Dear Editor: I refer to your January 5th, 2010 news item about the night landing being introduced in a matter of two weeks (See article by clinking this link http://dominicanewsonline.com/?p=1068.) It is now April 19, 2010.
Is the night landing at Melville Hall Airport approved for civilian or military aircraft?
This serious question needs an answer as I am an investor concerned about my investments, especially in light of the recent visit of Putin To Venezuela, where they agreed to cooperate with Iran and Russia to develop nuclear military defense, oil exploration in the disputed territorial areas around Bird island and the Orinoco/ Guyana and Trinidad. (See article by clicking on this link http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE63115A20100402.)
We have been told that over $10,000,000.00 was spent in airport expansion and electrification for night landing.
To date, the only night landing that I know of has been Venezuelan military exercises. Am I to take the warnings from the American Secretary of defense and secretary of State seriously? Should I start moving my investments out of Dominica and the Eastern Caribbean?
– Concerned investor
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of the management and staff of Dominica News Online and its parent company.
They need an international airport why dont you try to get that started
Response to Gary.
I am happy you have said it yourself.
Marpin was a company of local investors. They made the sacrifice to rid region of the colonial monopoly on telecommunications.
Instead of local investors being supported by our government what we have had is yet another example of displacing locals and local wealth creation.
Response to 4all2c. You ask can someone tell U Y?
Isn’t a paro one who goes around begging for a quick fix?
Isn’t a prostitute one who sells herself for short term gain.
In both cases the long term/the future is now.
So is a Nation that paros /prostitutes itself.
Worse though is one blindly led by someone with a primary foriegn allegiance whose agenda includes population change, handing over our resources to the neocolonialist of the region who feel that the peoples of the region are too stupid to choose their own leaders. Hence their delusions of grandiousity and power greed drives the need to restrict media ACcess, victimize, jail and even kill those who speak out. opposition.
Never forget that Baby Doc was welcomed to France when they had accomplished the absolute destruction of Haiti, one Of the only other caribbean nations that defeated France and gained its independence.
My neg maron and kalinago ancestors did just that. .. Check your history.
And never forget that allegiance is developed to the environment where the child spends his 1st few years.
Any investment in Dominica as it is today is a waste – MONEY LOST. We are not ready for serious investment or doing any sort of international business. That is why we have less investors today and proverty is spreading like wild fire. CAn someone Name me the new investments or investors in Dominica for the past 10yrs? Compare to our sister countries e.g st.Kitts, Anguilla, Antigua , St.Lucia. We have had more of our nationals leaving our country for employment and a better life in those countries…CAN SOMEONE TELL ME WHY?
In 10 + yrs we have seen the deterioration of our own home grown companies – DCP; Bello;; DBGA; and many other industires that brought wealth to our people. Where are the millions from China and Venezuela? Are the people life any better? Show me where is the improvement and show me the employment it has generated ….
We are in one main competition with one of our sister islannds and that is HAITI- We competing to see who CAN BE POORER!!!
Reply @ “4ALL2C” Why are you thinking that way of your Country, it bewilders me when someone makes such comment about their Country, not thinking what they are saying, you have a right to your opinion but their are lots of us who do not share such negative comments about our Country and I’m one.
The questions you ask CAN SOMEONE TELL ME WHY? I can, stop thinking like that, very pessimistic. Have you been lately to the other islands you’re comparing Dominica to?. You mentioned that it is a waste to invest in Dominica well, are you not happy to have your Cable (Mapin), was it not an investment made by WRB Enterprises from Florida, an investment of $14,25 million dollars which saved Marpin from going under, wasn’t that done in the last 10 yrs and I’m sure that saved some jobs and I’m sure the company will keep on investing in Dominica bringing new technology when necessary to give Dominica a first class cable system and by the way this same WRB invested also in Domlec What about the cell phone companies are they not investing in Dominica,” is it a waste” what about all the monies they give to local festivals, Carnival and The Creole Festival and the list goes on. What about the Cruise Ship Companies committing
to increase their visits to Dominica,” is it a waste”
Let us not be so pessimistic, Dominica is ours to build, let us be thankful for what we have, and always remember it not bad as you think it is, there is a saying “As a man thinketh in his heart so is he” it can also be the same for a Country who have a collective thinking like yours pessimistic, gloomy. This is not what we want for our Dominica, so let us look at the bright side.
