Alleyne “Atlicks” Louis can boast of being sober today, after spending two years in rehabilitation at Wisdom To Know, the rehab operation being run by scout master Bonti “Ace” Liverpool.
The scout building on High Street remains his home to date because the young man says “I have nowhere else to go to”.
“I don’t drink alcohol anymore, and I feel much better,” Atlicks has been telling DNO.
He says it’s over two years ago since he had a drink, and he intends staying away from the booze.
He gives the praise for his current status to Ace, the former addict who has not only turned his life around but has now made it a lifelong vocation to help drug addicts and alcoholics rehabilitate.
“He is doing a good job, although the money (is) not there,” he said of the Wisdom to Know director.
“A lot of guys pass here already, who went back on drugs, who went back on alcohol, who are still clean,” Atlicks informed our reporter while insisting that Ace was doing a good job caring for some of those society today refer to as “parro”.
“He doing everything on his own, and he need a little support,” the rehabilitated Atlicks said in making a case for the Dominica government to give some kind of support to the Wisdom To Know operation.
Another rehab client, Roy “Taggy” Clifford, also appealed for government assistance for the programme.
“Well I asking them to help us, try to help us to bring in some funds. That would be good and come and see the condition and to try to help us fix up the place,” Taggy said while looking up to the roof where holes in the galvanise were clearly evident, confirming Ace’s expressed concerns about a leaking roof that often made residing in that building uncomfortable when it rains.
About his own situation Taggy admits to not being exactly one of the success stories.
“I was there for ten months but I relapsed,” he confided frankly.
Back in May 11 (2012) he found it extremely hard to resist taking that alcoholic drink, but says he now regrets this and is trying his best to remain sober.
“I make up my mind,” he affirmed.
Taggy says the Wisdom To Know experience is a good one because Ace “is looking after us very very well”.
On Tuesday he’d been asking Ace for “back and neck” chicken, with Liverpool having to admit to him at the time that he didn’t have any and couldn’t afford to purchase some at the moment.
However by the time our reporter got to the Scouts’ headquarters where the operation is located, Taggy was confirming to DNO that Ace Liverpool had worked wonders and brought him the poultry parts he’d wanted to cook himself a meal.
At the moment there are ten clients in rehab at Wisdom to know, and Liverpool, often described as a one-man operation, says he has to turn potential clients away because of limited resources.
Those able to access the 10 month service are allowed to detoxify for the first month.
“We do not prescribe any medication. So we allow you to just rest, let the body do its thing and then clean out itself,” he explained.
That’s usually followed by a three months’ programme of Alcoholics Anonymous – a 12 step programme.
Then comes relapsed prevention that deals with coping techniques to prevent the addict from going back to the drugs or the alcohol.
The teaching of social skills takes up another three months (those skills include conflict resolution and anger management).
Recovering addicts are also exposed to “a vocational component where we teach you skills like woodwork, building construction, agriculture to get a job on the outside”.
Liverpool says his organization also tries to help those who have gone through the programme find employment.
“If you feel ready to go out to meet that challenge out there then you are allowed to. But you can always come back – aftercare is forever,” he explained.
Despite the many challenges, Bonti Ace Liverpool’s sense of humor is able to shine through:
“We have a very big staff of me alone,” he says jovially when asked how many people are involved in conducting the programme.
He clearly needs all the help he can get to make the operation even more effective than it is at the moment.
Mr. Liverpool is a God sent, my mother and husband is from Dominica and we are already starting a group to get some resources in place to assist Wisdom to Know org…hello people!!!!! help, help, help,..if a 100 people gives a dollar, that is a hundred dollars, I am all the way in Orlando and in the process with my mother and other fellow dominicans attempting to help Mr. Liverpool…DOMINICANS DO SOMETHING..have some integrity and do your part.
Big Up Bonti.That’s a good story.Makeing us Grandbayrians and Dominicans @ home and abroad proud of You.
judge not yet ye be judged …….. give OUR BROTHER BREAK. If u cannot support him – just step aside. STOP CRITICIZING – UNITED WE STAND!!!!
Dominicans beware!! @ Scout-de-la-Dominiq is a typical scenario of a Dominican on seeing another Dominican being praised by his fellow Dominicans for work well done is sowing seeds of discord in an attempt to take down the person being praised.
For example:”and internally there is conflict of interest but to protect my identity I cannot fully discuss there in this forum. But there is more than meets the eye.”
