A number of events which make up Dominica’s Independence have been axed this year.
The Cultural Division has release the list of activities for the celebrations this year but events like National Wob Dwiyet, Madam Wob Dwiyet and Ti Matador show are off. Additionally, the annual Heritage Day has been scrapped.
These events join the signature Creole In The Park (CITP) and the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF) which were pitched off the cards due to the effect of Tropical Storm Erika.
However, events such as the NCCU Cadance Lypso competition as well as the Creole Bod Lame remain (see list of activties below).
Market Day with a Difference will be held in Marigot, Portsmouth and Roseau.
Meantime the 4th annual E.O Leblanc memorial lecture to be held on Thursday 8th October 2015 will get the ball rolling for the celebrations.
This is followed by two days of island wide prayer and thanksgiving and an entire week dedicated to Dominica’s history will be held under the theme: The road to independence 1950-1978 from Monday 12th October to Friday 16th October 2015.
Every Friday will be observed as creole wear (Had Kweyol).
The National Youth Rally, National Day Parade, Cultural Gala and the National Day of Community Service remain on the list.
The theme of this year’s Indepedence celebrations, which runs from October 8 to November 4, is ‘Rebuilding Dominica Together.’
See list of events below.
I am calling on the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition to convene a meeting with the President to declare two National Days of Community Service (Deux Jounen Koudmere) Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 November 2015 in light of the massive clean up that still needs to be done across the country following the passage of Tropical Storm Erika.
The Dominica Festivals Committee has rejected our suggestion to scrap or modify the E.O.LeBlanc lecture.
Over the past years it has proven to be biased and used as a platform to engender opposition to the current government.
We The Authorities continue to request the Committee to hold the lecture at a venue where the general public including the youth who did not but need to know about E..O.LeBlanc would be able to attend. Instead it is held at a hotel and attended by a nostalgic few.
Erika has given the labour party an excuse to bring in more and more their Communist ideology of making the people sprit dull.
I see that the government just not pushing in the business commerce direction as letting the country generate its own funds. We have to show the outside world that we are trying to make ends meet and not solely dependent on donations whether it be cash or other items. Its seems like the country is shut down
Dominicans stop being bias. And why isn’t there anything in the south, where that was mostly affected by tropical storm Erika. It would be nice to see that the south would have a cultural activity as well as the north and the people from dubique and petite savanne should participate in that activity. The reason for this is because we want people to be happy and also that will keep their minds occupied.
DNO, when one looks at the website below and see the faces of the persons present in the photo, which includes the photos of Vince Henderson and Roosevelt Skerrit, I wonder if all Independence activities will not be all together slashed out.
Open this up guys and take a look of every photo: http://www.demotix.com/news/8734015/corruption-and-bribery-scandal-surrounds-top-un-officials#media-8734520.
I can see there will not be independence this year at all as all eyes will be on the Macau celebrities as they show case their talents before the FBI. Wait and you all will hear of some frightening things, maybe by next week.
If communities can find a way to have the Jump-up without using the State’s money, then they can go ahead and have the jump up. I do believe that the decisions to cancel some of the activities was a tough one, but at the end of the day, I believe that it is the right decision. How can one justify using the State’s monies to put on these activities when people are suffering from the destruction of Erika and when other countries/nations are sending resources to assist.
I do understand the flip side of the argument, but I support more strongly the argument to divert the fund to the rebuilding process.
My Humble Opinion.
OLD!!!! #DASTRONG
best they shut down that country
Best you just shut your mouth!!!!
If we a strapped for cash, why not give the president a 45% salary cut. Get rid of all his bonuses. Get rid of half the ministers and give the others a 20% salary cut. Cut down on their bonuses. Get rid of the travel bonus completely.
These are just a few areas where we waste money. Not through our identity. These thing attract foreign income.
Come on DA, wake up.
I disagree with these decision. These are traditions. This is our culture we are messing with here. Stop it at once. Don’t let us lose our identity. We are setting a bad trend here. We can cut down on the size of some of the events but not srap them.
And just who is going to pay for the cost of putting on these events? How can the government be begging for money to rebuild the country and feed the people while spending money on these shows.
Have a heart if not a brain.
Whoa! Dominica what else will they target? Is CHRISTMAS next? CARNIVAL? WHAT!!!
It seems like Dominicans are being denied every form of Recreation which is crucial to the recovery phase.
Everyone is traumatized by this Crisis, and more than ever, needs a distraction from all this devastation.
The main attractions AXED from the Celebrations are what actually adds excitement to the event.
So the Committee might as well scrap the whole thing. All the other festivals have been cancelled one more will not matter? Seriously?
Any Psychologist will tell you, quite the opposite should be encouraged.
The Professional will urge you to participate in normal activities in order to maintain some semblance of normalcy. So clearly these decisions are made with no consideration as to how it may affect the PSYCHE .
Meanwhile, the people are ‘SOUND ASLEEP’ and don’t seem capable of waking up from their Slumber!
WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR THE PEOPLE TO WAKE UP ! TIME TO WAKE UP & TAKE…
Because it is idiots being led by idiots who making these decisions. nonsense i say. is like you want the people to feel depressed. I call on all promoters and artists to use this time to put on as much entertainment for the people as possible. We are alright. We need the free up.
They have two days of prayer when it has been scientifically proven that prayer does absolutely nothing. All these decisions are clearly being influenced by the creeping theocracy that is becoming more and more apparent in dominica.
I guess there is no “jump up” after Community Day of Service?
i guess not. the people should do a strong lapo in the streets.