LÓL
Are these the best examples U can come up with?
You seem to have deliberately complete the list to include:
French Fishers given permission to continue illegally raping our fishinh banks.
French companies tearing down our mountains at the expense of the health of our villagers .
French. colas company displacing local colas workers.
French, forest trail, road and airport construction companies.
French renewable energy companies.
French and eu dive operators, hoteliers etc.
I am sure you can complete it now.
All cases of local investors being displaced.
You have PROVEN the concerned Investors POINT by Blindly following the Foriegn Allegiance anti Dominican policies.
France has fought 10 wars to get control of our resources and Yes from the looks of it they have certainly succeeded using the psychology degree of one of its French national agents with a Dominican passport that enabled him to fool many into thinking that he is a poor young man from Velle case.
“Not all Grin Teeth is smile”
Obama is a black man
and so am I.
Putin is not,
Chavez is not,
Castro is not,
Cadafi is not,
Hu Jintao is not,
Nicolas Sarkozy is not
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is not…
Who will pay the loans of all the Dominicans who invested in accomodation for Ross students when they get more concerned about military execises in DA?
Or is it just a way of taking the efforts of their hard work when they cant pay the loans? No problem they will give it to the replacement dominicans with economic and dual citizenships.
Go see how many farmers have lost their land because of politicians playing diplomats in brussels and fooling the farmers into planting bananas when they knew all along it was not sustainable…but I dont see these diplomats and advisors doing any investing…
Yet our rivers are being threatened by French colas plant, our coastal fishery, reefs, our villagers and being destroyed by French Quarries and young men proudly working unprotected to give away our resources for a dollar
Speak to the Tourism providers/investers who can’t meet the rising costs of electricity, cant pay their ever rising fuel costs, and loan payments…
Ask the investor Fishers who can’t meet the fuel cost on the bigger engines they were given…while the petro caribe loans gets larger…and more of them disapear out there….
Think it is a joke encountering the wrong boat or see what you not supposed to see when you out at sea trying to make a living and feed your family…
Alyou tink investing easy?
Why should we take this “anonymous Investor” seriously as he claims to be, which we all know he is not . Investor of what? Propaganda, well that is what he is investing in.
Over the last week I noticed people like him and others have been bringing up this Chavez Putin meeting and referring to some web-site as their source making reference to Chavez interest in developing “Nuclear weapons,” It never says anything about Chavez going to build Nuclear weapons. What It is saying is that the Venezuelan Government wants Russia’s help in developing Nuclear Energy for peaceful purposes, which would be the construction of Electricity Power Plants using Nuclear Energy to provide Electricity for the Venezuelan People, instead of using fossil fuel for generating Electricity. Any Country who has money and resources and meet the requirements can get help in building Electricity Power Plants powered by Nuclear Energy, The Canadian Government has a technology to build Electricity Power Plants using Nuclear Energy, it is called Candu and there are Countries around the world who have got Nuclear Power plants for generating Electricity using
this Technology from Canada.
The renovation and Construction of The Melvin Hall Airport with access to night landing, has not been completed, and when completed, it has to be inspected and certified by the various Aviation Authorities in the region and also international and not by The Government of Dominica, telling us it is safe. and let us not make wild accusation and stories. If you ” Anonymous Investor” have any proof of what you are saying about the Venezuelan Military Excises at Melville Hall airport get as pictures, just by you saying that, does not mean anything, get us evidence.
Should you start moving your investments outside Dominica and the Eastern Caribbean and looking to diversify your investments I recommend ” Propaganda business” but that again needs to be seen, nice try.
You challenge the gentlelman claims as unfounded. But on what grounds do you Gary make such challenges. What are you afraid of? And why are you so defensive of a government that has lead a supicious administration for somtime now. You need to stop and think of the posibilities before you start crying foul.
There are serious allegations against this government and they are increasing with the passing days. You need to stop and think Gary, stop and think
U want de man or woman to get killed ?
I was at d airport d day Chavez came. Yes d same day when d … taxi driver had a gun cranked on him because he asked why he had to move from the wooden buildings where he was sitting eating his sandwhich.
yes when all the passengers who had checked in and were waiting in the departure lounge were forced to get off their cell phones and when the security had to search each passenger for cameras and delete every photograph taken while venezuelan army officers stood blocking the exit. yes when the tower was taken over by the military. When the only Dominican on the runway was they guy trying to direct the aircraft when the military simply walked infront of him and directed the jet to. Block the tarmmac.