Scoute-de-la-Dominiq goes on to say “Many a scouts have left or remain dormant because this situation has been allowed to happen.” She now clothes herself in self-righteousness “Don’t get me wrong I have family who could seriously benefit from such an “An Addicts Rehab Centre.”
The message from Scoute-de-la Dominiq is clear. There is something fishy, something underhand, something not right going on and Bonti Liverpool is that something. So investigate Bonti Liverpool and remove him.
While Scoute-de-la Dominiq tries to protect her identity her motive is clear. She does not like Bonti Liverpool and is envious at what id being written about him by the clear majority of the people who have commented on the DNO story.
What is it the conflict of interest that cannot be discussed in a medium where your identity is protected? Who are the many scouts who have left or remained dormant? What is the situation that has been allowed to happen? (what are those apart?)
As it stands, the scout movement was dormant when Mr. Liverpool came back from his leave of absence, dealing with his drug and alcohol habit. He was the Executive Commissioner when he took that leave in 2003. When he came back in 2007, he met the Scout and Guide Headquarters abandoned. Yes, abandoned by both the Guides and the Scouts. The place was a haven for vagrants; faeces all over the place,no lights no water, rats big like big cats.
Having lost everything his house and all, Mr. Liverpool asked us (Mr. Edward Henderson, the then Chief Commissioner)to rest his head at the Headquarters. It was agreed. Mr. Liverpool then with the help of paros cleaned up the place and put back lights and water. During that time, the asbestos was removed. As soon as the the place was made habitable, the Guide Commissioner sent a letter to the paros asking them to move. Is not one thing that man Mr. Liverpool is going through.
Hypocristy, envy, jealousy. It is amazing that that man always has a smile on his face.
The programme never intended to remain at the Headquarters permanently. Far from it. The programme has been seeking to move for the longest while.
The innuendos, smoking mirrors and mischief that Scoute-de-la-Dominiq seeks to sow are the self-serving utterances of someone who has a beef with Bonti Liverpool. They smack of the jealousy and envy of a person wishing that the praises being written of Bonti Liverpool was being written of her.
that’s all we can do bro…and off course occasionally point things out like you just did i appreciate your effort.
Interesting. You sound like Bonti self. You can always tell who are English teachers in the comments. I read the comment by Scoute-de-la-Dominiq and I tend to agree. I am 100% for rehab for these guys…who knows it could have been me, my brother or my cousin like Creswell but have to agree not in the Guides and Scout HQ like that. Any time someone critics an article even if it is positive criticism we don’t even take time to analyse what the person saying. smh
Hearing and seeing is believing. If the government is helping or wants to help, then clarity is required of how many people are being helped. In the meantime, rehab is required for those people he mentioned and others to come. Let us be positive and help them.
are any of the churches in Dominica interested in rehabilitating people? or are they just interested in making their building and yards look nice???
if my collection money was used toward something as WORTHWHILE as supporting THIS, maybe I would go to church with my wallet more often……..
we should boycott our respective churches if they refuse to support this initiative, but some people are so loyal to an “IDEA” or religion that is hardly loyal to any tangible cause. so sad……
and the lord said, Peter you are the ROCK upon which I will build my church……. the church is not just a building folks…. its the people coming together to bring redemption and salvation, after which we can witness and testify and be blessed… what have our churches redeemed lately, other than renovations???????
That is heart warming, I will make it a point of duty to physically visit.
@ Aye Dominique
Encourage other resident Dominicans to do likewise and to support him.
I know Mr. Liverpool personally and he is very good i recall him helping children at a remedial class in Grammar School funded by an NGO, he was good with the children and helped them with English, Maths and even science and Social Studies. Today some of the children who were at his remedial class was able to graduate. He did what no teacher was able to do with these children.
Mr. Liverpool is a very smart man, he writes business plans, he write project. And most of all he believes firmly in the creator.
Mr. Liverpool is a very educated man who once got distracted and i want to thank the NGO for helping him pull through and he did well.
I have also visited the scout quarters and he really needs assistant. And i believe firmly that the government or people in the business industry should come forward and contribute. He has a big heart and he is one person doing miracles for others. Help him please.
DNO.. consider having a fundraising event for this institution.. I never knew such a place existed and it is so much needed with all this drug addicts around who needs help desperately. Consider my idea. I am sure you can figure out some way to have this fundraising. Go on and be strong Mr.Liverpool. God will reward you greatly. Help is coming.
i will do my best to put something together 4 u
Bonti Liverpool is a perfect exponent of the great Kennedy admonition: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”
That he can do that kind and that amount of work especially in his village of Grand Bay where he was vilified, laughed at, scorned and trodden underfoot when he was an addict gives you the measure of the man. When we say “due respect,” we say “Mr. Bonti Liverpool.” That man walks the talk he talks. How many of us have the capacity to do that? May God bless you Mr. Bonti Liverpool.
