In the days when long distance communication was a luxury and one had to be economical with words when communicating via telegram, a father sent his son to pursue tertiary education overseas. The son followed the footsteps of the biblical prodigal son and wasted his money on entertainment, girls and an extravagant lifestyle to the point where he ended up dead broke.
The son then sent his father a telegram stating, “Hi dad, no mon, no fun, your son”, the father immediately replied, “Hi son, too bad, so sad, your dad”, and with these few words the destiny of the son was sealed into oblivion.
Has Dominica reached that stage with its so-called dads, in the far east and in South America, in the aftermath of the torrential rains of Tropical Storm Erika? What is really going on? Now that the relief supply distribution has diminished and we are to face reality, are we deliberately keeping the debris and the destruction in place to attract sympathy from our potential donors? It appears that Dominica is caught in a quagmire of incompetence with the government machinery and the politicians in a daze not knowing what to do.
How does one explain the atmosphere of ten months ago when the country experienced a political campaign extravaganza, where over thirty two million dollars ($32,000,000.00) was spent within a period of four weeks and in comparison with the aftermath of a disaster it seems that we do not have the financial resources to build a plywood house for our evacuated citizens or to place a machine in the many rivers to prevent further destruction from heavy rains?
Events over the last few weeks raise eyebrows as to whether we as a nation are prepared for the task ahead of rebuilding Dominica. In blatant political campaign mode, the government has embarked on the distribution of tablets to students, a promise made during the last election campaign. When an entity promises to give one something, it is fair to believe that the gift is coming from its own resources, so it was rather surprising to learn that students were promised tablets but the government of the Commonwealth of Dominica had to beg the government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to foot the bill to give the tablets to the students, free of charge, while the elderly, babies, children and pregnant women in Venezuela are seen in long lines literally begging for basic commodities such as sugar, rice, tooth paste and toilet paper. Yet politicians are beating their chest on a major achievement of being able to fulfil a political campaign promise.
The Speaker of the Dominica Parliament receives a massive salary increase at a time when the country is in crisis and there appears to be no remorse on the part of the government for such an insensitive decision. The civil servants were just recently offered a 0% pay increase and the Public Works Corporation workers have been languishing for none payment or delayed payments of their wages, yet the government appears to be defending the wage hike for the Speaker. In all honesty what justifies that level of salary increase for the Speaker who attends parliament for just about three sessions a year for a total of less than 20 working days? The Speaker spends about 95% of her time in her private practice.
The Ministry of Agriculture convened a consultation and revealed that the loss to agriculture, including the damage to feeder roads, was $126 million, this is significantly lower than the $200 million previously announced. The consultation gave no new direction for the future of agriculture and it appears that it created further confusion in the industry.
The south-eastern villages of Boetica and Delices have been caught out from the rest of the island since August 27th and there appears to be no solution in sight for the plight of the residents who are trapped in the area. A concerned citizen, backed up by other villagers, has suggested the clearing of the slides on the Petite Savanne to Delices road, a real possibility of bringing relief to the people. There has not been a response from the authorities. Is it true that the reason why attempts are not being made to clear the Petite Savanne to Delices road is because it was built by a previous administration and if it remains abandoned it will be good politics to condemn the last administration of constructing a useless road or another theory is that the longer the people remain caught off the better the possibility of receiving international assistance? Whoa!
It is understood that a major manufacturing facility, that was affected by the storm, is shipping its raw material out of island. Is this the beginning of the end of this major employer and foreign exchange earner?
Though the World Creole Music Festival was cancelled to avoid Dominicans from partying, winding on women with Kubuli beers in hand, while the international community was assisting Dominica with relief supplies, it appears that over the last few weeks the citizens are partying more than ever before. So was it a good idea to cancel the WCMF or was it a convenient excuse because the resources were not available anyway. Are the authorities aware that the promotions for the St. Lucia Jazz Festival, in May 2016, are in full swing?
One gets the impression that the leadership of this country does not know the next move as it relates to the aftermath of the storm. Meanwhile, other countries with more recent disasters such as Chile which experienced a devastating earthquake and the Phillipines which is still grappling from the typhoon have caught the attention of the international community and Dominica is now history, left to solve its own problems.
So while Prime Minister Skerrit patiently awaits the birth of his baby in the United States and Honorable Reginald Austrie enjoys top quality medical care in a French hospital, the natives are trying to come to terms with the death of their love ones at the Princess Margaret Hospital, deaths for which the cause is hardly ever explained, like the recent one of the mother and child during childbirth.
