Feeder/Farm access road improvements

Blackmoore
Minister of Public Works, Rayburn Blackmoore

EDITOR’S NOTE: Below is a statement by Minister of Public Works Rayburn Blackmoore on feeder roads in Dominica. The statement has been published in its entirety, as it was received by Dominica News Online.

As part of addressing the present road worthiness of the national feeder roads, the Labour Party Government has decided to give priority attention to the areas where sufficient farming activity is undertaken and this is based on the number of farmers actively cultivating the land in that area as well as the size of the cultivation. Based on that policy Government has made available the sum of 2.5 million in the 1st phase for the undertaking of urgent repairs on critical sections of sixteen (16) feeder roads island wide.

No.RoadLocation

1

CocoyerCalibishie

2

Mango GutterWesley

3

Wet Area/Gleau GommierBelles

4

Mero-Cuba & Section of CarholmeMero-Carholme

5

Gros MorneMacoucherie

6

Petite MacoucherieSalisbury

7

Joe/Burton RoadWesley

8

SympaWoodfordhill

9

Monsieur PierreRiviere Cyrique

10

Grand RiviereLaplaine

11

Macaton/Vieux BoisGrand Bay

12

AupitonColihaut

13

Fond ValBense

14

Deux RivierePaix Bouche

15

BourneBourne

16

CocoaVieille Case

17

Bellevue RoadVieille Case

18

Montin Feeder RoadCapuchin

The project is targeted at different regions of the island with over twenty (20) contractors to be engaged. Taking into consideration that approximately eight (8) workers (labourers, tradesman, truckers) should be directly employed on each project, it can safely be deduced that that at least 160 new jobs will be created and sustained over a twelve (12) week construction period. This means that total of at minimum over 500 persons (consider household of 4 dependents) will financially benefit from the resulting employment generation. Besides, the project is expected to positively impact on the beneficiaries’ farm productivity by providing improved direct access for transporting inputs to the farm, shortening the travel time and reducing the likely damage to produce in transit from farm to market.

The proposed improvement activities include Vegetation Control, Concrete Lined Drains, Granular Tarrish Base Repairs, Wearing Course (Surface) in form of either Concrete Pavement or Bituminous Treatment sometimes referred to Surface Dressing. Works on the Wet Area/Gleau Gommier road has started and the key activity involved the pavement and drainage reinstatement works on approximately 2000 feet of road as well as vegetation control for improving safe sighting limit as well as effective runoff from the road pavement into the drainage system. Gros Morne and Mero-Cuba (Carholme Region) areas are in well advanced contractual and programming stage and based upon the construction plan the project will be implemented by the end of December, 2012. The completion date is established on the fact that the works commencing on September 28, 2012. Works on all the other fifteen sites is expected to commence within the month of October.

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23 Comments

  1. Ms. Marigot
    October 10, 2012

    Why there are no feeder roads in the Marigot area on this list. The farmers of Marigot in the Sundly, Oven, Lions, 12 post, Cayamboc and Governor area are dying because of the lack of proper roads to plant and harvest their crops. The Lion Govenor road is not a feeder road yet it is in a deplorable condition. Why is the Government ignoring this side of the island. Marigot used to be the top farming community in the island, now politics is killing the lively hood of the people. What do they want them to do. Mr. Blackmoore, please help our farmers of this community.

    • Anonymous
      October 10, 2012

      talk to your pal rep is u all that have him crying for things that cant put food in u alll mouth,Ms M.

  2. Konspiracy
    October 9, 2012

    Yes Blackmore…and Skerrit…love you guys…good work and keep it up…big up…Konspiracy signing out yo

  3. Francisco Telemaque
    October 9, 2012

    Misleading information to an extent: the impression seems to indicate a series of new feeder roads.
    If that is what Blackburn suggest, someone need to inform him that way back in the 1960’s the Joe Button, as we know it road were covered with asphalt, starting from the corner near Jolly Phillips house at Big Cedar Road, through to the interior of Wilbrum.

    Now if he states that he is embarking on a program of resurfacing, and maintaining the feeder Roads in Wesley, I can understand that, but it would be a lie to impress people that he is going to work wonders for the farmers of Wesley, by constructing new feeder Roads.

    The feeder Roads in Wesley were paved way back in Patrick John’s day, and how we did it then was like this: The farmers of Wesley combined their resources ( that is pooling their money together), whatever the farmers and villagers contributed, the Patrick John government contributed the same amount which caused the Feeder Roads existing way back in the days of Slavery to be paved.

    As for Mango Gutter, unless somebody change the name from Mangrove Gutter, to mango gutter, there is no such place in Wesley.

    I am waiting on man from Wesley, or the other little rat: (hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha;) to come here and contradict me, as usual.

    The rest of all the paved Roads in the village came via the village counsel, and the efforts of Arnold E. Telemaque, and Kenneth Telemaque, and the rest of the counsel, and people of Wesley.

    Dem say cause I doh living in Dominica, I doh have no say in me country affair eh, so ah better watch out fu dem people like Wesleyman oui!

    Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque

    • watch dog
      October 10, 2012

      Thats all you foolish Dominicans can do just wait to input negativity. Why dont you say thanks and move on.

  4. Shadow
    October 9, 2012

    Ivo Sevenson, please remind the minister of the MEN GOIN” feeder road in Grandfond according to the “PM” for too long politicians in the past promise to build that road and never delivered. MAY deceased Conrad Cyrus} R.I.P. but he would love to see some action and smile on this project from heaven.

  5. ROSEAU VALLEY
    October 9, 2012

    Admin, without your note, it is so clear that the statement was drafted by a politician who wishes to blow his own trumpet and to declare how great thou art.

