Relatives of the late prime ministers, Roosevelt Douglas and Pierre Charles, have expressed profound gratitude to the government for renaming Dominica’s main airport as the Douglas-Charles Airport in memory of their love ones.
The offical renaming ceremony took place at the airport’s Parking lot on Monday.
“Uncle Rosie and my father shared an unconditional friendship, they went through numerous ups and downs together and even shared similar untimely passings,” Faiza Charles Sylvester, daughter of Charles, said. “It is absolutely fitting that they are remembered together as they always were.”
She said the names of the two men will now receive international recognition.
“The names Pierre Charles and Roosevelt Douglas will once again receive, not just national, but international recognition,” she stated. “They will now become household names to all who travel to and through our amazing country.”
She described the decision to honor her father as ‘humbling.’
“The decision to honour my father Pierre Charles is one that is humbling because we already know how much of a pillar he was to the Grand Bay constituency and as such his legacy has been highlighted through landmarks, such as the Pierre Charles Secondary School and the Pierre Charles Boulevard,” she stated. “However allowing the rest of Dominica to remember him every time we mention our airport means the world to us.”
Sylvester stated the majority of Dominicans will never know the Pierre Charles his family knew.
“The father, the husband, the comedian, the dancer, the friend. However it was a privilege to share the part of him that Dominica and the world grew to appreciate and love- the leader, the innovator, the visionary,” she noted.
Meantime Joyce Dear, who represented the Douglas family, said she it was a great pleasure to be asked to say a few words at the ceremony.
“It was a great pleasure when I was asked, and I was even doubtful because I live in Barbados actually and I felt that somebody on the ground would have come forward,” she noted. “And I came here not really thinking that I would be asked to say a few words. But I am happy to do so.”
She described the honor as “a great gesture.”
“On behalf of the Douglas family, especially the siblings, the brothers and sisters of Rosie Douglas I would like to thank the government for this great gesture and we are honoured as a family,” she said.
Two members of the Douglas family, Tiyani Behanzin, Rosie’s son and Sean Douglas, the late prime minister’s nephew, on Monday issued a release stating that they were condemning the airport renaming and described it as “a cynical ploy by this regime to sideline these two great leaders to a mere footnote in the annals of Dominican history.”
What is the true cost for the renaming of the airport. It is not just the 260 plus thousand that has to be spent what about the administrative changes both locally and internationally that has to be done. the amount that has to be made to IATA for code changes and to have it inserted into the system etc etc so there is much more cost involved than the simple local cost being quoted. the cost for hosting and the cost for the plaque is peanuts compared to the associated cost that has to be paid to internationally.
this is so sad, Dominica forgets the true so of the soil; who ought the colonist and brought us to independence they will not even mention his name, while they all profit from his hard work for Dominica. Patrick John the first Prime Minister of Dominica who fought colonisation and took us to independence. The truth the bourgeois Freedomites hated the thought of a man of African descent being prime Minister they plotted and brought PJ down. Pierre Charles was a good guy,yes Rossie was a black power leader but neither had opportunity to show what they would have done, before their untimely demise. Skerrit is an opportunist politician using the good name of these two men for his political games. Well done Dominica.
let’s take a look at the status of the relatives that expressed profound gratitude to the government for renaming the airport to see how many years they spent in hell with the rest of us that were sent there by Skerrit.
1.Faiza Charles Sylvester, daughter of Charles: It is a fact that weeks after Pierro passed and was buried, the then Faiza Charles moved to Florida on a student visa and remained there until she got married to that Sylvester man. So Faiza never experienced a day in hell with us.
2. Joyce Dear: Her own words tells us that she too never spent a day in hell with us. “It was a great pleasure when I was asked, and I was even doubtful because I live in Barbados actually and I felt that somebody on the ground would have come forward,” she noted. “And I came here not really thinking that I would be asked to say a few words. But I am happy to do so.”
People get over it and move on. It is a great gesture – well done Skeritt and team.
