National Authorizing Officer Eddie Lambert has said there is a certain level of nervousness in Europe about how monies given to developing states are used and managed.
Lambert told the official launching of a tourism committee in Layou that letter from the delegation in Barbados has complained about an eco-tourism facility in Soufriere.
“A visitor from Europe causally visited the facility, noted the apparent neglect that has ensued, wrote the commission in Brussels, the commission in turn wrote to Barbados and then Barbados wrote to us asking us what we intended to do about the eco-tourism facility in Soufriere, developed with resources from the European Commission and which were now apparently in neglect,” he said.
Lambert said the buzzwords throughout Europe today are austerity programs and severe cut backs in government expenditure.
Lambert said since the newer members of the EU have no historical links to Dominica they will take a more severe approach as to how their resources are used.
All LABOURITES are asked to converge under the Financial Center on the morning of December 17 in recognistion of the December 18 ELECTIONS VICTORY to as a means of remindig the UWP that we are solid and should finally accept defeat
Green being bewilered needs a dose of reality.
I am calling on all of our people, all of them, to put on something RED – ALL citizens patriots, women, youth , farmers, workers unemployed. Dominicans we’re calling on you to assemble, to gather, to come out in large numbers on Friday the 17th of December at 10 a.m. in front of the Financial Center. For an Aniversary Gathering. We gan make them wet their pants!!!!
WE DECLARING FRIDAY DECEMBER 17TH AS RED DAYYYY IN DOMINICA!!!!!!!
WHERE SOMETHING RED and ASSEMBLE UNDER FINACIAL CENTRE AS A SIGN OF SOLIDARITY TO OUR GOVERMENT
IS TIME WE MAKE A STATEMENT AS LABOURITES
ITS TIME THE UWP DIGEST THE 18-3 VICTORY
With these hard economic times worldwide people are not going to hand down money like this anymore. This is true these people are looking for developmental projects they have funded to show that they are instrumental in alleviating world poverty and help developing countries.
According to the saying I do not have to give a car and continue providing you with tires.
And those like Patat calling for tolls on the bridges in Dominica and additional fees in schools – yikes
Let us not do the comparison on some things because that issue we have in Dominica right now with Mr. Savarin and other government ministers and the PM – you know the answer if you are comparing.
Come on PATAT be smarter than this. One cannot impose all these taxes on Dominicans that exist in these industrialized countries like the US. How many people in Dominica earn an annual gross salary of at least 100,000 per year no matter what degree you have. People already have problems in sending their kids to school. It is enought PATAT if one does not have at least $50 your child cannot go to school – the cost of the tie- essential part of uniform there are already term fees.
Let us not forget unprepared food items are not taxed whereas in Dominica you pay so what.
We need to quit supporting foolishiness and finding ways to justify ruthless actions in the name of party or politics. OUR GOVERNMENT NEED TO STOP TRYING TO RULE WITH AN IRON FIST and fall in line with what real leadership is.THANK YOU MR BRISBANE – you are a concerned citizen
Well,Well,Well. I’m wandering, did that tourist visited the site after Mr. Brisbane wrote the letter to the E.U or it was just co-incidence that he visited the site. If the tourist visited after the letter was written well. Well.Well, Well. The interesting thing is that, an idea is formulated to do a national development,(project) the relavant persons comes together, the project is designed and funding is sort, whether it is from the EU or other funding agencies. These agencies then looks at the project in it’s entirety and then agrees to fund that project. The problem is that they(our technocrats) only ask for funds to develop the project but nothing, if any is put in place to sustain that development after completion.
Eg. Yes we got 6m for the project, community centre with resource facilties and what not, jobs will be created in that community everybody happy, because govelma ca traviell. but after the project is completed, how is that project maintained. The long term upkeep of the facilties, no money then the facilties goes to ruins.
There is always a call for sustainable development but I truely believe that we as a nation we DO NOT understand the meaning of those words. When educated materials is written in other to enlighten others we ridicule the enlightener
Now it is interesting to see the outcome of that one. Let us see what spin that is going to be placed on this one. Charlo, Tony and even Eddie (Gov special adviser/N.A.O), oh yes Mervin to. But wait, who is Gov press adviser now? was that post made redundant?
