Cottage MP announces youth forum on tourism to be held on Saturday

Deputy Prime Minister and Cottage MP, Reginald Austrie. File photo

Deputy Prime Minister and Parliamentary Representative for the Cottage constituency, Reginald Austrie has announced that a youth forum will be held on Saturday 6th July at the Portsmouth Secondary School. This activity is targetting the youth and the roles that they can play in tourism development in the north of the island.

“In the cottage constituency we’re hosting a youth forum tomorrow at the Portsmouth Secondary School (PSS) from nine o’clock. We’re hoping to target at least two hundred young people and older people to since some of them have been expressing interest in attending this forum,” he stated.

Austrie said the forum is to discuss the opportunities that will become available when all the new hotels in the north of the country open, particularly the Kempinski hotel, which he said, should be opening sometime in September.

The minister said the intention of the forum is to begin to incentivize the young people in particular, to take advantage of the opportunities for entrepreneurship, for job creation and for skills development.

Historian Dr. Lennox Honeychurch will be in attendance and according to Austrie, will give a historic journey of the Cabrits and the potential that lies therein.

Also speaking at the forum will be Sam Raphael whose presentation will be based on his experience with Jungle Bay and also some of the opportunities that the young people can embrace with Kempinski.

The General Manager of Kempinski will speak on what his hotel is expecting from the population as far as the provision of hotel services is concerned.

“We think that this intervention is very timely as we can not wait until the hotel is open to prepare for it, we have to prepare and wait for the hotel. We try to target a special group, our young professionals and public officers, as the Prime Minister has announced that he for see public officers probably being able to do two jobs with those hotels, working in the day and working in the night. So many of them have skills and talents so we will be giving them that opportunity to be part of that forum,”he stated.

Aid Bank and the National Development Foundation will speak on sources of financing and terms and conditions of financing for people who want to develop their small business.

There will be a registration desk at the forum where persons with skills, talents and interest can register in order for consideration of a packaging training session for people who are interested in bar tendering, landscaping, cooking and the like to take place.

“We will be able to take those names, take their special interest and to work with the ministry of Tourism and the Kempinski Hotel to provide a package training for these people because as we know Kempinski is a five star hotel and they will require five star service and our people might either need to be trained or to be refreshed for those who have been trained already, they need to be refreshed so we will be taking those names and we will be able to organise training packaging for all these people,” he stated.

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47 Comments

  1. Original
    July 9, 2019

    This activity which should have been held during the planning stages of the hotel should now be boycotted by the public!

  2. Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    July 8, 2019

    Even a dying half dead gorillas entertain the idea that they are human to the moment they die; it is also said when people do not know better they believe anything, no matter how stupid the concept! 

    Who is an entrepreneur, and what is entrepreneurship? 

    Entrepreneurship is simply  the activity of setting up a business or businesses, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit where there are new business opportunities.

    So, let us see what new business opportunities tourism can bring to a country besides hotels to accommodate people arriving for a five and ten day vacation. 

    If there were so much opportunities other than owning a hotel, a restaurant or souvenir shop, or selling souvenir in the streets there are no opportunities.

    That is another another fantasy lie.

    People like Austrie are so ignorant, he fail to realize that all the other islands indulges in tourism too, so if there were many in opportunities different to what we see, everybody would get rich…

  3. Not A Herd Follower
    July 8, 2019

    Austrie feeling his electoral chances are threatend in the Cottage constituency, man. He holding youth forum in Portsmouth. Since when Austrie is interested in youth forum and development?

  4. Cottage Me Say
    July 8, 2019

    I find lately Austria in the limelight, whats amiss? Is it because he realise he is losing in his constituency, he never campaigned there before is castle bruce he use to go. Is it also because they are trying damage control to repair his nonexistent public image? Austria you are a spoilt fish, nothing can be done with you than to dispose off. Dont come here and hijack DAIC and other sponsors Business Saturdays as if is your initiative. You want to play as if you have substance but you are only the Skerrit party clown. Take our foul mouth and disappear/ MARCUS FOR US!

    • Joseph John
      July 8, 2019

      How can you not exist and still always be in the limelight. All this DUPLICITY. Austrie must be making some waves in exposing the incompetence of the uwp gang (we know they are not a real party, just pretending).
      Just wait until the campaign starts then we shall see the real fire falling on those unreasonable wicked people ( uwp -notice the small letters, lower case )

      • Frank N Stein
        July 8, 2019

        Joseph John the post reads “nonexistent public image” Skeritites are not known for their comprehension skills so I get why you did not understand the statement.