    A news outlet would most likely not outline in such details the benefits to be derived from the investment of such a small amount in feeder roads. Obviously, someone is trying to make 2.5 million worth as much as 27 million.

    Secondly, why does a government release have to stress “the Labour Party Government? We all know that it is the Labour Party that has a largest worthless government. The statement could simply read , “the government.”

    Anyway, better late than never. 2.5 Million may not be a lot but is better than none. This is only phase 1 for urgent repairs. It is hoped that much more will follow soon.

    To those who ask why not this road or that one, let’s exercise some patience and understanding like the people of the Roseau Valley with the hope that our preferred road will be next. We understand that everything cannot be done at once.

    Besides the obvious benefit of improved farm access and improved productivity, we must ensure that all repairs are done by locals (not Chinese) to allow the money to circulate deep into the economy.

    The truth be told, this is one Minister of the Labour Party government, who is making sure that he gets reelected, whether or not the Labour Party is in the opposition the next time around.

    Respectfully
    Roseau Valley

  6. Dominican
    October 9, 2012

    Not one road for the Marigot area. Why?

  7. cynical
    October 9, 2012

    people stop the bickering ….Rome was not built in a day, lets just stop the ill talk and support the government for once, we all want new and improved roads and facilities but these things take money….at least we will have some employment activity for a few months.

  8. Greg
    October 9, 2012

    So by thr time labor is covered there will ne about 1.7 million dollars left for material and equipment. What a joke. How long eill they keep playing this game of fools paradise. They have contradicted themselvrs so many times yet ee lnow by now that a mile of road repair cost about $800 K. Need i say more?

  9. The truth
    October 9, 2012

    If you give a Dominican everything they ever wanted and more than they could dream of ever having, they would still find a way to be unsatisfied. Put politics to a side here for a minute. Infrastructure in Dominica has improved significantly and steadily, without pause. From one project to another. When the projects stop and nothing happening then I guess I’ll start talking too. Till then I’m happy we receiving what we’re getting

    • Francisco Telemaque
      October 9, 2012

      A person can be rhetorical, nonetheless, it must be within reason and have some substance to it: Since when can a government ever give enough to the people and the country in which they live?

      The government of Dominica is not doing any favor to the people of the country, when they decide to improve any part of the country, be it building a road, a hospital, or simply developing the total infrastructure of the country, that is their duty, that is their responsibility, that is what they are elected to do move the country forward, that’s what it should be all about.

      Even when they are giving away Government hands, to the unfortunate, that is not an favor either, the disappointing thing is that they reward some people whilst some of their diehard supporters hardship are ignored.

      They give away to those who are not in dire need, and the people who needs the help suffers!

      When someone in Dominica votes for a certain politician, the voter is indeed doing the politician they vote for the biggest favor of that politicians life.

      When you vote for any politician, you have given him employment to work for you, and not to set himself/her-self on a pedestal like some god over the people.

      Your idea that if you give Dominicans everything, they will still want more is a very silly and simple way for someone to thing in the twenty-first century.

      Your views here is a reverberation of the Dominica politician way of thinking, that is why Dominica so backward.

      Dominicans are easily satisfied, the majority of our people are contented with less; a dangling carrot in the face of our people keeps them quiet, that is why the politicians make fools out of the majority of people: for five years, does nothing and at the end of that return crying crocodile tears, making all sorts of promises that they know they will never keep, unless it is to undo something their predecessor had done.

      Feeder Roads, Blackburn talking about feeder Roads, the Roads have been there in Wesley for certain long before Blackburn was born, they were there long before I was born, the Joe/Button road was once used by the Estate’s owners of Woodford Hill, and Londonderry in the day’s when we had the Oxe’s, pulling a Cart behind them loaded with coconut, which they turned into Corpora, and shipped to London.

      In later years, they shipped to Barbados, for the purpose of producing soap and some other product from the processed coconut.

      As long as you maintain the attitude that governments are doing Dominicans a favor, you will not see any improvement in your personal life as long as the country remains underdeveloped.

      If you are contented that what they are doing is enough for the country, you limiting your potential for your personal development.

      Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque

  10. Anonymous
    October 9, 2012

    What a coincidence that with the exception of the road in Salisbury,all the others are in the constituencies won by Labour in the last general elections. Nothing still for the Marigot constituency!!! Let me humbly suggest to the govt. the following:do not build a new hospital at Marigot UNTIL there is a air accident at Melvillehall airport , all on board are dead and the government is sued for billons of dollars by the surviving family members who will be in the majority, non-caribbean citizens.

    • Joe
      October 9, 2012

      Why you hate your country so boss!!!!

      You doh think is de plane company they should sue and not our government??

      What is wrong with you ah!! You mean you so political that all in your brain is a bad deed for Dominica will only affect DLP or Skerrit???

      Awah we boss all u fellas taking that politrics to a real LOW level boss!!!!

    • All for One
      October 9, 2012

      What is the need for the hospital if all on board are already dead.

  11. Crying
    October 9, 2012

    What’ up with the grange to la souce road? When are we to expect works on that road?

    • No Name No Warrant
      October 9, 2012

      What about the road behind the other road and the road that runs alongside it

  12. big boy
    October 9, 2012

    Mai ou pa las mate

    • Anonymous
      October 9, 2012

      thumbs down

    • ttt
      October 9, 2012

      thumbs down

  13. Too hard too long
    October 9, 2012

    What is the status of the Cochrane Middleham Falls access road?

  14. huh?
    October 9, 2012

    so what about melville hall farm access roads?

    • Anonymous
      October 9, 2012

      So what about this what about that?your time will come not all can be done all at once.

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