Achieving herd immunity against the dreaded Covid-19 could determine future tourist arrivals to Dominica says Director of Tourism, Colin Piper.
Herd immunity, or community immunity, will be achieved when a large part of Dominica’s population becomes immune to the coronavirus. The Dominica government has set a target of 70% of population being vaccinated in order to achieve herd immunity.
Cruise ships are a major part of the country’s tourism offering and a major source of employment for a large cross-section of the population.
“The intention of the cruise lines is to really have passengers that have been vaccinated and so the issue of herd immunity in Dominica is even more important, but we will be beginning the discussion and the development of protocols for the cruise industry,” Piper said while speaking as a guest on the Prime Minister’s Annou Pale talk show recently.
He said a cruise line that looks at where a destination is as it relates to herd immunity, is going to make economic decisions.
Furthermore, Piper indicated that, in terms of cruise preparations, Dominica had already started when Seaborne had indicated its intent and desire to come in December. However, he said that was put on hold, “but now we are going to come back and start with the preparation of cruise protocols.”
As it relates to the ferry services, Piper said to a certain extent the ferry is not operating to Dominica due to the protocols in place in the French territories and how strict travel-out is.
He said further that the ferry has undergone a refurbishment and is ready, “but we are awaiting when in fact we will open up to ferry services, particularly between the French West Indies and St Lucia.”
Meantime, Prime Minister Skerrit said he has seen correspondences from the cruise lines asking about Dominica’s vaccination program, “how many people have been vaccinated and clearly they will be using that data to determine to an extent if they want to come, if at all…”
“So it’s absolutely important that those of us in the tourism industry should take note of that,” he said.
When our geniuses refused it, the then premiere of Antigua V. C. Bird Sr. stood up and said ” if Dominica doh want it Antigua will take it.”
Hence; the company decided to locate in Antigua; thus ZAL Television was born in Antigua, it is still in operation only that it is no longer called ZAL as it became part of the Antigua & Barbuda Broadcasting Service.
I will not focus on the time Eugenia Charles intended to build an international Airport, nevertheless, when Edison James attempted to build one that was in its first phase of development; they criticize; we doh want it!
When asks, why we doh want it; their answer was always ” Antigua & Barbados have one already.”
How stupid are our people, while they crying we too poor to have International Airport, a Dominican born in the Village of Castle Bruce in the person of the late Paul Southwell as an interim Premiere was building the International Airport in St. Kitts; with a population of 15,000 back then.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
March 24, 2021
Man Dog, there is some curse on Dominica which prevents development and prosperity to our country!
Dominica is the only country on the planet where you find every time the idea of building an International Airport in the country comes along, some ignorant backward minded feces lapping lessor human laments “we cannot afford it.”
These nobody people inherited that backwardness from their parents; and are now passing it down to their children.
Look at this: In the 1950’s the British decided to build the Windward islands Broadcasting (Radio) Station in Dominica; the Labor Party Government said “we doh want it because we cannot afford it; until the year 2000.
So, they built WIBS in Grenada!
Caribbean Free Trade (CARIFTA) was formed, in a meting someone proposed setting up a Television Station in Dominica; that was in 1962; Chief Minister Le’ blanc and the Dominica delegation said we doh want it, because we cannot afford it.
When…
Note: The submission in the middle is the first followed by the first above; if it is not in a sequence it will not make any sense!
Francisco, You dam lie speak the truth for once Edison James, and his bunch of arrogant plunkers that put the damper on the international airport being afraid of losing the election ha ha ha 🤣
Shut up man dog; you would not know the truth even if it flew up in your ole miserable face and slap you ten times eh!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
The truth is boy, Edison James and the UWP was building an International Airport in the back of Wesley, between the Villages of Wesley, and Woodford Hill!
In the process there was an election; there was no majority winner; hence the remnants of the Labor party and the Dominica Freedom Party formed a coalition government, led by the late Roosevelt Rosie Douglas.