I want to hear Jerry tommorow on Q-95, he must touch on this one & Lennox don’t run with that on saturday.
But seriously we as a nation need to take a serious look as to what is happening before it gets to late. As I have said before don’t hate the messenger, take heed of the message that the messenger brings, who ever that messenger maybe.
The concerns, shared by Mr. Edward Lambert, NAO, are noteworthy. I must however add that too often facilities are built within communities and the members of the communities were left out of the process in the first instance and as a consequence when these facilities are completed the authorities expect the members of communities to take ownership of these facilities, but they don’t because they feel they were not involved in the process in the first instance. Very often you hear people say, “all you build all you thing without using the local resource and now all you want us to take care of it, why all you do put all you management there to take care of it, how all you know is that we want, or there we want it, or so we wanted it to be designed etc etc.” That’s a reality
My question is did the NAO and the authorities take a grassroots approach to the development of this facility? I am sure if they did probably the members of the community might have embraced the facility as their own. But too often people come and build facilities or undertake projects and do not involve the community or empower the community to take ownership and when it fails the authorities atempt to blame the people.
I wish to observe that some of the Eco-tourism facilties funded by the European Union and other agencies faces the same fate as the Sourfriere facility in question. Just drive around and let your eyes roll and you will see. Some of these facilties are also affected by poor visitation caused due to the low volume of visitation, in some cases extremely low, to the facilities and so members of communities have become disillusioned with the perceived economic potential of these facilities.
When people use their country’s tax payers money to do projects they expect those projects to benefit the people for whom they were built. If I were that person from the European Union I would have asked the same question. The persons concern has nothing to do with whether they are going thru austerity measures or not, whether they are cutting back aid funding or not and it certainly have NO LINKS TO JERRY BRISBANE’S CONCERNS, since Jerry’s concerns are essentially the same as that shared by the EU Official…just read their lips. It’s clearly poor planning on the part of the NAO and the authorities for not involving the communities and allowing them to take ownership of these facilities in the way it ought to be done in the first place.
The the Forestry, Wildlife and Parks Division collects millions of dollars annually on behalf of Government. These monies are to be used to (1) service the CDB loans and other loans and (2) maintain the facilities. Yet the facilities are not being adequately maintained and the NAO and the authorities just try to use members of the communities as scapegoats.
I hope the grass roots approach was used in Layou, although, I doubt it because that asphalt plant will be a nuissance to Layou and a insult to Layou’s Community Tourism efforts…
So knowing all this, did Brisbane’s letter help or hurt Dominica?
If a Dominican pointed out these faults, some DLP supporters would say that this amounted to treason. Take a good look at the restrooms in the ministry you will notice much neglect.
When i was growing we always believe what came from overs to be better or more believable than what we do or say. A local critisize and we crucify a tourist critisize and we take their as words to live by. What a set of myopic small minded low self esteem no pride people we have doing thinking for us in this country. I guess they must be still growing up Shameful
Kamem! Eddie you have just VALIDATED Jerry’s letter to the EU. Clearly the EU is concerned about how its money is spent by YOUR OWN admission, you why should they not be when millions are spent here on “sea walls” that can not support the works done? Please answer the question for what you have said in Layou is consistent with what Jerry Brisbane wrote. I strong advice Jerry to apply for the job of N. A O that the government is now advertising, please be his refree on this application!
Clearly, Jerry Brisbane’s concerns were justified
The truth is like a gremlin you pour water on the truth to cover it up and the truth proliferates and show up in other places . Ha HA
Guys we haven’t heard from Anti Hate nor anonymous?
they are the same person,,…together with ‘hey jus giving my two cents’ and third side,,,,,all of them is the same person lol
people the government dont have anything to do with that nor did the Jerry brisbane letter….. what we see here is a failure to maintain the project that was demanded… it is obvious that if an organization is borrowing or grantin money to any country for cetain projects they would send someone to over see or monitor the progress of the project. if we dont maintain wat is granted to us we will loose it all and then we would sit on our behinds and say that the Government fault… is skerrit fault or charlo or who ever is in power… as a citizen u have to take responsibility for your actions… not everything is the government…
so tell me , ok why nobody no donor country complained about our Fountain on the waterfront? why den?
peter, why can’t you post comments which are constructive sometimes…..
