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The Dominica Festivals Committee (DFC) has cut all ties with Val Cuffy and has informed him that with immediate effect he is no longer its Festival and Events Manager.
DNO understands that he was informed of the decision on Thursday.
The new development follows Cuffy’s resignation submitted to the DFC earlier in the week which, according to reports, would take effect at the end of February.
In a no holds barred interview with state-owned DBS Radio, Cuffy gave two reasons for resigning from the organization, which he said was based “on principle and my conscience after several attempts to try and do things properly.”
The first had to do with the DFC’s decision not to allow eight-time calypso monarch, Dice, to perform at the Carnival Street Festival, which formally launched carnival activities in Dominica, last week.
Cuffy clearly opposed the decision, although he explained that in keeping with the contractual arrangements of his job, he signed the letter informing Dice of the DFC’s decision.
He said that he made the decision for Dice to perform at the function with his team based on its value to the Carnival product.
“I think the banning of Dice from singing on the Bayfront was really a much to do about nothing,” he said.
Cuffy stated that Dice’s song “Lootahs” has gained prominence from the saga and he told the CEO of the DDA (Colin Piper) that he should tell whoever gave him the instruction to give to him (Cuffy), that Dice should have stayed on the program.
“I am a calypsonian, I am a businessman, so I think I am uniquely placed to understand both sides of the coin,” he said.
Cuffy told DBS the other incident that prompted his resignation involved the Chairman of the DDA, Benoit Bardouille, who he said became angry because he was not invited to the Carnival Street Festival.
Businessman and calypsonian Cuffy explained that no invitations were sent out to VIPs because it was a “low key carnival launch.”
“It was not an important function,” he explained. “What we were doing at the Bayfront was handing over the key to the city by the mayor to Mr. (Gerard) Cools-Latigue who just had to say the carnival had started and then we went straight into the festivities. When he (Bardouille) inquired about his invitation, I informed him that he should liaise with the CEO and not me. The man became very irate over the phone and told me that he would not sign the check for carnival.”
“So I told Benoit Bardouile he does not sign the check for Bullseyes Pharmacy (Cuffy’s business place), it belongs to me or my wife and when the bank calls, it doesn’t call him, if he doesn’t want to sign the checks for DDA that’s a matter to him and on principle Benoit Bardouille is not executive chairman and he is operating as if he owns and operate a business called DDA and that must come to an end. I told Mr. Bardouille exactly how I felt and I knew from there on he was going to rally his troops,” Cuffy told DBS news.
Cuffy stated that he is neither bitter nor angry over the matter but recommended that the DDA and its board must be reviewed.
“The Ministry of Tourism must look at the board of DDA, it must look at the management structure of the DDA,” he remarked. “People are dying inside there. We have lost Monique Jacob, we lost Ezra Winston, Claudine Springer, Val Cuffy, lots of people are frustrated because of the way things are being done.”
He said the DDA is not the private business of one man but there is a board which must be directed and be in consultancy with the Ministry of Tourism, the minister, and cabinet.
“I understand all this a political job but they must let an events manager and events professional do their work and let the people continue to manage their affair,” Cuffy noted. “There is too much unnecessary involvement and then Mr. (Colin) Piper (CEO of the DDA) does not even have the ability to do what he wants to do as CEO because has to be micromanaged, then he micromanaged it. So that is a fundamental problem.”
Cuffy also said he is not blaming the Prime Minister nor the cabinet over the entire issue.
“I am not blaming these people at all because they have their jobs to do but there are some people that have influence on the cabinet and the government and they are square pegs in round holes who must know that at some point in time the power they think they hold will come to an end,” he said.
Val Cuffy said following what happened to him, a complete audit and analysis of the DDA and Dominica Festivals Committee (which falls under the DDA) is needed.
“It is high time because you have a problem sitting there and just as we have lost agriculture, just as we have seen the tourism product is going down, if you keep the square pegs in round holes that are running this department through the DDA on a board level and a management level, we are not going to see any progress in this country,” he said.
Cuffy said he will continue to be the voice of reason for Dominica.
“I from today will continue the mission to be the voice of reason for the people of Dominica who understands development, who understands tourism and who wants to see a better Dominica,” he said.
DNO understands that Samantha Letang and Gerard Cools-Latigue are taking up Cuffy’s responsibilities.
DNO contacted Bardouille but said he was driving.
DNO will continue to seek a comment from him on the matter.
The DDA should be disbanded during this inevitable post hurricane period of inactivity. It is a dysfunctional, misdirected, mismanaged and underperforming clique. People who actually understand and have real, personal experience of travel, of hiking etc etc should be the ones asked/appointed to promote our island properly and knowledgeably. If it continues to be a private members club of friends of friends, then Dominica’s tourism sector will simply get what it deserves. Nothing.