There were contractors, and Engineers from Trinidad on the island working on the first phase of the project; when the combined bunch of louse formed the government, their first order of business was to shut the project down.
Man Dog; a liar I will never be; I do not have a reason to lie especially where it pertains to politics; and I will tell you the reason is; I am not looking for anything from politics, especially:
Continue:
Continue:
I am not looking for anything from politics, especially Dominica politics; my soul belongs to me and not any politician; I do not need to lie to be granted political favors!
So, let me remind you that of the three or four hundred million plus it was costing to build the Airport almost thirty years ago; eighty (80%) the of the money was loaned to Dominica by the Government of Trinidad & Tobago, with one condition; and that is the builders had to come from Trinidad.
That is the same method the Chines use when they are spending their money in peoples country.
For your information the Chines gave a grant and a loan for the purpose, the same as the government of Taiwan, for your information boy; the Secondary School in Wesley was (is) part of the project; that was built with money from Trinidad.
Athie Martin was the chief opponent of the Airport; thus when they siege power they hostilely chased the Trinidadians out of the country!
And I doh going an call you sick eh!
But you are a very sick man.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
Yes sir re Bob.
Lazy Pipe-her think he and his partner BraddH was gonna make a killing with the festival. Book artist, fly first class, sewo.
But the PM have a better plan for you. Bring you out in public. Let people see how lazy you be. Let them judge you.
After 15 years all you have to offer is laziness. No herb immunity.
If the Government and people of Dominica are hoping that the Cruise Industry is going to bounce back soon they should think again. It’s not going to happen in 2021.
Many Cruise Lines are again suspending sailings in 2021 as they did in 2020 due to the uncertainty caused by the new Covid 19 variants. By all accounts the Government and people of Dominica should expect a rebound in cruise travel and stay over travel not in 2021 but hopefully in 2022/2023.
Meanwhile the Government and people of Dominica should focus on the following:
1.In terms of visitor arrivals more time and money should be invested into the yachting sector in the short term by developing yachting enclaves at Portsmouth, Mero, New Town and Soufriere. Where yachts moored in these areas could be effectively managed and the island could benefit a bit more from the yachting business in the short term.
2.Efforts to attract stay over visitors through the Safe in Nature Program should continue but every tourism stakeholder should be given equal opportunity to benefit from the program rather than the select few
3.Focus on Agriculture by continuing to develop a food safety and food security strategy to produce more fresh produce for the local and export markets, also developing a greater variety of value products using our fresh produce, fruits, vegetables and herbs
4.Develop our water resources by developing more fresh water reservoirs along the rivers across the island and filter and bottle that water for local and export consumption
5.Develop greater capacity for people to work virtually or remotely by strengthening our digital capacity and competitiveness
From my own research it seems that herd immunity is not going to happen any where in the near future. The WHO may just adjust the COVID 19 status from Pandemic to Endemic. Just have to Just somethings to ponder on for
Poor Dominika
Here we go again. This is the CEO, Director of Tourism, Head of Marketing, Head of Product Development, Director of Dominica Festival. Lazy Pipe-Her. After 15 lazy years coming and telling us about HERB IMMUNITY. Yes HERB Immunity.
Only in Dominica can we have such.
Even Dominica gets Herd Immunity doesn’t mean we are out of the woods. The world must first achieve Herd Immunity. 70% must be vaccinated.
I think Pipe-Her is sick, he is sad because he cannot get Festival Money to play with. There will be no Festival without Herd Immunity. Shows this guy had no vision, no plans for tourism. Poor us, bus drivers, hoteliers, shop keepers, tour guides.
We are doomed with Pipe-Her ALONE with all these titles. And yes he is getting paid for each title. Let BadWill give us one valid reason why this lazy is still at DDA/DFC.
You too badwilly is part of it because you have approved all of his crony-con artist projects. Yes one day Dominica will talk!!!!!