Yes when several Ross university professors and tourist had their flights cancelled and were very nervous.
Yes when the island was shut down to allow a foriegn power to open its fuel Storage….
I wonder if this investor has any real investments (hard cash) here? To give any inference that the night landing package is for military purposes (to suit Venezuela) is like one journalist suggesting that the former Venezuelan construction base at Melville Hall was a military base and that he had witnessed amphibious crafts landing there. What nonesense. That investor sounds like a “groovy bat”. .
Who will certify the night landing capabilities? Isit the Executive of the Labour Party or is it the East caribbean Civil Aviation Authority? Are there aircraft accidents in countries with international airports? Are these accidents the result of the ruling party or mechanical failure, carelessness or sheer accident?
Keep opposing everything in Doiinica and we will see what will happen to our country. Keep wishing our country bad, simply because Mr. skerrit is leader here and we will all reap the furits
Let us just wish the activity well. DOMINICA will benefit from it and if Skerrit reap polityical kudos – so what..
OK anybody who reads that BS letter and believes its a legitimate investor is clearly retarded.
WTF!!!! What kind of investor is speculating uprooting his company over speculation give me a freakin break I’m upset just from reading this. This is an insult to people’s intelligence.
“Fiduciary decisions is are never done in haste.”
“Any decision made in haste is never Fiduciary” VF Inc. investment seminar
Governance is a Fiduciary responsibility.
Is this how Fiduciary=public investments are made?
Was over $10,000,000.00 spent prior to knowing if night landing meets the “Safety” requirements of civilian aircraft?
Are we to believe that the decision makers did not know that the feasibility study must be done prior to starting the project?
i think that that you should invest in the international airport
INVESTOR DONT YOU HAVE A NAME
BWOI MI CAN’T BELIEVE SO MUCH AH FOWL RUN TO DAT DEY MAN CORN TO RATID………..BACKSIDE!!!!!!!!!
Is this why the leader of the DLP and friends show confidence in dominicans when they get outside designers, contractors, engineers, colas operators, truckers, campaign managers to build their homes, villas, public roads, sea walls, bridges… ? For example
How many of these have a masters degree in civil engineering with 1st class honors such as local investor Tony Leblanc of ville casse? Yet he is not even invited to tender for major projects.
Reading the responses could one conclude that only male foriegn persons invest in Dominica?
Is this why the leader of the DLP and others shows confidence in the policies they make by investing in foriegn citizenship…?
How many of his associates and advisors have any or have ever made an effort at any tangible investment besides exporting foreign exchange?
These people just looking for cause against the Government, it is one of the tactics of the … UWP. This is done to stir the people and cause confusion thus depriving growth for the country.
If ordinary Aircraft don’t want to land and Venezuelan Military Planes want to Land, let them do so, if it was the USA Military then we would agree that they land and exploit our resources, can’t you see that USA and UK don’t want us, they don’t even invest in our islands, they exploit lands in Antigua, Barbados to build their bases and not invest to capital growth.
All of us want to bash Chavez, Venezuela is closer to the Caribbean and is a friend to Dominica, they invest their time and their money, soo what if it’s because of Bird Island, they paying their Dues.
The communist countries care more about us than USA and the UK.
coshony!!!
thats the same way they started,and had us sending stones behide pj .today he is still their with us, best every body just shut up and stop making stories,and work for the betterment of the county. be careful with the politicians, because tomorrow you still have to get up and go to work.
again more of domies in a can dominicans. this idiot is just politicking an am certain he has no investment in da or he would be bold enough to state what it is. why are we so bent on distroying our country? why do we think that mother america has us at heart ? what are we getting from them? is it not that same america that have distroyed our banana industry (chiqita and dole)? how many roads have they built for us? how many stadiums / hospitals etc? how much have we gotten from them for the past 15yrs? is there not an american base in cuba ? dont they have bases all over ? how much concern do they have for the caribbean? so why critisize those that help u? the government is doing there best lets appriciate their efforts .. the uwp made it plane before the elections that they would not cut ties with china nor venezula so what are we ranting about. america is talking about newclear weapons but they have over 2500 nc heads instock or dont u guys follow international news. get a life and think for yourselfs
Dear sir If you have invested money in Dominica’s night landing I am afraid that you have been conned, Night landing of passenger aircraft (unless in an Emergency )needs two way landing and and two way take off STRIP , not two way landing, and one way take off. PEOPLE DONT YOU KNOW know you cannot go over the mountains if you have to abort a landing coming from the sea, don’t let them foo you. WHAT WILL HAPPEN ITS GOING TO BE REGISTERED AS A MILITARY BASE AND THEN SNEAK IN PASSENGER PLANES, THEN WHEN THERE IS AN ACCIDENT THE UWP WILL GET THE BLAME
ps glad our party the freedom wont be blamed
WTF, boy we dominicans stupid, thanks for that letter my friend. I will be a step ahead of u on that pull out. I have just sent an email to the credit union regarding withdrawal from the institution. What is wrong with these bloody politicians. STUPID!!
