Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit is advocating for a complete relocation of the Arawak House of Culture, the state of which has been the subject of some public contention in recent years.
His call came during a press conference recently.
The Arawak House of Culture, which is seen as a significant part of Dominica’s cultural landscape, was severely impacted by Hurricane Maria in 2017.
Since then, the road to renovation of what was the main public theater venue in the country has come under scrutiny by prominent voices in the arts community.
Currently, the prime minister is positing that seeking rehabilitation of the historic structure is futile, alluding to the potential of it becoming a money pit.
“In respect to the Arawak House of Culture, the reality is, my view is that, and I’ve said so before, that we should not have pursued the repairs of the Arawak House of Culture,” he remarked. “It’s an old building, there is no parking for patrons. It was built for a period in time and, to me, once you start touching an old building, problems will keep piling up.”
He continued, “When you’re going to touch an old building your contingency must be even higher than the actual construction cost. You just do not know what’s going to happen. You understand? So, as they seek to do something, a problem comes up.”
Skerrit explained that the Ministry conducted a comprehensive review of the necessary actions for the Arawak House of Culture and received a report from the Ministry of Public Works stating that $4.5 million dollars is needed to renovate it.
“The lighting, you have termite infestation there,” he revealed.
His argument is that new land should be acquired to build a new, modern Arawak House of Culture.
“Let’s find some land somewhere, in the Canefield area, somewhere in Roseau and build a new facility,” he stated. “A modern facility where we can have a coffee shop, we can sit down and have coffee…you can have something to eat…”
He continued, “We have to think bigger. This thing about trying to fix an old thing doesn’t make sense.”
Skerrit went on to add that his suggestions include having a more broad-based committee of enthusiasts and activists. “And I think the ministry invited some people to visit and so they had an appreciation of what was taking place, but I think we need to sit down within the public service and engage other stakeholders to determine what we do.”
“Do we, for posterity, keep the Arawak and spend $4.5 million or do we look for a new location and do something that can last us for the next 40 years?” he queried.
This follows April 3, 2025, when Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, then a guest on the Creole HeartBeat Program, hosted by Ambassador Leroy ‘Wadix’ Charles, revealed that work on the roof of the Arawak House of Culture had been completed, as part of the planned overhaul of the facility.
The Government of Dominica signed a contract on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, with Caribbean Building Specialties Ltd. for the Waterproofing of the Arawak House of Culture’s galvanized roof.
The contract, valued at EC$113,000, was signed by Mrs. Gloria Joseph, Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Youth, Sports and Community Development, and the company’s Director, Mr. Kamlesh Sharma.
Once completed, the upgraded Arawak House of Culture was expected to serve as a venue for national events, particularly during Independence, DOMFESTA, Carnival, and Emancipation celebrations.
At the time it was explained that the extensive rehabilitation would include complete restoration of the external and internal structures, including the roof, stage, seating, flooring, foyer, and air conditioning.
Additionally, the reported intention was to install a new sound and lighting system and artistic indoor and outdoor décor.
The Free/Public library has been left to disintegrate
The Arawak House of Culture is abandoned
The Old Mill Cultural Centre is not far behind. Go there and look at the unfinished stage that is still in the process of being built
The Botanic Gardens has been cleared and the buildings there left to the elements while money is spent renting spaces all over Roseau where parking is a perennial problem.
New structures are still being constructed with no regard to parking. The new edifice in the middle of Roseau close to the NCCU, that cannot be opened has no parking allocation. The little parking available in Roseau is swallowed up by reserved parking signs, mobile transient stores and employees of business places.
But alas, ARAWAK is the zanfan bata that must pay the price maybe because somebody has a plan for where it now stands.
May I suggest that the entire structure be demolished and a new state-of-the-art building be built so at least we can enjoy the fine arts again before…
Relocation of the Arawak House of Culture, I am not onboard of having it moved., This place bring so much memories and does everything need to be in Roseau?
Please leave it where it is and find a way to create parking spaces. That is my option .
The stadium is right there has the largest capacity for an event where is the parking that was built to accommodate? so is the venue going to hold more people than an event at the stadium? you guys will buy any sorry excuses from this con artist. Why is the vision of the Arawak house of culture that of Roosevelt and not of the performing arts community in dominica.?
Another example of manipulation and deflection to start Another distraction to the money already wasted with nothing to show. there is something called due diligence and we know the reputation.
Dominica needs an Olympic size sports complex with Olympic size swimming pool tennis courts etc. A golf course should also be constructed somewhere on the island to attract internation golf tournaments. That would bring in revenues to the island and help the local economy.
Let’s box instead!
HeavyWeight!
I agreed with you
I wonder what is Skerrit plans for the current government headquarters?
where will it be relocated……… to provide parking for de entire fleet of ministerial vehicles including other government registered forms of transportation……..hmmmm?
is he planning to provide a new location for the historic building? Is he planning to move some government offices over to the location……I smelling a rat boy……. right now we should be smart eh……. think for ourselves based on the usual motivation of this forever government.
when de announcement is made…….stand up dere like fool den run go and get a job with a promise vote.
Skerrit can’t throw any surprises at me……….. I learn dat dirty game for fame and profit.