We have lost Monique Jacob, we lost Ezra Winston, Claudine Springer, Val Cuffy,…. & “Nathalie Clarke”!!! smh
Ok Val I take back the shame on you. It would have helped though to position yourself right away. All these board chairs are super-glued to Badwill’s arse. I never understood why, I have never seen him doing a decent job in any of his Chair-of-the-Board functions, actually I have never seen him doing anything at all except for claiming VIP treatment. And in his actual job as head of DASPA he is not only not up to the task but a complete failure, actively hindering progress and development. He is the living obstacle for all reforms and improvements. He is a dinosaur in all respects. (Age, size of the brain, inability to adjust, etc. etc. etc.) Let’s hope for a meteor impact rather sooner
than later.
You speak like ‘badwill’ is the director of the Dominica Bureau of Standards…archaic, pompous, childish and knows how to alienate stakeholders, clients and even his workers. Huge turn over rate in that institution with little visibility in the public. Results of ineffective management:the institution lags behind all its Caribbean country…..govt knows that but he is ons of the boys, so let the institution fail.
Val always resigning when he disagree with Dfc. He no they will call him back. Nonsense. As an event manager you get vex to fast. Am sure u can reasom out better
We had Erika, Maria and now Hurricane Bad-will tearing up everything from port to carnival. This shameless, incompetent and arrogant guy believes Dca belongs to him but tantoe- tantoe, chak cochon nee samdi yoe (all pig have their saturday)!
Assertive like the rod of Moses!![:twisted:](https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_twisted.gif)
It was time for Val to go. If you have to resign every time you disagree with authority, you do not belong in that organization. Val need to grow up and stop acting a child.
I think Dice should release a new song title Goodwill and “Badwill”
It is shameful and ridiculous that people are still struggling and suffering from Maria and you are fighting over your big Egotistical ways. Do you know the people of Scott’s Head are still without RUNNING WATER? The most important necessity in life we Don’t have it. It is the month of February with no running Water in Scotts Head.
Call your parl rep Denise Charles. She is the one out there saying her constituency is way ahead on the recovery. Everyone from her constituency should get her number and flood it will calls demanding action. That is what this lazy, incompetent government understands. Action!
Assertive like Hurricane Maria!![:twisted:](https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_twisted.gif)
So after this kind of hurricane in .4 months you expect water to come to ur house?
Where is your realistic consideration for dowasco who can’t even finish the city and u talking about running water?
The is just after a hurricane u saying that?
But wait awhile nah are you really real?
Omg help them for they do know what they saying.
Excuses, excuses, excuses. Lord pleaseeeee open the eyes and mind of our people.
Assertive but NEVER Aggressive!![:twisted:](https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_twisted.gif)
NUWP, shut the front door. Who feels it knows it. The water is less than 1/4 from the village running 24/7 so I have a right to express my frustration so keep U front door shut NUWP!![:oops:](https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_redface.gif)
If it was your house still being without water I’m sure you would be singing a different song. Hypocrite!
NUWP
If you could, you’d take back your comment
One of Dawasco’s senior engineers ( albeit now retired ) is from up there ,
and when asked why is there a problem ? he throws his arm in the air claiming he is also very baffled .
So NUWP If you dunno what people talking about, in future , just stay quiet nah
you’ll be safe.
”Me ”
I was refraining from commenting on that, as you people don’t seem interested in voicing any discontentment with that whole situation but just sit back singing ”I love my PM”
In the history of Scott’s Head, I have never known the village to be left without pipe borne water for so long , never before, and i am all de way up past 50 .
in my youth whenever that sea was angry we would have broken pipes , within a week , re-connection, after every single hurricane we have disruption , but re -connection in a jiffy .
It is one of the only villages in Dominica without a river, yet our water source remains the most reliable.After hurricane David we were one of the only villages with clean drinking water the very next day.Why then has there been no re-connection of the supply pipes ?Would it be far fetched to be curious that the trucks being used to supply emergency water, belong to someone in a privileged position to capitalize on the opportunity to make millions ?…
Me
Is so when allu start me off , i voicing my vexation.
Allu singing i love my PM, yes allu can love who allu want,because is your humanitarian right to ,but i asking allu what has he actually done for the village that he can say ”I did that?” .
Comarade i know you will get de message , and trust me you will.
But i Dee saying you have not done anything for us up there .