Sacres sot! what investments do you have in Dominica? obviously you need some attention for your ignorance. Can Bird Island accommodate a military base when it is under water most of the year? Presently it is used only as a military outpost by Venezuela for parts of the year.
Coca-Cola has investments in Russia, Russia and Venezuela have investments in the US; matter of fact Lukoil(Russian) has gas stations all over USA. China owns most of US treasury financial instruments and the US wants more credit; so what is your point?
Seem as if an invasion of Venezuela will be followed by an invasion of Dominica..That is also another level.
He won’t be the only one. Take a look at the number of local investments, properties, homes and hotels, guest houses etc. for sale by the banks, owners… and what happened to colgate palmolive, and why is it that there have been no new investors for the past 10 yrs besides the china sponsored? Has even the biased investment by invitation brought any?
looking at the record number of security always around the pm the investor may well have a valid observation.
And the number of unsolved murders pb land and in our waters…
After all
What are the statistical probabilities of two middle aged pm’s dying suddenly?
concerned citizen… i really wonder if u have any investment in this country or just want to run political milelage. i guess youu have not been listening or reading the news, because if you were, you would have known that the government has engaged the comercial airlines liat and american eagle regarding providing night landing services. i guess if you knew better you would do better!!!
well said. they not any damn investor just trying to stir the pot
No need for investor bashing people we appreciate the fact that the gentleman saw it fit to invest in our country however I read the reuters article and no mention was made about Bird Island or Dominica so I don’t see any threats to the gentleman’s investments. I don’t see the link between Putin’s visit to Venezuela and night landing, remember the Venezuelans are the ones working on the airport so it is not so farfetched that they would be among the first to test it and we are all aware that the main focus is civilian travel.
I think this “investor” is just blowing hot air. I dont think he is an investor at all. If he were, he would know exactly where to get his answers.
to me this lettter sound fake
AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THIS IS A VALID INVESTOR. IT MAY WELL BE A LOCAL RESIDENT TRYING TO PLAY DEVIL’S ADVOCATE.
WHEEL AND COME AGAIN, ARE YOU REALLY AN INVESTOR? I THINK NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mr. Investor Please!
Russia cares about itself!
She is an exporter of oil and natural gas.
If she is helping Iran is to force sanctions on Iran – another oil supplier. That will lead to an increase of the price of oil and gas on the international market.
She is only taking advantage of Chavez paranoia – and makes him spend on a bigger military budget while she increases her foreign reserves.
Mr. Investor, if you are smart the few computers that you have on the island can be leveraged to report the news as it happens in South America.
A few classical cold war rhetoric adjectives have you soo concerned? Oh please …, go place your cash tin of funds in a penny bank or under the ground.
The renovations at the Airport is deemed a failure as is – not even a military plane will want to land here.
Very interesting Mr.Investor. You the Dominican public is the one who should really be calling the shots. And as you will realize, Sir, the process of really getting the point takes time in the thought process of most Dominicans. If probably you could give a little idea of the value of your investment without directly disclosing who you are, maybe “My People” will get a bigger picture of the wider picture…………….
I have heard from the mouthes of close comrades to Cvz …that what he really wanted to do is set up a military base in Dominica to protect his country from a north american invasion but the Gov of Dom did not agree so Cvz decided to just buy them out..with grants,.oil etc…and in the meantime getting what he really wants..Venezuela has no serious base to protect itself from an invasion in the caribbean sea and you know how the States is……..
from the mouths of “CLOSE COMRADES of Cvz”???? thats a blatant lie!!! the only close comrade cvz has here is the pm and is certainly not from him u heard your nonsense.Who are you Ralph Gonsalves? lol lol man you really do need to get a life!