        Austrie making headway? Has Austrie ever been a real representative? Expose what? Austrie has to most to be exposed yet all he has to offer is garbage talk, that clown. If is fire you want to see fall ring the bell and you will see real fire. Ask your PM why is is so scared of ringing the bell, I have a pink shoes for him.

        • time has told
          July 9, 2019

          Frank, i thought it was me alone who thought that. They does like to twist and turn everything, avoid main topics and points and head straight to the nonsense. they allll do. austrie is a fool. The go to guy for distractions and comic relief who neglecting the real issues. His tactic this election is to defame his cousin by telling everyone that he does call him little maco, so everyone can call him that too and laugh at him. Pure country man move. But them times most country man overs them little boy tactics. I just want to know what he is doing for agriculture apart from talking,

  5. Massacre
    July 8, 2019

    A failed group of boys who have lead Dominica for 20 years are coming up with all promises that come to their minds.
    I want to tell Skerro Family Party that this is their last term in office.

    • Lennox for PM
      July 8, 2019

      Say no to Roosevelt Skerrit’s corrupt government. They have all been tainted, just listen to this one’s speeches. The head rotten long time. We want a government where everyone benefits. Not just red. Not just blue. Where every intelligent idea is considered. Not just blue. Not just red. We want Lennox Linton for PM and Team Dominica in government. Vote UWP.

      • Joseph John
        July 8, 2019

        First ask Linton why he does not talk to Sam Raphael . The answer will let you see this tim tim party is not going anywhere in a hurry. If they move eve slightly it will be backwards out of existence. People will be asking who is Lean-ox Linscam-ton.
        Tim uwp has become tim Dominica to give us tim tim . Quick quack bois shesh.

        • RandyX
          July 9, 2019

          Why should Lennox talk to Sam? What has Sam got to offer? Sam is just another one of those people that could not resist Skerrits call in return for favours. But somebody like you will never understand that. Sam has made his bed and I’m sure once we got a new government Lennox will talk to Sam the same way he will talk to others and demand back monies that belong to the state of Dominica… Watch this space. By the way, I’m sure you are in the process of making preparations as well. I don’t think people like you will have a future in anti-corruption Dominica!

        • Neville
          July 9, 2019

          You are completely nuts and worse than a child. My son has a bucket and spade he doesn’t use anymore. Come and get it so you can play in the sand instead of boring us on a daily basis with your childishness!!!

  6. Korbo
    July 8, 2019

    little Marco as you call him on have you on your toes.

  7. Ibo france
    July 8, 2019

    The youth population is most vulnerable, they need any assistance that they can get. The unemployment rate among this sector of society is astoundingly high. Even though some may find jobs in the tourism sector it is not a panacea for the cure of the unacceptable joblessness that presently is causing great hardship among the young. What most of the young people need is vocational skills so that they can carve out a life for themselves. There’s a need for carpenters, masons, plumbers, IT technicians, joiners, mechanics, electricians, etcetera. Most things that are done by the current government right now are strictly enticements for vote catching. They are out in their numbers fishing for votes now election is around the corner. How much time did these deceivers spend in their constituencies for the last few years? They drove through with their vehicle windows turned up. These most dishonest and nakedly corrupt politicians play games with the people’s lives. Don’t fall for it.

  8. Manyways
    July 8, 2019

    This talked about hotel have been under construction for years. The poan opening is in September. Two months time. Its only now the goverment see fit to good Symposium, for young people. You people are crazy. Always at the lasr minute.

    • Joseph John
      July 8, 2019

      Better late than never. Mark my words the symposium will be the for runner of a school for the travel business. The symposium(s) is to create an awareness (like advertising) of government policy on tourism.

      • Ibo france
        July 8, 2019

        Little John, you are just like a buzzing mosquito in people’s ears. Never anything of substance but an annoying buzz. Your vacuous statements amount to mostly waste of time and space. Your contributions are all froth, no gingerbeer.

        • Joseph John
          July 9, 2019

          Stick and stones, hot blue air and blue bubbles. Those will not intimidate me and make me go hiding in fear like you guys did after David. you all will always stay like “what shall I do” in time of disaster because you all have nothing to offer but empty and idle talk , talk and more talk.

  9. Didymus
    July 7, 2019

    So while laborites there criticizing Linton as not fit to be prime minister of Dominica what about Austrie. if something happen to skerrit, god forbid. what Autrie would look like as a prime minister of Dominica? just putting this out there. As long is Labor, they will run with it? some people are amazing they have no idea the amount of power they have as a voter. make changes unless voters don’t use the power they have and to make changes there will be no progress. people must fire and hire. That’s the way it should go. politics is nothing to fall in love with individual candidates. make changes it’s you all rights.