I understand that China is the possible source for the estimated USD$200 million for this new airport.
The PM should take note that China is now a more aggressive country than it once was under previous Presidents. In the recent meeting with the American Secretary of Sate, the Chinese team were unusually aggressive. This is because China sees itself as the driving force in the world. China is practising a new type of Colonialism, that boders on oppression. Just see how they are treating the Muslim Uighurs. The last people who tried exterminating a race of people was in 1939-1945- Nazi Germany.
I wonder how China will treat Dominicans, when the find out that we cannot pay back the USD$200 million loan?
We might become legal slaves of China.
It is better to be an independent country, without crippling debt, than being slaves of China. We should practice financial prudence, and spend without borrowing too much, and concentrate on rebuilding exports of Bananas, Coconuts, Citrus, etc
Ronald, if it is going to cost (US$200,000,000.00) US200 million dollars to build an International Airport in Dominica, I assure you it will never be built!
For your information two hundred million US, is approximately (EC$538,000,000.00) five hundred thirty-eight million dollars in East Caribbean dollars.
Before you quote me do some conversion math “American currency to East Caribbean;” make sure I am right or wrong!
St. Vincent Argyle International Airport is the largest capital project in the history of the country, with an estimated cost of construction of XCD $700 million (USD $259 million) and an actual estimated value in excess of XCD$1 billion.
So your theory of this China peanut change cannot build any airport in Dominica.
More than ten years ago that is what it cost St. Vincent government.
As far as we know Roosevelt spent more than five hundred million dollars installing landing lights and building a parking lot at Melville Airport; China change won’t…
You are such a smart**s why cant you come to Dominica and run things instead of staying in America and peeing to the wind after all those years Mr boom-boom fly! I threw my corns but didn’t call no spineless weak and purposeless chicken.
Mr Piper, If you are listening to what I write and you agree with me, please speak to Mr Skerrit. In my experience, people fail when they try to show off. For example a man on a small salary buys an expensive car, to show that he is a big shot.
But soon he does not have the cash to meet his day to day bills, and goes bankrupt. If however this man bought a decent second hand car, and invested instead in a reasonable sized house, he would not have the stress, that comes from running an expensive car. In my line of work as an accountant, the modest clients are surviving the pandemic, and still making a profit. the extravagant clients have all closed down.
Maybe Mr Skerrit is thinking of leaving a legacy, from his time as PM. He should follow E.O. Leblanc’s example, and leave the Treasury solvent. What is the point of leaving Dominica more bankrupt that it is already. We can ill afford to pay civil servants as it is.
I sincerely pray that moderation will prevail.
Mr Piper has the right idea. We can have tourists who have tested negative visiting the island, but it will be a slow process. Europe and America – our main markets- are still highly infectious. Europe is going through its 3rd lockdown, Vaccine hesitancy is wide spread in Europe. Here in the UK we may not be allowed to travel abroad until 2022.
With this as a background, do not expect significant cruise ship activity until 2022/23 season or beyond.
This puts into perspective, the futility of PM Skerrit’s plan to spend a large amount of money on an international airport. This makes the feasibility of this proposed airport more doubtful. I predict that this will be a large Albatross, around the necks of Dominicans, for decades to come.
A wise man listens to advice. We cannot afford this airport. What we need to concentrate on is surviving economically for the next 3-5 years. Dominicans need to concentrate on being more food and employment self sufficient.
Skerrit take…
@Roland Mitchell, stop trying to play clever when you are not Europe isn’t going through its 3 lockdown as you put it, many countries in Europe doing well not bad as France, Italy, and Germany playing politics with people lives trying to discriminate the British vaccine, that goes to show why Britain walked away from Europe, they need the UK but the do not need them with its oil and gas products and lots more she can stand on feet now in a matter of months Britain gone past them and they struggling.
“Germany playing politics with people lives trying to discriminate the British vaccine, ” (Man Dog).
