right in Dominica or else we will continue to loose everything… I am not politicizing here…
Interesting wow… Then next thing you hearing Geest not coming Dominica again. We need to set our priorities right in Dominica or else we will continue to loose everything… I am not politicizing here…
When the company stop coming we will ask why?Tuesday October 16, 2018, Benoit Bardouille cost the state and businesses tens of thousands dollars for a silly decision that he took that could have adjusted in one hour. The stevedore and longshoremen had 1 more hour to complete the unloading of cargo from the Geest cargo boat at the Woodbridge Bay. That would put the “Peace Ark” the Chinese Medical Ship back by one hour to dock at the Woodbridge Bay to provide free medical attention to the Dominican public. The Chinese ship had to leave the jetty on the Roseau Bayfront for a cruise ship. Instead of asking the Chinese ship to delay for an hour because there was no emergency, Bardouille asked the Geest boat to stop unloading and leave. The captain of the Geest left Dominica and is en route to Columbia with fourteen 40ft containers of cargo. We were told that 12 of the containers were for Josephine Gabriel & Co (Coca-Cola) and one was for Secret Bay hotel. This was the Coke company final…
Something could’ve been done decade,I am very disappointed with this administration,Only talks no action,People who lived abroad probably thought a lot development happening when these folks talk.The city is in a mess bad management they don’t invest where they could generate revenues for this country, Very shameful
Oh my.. heads will roll .. or they should roll… but actually won’t… most likely people will not bother changing the situation much.. because that’s how the country is… every week there is bad news and ni5ing is done to resolve it… where will it end…
This was a dispicable incident which needs to be investigated and heads must roll. Among many other supplies for Dominica that were on board there was a container full of fixtures for a leading hotel in Dominica due to reopen in November. Guests had booked and now money has to be refunded at great expense and bad publicity for the hotel and Dominica’s struggling tourism.
There was an entire container from St. Lucia for Coca-Cola with all the beverages and other drinks for Creole Festival and Independence week. But maybe most appaling was a whole container of dasheen destined for the United Kingdom. Such an important shipment, when we are trying to rebuild our agricultural market.!
Such containers due for export remained sitting on the dock. While some 14 containers to be offloaded for Dominica were left on the ship and sailed with it. Allegedly no cabinet members were consulted or involved. The decision was made unilaterally by a “self important” offical lower down the…
Bet Tropical Shipping is not affected.
As I have said in a previous post, nothing seems to work well in Dominica. All aspects of life and governance have gone haywire under the ‘do-nothing’ DLP and the ‘dead from the neck up’ Skerrit. All their energy, focus, resources are used for electioneering.
The roads and bridges decrepit – of no concern
Unemployment through the roof – can’t be bothered, have an election to win
Healthcare system dysfunctional- so what?
Airport and seaport inadequate – promising you that after 2019 elections, I swear
Leadership awful – have two honorary doctorates though
It’s time for change, the country can take no more, it’s falling apart before our eyes.
The ugly head of the ill governance in this country is raising its head in every sector and every aspect.
Poor management with a mix of politics and power. If the car boat missed it’s berthing schedule, why was it given priority over other vessels who were on time??????
King Ocean was also affected by the ill management of this week’s berthing schedule.
This is not the first time. But now the “haves”and the “have-nots” are in competition.
Sad that we have over the years stopped calling a spade a spade and operating only to please our friends and not allowing the proper societal machinery to function how they were design to perform for the benefit of all.
We are now reaping the fruits and guess what we are ALL reaping the fruits not “some”
But we like it so! At least we still have our Doctor Doctor
I’ve learnt a lot after hurricane Maria. First, i believe that DASPA needs some restructuring .Secondly, i don’t think DASPA CEO takes on this own and make such decision. The public needs some form explanation.
If that’s the case, The boss should get some walking papers which is long overdue.
DNO – i am missing something with that report. Tou have not clear outline what is the problem they are having or issues
Dominica today is like those old pit latrines of the 70’s that would run people away because of the smell. Dominica stinks badly boy and Skerrit and his opperatives running people away. But then again who cares. Skerrit is only interested in working for his Chinese boss so why would anyone expect him to ask his Chinese hospital ship to move another location for a day, to facilitate the guest line that might by the way have Americans that might want to interview some top ranking Dominicans
No surprise.The entire country is in a tailspin while an uneasy,lazy PM/doctor of nothing is fighting desperately hard to woo over unsuspecting people to vote for his failed DLP.
This time it’s not about dimples or handshakes,it’s about unreal doctorates while the country he governs is being blacklisted.
No proper port
No proper hospital
No proper airport
No proper institutions
No proper parliament
No proper police force,etc,etc,etc….A lazy PM is hopping mad how can I win the next election!!!
Skerrit Must Go
Skerrit Must Go
Skerrit Must Go Now
It’s been a long time in private conversations that I’ve said that this so called CEO Benoit Bardouille is incompetent. Granted he may not have been the one to give the orders for the ship to leave prematurely (order must come from somewhere though, else if someone below is giving such then MAYBE this CEO is still incompetent)….All ports in this country can be improved without having to spike millions of dollars. Funds are not manged efficiently…and also for once can we work on the attitude of workers/customer service in this country?
From bad to worse……so my clothes for fest not comming?
The Port should have allowed the ship to complete off loading the containers. The port’s decision has spoilt the Creole celebration and many families will not be receiving goods from their UK families. Surely this debacle could have been avoided by looking at the bigger picture. Families from UK are going to see their families since the hurricane and they cannot give them anything. It’s shameful.
..
Reckon they should award Skerrit another doctorate for that. This time for services to commerce and industry.
Nothing in Dominica works or is acceptable as far as service is concerned. As long as you are a supporter of Skerrit you get away with murder or n this case offering unacceptable standards to shipping companies. This lazy government has to go!