1.did the EU fund the fountain on the bayfront?
2. thes eco-tourism projects were a series of projects funded by the EU couple years ago which upon completion were handed over to the comunity in care of an organised comunity group to ensure the upkeep and full running of the facility…
then u may ask if why the government not taking care of it.. ans… this is not government responsibility.. the community is supposed to find creative ways to make the facility generate income… i know about that because i am part of a committee and we also recieved that grant from the EU and our facility is well kept and maintained… i will say again we as Dominicans need to t
1.did the EU fund the fountain on the bayfront?
2. thes eco-tourism projects were a series of projects funded by the EU couple years ago which upon completion were handed over to the comunity in care of an organised comunity group to ensure the upkeep and full running of the facility…
then u may ask if why the government not taking care of it.. ans… this is not government responsibility.. the community is supposed to find creative ways to make the facility generate income… i know about that because i am part of a committee and we also recieved that grant from the EU and our facility is well kept and maintained… i will say again we as Dominicans need to take resposibility and ownership of our assets… they don’t belong to the government they belong to us
It does not take a genius to see that there are numerous unkept projects in Dominica.
This report is alarming. If the EU is dissatisfied, will they in future think twice about funds to Dominica.
I have visited the site mentioned and if you go there at certain times of the day, you can walk in free, as there is no one there to collect the entrance fees. There is nowhere to wash your hands or have a drink of water (the taps have disappeared), the changing rooms are filthy, all in all it is badly maintained.
The government ministers should make a tour of the island and see first hand what needs to be
done to improve/update these facilities. They cannot promote Dominica as a tourist destination
when so much is wrong. They cannot sell Dominica as a nature island, and leave it all to nature, as nature can cause havoc and destroy.
Once they pin point where work needs doing, then they should use some of the $27M they plan to use to build their palace.
a,a, they concern now thought the EU was pleased with dominca.
what drug was he on, did he say ‘NEGLECT’ OH JAH. SKERO
look the cat left the bag.
It is high time for our government and their opporatives to respect the views of our people. No right-minded Dominican would want to undermine the good of the country. Our prime minister clearly stated that “it is the right of the citizens to ask questions of our elected members”. When we see our country taking a destructive turn, it is our right as civil minded citizens to steer it back on course. Asking questions and demanding answers point directly to that.
Mr. Lambert, Saverin, the PM and all else should be happy for criticism. Criticism keeps us on track. If you like to hear everything someone is saying to you then there is a big problem. Mr. Senior council, Lambert, Charlo and the hundreds of advisers employed to advise the PM, please do your work and stop singing for the PM to give you a piece of the cake which belongs to the people of Dominica. Stop wasting our resources and save Dominica for the future generation. You guys stop pretending that you so love Dominica and the PM. Stop taking Doinica for a ride. Listen to the people and try to undo all the wrong that has been and is being done to Dominica. Nothing last forever. Stop while you can.
USE DONARS AND DOMINICANS TAX MONIES WISELY.
Amen and Amen.
So, the truth shall be revealed. We were so busy to castigate and destroy one man for standing for our rights. Now, a person, totally unattached to Dominica, has said the same thing. Is this coincidence? No!! The truth is the truth no matter where it comes from.
People like Eddie Lambert, Charles Savarin, Tony Astaphan, Mervin Paul and the PM must tell us how do they sleep at nights. Do you have a conscience? Is there a little man in your head who speaks to you? Or have you murdered him like how you are murdering Dominica? There is not one time you people will take blame for something which happens. You always find ways to change the subject or to blame others. As other people commented, why doesn’t Savarin, who is familiar with Brussels, go to Europe and tell Europeans to boycott the tourist? I am also surprised that he hasn’t told Dominican taxi operators to boycott european tourists.
Ah, magway ca!!!
Mr. Lambert you and I know that this is a major weakness of the Government machinery – lack of maintenance of government properties.
This facility was put in place in the days of Freedom Party. There was a policy decision adopted by Cabinet then to seek assistance from the EU for this project. All subsequent Cabinets must adopt the maintenance of these facilities.