  10. Viewsexpressed
    July 7, 2019

    Austrie, now you and your damn well failed corrupt Labour government want to do something,? Where the hell have you failed worthless clown been
    After 19 worthless years??? You guys are politic comics…..who have well met. Labour..Skerrit and rest must Go. You hurt us enough

  11. Viewsexpressed
    July 6, 2019

    I think I am reading this Austrie`s story but I am in the lol mood and the other mood is kicking out Austrie and his bunch of incompetent ministers, including that “Odd Minister” out of our office, he is a big failure. Please get that failed useless man Sherrit out of our government.
    Shame on you all., so called Labour |Government, you all have done nothing to elevate Dominica, just Red Clinic fiasco going on/

  12. IRV
    July 6, 2019

    Since when Austrie campaigning in Cottage Constituency…belle bef…..Something is really happening.

  13. Hyacinth white
    July 6, 2019

    Tourism and Agriculture goes hand in hand. We need to feed our guests on what we grow especially organic grown foods . Thats the way forward. This should also be taught in schools.

    • Joseph John
      July 7, 2019

      This is an element of economic development that we should exploit to the full. An other aspect of development we should be concerned with is the partnership between the public and private sectors. The models operating in China, Singapore and the USA should be studied for guidance. China and the USA are direct opposites in culture and ideology but this policy of private/public partnership have made them the world economic leaders.

      • Ibo france
        July 8, 2019

        A one day talkshop does nothing much to improve one chances of procuring sustainable employment. The people need proper schooling and training if they are to gain long term employment. This exercise is like lecturing new medical students for a day then expect them to perform successful neurosurgery the next day. Election engineering is rife around this time of the calendar. Don’t be gullible. Johnny Boy, it appears to me that 99% of your brain is unused. Why don’t you donate it for medical research?

      • Mr. Ben Dover
        July 9, 2019

        so why havent we after 19 years? only now you all realize and figure that out? agriculture also goes hand in hand with manufacturing and agro processing. But it will take another 10 years for that part to sink in. Is like we can only be reactive here, and usually when it is too late. We will continue to be last in everything as long as these people are in power to keep us back. their main goal is to set themselves forward. they think it is a race. they want to be the new bofa in dominica. But being a bofa is not all about how much money you have. A pig is still a pig even if it is in a palace. Nonsense will always be nonsense. and i can never respect you all.

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      July 8, 2019

      It is not true tourism and agriculture goes hand in hand!

      If that was true there would be no tourism in Antigua, Barbados, St. Kitts and even Jamaica, or Trinidad.

      More than 40 million people visits England annually (per year).

      More than that amount of people visits Los Angeles, and Hollywood, not counting the amount of visitors to NY, and the rest of the United States.

      No agriculture involved!The tourism visiting Dominica, when they go to a restaurant to eat; they do not expect a dish of cooked Bananas, Plantain, Dasheen, or Tanya!

      When they overnight in a hotel in the country, they would anticipate the same diet they enjoy for breakfast, lunch or dinner as they have in their country!

      The kind of nonsense that Austrie and Roosevelt are imprinting on the brain of some of you Dominicans are simply mythical!

      Be informed no International Airport to keep Rang or any well known foreign hotel operators afloat in Dominica, there will be no hotel industry providing…

      • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
        July 9, 2019

        “No agriculture involved!The tourism visiting ”

        Let that read:

        “No agriculture involved.” 

        “The tourist visiting.”

        In reality, if agriculture had anything to do with tourism, the industry would not exists in the places I mentioned, and the rest of Europe, and Canada for that matter!

  14. Neville
    July 6, 2019

    Austrie, make sure you take the opportunity to tell the audience the real reason Ross Uni left and while you are at it, let the people know what happened with the $100 million from Petro Caribe and miss appropriation of the nineties from the world bank that was supposed to go to real farmers and not members of the DLP.

    • time has told
      July 9, 2019

      and the Kalinago money Chavez put for them. where the rest?

  15. The prophet
    July 5, 2019

    I will not make any threats to Reggie, Skerrit and the evil band but I simply pray the letter of Prophet Elisha over them found in 2 chronicles 21:12_20 And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,

    13 But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father’s house, which were better than thyself:

    14 Behold, with a great plague will the Lord smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods:

    15 And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day. Thats my prayer for these evil rotten teeths every day

    • Joseph John
      July 7, 2019

      A great man once said (the greatest) ” give to Caesar the things that belong to Caesar and to God the things that belong to God”. He also warned us about the attributes of fake prophets .