I wonder which of the two of you playing smart?
Don’t you know that the people who developed the British vaccine might be own by a German entity?
Watch this: Despite most doses of the vaccine being produced in Belgium, Pfizer is actually an American company and its headquarters are in New York.
BioNTech is a Germany company based in Mainz. Now Pfizer COVID-19 funding came from Germany-the biotechnology company already had a history of working with Pfizer on influenza vaccines.
See if you can unravel the sophisticated mystery; involving the international operation of these entities.
I doh can help you with that cause I doh know much eh! I doh is smart nuh!
We have just learned that foreign travel from the U.K., to any destination without a very valid reason, wil be prohibited as from next Monday 29 March. This is to prevent residents returning with an infection, especially now there is a worlwide shortage of vaccine.
“A wise man listen to advice we cannot afford this airport”
What a load of crap once again coming from a black man no wonder people like him will never move away from the slavery mentally idiots.
Man Dog, there is some curse on Dominica which prevents development and prosperity to our country!
Dominica is the only country on the planet where you find every time the idea of building an International Airport in the country comes along, some ignorant backward minded feces lapping lessor human laments “we cannot afford it.”
These nobody people inherited that backwardness from their parents; and are now passing it down to their children.
Look at this: In the 1950’s the British decided to build the Windward islands Broadcasting (Radio) Station in Dominica; the Labor Party Government said “we doh want it because we cannot afford it; until the year 2000.
So, they built WIBS in Grenada!
Caribbean Free Trade (CARIFTA) was formed, in a meting someone proposed setting up a Television Station in Dominica; that was in 1962; Chief Minister Le’ blanc and the Dominica delegation said we doh want it, because we cannot afford it.
When our geniuses refused it, the then…
@Francisco, You are boring go stick your head down a barrel of crabs and snakes.
Tourism in a post covid-19 reality in Dominica is a bad dream. Hotels and apartment here become covid-19 quarantine center to make money from people coming into the country but these guests are primarily locals not foreigners.
Basically you don’t have a plan
Mr. Piper, you and the PM are missing the point bro.
One of the first steps is to WELCOME those with vaccine cards to the island especially nationals who yearn to take a break from the US and other foreign nations. Run with it and the word will spread that vaccinated people (with proof) can come home/ to Dca and does not have to quarantine will dump money in the struggling economy. Are we waiting for St. Lucia, Antigua, Barbados to take advantage of the vaccinated crowd before we do? Man sometimes I wonder where is our common sense in Dca.
Yes that would close the money making quarantine centers benefitting a few but they have made enough!!! Time for that money to go into circulation by welcoming those vaccinated. I rest my case!
you are right ….so so right..
If the government believes in vaccination, then they should back their words with policy. They say vaccination will protect Dominicans and allow for more tourists. TRUE! Please, everyone get vaccinated.
However, why has the government not updated its protocols for arriving travelers who have been vaccinated?
Vaccinated traveler from Dominica’s largest markets (US, Canada & UK) are SAFER than NON-vaccinated travelers from lower-risk countries who could easily be infected in transit. Yet, current protocols stop many of these SAFER vaccinated travelers from visiting by forcing them to throw away $1000s while wasting a week in quarantine.
If the government wants to promote vaccines and SAFELY increase tourism then it should implement a Vaccinated Traveler protocol immediately: a so-called Vaccine Passport where safer vaccinated visitors (from any country) follow the same pre-arrival testing and on-island monitoring protocols that safer visitors from low-risk countries current…
You are too logical my friend and do not know Dominica I think. Our government i.e. Roosevelt Skerrit wants to give some income to selected operators in the hospitality and transport business. Why not make a business out of an opportunity?
I thought the science said that just because you had the vaccine doesn’t mean that you are immune to the virus and can’t still contract it or spread it? What about all the variants?