When you built the shacks on de bay front,i said that was a bad idea ; where are them now? The people you give de rum and try to make merry , when they sober up,i ask them to name one thing that you have actually done for that Village that we can leave for the next generation to improve on,and their silence(now sober)is shameful.
Comrade,we have two internationally qualified,retired engineers up there ;
utilize them man ; put differences aside for a while,Maria has handed you the opportunity to leave your mark in the village .Like me, these two engineers know Scott’s Head like the back of our hands.
You need to sit and talk to those who can advise you , those with the knowledge,those with the experience,i could have told you, one day the sea would take those shacks, as we know from experience, what that calm sea does when it is angry .
Listen to me man,the heights of Scott’s Head is relatively flat and only belong to a handful of people,you can divert at least a couple hundred thousand dollars ( i am not an engineer so the cost is my own belief) and cut a road to access up there.You don’t have to ask anybody to buy,you cut the damn road, then you pay them for what has been used .There must be some form of compulsory purchase by Government from one person ,if it is in the best interest of everybody else .Cut that damn road man ; there is valuable land up there to expand the Village ,just build it properly,with drains etc etc , people will build up there,and will be much safer than down on the bay front .DO NOT LET THEM BUILD ON THE BAY FRONT AGAIN.
With all that climate resilience resounding every where , the Safety of your people should be paramount to you ;Scott’s Head is one of the safest villages in Dominica
primarily because we do not have any river to wash us out .Lissen ,Maria hit Da at how many mph? well the South was the landing pad for Maria, so up there should been devastated beyond recognition; Scott’s Head was the first village to get hit and by the brunt of that Maria woman, yet we were blessed to only have had one death; so something is right up there; we safe ,
Dow let anybody say about volcano , we have modern technology so should know when and if that’s going to happen. just build a likkle jetty dere
if anything, we all head out to Martinique, we have fast boats now that take us to Martinique (accessing international airport) quicker than we would get to Charles Douglas to head to Antigua or Barbados .
Man I say Build de road at the back of Scott’s Head so a community can develop up there , you can even name the road Rosevelt St . if you want , we dow mind , then your chiren and grand chiren dem can one day visit and say ” ”that’s Daddy’s Street”. we dow mine that either .
Now you would be leaving your mark and a legacy for ever.
I can and will now promise you that i would landscape that road , planting trees and flowers, at my own cost, to beautify up there ; YOU HAVE MY WORD ON THAT ,my name need not be mentioned ever after .; But build the road man.
Talk to Simon and Etienne , i can guarantee they will talk with you , they are both Patriotic men of the Village , and then you can go laugh , smile , listen to dem other man you giving de drink, who can then say why they love their PM.
You still my Comrade ok . I just like to see things done correctly and for the betterment of all . BUILD THAT ROAD .
Not only scottshead Bellevue Chopin too..
Well if there is overarching decisions that he disagrees with being made by others then he should be a CONSULTANT and not an employee! Advise but not have ownership of the decisions. He seems to want credit when things are going great but pointing the finger when its not! he should be a consultant because he cannot take ownership for decisions.
He is a COSULTANT! This is what he keeps forgetting
This is prof of how victimizing Dominicans are; if the man tendered his resignation, which should be effective at the end of this month, it would appear he was honoring a contract of some kind; since he did not just walk off the job without a successor, it seem because of his ethics, and decency, was allowing them time to find a replacement.
So, this thing about immediate effect is laughable; they are pretending they are firing him. That is the ‘Dominican epitome’ of victimization; hate, and malice! The DFC is an embarrassment to themselves!
I didn’t get your point nah sir.
I not seeing the coordination or connection there.
So save your self some embarrassment and SHOT THE …. UP AND LET PEOPLE WITH COMMON SENSE HOLD A MATURE DISCUSSION ON THE SUBJECT MATER.
Because I not seeing how it is I as a Dominican have to be blamed for getting his matching papers after he clearly was rude and disrespectful to authorities.
If one have a problem there are ways to deal with things. Not going on radio talking nonsense about d Chairman CEO minister & entire cabinet. This unacceptable
Val who always thinks he knows more than anyone else is his own problem
He need to comedown from his tall building and be of some more value to his nation. He has some skills and knowledge but he seem to want to impose it and failing to realise he is working for a board who is under a ministry which is under the control of the CABINET irrespective or who they are. So it is not my way or the high way. It’s stupid Val
FRANCISCO
Common i do not agree with you .
There are ways in which these things are done .Yes i agree it may not always seem right , and not that i am supporting this whole debacle , but along with two other managers I had to walk a fellow manager out of the premises, at the very moment he handed in his resignation, , yes it can be done in the interest of the establishment ; it is not what you do but how you do what you do ,if you are a genuine employee you will understand the concern of your employer in protecting the sensitivity of possible valuable information , and that manager understood , it was in his best interest to leave immediately, because he could even have been accused of any thing at all, in an effort to discredit him or even effect his contractual pay settlement .