To DNO.. Thank you for covering this story. Its wonderful…. and has a personal touch for me. If possible, please find Ace contact information for me. I live outside of Dominica but I am SURE that I can be of assitance to this much need operation.
You have my email address.
As a nation we can all contribute. maybe if one person in every village contribute between one dollar and twenty dollars and if the government give assistance it can be done. There will be enough money for at least five years. Great job. I will do my part. Every little bit helps. If liat can get 8 million I think this organization can get 8 thousand or even 8 hundred that will do alot.
I say fund them, this man is doing a good job taking his own time caring for homeless people unrecognized which is very caring and i know alleyne he has had a real rough time being deported from overseas because of bad company. He has been to prison already when he was staying at grotto, he is a real helpful guy and hard working. Ever since he started going up there he stayed out of trouble, keep up the good work guys!
That was his past, give a compliment and shut=up
papa i thought bonti was relapsed too…
smfh @ smh….. look million dollars SMH go by save-a-lot tell them you want 1 ounce of CLASS…..
oops I forgot….that’s something learnt, not bought…
* 1 million
If you win lottery, if you get a salary increase….? Wow it’s amazing what Love is all about. You have a dollar give it with a generous and grateful heart. God will multipy whatever you give. Food for thought. God bless
I’m very happy that a positive venture like this is underway. I however have a problem with the way it is being conducted. Mr. Liverpool has basically taken over the Scout & Guides Head Quarters and turned it into an “Addicts Rehab Centre”. The idea is excellent but for one thing: why deprive the Scout & Guides full access to the facility.
Mr. Liverpool is a senior official with the Cadets and the Chief Scout Commissioner who lives there himself and internally there is a conflict of interest but to protect my identity I cannot fully discuss here in this forum. But there is more than meets the eye.
Basically, the Gov. needs to assist to setup and maintain a place like this but not at the expense of the Scout & Guide movements. Many a scouts have left or remain dormant because this situation (apart from other situations) has been allowed to happen. Don’t get me wrong, I have family who would seriously benefit such an “Addicts Rehab Centre”. We just need a proper one.
Typical of us Dominicans when we don’t like a person. What is it that you cannot fully discuss? What is the more that there to meet the eye? Which scouts that have left or remain dormant? You want to give the impression that Mr. Liverpool doing wrong things in secret hoping that Sr. Anita, Mr. Anthony Commodore, Ms. Jacinta Bannis, DNO, and all those people who are saying so much good things about the man will believe you and hate the man just like you hate him. Is something you maybe do him when he was a paro and it did not work, so you trying again. Envious, jealous, wicked. Leave the man alone. God must protect him because is good he doing.
If I were to win the lottery I will definitely keep you in mind. Good job Mr Liverpool, you will get your reward for doing this one day
Can’t the Govt. play a part? fundswise or otherwise?..Or is “politics” involved somewhere? Axe I axing..
Just take it easy guys! Hang on there!
If you all believe in God, hold steadfastly unto the faith. Know that nothing can be accomplished without the strength, courage, mercy, and compassion that comes from above.
Get together and ask God first of all, for the Spiritual Wisdom that is needed–that cannot be too hard for you all because your name is already “Wisdom to Know” Yes! You need wisdom to know how to ask God and you will receive.
In this world, there is always the need for money, someway and somehow, but for those who wait on the Lord with sincere faith and patience–He will open the doors to survival.
You are not in this alone in this. Jesus walked this world without the money, and yet no can say He was poor.
Still for all there was a time He said: “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests but the Son of Man have no place to lay His head”.
So take time and use your words of wisdom, by sincere faith, to ask of Him. For Jesus knows your needs, and be sure–the assurance that hope give you– that it will be given to you.
Thanks for your biblical references, now please would you physically contribute?
All I can contribute right now through the physical is myself by doing volunteer work, but I live in Toronto, Canada, just in case you do not know that.
Is it possible to understand that my contribution by God’s will is the advise that I gave to the group, to keep their hope steadfast. Hope is from God, and God never disappoint those who hope in Him–He also knows the need of “Wisdom to Know”, and He won’t forsake them if they are doing an honest work.
ok if I get a raise in salary i will come on board Mr. Ace, good move and I support that, i would really want to be a part of that programme but i have also realised that you need to be financially fit.