The EU agreed in good faith to fund such a facility. Measures that were adopted to assure the sustainability of this project site included the collection of visitors’ fees. That measure is selectively adopted. The EU provides budgetary support almost annually to the Government of Dominica. No one from the EU has to spell it out that some of these funds are to be used in the upkeep of all EU funded sites.
This is solid PR for the EU and they have spent their funds to earn such favorable PR in that part of the world.
In the United States where many Dominicans reside and spend vacation there is never a complain to pay a toll fee when using the interstate highways such as I-95 or US 1 or any of the other roads that require a toll payment. Why can’t we get our people to accept that payments for the upkeep of tourist sites and main roads should be part of their lives?
Apart from school fees that parents must pay, there should be an annual contribution of EC$50.00 per child for the upkeep of the school building.
All motorist should be made to pay EC$0.25 or 25 cents every time they cross the bridges in Roseau, Portsmouth, Layou, Loubiere, Colihaut, and the other bridges around Dominica apart from paying their annual licensees. These funds should go towards upkeep of the roads and paying for traffic lights, street lights, , and road markings. It is high time we come to realize that these improvements cannot be for free. This will also help in persons selecting mass transit and reducing the amount of pollution in the atmosphere as well as cutting down the level of traffic noise as well.
I am in agreement with all what you said. I was surprised how obedient people are in the US..Pay toll, pay fees, pay taxes, taxes,taxes, more taxes, taxes again and no one complain.
Dominica, you ask for admission fee and no one goes in.
Good Points Lang Patat…
thats a great point… but imagine the government deside tomorrow they going to implement that in Dominica….what u think going to happen… lol…. but i like your point…. still dominicans need to take up ownership of the things in the country… and take responsibilities too… erespective of who in power workers or labour u cannot expect the government to do everything while u sit back relax… jus saying
hey hey hey,,, them man must confuse themselves. so you mean jerry’s letter to the EU was a prediction
Peps, I work in the construction industry in New York and typically agency projects for Federal/City/State government are audited – (Contracts validity, change orders and work in place based on actual scope of work etc), therefore while I am not sure when this person reported to the EU it is quite possible that the EU is going to ramp up audit. This will most likely be done by sending personnel to participating countries to look at projects they fund, but will not report to local governments to avoid them from proping up the site/projects to give the impression that all is well; this allows the EU personnel to see the project in its current state. Now, isn’t it strange that this person knew this site/project was funded by the EU, and instead of speaking to local government officials reported directly to the EU. Therefore, if government wants my stupid advice with those of many people who clearly love Dominica based on non-partisan information that I have read on DNO they should really get serious about what they are doing immediately. This is just the beginning of things to come mark my words.
There may be some sign saying who funded the programme. Most of these have some sign dictating the project name and funding.
The hand writting is on the wall. This government is bound to fall. Tick tuck.
First of all “Developin” Are we/Dominican’s part of “Developing” countries? We still live in a country without traffic lights and where no one makes a complete stop at stop signs. This is alarming: 1, UN says we have the best health care, we still send people to Guadeloupe and Martinique for minor heal issues, and 2, we are considered “developing”. All these are strategies the Europeans who once enslaved us are coming up with in order to keep us down. Imagine the EU with Billions, complaining about a facility in Dominica. Ahhhhh.
shut up fool!
Well, Isn’t it better when our citizens ask questions of our government locally and they respond? Instead of a foreigner coming on island and writing the donor agencies like the EU our government need to respond to constructive critizism on island and address the concerns raised. I just find it ironic this gentleman is bringing this out now, and yet while he supports the present administration could not see the wisdom in why Jerry Brisbane had to resort to his actions. There is a lot more to come, because politicians most fatal illness is amnesia and this operative just completed a kamakazi mission that vindicates Jerry’s position.
I think that the ministry of external affairs should demand the identity of that ‘european tourist’ & all a we should boycott them
Its very interesting Trevor…. If they asking to boycott Brisbane I Think it only right to boycott this european tourist also…. lol…. They think is Brisbane alone that have eyes to see or ink and paper to write letter. These idiots on Kairi FM keep attacking the messenger but they refuse to address the major problem at hand.