The country appears to be in a quagmire where political gymnastics on the part of the administration appear to be the honour of the day. No one in authority explains anything except on the exceptional occasion when a Government Minister gives his subjects a public tongue lashing, like what the Minister of Education did to the school principals where he threatened to smoke them out like the Iraquis in the Bush war.
Opinions expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Dominica News Online or its advertisers.
all i know, that irt is time to send mama-guyers packing. we need a change
Well observed and even better stated. This country is not going anywhere until such time when its citizens finally wake up and smell the coffee. My concern – it might be to late for the country.
stupes
I think we should talk to the people who want to have dominica as a refugee home
Wow, I don’t normally get into the politics arguments but whoever wrote this poses some very credible concerns and questions. I’m not pro or anti Skerrit/Labor but what’s most important is the right moves being made. Some of these things, like the speaker’s salary raise is disheartening. Maybe it’s only his salary and it can’t be used to bump everyone else’s but it sends a negative message to the ones that have been begging for a raise (I’ve experience similar with former employer). The tablet thing is also a good point. That situation has all kinds of issues to discuss.
Dominicans need to stop playing party politics and stop idolizing potiticians. I’m speaking to both of the major party supporters. Just because you wear their colors and vote for them, doesn’t mean you can’t speak up and hold them accountable. Dominica’s politics is much simpler than up here in the States, so our people need to educate themselves and climb out of that small minded way of handling the…
Yall need to stop focus on the government to do everything and start trying to help yourselves, whatever PM Skerritt decides to do with his own personal life is anybody business, yes the hospital situation is bad but why is it to be blame to the PM, yall dominicans like people to feed yall , thats why the country will stay how it is , stay dere and feel the PM studying allu bravo enjoy
Sac sort please tell us who is responsible
Because the buck STOPS with the PM. He is the sole decision maker in Dca even saying which musician can take the stage at creole fest. STOP making excuses for Skerrit and the cabal and please put country first.
Assertive, Never Ever Aggressive!
Great article.
This Piece must have been written by a UWP Leader himself. Long article which makes no common sense.
It seems to me had UWP in power the storm would not have hit Dominica and if by chance it did with similar effect by now seven weeks after, every thing in Dominica would be back to normal. Guess what all the bridges on the west coast would have been rebuilt, All the people of Petite Savanne would have been resettled in brand new homes. So to the people of Dubic, Paradise Valley, Coulibistrie, Cliihaut etc.
And DNO guess What, no petrocasas would be accepted from Venezuela because that country does not have toilet paper, food etc.
Petite Savanne area would by now be safe for vehicular traffic and the Boetica Gorge would have a bridge. Dominica would not be in a Quagmire. Farmers would have received all there inputs but no Morrocan fertilizers and farm produce would now be back in abundance.
DNO this is how ridiculous the article sounds.
Thanks for posting
Is Dominica in a quagmire? It depends on who you ask. For some, we are in the golden age of our development with the best leader we’ve ever had. A Dear Leader who has given us the toilets, houses, allowances, tablets etc we never had before. In fact in term of prosperity we never had it so good.Even the obesity you see everywhere you look is a sign of good living. But Dear Leaders can get tired and laissez faire too. The late Dame Eugenia once famously told a reporter ” I do not believe people should rule for more than ten years. They get lazy, things don’t get done. ”
Keep hope alive.
Great Story writing, albeit personal, could become a best seller. Haha.
Favorite line:
Though the World Creole Music Festival was cancelled to avoid Dominicans from partying, winding on women with Kubuli beers in hand,
OLD!!!!
My friend I wish I could have said it like you did. But Dominicans will only learn when reality hits home. Some Dominicans are like a generation of fools, with no commonsense and lack of knowledge who allows themselves to be taken and led by blind foolish socalled leaders.
Is people like you I have no respect for because you are a coward. Such a nice and long article but yet still you are hiding behind the Computer.
Bayou of pigs
It is people like you who cause Dominica to languish in the quagmire.
You refuse to acknowledge the blatant problems with Dominica.
Everything in the commentary is accurate, and worth publishing.
Brace yourself for a very bumpy ride as the international community will not rescue Dominica.
But Bayou of PIGS you are trembling as you write that comment, so who is the coward? You or the Observer? Keep on writing observer and don’t reveal your identity, let them get the message without persecuting the messenger.
You are doing the same thing you accused him of.Give ur real name