The effectiveness rate of the two-jab vaccines is in the 90’s in terms of percentage, including for the UK and I believe South Africa variants. My understanding is that the J&J single jab one is a bit lower. What that means is that in a few cases, people who have been vaccinated might still be able to contract the disease, but importantly, if they do they become nowhere near as sick and are not at risk for hospitalisation and death.
It was unclear at first whether vaccinated people might still be able to spread it, e.g., whether the virus could remain active in their nasal passages, etc., but more recent research suggests that they do not.
Dominica already has herd immunity. the virus has been rampant on island since summer last year. thats why the government has never been testing people on island and only testing people coming in. they knew the virus was on island and community testing would only reveal what they have been hiding.
I don’t have these facts and nor do you. So please, stop speculating and scare mongering.
how much uncle pay you to say that? you think us dominicans sort like you? dca that more speacial that havent got covid? so many people dying in dca this year and last year above normal you have to be sort to not realize that. last onth how much people carib teritorry had a bad case of the flu number of them complaining that they cant taste or smell. and nurses telling them is a new flu it have. thats covid right there bury your head in the sand still
What do someone have to do if they get both the vaccine shots and want to travel to Dominica do they still have to go in quarantine ?
I am fully vaccinated and called to ask this question today. We must still quarantine.
That government doh ready yet. Fully vaccinated and still make you quarantine?
. What a money making scheme! Alas, somebody has to keep benefiting from Mrs. COVID-19!
I can understand policymakers being cautious, of course, but hopefully that policy will be updated soon.
Interesting term “Herd immunity”. Surely I am not an animal…
The parasites that controls this realm sees hamnity as cattle….they feed off our fear, energy and emotion. Fear is their weapon and they use two of their most effect tools. Tel – lie – vision and the garbage media. They manipulate the minds of the masses with ease daily. Because they know how the human brain works.
Sure we are all members of the animal kingdom. Our anatomy no different from pig or a great ape but our brain bigger so we can argue and make mischief. Most of the trouble in the world made by humans.
All sorts of rats, cockroach have an opinion on everything; this man who’s babbling about heard immunity is the same person who claimed he was going to Nevis to get help in getting more air flights into and out of Dominica.
Now this same guy who knew not that Nevis depends on LIAT too; to an extent is babbling about heard immunity; this man perhaps have not heard that more than half of million; that is more than five hundred thousand people died in America killed by this virus?
There are less than thirty thousand people in Dominica; talking about heard immunity in Dominica could mean the entire population could die in seven days before heard immunity could be accomplish!
Heard Immunity: the resistance to the spread of a contagious disease within a population that results if a sufficiently high proportion of individuals are immune to the disease, especially through vaccination. “the level of vaccination needed to achieve herd immunity varies by disease but ranges from 83 to 94…
Continue:
The level of vaccination needed to achieve herd immunity varies by disease but ranges from 83 to 94%.
Whereas it varies by disease; I believe it is nonsensical; for this clown with no scientific knowledge pertaining to heard immunology, no medical background, to spew fart as if he knows what he’s talking about!
Who is Piper?
Another political puppet; if heard immunity was easily accomplish, the virus would have long disappear; hence Italy, and France would not this present day return to total lock down.
Foolish people like to talk; they repeat what they hear without knowledge on the subject mater.
There are different strains of the virus, due to mutations (variables) for which there is no new vaccine to protect against the variables; so, how can this know nothing Dominican talk crap about Heard Immunity in Dominica?
Boy be quiet; and pray that you and all of Dominica do not perish from one the different strains of the virus plaguing the world!