Agreed let us find out who they are and boycott there businesses in Europe and elsehwere. lol
Also should I say we should boycott the EU – lol
mr lambert ,aint that something , i wonder if jerry had raise the issue of the same site what would your response to him , be? i think you should ask de EU to give you the name of the individual so you charles and skerrit can try him at the hague for crimes against dominica
hmmmmmmmmm
It is a good question, you get monies, show results.
Did they (he) answer the question?
They should provide a response to the question and why the facility is in neglect..
Well what message do you send them by:
Beggars affording a $27 million loan for a state house?
Governments refusing to answer queries on accountability?
Non tendering of contracts?
Ministers attacking the private sector investors asking for a boycott when they simply ask for answers on accountability?
Simply poor knee jerk reactions rather than dialogue.
Thank you Jerry Brisbane for keeping these idiots in check………… Thats what good goverance is all about.
put the mfo straight.
thank you
Well, now maybe Mr. Brisbane did have a point. Well, we’ll wait for an explanation from Mr. Savarin… I just can’t understand how this kinda stuff can happen… money to develop a project and then it just sits there in total neglect. As I said, maybe Mr. Brisbane would have been more on point if he had pointed out these projects – instead of writing his letter in abstract. But I still think the way he went about it was inappropriate. The whole thing is a shame though for Dominica.
Mr Brisbane did have a point, before writing to the EU, etc., he wrote letters to the local authorities here and spoke publictly to no avail, about the way in which projects were awarded to the specially favoured. He was abused by the powers that be and one of them (MP for Mahaut) even said that ‘Jerry must behave himself.’ I want him to go tell the European tourist to “behave himself”. I want Charlo to call on the Dominica to boycott European tourists.
Lambert should be ashamed of mentioning that in public, but…….. “Truth crushed to earth must rise again….” (.MLK). They have to talk on themselves and vindicate Jerry Brisbane, watch you will see.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the government is totally distracted, every week something negative is coming out on them. The leadership of Dominica is overwhelmed, they have weaved a tangled web and they are trapped in it.
Thank you Mr Jerry Brisbane, you will be vindicated! Fret not thyself over evil doers.
No weapon formed against you shall prosper. The Lord will put your enemies at your feet.
Mr Lambert, So Mr Brisbane was right, its a shame that after Mr. Brisbane took that stand saverin and tony took him to task, we are watching
That did not come from Jerry Brisbane . Come on Charlo time to attack.
And you all want to blame Jerry Brisbane .. speak out Eddie, do not let it stifle you …
Well I so glad is me that opening bat on this one. DNO you sure you have the story right? I mean partner i don’t want anybody to call for boycott of the site. So let me get this straight. A casual visitor just wrote a letter to somebody and bam alarm bells ringing. I can imagine how straight Mr Lambert’s face was when he said. Maybe that’s what they knew why they were so upset with Mr Brisbane then. I think this one is better than special task force protecting criminals.
ADMIN
It is right because we have the audio from Mr. Lambert’s speech. If you visit DNO’s account on Youtube, you will find it there.
and allu wanted to hang n lynch brisbane,,,see a visitor from europe that bring the report,,,,,,stand for justice and stop blinding allu selves,,,,, jump high n jump low skerro n charlo have to go
Yet we are complaining about Jerry’s letters! Interesting!
Actually, this article supports the view that Brisbane’s letters were treasonous and he should have been hauled in by the police and asked to explain his intentions.
This article shows at least two things:
1. Foreign development partners are EXTREMELY sensitive to accountability matters surrounding their dollars.
2. Only an enemy of the State would, as it were, report in the manner that the “visitor” did, knowing full well that his/her report will make it difficult for D/ca to access developmental assistance (loans and grants).
With each passing day, i am convinced that this DLP government needs to step in more often to defend public interest. Get the enemies of the masses to explain their actions! See what the Chair of the US Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee did with Wikileaks and amazon.com? Stop pussy-footing with Brisbane and his ilk.
This DNO article confirms the poisonous nature of Brisbane’s actions!
hahahahahaha
That has to ba a joke……….funny
I pity you. You are in such denial. Deal with the message, not the messenger. This is a democratic state when last I checked, if it is not so I would like to be corrected.