We are dominican we have to look at life and look at what is good for Dominica am in Jamaica now and looking at some comments from some people its bad if u can’t say something about what is going on in Dominica don’t talk
I find this to be disrespect to the people of Dominica especially Marigot people. What did pierre Charles and rosie douglas did for the airport or for Dominica. I think the airport should stay as Melville Hall Airport. what a mess the so call prime minister is creating. He should get his priority straight. He should fix the marigot hospital.
He deserves to be kicked out and i hope Dominicans do just that. Let us be real. really, what did Pierre Charles and Rosie Douglas do to make the country a better place.
Why were not persons like Oliver Philip. Belgrave Robinson,Pat Stevens, Eddison James considered.
Skerrit you day is coming.
Oh please people Stop this crapp. Mr Douglas family has there own agender it has been like that but thank God for the man he was he remained focus on building a better Dominica. That man was a powerful leader its just shameful what this family thinks. Good job Mr prime minister keep up the good work.
Oh my God what a BIG mess the pm has put our beloved country into we finish in DA we
In what mess? Is your mind playing tricks with you? Make yourself explicit.
After Skerrit leaves office I think we should name the Public Toilet in vieux casse after him. The Roosevelt Skerrit Toilet. Because one of his biggest achievements as Prime Minister was giving people toilet. Waste of time and money. I hate that name. When I hear it I think a man named Douglas Charles was the Prime Minister.
May God bless you
Your comment is derogatory and lowly. It is not a nice thing to state. You are insulting. I thought you were an intelligent person. Some of you could spoil a good article.
I am certain the people were happy and grateful about receiving toilets. They no longer have to use a public facility or behind their house or go to the river or sea to relieve themselves. When duty calls you have to go.
Once when I visited D/ca, a few of us went to bathe in the sea in a certain village. As we walked along to the area where we could bathe, there was a lot of human feces on the ground. We had to be careful not to walk on them. Is this what you would like to see continuing in Dominica?
Be careful that one day you do not pay for your words. I do think you will for your words are spiteful, not complimentary and are idle ones.
Our Lord Jesus Christ warned us about idle words that, on the Day of Judgment, by your words you will be acquitted and by your words you will be condemned. This is interpreted, “Every idle word that man shall speak he shall render an account thereof.”
I am stating this for your mortal and spiritual benefit. Therefore, consider piling up idle words, one on top the other until you die. Food for thought.
I support you 100%
This sounds like a bird brain comment. naming the airport isnt about you & what you like or dislike.
And his party should really be called the Latrine Party.
For all those who still hate it is done. Get over it these two great visionaries will always be remembered from now on even if it’s everytime someone leaves or comes into Dominica.
you should be a shame of yourself. what visionaries were they. visionaries of what.
I would like to hear a little more of the great Mike Douglas to madam Euginia charles Patrick John and others this are the people who paved the way for the ones that we are honoring today. Much of the young men and women don’t even know who led Dominica into independence. They don’t know much of mike and miss charles. I think there should be statues of the to great brothers of Mike and Rosie Douglas on entering Portsmouth with a history of them on a plark instead of that monument at borrow square. It could be rename after them to. Those are our heroes .
“Uncle Rosie and my father went through numerous ups and downs and even shared similar untimely passings,” Faiza Charles Sylvester, daughter of Charles, said. faiza I agree that both Rosie and Pierro were both disrespected and abused by the men in power now which caused them to share similar passing.
a lot of those BPs turn Skritites today lol they loss their compasses. supporting crap like that a runaway group who were on the periphery of the DFP invaded DLP and set up their ISIS Gov’t with talibans MRK, shinning pathetic etc all kind of ideology in there $ keeping them from fighting each other. Some mad some getting control of the passport sales when it was agreed it would be evenly distributed only to find out a hand full have a monopoly. I hear it have 3 guys in there missing like 4 million to be billionaires do you know them reader?
