Parliamentary Representative of the Roseau Central Constituency, Melissa Poponne-Skerrit, has assured the public that the Roseau Enhancement Project is moving along, promising that affected parties will be kept in the loop.
Her comments came while speaking as a guest on the ‘Focus on Government and Development’ Program aired on DBS Radio this week.
“I know this is one that people have been waiting for. I want to assure the public that the Roseau Enhancement Project is very much alive and it is moving,” she said. “We are at the stage of finalizing the technical aspects. We have appointed the project manager already, finalizing tender agreements, sorting out contracts. And these are all important steps that have to be taken prior to any physical work that’s being done.”
Poponne-Skerrit said she will soon be engaging all the stakeholders who will be affected.
“And that’s specifically the vendors who line the streets of Great George Street, because this is the first street that we are going to start off with,” she revealed. “ So you have the vendors, you have the residents, and the business owners on the streets and other parts, maybe the streets that are crossing over into them that will be affected by the construction.”
She noted also that as soon as the draft designs are complete she will meet with the different groups to explain the plan, “speak to the vendors on maybe temporary relocation, what improvements that are coming, the time frame, of course traffic is going to be involved, the work schedules, how we are diverting traffic, how will we affect the businesses along the streets…”
This Poponne-Skerrit said will be an effort to minimize disruptions during this major transformation in Roseau.
She emphasized that when the project is completed, the public will see a brand new Roseau.
“We will see a modern city that’s beautiful and it’s resilient. It’s wheelchair accessible, beautiful skylines,” she noted. “ In addition to that, while we are doing the road and infrastructure part, team up with the homes and the businesses to uplift their buildings. [This] is where I can also implement the Paint the Town program, which is another program that we’re also running in the Roseau Central area.”
Poponne-Skerrit added, “And so we are making meaningful interventions in the interim while we are waiting for this to happen.”
During a press conference held last week, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said that with respect to the Roseau Enhancement Project, there were delays with the setting up of the project information unit and making a final decision on the staffing.
He explained that the moment the staffing was approved, the unit “hit the road running.”
“As I have been advised, there are ongoing negotiations with one of the supervisory firms, [and] once they conclude on their negotiations–that is to say the unit and that firm–that recommendation will be sent to the Saudi fund for its ‘no objection’”, he explained. “Once that ‘no objection’ is received, then we will go straight into the tender of the actual works.”
Furthermore, Skerrit told reporters that he was also advised that the supervisory contract could be issued before the end of October this year.
“We have all of the documents prepared already to send out the notice for invitation of bids for the actual construction,” he noted.
The Prime Minister made it clear to those posting via social media that thus far, his government hasn’t received any money with respect to the loan of 40 million dollars from the Saudi Fund.
“So there is no money in the treasury or anywhere in Dominica, in any government account,” he revealed. “The funds are still in Saudi Arabia with the Saudi Fund.”
He said these funds will only be distributed in phases.
“So once we sign the contract, there will be a schedule of payments; there will be certificates requesting payments. Once the certificates are notarized and certified, and approved, then a draw-down will come,” Skerrit explained.
The annoying flooding and drainage problems are not unique to the Nature Isle. countries such as Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Barbados experience frequent and extreme flooding.
Simply put, it’s an unavoidable territorial and location issue which is not easily mitigated. That being said, since we cannot stop the “pleasure and the pain” of mother nature, we must continue to adjust and adapt as needed.
Adaptation will require the incurrence of some pain and inconvenience by all affected. We, as a collective people, are well versed in enduring climate induced periods of attrition.
What we abhor and have little or no patience for are repeated failures to deliver on pipe dreams and false promises.
We have this uncanny propensity to compare ourselves with the worst examples. Why? We must always try to be the best we can be.
Rose ah looks, smells and feels awfully disgusting. Walking through Rose an is distressing. If the administration could transform and enhance the ambience of this place, I will be the first to commend them. Action is always better than talk.
You failed to understand or didn’t care to acknowledge the point Say What was making. Adding no value and potentially steering the conversation into shallower places.
Instead you talk about feelings resorting to cliche and pablum. Using the language of those trying to make a superficial impression like politicians and influencers.
Besides these are not the worst examples, all of these countries are more developed than us with greater human and physical resources (yes including Haiti) that share geographical similarities, its an intelligent and apt set of references.