How effective or productive would Val have been if he was allowed to stay until his leaving date, with all that bad blood around? He could have been set up in his office
You never know man .
Is better de man out of there immediately than completion of leaving date .
he could have return to his office to find undesirable package that he did not put there and had touched in his curiosity, leaving his fingerprints on there , and then be embarrassed on the wrong side of the law.
Man you never know . God works mysteriously .
Val Accept it for what it is.
Okay, I got your point, it is a valid one, and I sort of agree in a way with you after reading near to the end of your comments.
It was about time someone realized that the Board of DDA is a bunch of handpicked individuals who are really square pegs in round homes, in the wrong holes and positions. But again, so are mist of the Boards on Dominica.
Boy the last time I heard the young Bull he was a Baptist pastor someone made a confession to, but today I heard him speak in tongues on “Talk on the block” with Matt and there was no one to interpret. Since matt could not interpret and I know I have the gift of interpretation let me interpret Val message. Off course he was talking about Badwill (never mind the spelling) and said “some people have bad will but I vote in goodwill”. Matt that you could not interpret boy? So Matt what about if he said Badwill wil be the DLP candidate for Goodwill, where the big bull votes and the big bull is a person of influence that knows people? Did you get it now Matt? Thank me for my gift of interpretation next time eh Matt. So Mr. Lugay you better start to prepare to square up against a person with Badwill in the Goodwill constituency. Thank you Big Bull!!! You sure have grown 10 feet taller
Hello and good afternoon my people. Well Mr Cuffy I have much more respect for you because you called things for what they are. You should tell Mr Bardouille to go and stand at the entrance to the port and tell my uncle who made eleven trips from Grand Bay to pick up a generator I sent him. Where is his Generator because he can’t ever run a port much less organize a carnival. He want tickets to seat at the front but they don’t want the most prolific entertainer Dominica ( King Dice) has ever produce to sign his song because it will embarrass them. I hope this will open your eye because people don’t get positions in Dominica based on their education or learnt ability rather they receive positions based on their political Affiliation and that is destroying our country.
Tony, Kid Francisco doh know who thief it eh; but if you go to Dominica, and cool out until night fall you will see somebody who cannot afford a generator, house light up.
That person might be the thief: On your purchase receipt will be a serial number for the generator, if you engage somebody in Dominica to spy and look for that serial number, or patten number you might eventually find the thief!
Go to the suspect home, when they go hunting for something free.
Boy, Dominicans will never like my opinions on DNO because our people will never try to learn one simply thing, and that is honesty we too thief. I was advise not to send anything home at this time. So, be it food or money I send it to Antigua to a relative who travels with food or money to Dominica.
That is an inside the custom job, somebody working there thief it. Don’t say stole, that is too mild, thief is the better word.
He never said anybody thief it . It maybe in a container still .. dont assume making and …. of u and me
To: Mr Telemaque
Hello and good morning my people. I am not accusing anyone of stealing the generator but Mr Bardouille have time to get into a verbal argument with Mr Cuffy over tickets and his sitting position at a carnival event but he can’t find out what happened to my uncle generator . I sent four, Five Thousand Five Hundred Watt generators with their separate tracking number to Dominica. All four arrived in DA based on verification of the tracking numbers and three were pick up but my uncle still haven’t received his. I went to Dennis Shipping in Brooklyn who also track it and they told me there records showed it arrived and was scanned by Tropical Shipping on the pier when the ship arrived. My uncle is seventy seven years so how many more trips he has to make to the get his generator when his sister who also reside in Grand Bay got her generator. So Mr Bardouille please tell me where is my uncle generator which should be at the port where you are the Director.
So much people there bashing the man and threatening to boycott bullseye after dice was prevented from performing but turns out he wanted dice to perform the whole time….
It was him who signed the paper.
Totally confused. first you resign, came back at lunch time, then resign, came back at dinner time, then they resign you?
From what you should have read…he resigned with an effective date. February month end. So he would have still held his position up until that time i guess to tie up loose ends…WCMF etc. DFC had other plans.
Uwp supporters go and make val lose his job
That ‘bad-will” again. His time will come because He seeks to use his position to victimize people (DDA, Solid Waste, Dominica Port Authority to name a few).