I can see it already……….
when will some people ever learn.
when will some slavers get their burn
This venue has served its time the PM is 100% correct.The people need to share the vision of an international standard venue with bars, restaurants that can hold cultural events ,comedy and theatre 🎥 productions .where artist 🎨 wish to come and add to there international tours venues .
You people and your Prime Minister Skerrit have no national pride, no sense of history, heritage, culture and aesthetic value, which is why the Roseau Public Library is also in a mess! One day you all will wake up to this covert destruction and find nothing that made Dominica distinctive left in Dominica. This is why he so easily lost Ross University School of Medicine in Dominica, where nothing is sacred, valued, treasured and held for future generations – in Skerrit’s now for now Dominican society! How many Government or Public buildings in Dominica are built with parking for patrons or customers? Does the stadium next door have parking for patrons? Arawak shows are at nights and all the Government buildings parking around the Government Head Quaters, Financial Center, Treasury, AID Bank, National Bank can be parking at nights. The Arawak was built as a theatre, stage, acoustics, seating, lighting. Go on, sell it to your rich CBI friends for a supermarket!
It is evident that the restoration of the Arawak House of Culture is not a priority.
A deadline was given for 2025/6.One wonders why, because now, according to the PM so many issues are suddenly emerging. Were the issues not apparent before? Was this inefficienty on the part of the technical team and other so called advisors? Is there another vision for the location?
It is a great pity that our children are being deprived of an essential part of their education, self expression and discipline through the performing arts.
Those of us who were born in the days when performances of very high standards
were produced at ,’ little’ St.Gerard Hall appreciate the need for good theatre in the holistic development of a child and society as a whole.
Dominica’s children , our future, are at a serious disadvantage as compared to the other islands. A real pity.
It is hoped that the authorities will see it fit to put the Arawak House of Cultures on the top of their bucket list once and for…
This skerrit trump puppet is questioning whatever.
Let me question absolutely everything that this corrupt individual does and says!
I tell you why.
After several comments exposing his government’s wrongdoings, and next day after I asked on Fox News for trump’s impeachment, Dominica’s immigration forcibly locked me up in the psychiatric hospital; that was on Wednesday, the 1st of April; I’ve been released yesterday.
They dragged me to the hospital, abusively and aggressively injecting drugs on my body, then kept me locked up for ten days. I have been treated miserably by the staff, spoken to as if I was a two-year old, denied the right to give a phone call; I went on hunger strike as the only form of protest left to me.
If I had any doubts about skerrit’s government being a dictatorship, I have none left.
They put me in the psychiatric ward hoping that I’d break down and they can diagnose me with whatever, to keep me away from writing.
Human rights organisations,…
How can parking at night be a problem when buildings used during working hours continue to be constructed in Roseau?
The first problem to be addressed is parking in Roseau during working hours. There is no parking available during working hours in Roseau. The second problem that needs to be addressed is spot identification of locations for commercial buildings outside of a cohesive national plan.
Put your questions to the media whore on q95
he’s right. not only is parking limited but the place is too small. I remember a foreign vip and his wife attended a sold out show in the 90’s, on their personal agenda and had to sit on the steps because there were no more seats left.
Just asking for me and friends who are afraid to ask:
1. Who made the decision to undertake the repairs/renovation(all phases)?
2. How long has it been under repair/renovation phase?
3. The 4.5 million is that a further cost?
4. How long has it been closed=termites ?
5 What is the cost of the lighting at the Stadium?
6. Does the Stadium with a greater capacity have any parking for patrons?
7. Why were promises of opening/completion dates made?
8. Was there sufficient oversight of the project at all phases?
9. When did this Ministry invitation visit take place?( once? Twice?….)
10. Who were the invitees /activists/enthusiasts?
11. The equipment etc .already bought ,were they ever put to use?
12. How long will it take for this new location and modern facility to become a reality?
13. What are the plans for the land on which the ARAWAK is located?
14. Is the new facility different from the one promised with location Botanic Gardens?
I…
Other questions to add to those of ‘Anonymous.’
*During the WCMF or other popular events there is no adequate parking. Will the Stadium be moved eventually to accommodate vehicles?
*Roseau city also presents a serious parking problem. Are there plans to move the city to a more convenient spot, where parking will be available?
All very pertinent questions. However, the public will never be provided with answers to these questions from an administration that obfuscate the truth.
Roosevelt has no respect for Dominica’s history nor unique historical architecture.
After the passage of Hurricane Maria approximately a decade ago, this very important edifice remains in limbo. This is unquestionable evidence that the current ruling regime has little or no regard for the history, culture, education and well-being of the indigenous people.
Roosevelt is a wrecking ball in Dominica. The public library, Deux Branches, many local rivers, banana industry, sports, the country’s once pristine image, and more, have been ruined by Roosevelt and his sycophantic cabinet members by design or lack of competence.
One cannot do the same thing over and over and expect positive change. Dominica needs to try something else – New Leadership!
Agree 100% with the PM.
Aside from being a money pit it is also an “eyesore” This must be one of the ugliest structure in Dominica, if not the caribbean.
Less talk more action needed. Promises by Roosevelt are like vapour. They vanish in thin air.
Examples: return of the national birds, living in his own house, replacement for RUSM, full account for the missing CBI $4B, Dominica becoming the food basket of the Caribbean……