As a people we need to get out of our emotional stupor and learn to think critically and communicate on substance and facts. As long as we feed this dumbed-down, superficial and ultimately self-centered thinking (acting only or mostly on your feelings is selfish behavior) we will only continue to get worse and worse and suffer more and more.
Well said! Stick it to him!
I hope you are as enthusiastic when I respond to you.
All ah want for Christmas is the electrical , , phone and cable wires underground. If I recall correctly, when we planned to make Dominica the first resilient country in the world, it was to have been done.
Boy this ungovernment can take its obedient citizens on a russian roulette ride over and over again oui. But the best laugh is they love it to the max
I thought you would talk about the 19 red seats instead of the Roseau red benches.Melissa spear to be much smarter than your blue candidate SOSO,because he was beaten by 190 votes in Roseau Central.Before the project can start everything must be in place before funds can be disbursed.You said in your usual high level of stupidity,the Stadium,the State House,the DCFH,the E O Leblanc Highway,the international airport and the Goodwill school were all pie in the sky.Everytime something is being done in the interest of the state you lose blood vessels.Go to court ask the court to tell Skeritt to tell you what happened to the Kuwaiti funds.
The Prime Minister made it clear, his government hasn’t received any money with respect to the loan of 40 million dollars from the Saudi Fund.
“So there is no money in the treasury or anywhere in Dominica, in any government account,” he revealed. “The funds are still in Saudi Arabia with the Saudi Fund.”
He said these funds will only be distributed in phases.
“So once we sign the contract, there will be a schedule of payments; there will be certificates requesting payments. Once the certificates are notarized and certified, and approved, then a draw-down will come,” Skerrit explained.
This is exactly how an accountable government fund is managed PM Skerrit. So maybe you should learn for your CBI and MMC contracts. This is what accountability looks like. The Saudis may have trillions of dollars but they are not throwing it to every begging crook and thief! So Labourats who do not understand those of us calling for accountability, look at how the Saudis are managing their loans!
Melissa i know you are not the sharpest knife in the cupboard. In other words you are an accomplished duce cat, but can you tell us a little bit about what happened to the Kuwaiti fund which should have done just that to our city of Roseau? Your husband had the artist design of a new Roseau showing to his fools at Lagon in 2009 or 2014. Some clapped until they got blisters on their palms.What happened to that money?
I am all for development. What i hate is corrupt leaders and massive corruption. It is a cancer that affects all of us. Reasons why i am one who go by the saying, JAIL CORRUPT LEADERS.
Oops: Will you also enhance an area in Roseau with Red Benches? Will it be done first?
MEME
The only two certificates she has are her birth and baptism. She will get a third when she transitions to the Great Beyond. Daft!
Your morbid jealousy and hate for the Skerrits (human beings like you) will chew at your soul and haunt you because as long as you live, you will see them rise and prosper inspite of your shenanigans behind the computer screen, and this reality will destroy you.
Again, go check the Acute Psychiatric Unit at the Hospital.
Why are you that silly and hard-wired to what you believe, a mind like yours is not worthy for the truth. Why are you partisan beliefs
leading you to such wilful ignorance. It is the same fixation you have when the Mexican Government promised Dominica money to build the Marigot Hospital and there was a delay due to the bureaucracy procedure from the Mexican Government to release the funds. When such funds are made available, there are procedures in place of checks and balances to make sure the monies are spent and accounted for, the monies were in the hands of a third party, not in The Dominica Treasury. if you cannot comprehend this, so be it. https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/mexico-clarifies-misperception-about-promised-funds-for-marigot-hospital/
I laugh when you said, quote, “I am all for development.” you are specking in folk tongue.
@LAZY Gary
You doggone lazy acolyte of evil, i don’t refer to your doggone links . Why is your lazy head so hard mister scatterbrain?
What i do is to smoke you out of your corrupted hole, simply by writing. You live high on the hog and that is what you sre defending, your shameless creature. You dont care with Dominica.
Get out of here. I dont read your shi… garbage, i just respond to you consistent to the spoilt character that you are. Mister LAZY.
MEME.
When and if this is done, I’m certain Roseau will still have a drainage problem, you all need massive underground storm drains to solve the flooding problem when it rains heavily around certain streets.