  16. Its my damn business
    July 5, 2019

    Mister had DECEPTION written all over him: even his title of Deputy PM is misleading and deceptive because our constitution makes no damn allowance for deputy PM.

  17. Mags
    July 5, 2019

    This is very good news for the NORTH. Am praying and hoping that our people will take on that great opportunity. Take the training seriously. as long as you are willing to learn new ways of doing things trust me you will love it. I started in 1964 – retired in1994 . Dont be afraid, have confidence in yourself. Waitress for 13years, Managed for 17 years. Good luck friends . MAGS.

    • Ibo france
      July 8, 2019

      A one day talkshop for purely political reasons you are espousing about very good news? This is just a political strategy to curry favor with gullible simpletons to get votes. The young people need proper training to provide them with the requisite skills and tools that are required for long term, sustainable employment. How much can a ONE DAY talkshop do for them? What skills will they learn? Create proper centers of vocational learning for this large vulnerable group. By the way, truth be told, the stay over figures for tourists in Dominica is abysmal. This sector, at present, needs to raise its profile if it is to become a Mecca for employment.

    • Frank N Stein
      July 8, 2019

      Mags waitress is the highest paying job what will be offered to locals. Is that worth celebrating when we have a govt for 20 years? This govt is bankrupt of ideas, has no means of creating sustainable growth time up pack up.

  18. Flat Tire
    July 5, 2019

    I hope he Austria does not speak at the forum. After all we would not like me Austrie to begin identifying which of the youths received bus fare fridge and mattresses

  19. Jack Sparrow
    July 5, 2019

    Reggie boy, you taking so much blows in Cottage among the youth you must show that you interested in them.
    Everybody knows you not genuinely concerned about the youth. This is just an opportunity to gain votes among those who will remove you from office.

  20. My ad
    July 5, 2019

    Mr fou noy.Y not on agriculture? They all getting the crazy bug

  21. papa
    July 5, 2019

    Im happy for the new hotels opening on the island, however I hope they have a plan on how to fill the rooms with no international airport or night landing?

    • Neville
      July 8, 2019

      They are not open yet! I’m not holding my breath! I’m just remembering the Moroccan hotel, the coffee factory, the abattoir and the geothermal plant amongst others. Huge amounts of monies spent but nothing to show for it. The Skerrit administration is as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike

  22. no sah
    July 5, 2019

    I do not want my young people anywhere near a foul-mouthed bully like you. You are a poor example for young men in Dominica. Prime example is the cool out guys we have now, your influence.

  23. Gouvelma
    July 5, 2019

    Austrie, do you know the internationally recognized definition of a youth? If you do you will agree with me that Monelle Williams is one. Is your forum targeting her? I dont believe so. Not after you had been so disrespectful to her and women!!! Who are you expecting at your forum? Will you unleash on them the same venum if they do not buy into your style of politics? Youths do not forget that easily. Thay have a lot of years to go before they get to your expired age and begin to forget. They will remember your insults and will make you pay. So trying to look good in their eyes in this twelfth hour is too too late. Your words cannot be taken back. Your apology will not be sincere. You are a manicou. You have no conscience and close your eyes when you are insulting so you do not see who is before you. Too late! The days of labor are drawing to an end. The first to go will be you the geriatric albatross.

  24. Joseph John
    July 5, 2019

    This action should be duplicated on a constituency basis to make young adults aware of the potential of the tourist industry. The same thing should be done for agriculture.
    My thinking is that there should be a policy to cluster/bundle Agriculture with Tourism as the main driver of economy.

    • Flat Tire
      July 5, 2019

      I hope he Austria does not speak at the forum. After all we would not like me Austrie to begin identifying which of the youths received bus fare fridge and mattresses

    • Joseph John
      July 6, 2019

      The same prospective can be used to examine the teaching of government operational system, the constitution, the parliamentary system and elections. These aspects of government can be taught at all class/standard/grade or form levels.
      Students in elementary school and up should be taught the fundamentals of our constitution government.

      • RandyX
        July 8, 2019

        No you really convinced me that you are utterly crazy and totally delirious from that red kool aid. These guys can’t talk proper English let alone implement anything that would be remotely of benefit to the country and its citizens. The only thing they do exceedingly well is lining their pockets.

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