Champagne Beach is a popular location for diving and snorkeling near the Southern village of Pointe Michel. The Government of Dominica has signed an agreement with the CARICOM Development Fund (CDF) for the upgrade of the Champagne Beach Facility at a cost of USD 558,000 (EC1.5 million).The project aims to enhance the facilities and amenities at Champagne Beach to improve visitor experience and create opportunities for entrepreneurship.
Minister for Finance, Economic Development, Climate Resilience and Social Security Hon. Dr. Irving McIntyre, and Chief Executive Officer of the CARICOM Development Fund, Rodinald Soomer inked the deal on Wednesday, October 11, 2023.
The proposed Champagne Beach Facility will feature a basement reception area with vending units, changing rooms, lockers and spa services. The upper levels will be equipped with a restaurant and bar, washrooms, an open area for dining, and space for recreation and entertainment.
“This will not only enhance the visitor experience but will generate employment opportunities, from the construction phase to the operational phase. It will open doors for our local entrepreneurs. Spaces dedicated to art, crafts, and culinary delights will allow our talented Dominicans to showcase their skills and contribute to our vibrant tourism ecosystem. In short, there will be significant benefits for neighboring communities and tourism stakeholders, island-wide,” said Hon. Dr. Irving McIntyre.
The CDF Chief Executive Officer said the project is part of a broader initiative to respond positively to Dominica’s main development priorities “both nationally and within the context of its fit within the regional development space.”
“What the Government has requested is to allocate a portion of their grant from the CDF towards this priority project and to reserve the balance of the grant towards geothermal energy to complement a concessional loan that the CDF has provisionally allocated to
the Government in the amount of US $10 million.
“So while this is a small start to the program, it is a significant start, and we expect that it will culminate in a signing of an agreement with the Government to make those resources available for the construction of the ten-megawatt geothermal plant in short
order.”
The CARICOM Development Fund (CDF) is an institution of the Caribbean Community with the mandate to provide financial or technical assistance to member states.
Dr McIntyre on signing:
Rodinald Soomer on signing:
They have to get loan for things like that. Why? Passport money should be used for projects like that. Unfortunately passport money is all gone already. I wonder where to??
The best person I can think of to run a restaurant/bar in the area is Melvina. She had an incredible restaurant in the area and her customer service was top notch.
I always made it a point to support her when I visited Dominica.
Champagne Reef needs to be closed and left alone for a year, at least, to give it time to recover from people standing allover it and damaging the corals and sponges. if Dominica doesn’t start taking better care of its natural environment, there’ll be no tourism industry. Ditto swimming with sperm whales. Building tourism facilities like this is bad news for nature.
what are the current owners of the property saying?
How many ineffective civil servants does it take to sign a contract on a loan the country can’t afford for yet another tourism project it doesn’t need? Seven, apparently.
See that, CARICOM has to fund these things. Our coffers empty. Where is our passport money gone????
…and is this going to be a publicly owned facility or which member of the Labour party Cabal will own it like the hotel in Laudat owned by McIntyre and the Copt Hall Villas owned by Denise and her Johnson boyfriend? If Dominica was doing well all of these would be private sector investors! Failed government busy turning Dominica into a failed state! Soon we will have to ask for loans and grants to sweep the roads and drains and collect the rubbish in Roseau.
“If Dominica was doing well all of these would be private sector investors!” Huh? On which planet you went to school?
she have a new one them times. a young impressionable one. let’s pray for him
….but it already has a ‘facility’ there with changing rooms and a bar/restaurant. I’m guessing that is going to be destroyed and rebuilt with a concrete building? The current ‘facility’ that is there blends in with nature though…
“…a concessional loan that the CDF has provisionally allocated to the Government in the amount of US $10 million”
Did I read right? Another loan? Eh be zor pas las pwen loan?