I live in Venezuela my friend!!!!!!!!!
What do they call you as a black man in venezuela?
How are black people called and treated in Russia, China and Iran?
can you travel freely in Cuba?
Have you ever encountered a gang of Russian Neonazis?
Where on earth are black people still legally traded as slaves?
“Not all Grin Teeth is smile”
Obama is a black man
and so am I.
Putin is not,
Chavez is not,
Castro is not,
Cadafi is not,
Hu Jintao is not,
Nicolas Sarkozy is not
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is not…
so defensive!!
how do u know what he is saying is not true? seeing that you already think it is false? it can also be true.
What a bunch of bull… this piece is obscure and vague, to say the least.
Is this so-called ‘investor’ a private citizen of is representing a company. People who invest on projects such as the night landing in Melville Hall normally do it through a company and not as private citizen since it just makes more sense.
This “investor’ should have known the political landscape of the Caribbean before ‘investing.’ Didn’t he or she know that CARICOM, which includes Dominica, has been leaning towards Venezuela since Petrocaribe? (No, our hero, the United States would not give us oil at a cheap rate).
The ‘investor’ wrote “We have been told that over $10,000,000.00 was spent in airport expansion and electrification for night landing.” As an investor putting money into a project YOU ARE NOT TOLD how much money is being put in the overall investment. You are given a figure with the necessary paper work since your money is involved and you need to know how it fits into the overall project…
Any decision made in haste is not fiduciary. And fiduciary decisions are never made in haste.
Governance is a fiduciary responsibility.
Is investing $10,000,000.00 of public $ over 6 yrs before doing the basic due diligence as to its suitability for civilian night landing fiduciary?
Or was it all practicing a psychology degree on the distracted /trusting populace?
Concern investor personally i don’t think you have anything to be afraid off. Your investment {s} are welcomed and appreciated . Thank you for investing here. However our government has the soverign right to allow or not to allow millitary or civillian aircraft to land at our airport. As far as i know the government of The Commonwealth Of Dominica has not threatened the businesses of any investor be they local, regional or international. So you have nothing to worry about. I am suprised that no one is complaining about us investments in communist China, Vietnam and Pakistan which by the way can easily fall into the hands of al qaida.
Is the investor expecting DNO to respond to his questions? I think Invest Dominica might be a better forum for raising such a serious concern. Or he could schedule a meeting with a government official for some, proper information, sound advice and reassurance in one way or the other so that he could take an informed decision. Otherwise, to this Letter to the Editor, the investor is only going to get retarded comments like mine, and then will end up really moving out of Dominica and the Eastern Caribbean.
He needs to invest in some education, or maybe I should have said some common sense!!
THE MAN CAN SAY WHAT HE WANT.IS HIS MOUTH.DO NOT BLAME THE MAN. THE NEXT LEVEL HAVE NOT REACH THERE YET.
i would have taken this person seriously if they had given their name and the type of investment that they have in Dominica, including a website i can visit. until then i am left to belive that this person is full of @#%$$.
What of public investment in the. Construction of airport expansion, roads, sea walls, bridges… ? For example
How many of these have a masters degree in civil engineering with 1st class honors such as local investor Tony Leblanc of ville casse? Yet he is not even invited to tender for major projects.
Which individual with a proper head and mind would write such utter rubbish? That individual really need to visit Dr. Benjamin at the PMH
Stupes!!!!!! Man stop talking garbage!!!! Enough of the aspersions and malicious speculations!!!Get a life man! or a woman! or whatever your preference is…maybe a man might help you!
That is your response to someone who invests in your country, and has a legitimate concern about his investment? Wow!! No wonder the country like it is!
tell that investor go an pay his six million in back taxes.. HARD WORKING TAXPAYERS LIKE ME TAKIN UP THE SLACK FOR U ALL TO COME AND DO WHAT U WANT I OUR COUNTRY . GO BACK TO AMERICA. IS ONLY THERE FOOLISHNESS HAPPENING WHERE A FEDERAL GOVT HAVE TO BAIL ALU OUT.
Are you sure it is an investor?
No thats my response to your broke-a**. You pretending to be what you’re not. What have you done to elevate your country????? Beside sitting on your behind and concocting frivolous stories to create mischief?