Vincentians are hesitating to leave for nearby Islands amid eruptions of La Soufrière volcano, over concerns about their property and the COVID-19 vaccine requirement.
Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit recently announced that 300 evacuees were expected to arrive on island early last week and would be housed in Portsmouth for a period of up to five months in the aftermath of the disaster.
However, a communiqué from an emergency meeting of Organization of the Eastern Caribbean State (OECS) leaders on April 12, quoted Vincentian Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, as indicating the concerns of his countrymen who may be facing evacuation.
He disclosed that those hesitating to leave for other islands did not want to and cited reasons such as concerns for their property and possessions, and vaccine hesitancy.
When questioned on his Anou Palay programme this week on the status of the 300 evacuees for whom Dominica has already made accommodation, Skerrit indicated that while the offer is still on the table, only 21 individuals have so far expressed interest in coming to Dominica.
“I am not surprised that people do not want to move,” he said. “This is unlike [Hurricane] Maria where everybody was out of work, every home was affected and you had a serious shelter crisis. While they do have a shelter challenge in St Vincent, because many families are in shelters or by relatives, but people want to see what happens to their homes that they left in the northern zone, their animals, their crops, their businesses.”
Skerrit has also disclosed that there are discussions between the ministry of foreign affairs in Dominica and SVG to discuss the protocols and requirements of the Vincentians when they depart from their island and arrive in Dominica.
The prime minister has also announced that the government has authorized a donation of EC1 million dollars to the government and people of SVG in response to the volcanic eruption.
In addition to what has already been supplied, he urged Dominicans to continue donating whatever they can towards the effort to assist those affected.
As of today April 19, the UWI Seismic Research Centre is reporting that the volcano remains at alert level red.
The volcano continues to erupt. Its pattern of seismic activity over the last few days is typical of the growth and destruction of lava domes, the report says. The explosions with accompanying ashfall, of similar or larger magnitude, can occur with little or no warning impacting St. Vincent and neighbouring islands.
No volcano-tectonic earthquakes were recorded in the last 12 hours.
Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said n Friday that according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a little over 600 people had applied for temporary relocation to other countries.
Gonsalves said that he would focus on four OECS countries that are ready to accept displaced Vincentians.
Only 4% of 600 people from SVG wants to come to Dominica although they are in this major crisis……… Way Papa!!!!
If my memory serve me right, I recall Skerrit claiming Dominica is doing the Best in The Caribbean….LOLOOL!!!!!
This is a total indictment on Skerrit & his GOVT….Ralph is letting him down nicely to avoid the embarrassment.
So it just tells you all those rich business men Skerrit say are coming to Dominica to invest are ALL CROOKS.
Can’t you read; the corrupted crook Roosevelt Skerrit; took on his own without asked by Gonzalez; said he made accommodation for three (300) people of St. Vincent.
Now if you read the article carefully you will find it states that only twenty-five (25) St. Vincentians showed any interest in sheltering in Dominica.
I suggest if that is true, the twenty-five interested may have relatives in Dominica, their roots must be in Dominica.
Nobody in their right mind would wish to go and live under Roosevelt Skerrit in Skerrit Backward Dominica!
I do not know where you got this information from disseminating such information that 4% of the population of St. Vincent and the Grenadines are going to Dominica.
Let me impress upon you that 4% of 111,000.00 is approximately 4,440 people.
Now if they claim only 21 or 25 people from St. Vincent are heading to Dominica; to find what percentage of the population will be going to Dominica; one need to do this: X = 111,000.00/100.
The result will be about 0.001% or there about. My mathematical formula may fall short of a length, but if you are good at math you will find if I am not completely correct; I am almost correct eh!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
St Vincent and the Grenadines has a population of 111,000, which has remained fairly flat since 1990.
Anyway 4% of 600 people is really = to 24 people; if they have already selected six hundred people you are correct, but based on the population is less than 0.001%!
They don’t want to jump from the frying pan to the fire. They are not as foolish.
Any Vincentian will think twice to come to DA. The only once interested in the proposition would be coming for the wrong reason anyway. I mean who once to leave a place for something worse. Grenada, Barbados and St. Lucia must be a much better proposition than Skeritts Dominica.
Only 21 Vincentians want to come to Dominica boy? And PM you not ashamed to say that?
Boy I don’t always agree with Ralph Gonsalves because I find he has too much in common with Skerrit. But it amazes me how he can lie to Skerrit or trick him at will eh. Skerrit, Ralph just didn’t want to tell you that his people don’t want to come to a country that depends on sale of citizenship as main stay of its economy. That is something Ralph has criticized before and vowed to never do to his people. So now they in crisis they are saying not even in crisis they want to come to a country that depends on sale of citizenship
Let’s be real people. The people of St. Vincent are not wanted criminals that are running from justice. So why should they want to flee to a country that Skerrit took his time to design for wanted criminals like Alireza Monfared that cannot go to any real country?