Mr Badwill on all these boards?? He reminds me of the AID Bank Chairman, Martin Charles. Another one of Skerrit square pegs but he seats on AID Bank, Social Security and Domlec or Dowasco boards. Useless people
Well Val, you should have resigned with immediate effect not wait on your February Check. It would be interesting to hear the whole conversation between you and Bardouille as I suspect there might be missing parts. How can the opening of Carnival not an important event?
I always try to understand of what’s going on before making any comments but from someone in authority it makes little sense, because if one resigned one year earlier then return one day later. One year later the heads and personnel in charge still the same then how do you want or expected change.
If he wanted change from the top then he should have stress that on no grounds he come back to the organization unless there was changed from the top.
And by no way he would have continued unless those guys were gone but should have done last year.
He signed a contracttttttt!!!!!! Paw gaad how hard is that to understand?
@ a George
My point exactly when he resigned last year before signing he could have explained his reason for resigning the first time last year. If there is misunderstanding in management style last year BUT the same people still in same position why would expect any thing different.
I don’t know so you tell me when he resigned in 2017 did he have a contract?
Thanks
? btw don’t quite your job and go back because your boss won’t forget
Like the Scribes and Pharisees of old,Benoit Badouille feels he wants his prominence and to be seen seated at the head table.With all the mess at the ports to be addressed I’m sure that there is a lot more important things that Benoit should be concerned about.This political goon has to know he will not last forever politically and so a dose of humility will be in order for him when the right time comes.Thanks Val for putting the spot light on the problems affecting culture and so many other aspects of development under this failed regime
Badwill just tried to be a bully boy sometimes, but he is nothing but a little Skerrit puppet. Years ago I had a coming together with that fool in regards to some damaged goods at the harbour. He attempted to give me a few tall stories which I did not even listen to. Instead I went to see my lawyer and told him to write a letter to him exactly outling my claim and the amount I was claiming. Three days later my lawyer called me to say that he is in possession of a cheque from the port authority. He’s just a little dog that likes barking occasionally!!
Why are u so angry Jonathan? You have only heard Val’s side yet you go on a hateful rant against Bardouille, chill bro.
I have deduced that the problem in Dominica is that too many people depending on ONLY a JOB. If Piper had a Business running, he would be able to tell the DDA board bye bye long ago..having JOBs- Just over Brokes alone keep people kissing arses and celebrating mediocrity for too long. Val will sleep better at nights ’cause his conscience is free and he still can provide for himself and family.
Dominicans need empowerment, let get these cons out of there and build our country. Lazy, Sick and dependent people that crippling Dominica.
There are two sides to every story. I wonder if Val is speaking the truth.
Val everywhere is the same thing..that public service full of square pegs in round holes just frustrating people
especially in education……but their time MUST COME
Don’t talk about ministry of agriculture.. Worst of the bunch
Same for AID BANK..From Acting GM to board…square pegs but all of them day will come. Sad that these people legacy will only be a path of destruction to the county of Dominica. The Real Looters of the country
Val should never make it reached to the point of making “badwill” embarrassed him…he should have submitted his resignation with immediate effect if he had such grievances. In Dominica we sit like moomoos and take it all, then bark louder when we are disposed..
How sad! But Val is making a vital point that has been made before but is falling on govt’s death ear….the need to audit quasi govt management on a periodic basis…some managers st such institutions micromanages, frustrates good workers and the institutions suffers. Any human resource expert will tell u that any institution with a high turnover rate results from poor and frustrating managers…compare the DBoS
Its really sad when the entire governance structure is in this state. Every institution has been compromised, even concubines run key positions. The church has remained quiet as it did in Haiti during the Duvalier era all this as a result of greed and selfishness. Who is to blame? They know themselves and should just quietly resign, but some people have too much to loose and will keep their positions to protect the interest.
Val finally someone with a heart has spoken out,but my brother the empire will fall and very soon.Dominica will continue to go down the drain.only a few in dominica drink the sweet honey but god is in control and will deal with them.dice will continue to flourish while all their hate kills them,who jah bless no man curse,piper stop being a puppet.stand up to these guys we all know it is hard to stand up to these cowards.
Did it really have to come to this for Val Cuffy to open his mouth and vent his frustration? I am sure you noticed that things were not proper a long time ago. Not it seems that Val has seen the light and wants to tell it all. My MY My, retribution can have double the fury than revenge,
.
The only time persons seem to talk in Dominica is when they have been compromised
It is time to put a stop to what Bardouille is doing. Which is micromanaging. I wonder what is he afraid of? Why can’t he allow the employees/professionals do their job?
The authorities really need to step in now and give this man his walking papers.
Way to go Val… you have my utmost respect! All the best in your endeavors.
Another “maria” all yuh want in that country.