What an embarrassment! ,” Faiza Charles, daughter of Pierre Charles expressed gratitude to the government but on Rosie Douglas’ side, Joyce Dear represented him? Who is she DNO? Is she a daughter, sister, niece or cousin of Rosie? Anyways if she is not a daughter, that would make it even more embarrassing for the following reasons: Rosie has two sons in Dominica (b) Rosie has brothers living in Dominica (3) Rosie has sisters living in Dominica 4) why someone who lives in Barbados and does not know what hell we the friends of Rosie have been sent to?
Faiza Charles daughter of Pierre Charles the Government of Dominica and the people of Dominica did not bestowed the name change of the airport after your father it was a one man show therefore I would suggest that you take a drive to the airport and read the plaque that was placed on the wall for all to see so how can you express your gratitude to the Government of Dominica when it was renamed by Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit, Sometimes we need to remove the red glasses to be able to see things as they were ment to be.
I am pleased to read that Rosie has been remembered, so everytime I come through Melvine Hall, I will be very pleased to know that I am at the Rosevelt and Charles Airport.
Joyce Dear is a senior sister of the Douglas Family. Yes she does resides in Barbados, however if she was called upon to represent, why are you all kicking her down? (Joyce is mother to Ken and Chery Dear) Maybe you are too young to know.
Please my fellowmen remember a lot of people are reading thisincluding myself, that is why i am responding. I am a long time family friend. Actually one of the siblings named Athelene who used to be a teacher at the Portsmouth Secondary School she is my adopted and Godmother.
Leave and live well alone.
Thank you.
Will all of you stop fussing and fighting about the renaming of an airport/road or whatever it is and lets come together to work for the betterment of this blessed land and its people!
go to hell you idiot
I’m delighted that our airport is now named after two of OUR own leader/heroes. It’s a very fitting tribute to both if them. Well done PM!! I’m not a member of any political party therefore I can throw my weight behind good and sound decisions. Not everyone will be pleased as you can’t please everyone. Families will have their views and divisions. This is something that we should all be proud of and when we land we do so with pride!! Good job!! God bless Dominica!!
if in today’s history we cant have our main airport named after an OPRESSOR CALLED MELILLE HALL, why is this community still called MELVILLE HALL?
Pls. note , this blog was not written by Me.
“Uncle Rosie and my father shared an unconditional friendship, they went through numerous ups and downs together and even shared similar untimely passings,” Faiza Charles Sylvester, daughter of Charles, said. “It is absolutely fitting that they are remembered together as they always were.” Isn’t that sad to be saying so to people who care not?
Where has conscience gone under the NEO Cons or Neo DLP/DFP out casts/gang of 1,2,3,4,5,6,…………………………… !!! Somebody put a hand.
This is so sickening and ROSIE son and nephew did what there father and uncle would have done,shame on you Ian.
They wont comment cause its in the government favour.
So john cant laborites write too? what’s wrong with labourites writing to support their government? they don’t love to read and write? I guess not cause the labour party just teach how to give maypwee, and depend on hand-out
there will always be family members who don’t see the big picture… in slavery days they’d be the warns to run tell massa bout the plan we have to revolt… only for massa to reward them with a pat on the back saying, you-sah good lil slave my son….
the son and nephews of Rosie Douglas weren’t invited, they were against it… as a family member i’d not attend this function.
Please, don’t give us that crap. The name change was not because of that. If it was, a far better choice would have been one of our maroon leaders. Skerrit does not care a s..t about that stuff because he was happy to undo all the work Rosie did for the African Union for instance by making his little deal with the king of Morocco for a few trinkets, just like our forefather chiefs sold their people into slavery all those years ago in Africa. To use such an argument for changing the name of an airport makes me puke.
malgray you sounding like a black power lol Like my granny called my dad aunts. uncles when I was a kid lol
I remember saying zor ce black power la lol ca fumer marijuans paca travail lol zor ca annie bar Gov’t mala problem that was in the late 70’s
Malgraysa you sound just like a BP to me lol hahahahahahahah