@Francisco, it is OK to stand far away and throwing stones or to discriminate against your fellow black Country man but not one of you guys has the ability to come back home and do better rather than kick**s in America hiding from emigration officers ” Ice” 😂
‘It is better to be an Independent Country than to be seen blindly Hugging brutal China and its brutal inhuman Communistic nonesensical thoughts and decency to all peoples, especially those unnecessarily prisoned due to their own thoughts and Human Rights to expressed themselves openly in their country China but without this failed brutal dirty fraudulent Communistic brutal Cjinesey Leader and his dirty Communist Brutal Government and the obvious ban of the Chinese people “Human Rights” that is theirs to enjoy and not the inhuman Communist Brutal, Inhuman Chinese Leader and Fake doghish Political Communistic brutal Chinese leadership and failed Dirty Chinese government and its leader.
China, get the Hell out of Our DOMINICA and ho clean up your Dirty Brutal inhuman Chinese corrupted deceitfulness do called Communistic nonesensical Party. Shame on China and its failed, incompetent Questionable, dirty Communist Brutal Government. Shame on China and its failed Brutal Leader. Go to…
Blackness don’t mean progress!
It is because we are to black conscious why foreign investors are not investing in Dominica.
Being black does not mean economic power!
Man dog you know the reason why many of us with money who can return and develop various business will not return to invest?
It is because of the jealous minded people like Roosevelt supporters who always do their endeavor to destroy peoples business.
I can tell you about Ron Abraham; I knew him in England way back in 1976, in a conversation with him, I told him I would be going to Dominica to build a Radio & Television complex, he advised me to go home and set up a Cable Television Station, I did not; Ron went home and build Marpin Television!
Dominicans did not rest until they stole Marpin Television from him!
When Charles Savarin told labor supporters to boycut certain business in the country putting the owner and employees out of business, should we return and suffer the same fate?
@Francisco Mr. Colin Piper, didn’t say “heard immunity” he said herd immunity these are two different words it looks like the English language is screwing you up Mr. Educator, I am not taking the piss it’s just to let you know we are all human and mistakes is never far away from us.
Well whatever he said Mr. Dog; it is all about nothing, simply talking fart as usual.
So what I simply have an a where it does not belong, and that’s it!
But I know what the meaning entails:
Herd immunity is the resistance to the spread of a contagious disease within a population that results if a sufficiently high proportion of individuals are immune to the disease, especially through vaccination.
Are you suggesting I should be immune to errors too?
Kid Francisco is not a god eh!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
The great God Jehovah is God, and reins over me.
“Kid Francisco is no a god” you could have fool me! After all that crap writing you been posting on this forum.
No FEDT, you certainly are not a god but you are one of the greatest bullsh..ers. Your triple barrel surname says it all.
Man Dog, you really kick me this time pointing out the word heard used instead of “herd!” No excuse; but wait until I catch you.
In any event I did spell and use the word correctly in the right place when it was necessary to be utilized correctly.
There are other keys that determine future tourism to Dominica.
Herd immunity in order to facilitate cruise ship arrivals isn’t necessarily the key that will best turn the lock.
…but that’s the best these wasters can come up with. To top it all, they get paid for it!
WHO insider blows whistle on Gates and GAVI global health dictatorship
It is now beyond dispute that the WHO is beyond compromised. Because of its funding — a large portion of which comes from the ‘one-man nation-state of Gates’ — it fails to complete its original mandate. Worse, WHO serves corporate masters and through its dictatorial powers is essentially destroying, not improving, the health of the world.
Source: https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/who-insider-blows-whistle-on-gates-and-gavi?utm_source=top_news&utm_campaign=standard
Fake news! STOP spreading fake news because it sounds good my friend. Check who writes or are behind theses articles before you start believing.
100 % Alot of people are asleep and have no clue that this place we live on is owned, run and controlled by parasites and physcopaths.. The evil elite. And they control caribbean governments through the imf, world bank and other entities such as the garbage WHO and UN. 100 % evil and wicked people.. (if they are people)
All so called big world governments or so called world leaders are puppets but part of the club….All governments are in cahoots and work together against the masses. 100 % Thats why all governments has the same trash protocols. It came from the controllers and its a PLAN – DEMIC not a pandemic..