@My little take, “wanted criminals you say”! And you must be feeling proud of yourself because you would not write it here for the World to read.
How I wish that people like you were not from Dominica, she does not deserve characters like yours–good Lord!
Elizabeth, let us face it; if you were in a situation where you became a refugee, looking for refuge; in the Caribbean, or any part of the world, would your first choice be a place as poor, and backward as Dominica?
People like progress; if I was a Vincentian looking for a place as a refugee in the Caribbean, it would be a place where there would be the probability of finding a job!
These people at this point do have needs; assuming they have to remain in exile for a while; for no one knows how long the volcano will keep erupting.
It could be for another fifty years; these people have to think of another life, such accumulating wealth, building a home; how can that be accomplish is a place like ours, where the nations economy is based on the sale of passports?
Note: Kaleakla in Hawaii Volcano has been erupting for 29 Years. Who knows who long will it be in St. Vincent; and what about Montserrat?
Let me remind you of this also Elizabeth; when the Volcano commenced erupting in Montserrat, the citizens were asks to evacuate, being a British colony they had the opportunity to settle in England.
Some people refused to travel and settle in England, a few chose Dominica!
What did they experience in Dominica?
Let me be the one to tell you they faced discrimination; black people went to the banks in Dominica requesting loans to open business, the banks declined!
Nevertheless; the damn Chines have all sorts of business in Dominica selling inferior products; why should a Vincentian go and be subjected to our mess?
You see in all the talk, and Roosevelt poor boast, have you heard at anytime since the eruption, Ralph Gonzales reached out to Roosevelt asking for any help or assistance?
Ralph treats Roosevelt like a dog, after he influence Roosevelt to screw up Dominica; yet Roosevelt is so shallow, without shame he kisses up to Ralph behind; doesn’t know when he is not…
But what do you expect when Roosevelt Skerrit himself, as Prime minister told the world that Dominica is not a real country? Would you want to move to such a country?
Why should people want to come to Dominica when Skerrit and his wife made sure that their children are not Dominicans by birth ? Would you want to move to such a country?
Why would people want to come to Dominica at this time when Skerrit as a government minister applied for and took French citizenship? Would you want to come to such country?
Sorry it was Lennox Linton that told the world that if he would. the 2014 elections he would restore our pride and make Dominica the best place to live, best place to work and best place to enjoy life. Unfortunately he won but the thief, who Jesus said came to Steal, kill and destroy, stole the election and destroyed our country.
@Satan is a liar, PM Skerrit is right! Dominica is not a country. It is a small “Island” among a chain of Islands known as the West Indies. They cannot Islands and country together.
For example, North America is a country with 52 States, and Canada as well. Dominica cannot even be the “lace” of the shoes for any of those States and especially that of Canada.
You people should inform yourselves before you make a fool of yourself, by accepting the thoughts of fools.
ADMIN: The USA has exactly 50 states not 52.
Who in their right mind would want to leave St. Vincent or any of the Caribbean islands to come to the mess of Dominica? I don’t believe Ralph wants to be blunt with Skerrit and tell him his people to want to come to Dominica so he used all those excuses. Look as bad as things are in Haiti Just go to those Haitians we have here and ask them how many of them are happy here and you will see. No doubt Dominica is a lovely country but Skerrit has so badly destroyed the country that I don’t think too many people in their right mind would want to come here under the evil reign of Roosevelt Skerrit. Their are hundreds of Vincentians fleeing to Trinidad, Barbados and other countries. They just don’t want to come to this a..hole country of Skerrit
300… expected to arrive on the island LAST week …. for a period of up to five months….
But states YESTERDAY that Foreign Affairs personnel are in discussion as per protocols and requirements of the Conventions when they depart……
HOTEP!
Them people not dotish, why do they want to come to Dominica.
This is a very unfortunate and complex matter that must be dealt with. And I am glad that PM Skerrit, and his governing body, is willing to lend a helping hand.
I pray that our God of Heaven and Earth will hear the call of His people in St. Vincent, and He will grand them healing mentally and physically, as He guides them out this turmoil that they are facing today. In the name of Christ Jesus. Amen
The only people that require mental healing are you and your fellow DLP nutcases. Hypocrite!
Well, in an article which came out on DNO on the 14th April 2021, re the eruption at La Soufriere in St Vincent, i did ask Skerrit to pledge and honour EC$1000 000.00 to St Vincent, because our money is not just to buy riot gear for thugs and hooligans parading as police officers in Dominica. Many people, institutions and organisations helped Dominica after hurricane Maria, even if Skerrit has not given us proper accounting for the monies. So i am all for helping St Vincent.
I am not surprised that only 21 Vincentians want to come to Dominica, because the country is in a terrible state of leadership, and the news is well known all over the Caribbean. Guess that number will soon be reduced to a single digit…