Scotts Head fishermen describe filling station as a blessing

The filling station being blessed by Paris Priest Archbishop Kelvin Felix
The filling station at Scotts Head being blessed by Paris Priest Archbishop Kelvin Felix

Fisherman Rolston Johnson of Scotts Head is a happy man because the days of struggling to obtain petrol for his livelihood are now over.

“For the past time we have been struggling to get petrol to go out and fish and now we have it in our hands it is a good thing we are very supportive of it,” he told DNO.

Johnson is among fishermen who are expressing satisfaction over a  filling station which has been servicing that community for a number of months now.

The St. Mark’s Fisher folk and Tourism Cooperative Society Ltd was commissioned on Tuesday evening and the fishermen describe it as a blessing.

“Before we used to get a vehicle and if you don’t have a vehicle to buy gas for you, it’s a problem and next day you cannot go out and fish,” Johnson said. “But now anytime, whatever time you get up in your bed, you can get gas to go out and fish ….so it is very important for us right now.”

The filling station was funded by the Government of Venezuela through the PetroCaribe Fund at a cost of $380,000.  It is one of six commissioned by the government across the island.

Speaking at the function, Parliamentary Representative of the Soufriere Constituency, Sam Martin, called on the people to take pride in the filling station.

“I hail from Scotts Head and I know and felt the pain of all of us,” he said. “I remember the good old days when we said we need a gas station because of who we are, because we felt we were the most primary fishing community in Scotts Head. we have a proper gas station and not a tank being placed before us. I really want us to take pride in what we have today.”

He described the struggle for petrol as a thing of the past.

Businessman, Conrad Caesar, better known as Roger of Rogers Bar Catering and Services said the commissioning of the facility is a good day for the community.

“I live in this village for 42 years, born and raised in Scotts Head,” he said. “I am not a fisherman but I deal with a lot of fish because my restaurant deals with fish, not meat. Scotts Head fishermen for many years were seeing a lot of misery to get petrol to go to fish. When they used to ask the bus drivers, after paying them five dollars for each container they used to cut style on them, ‘Oh, I cannot carry gas now I have my passengers to carry.’ It was a mess.”

But some fishermen said although the petrol is readily available, it is still too expensive. “One thing it is profitable for us, in truth and in fact we cannot complain, it help us because it was a struggle but our problem now with that gas is it too expensive, the price is almost $16,” Julian Tite-Flereau, who claimed he has been fishing in Scotts Head for 12 years, said. “We get a good facility with that gas, nothing to complain about but with my heart I think that gas is too high. The fisherman is suffering with that price.”

Meanwhile, Fisheries Minister, Kenneth Darroux, said that the fishing sector plays an integral role in food security.

“We should never, never underscore the importance of the fisheries sector towards national development… they play an important part in ensuring our food security and economic activity such as boat building, the purchase of outboard motors, fuel and of course the sale of fish,” he said.

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28 Comments

  1. FUnny
    August 22, 2013

    Guys, please take better picture so your audience can see.

  2. Tyre hit de road
    August 22, 2013

    The government should not be responsible for putting filling stations. We wait on government to much. This should be a Private sector endeavor. Business people on the island should see the need and set up businesses to serve the Dominica population :)

  3. August 22, 2013

    I was in Scotts Head this year February I filled my rental car with gas so is this the same gas station?

  4. Anonymous
    August 22, 2013

    PRAISE GOD FOR DADDY SKERRIT

  5. Love
    August 22, 2013

    The wash your foot and come party,u w p

  6. August 21, 2013

    My Main concern is there won’t be any leaks in the Ocean, no pollution,no excuses ,no 2 headed fish?otherwise it’s business as usual,the Fishermen need the availability and convenience, and for sure good price,we all gotta move on in life,but be aware, be carefull,sometimes something that looks great,isn’t always good
    Areva Derci

    • orchid
      August 22, 2013

      Stop the sarcasm. If it is good, it is good.

    • Really!
      August 23, 2013

      What stupidness is that! “Something that looks great isn’t always good”! A gasoline filling station in a community where it is needed, also has a hidden agenda? “It may not be a good thing as we think”?! Well well, people. Even though Skerrit and the DLP do anything good, we just can’t say it’s good. It has to be, “it looks good but …”.

      UWP is disparate in fighting for this 2015 election, more than any other. They see the many projects that Skerrit and his Government have started and they know know if they win, they will make it appear to the populace that they did it! Have no elusions, not this time UWP! Labour power still is strong for 2015.

  7. Jaun Pablo
    August 21, 2013

    Good Vibes

  8. Justice and Truth
    August 21, 2013

    All of us are consumers one way or the other. As much as we complain ‘worldwide’ about high and increasing costs, there is nothing we can do about it. As the years progress, prices do not decrease; they increase. There is also no sale on gas. It is a price we have to pay for also progress.
    I expect that the cost of gas is less in town than in the village and it depends how far the village is situated. Therefore, it will always be more expensive in the village than in the town. One of the reasons is additional cost of transportation. As an example, if people travel by bus they will pay for the distance traveled. Depending on the distance driven, the car will use more gas.
    Thank God today what was not possible in those days is now possible today as having a filling gas station for the fishermen in the village of Scots Head. Good luck to catching numerous fishes. I love to eat fish. It is healthy; ate much of it in those days in Dominica.

    • orchid
      August 22, 2013

      Very well said.

  9. Anonymous
    August 21, 2013

    THANK GOD FOR SKERRIT!

  10. Concern
    August 21, 2013

    may day pee leh la filling station sa la asi…may ah kee weevay say dumb-in-d-cans sa la na…ask them about d operation of the station…how so d fishermen dem still face d struggle…k dyab price ease up?

  11. Anonymous
    August 21, 2013

    hhmmmm

  12. shane
    August 21, 2013

    hat’s great for the fishing villages…. great for scotts head.. but for scotts head in particular, the UWP had try to set up a filling station and it was stopped…. the reason being at the time by political hit men were, rough seas during hurricanes would cause fire and damage to surrounding residents….. what has changed now?…. the political hitmen now sing another tune?… fishermen of scotts head, gallion n soufriere would be saving lots of money years ahead, only if the political hitmen in scotts head didn’t have there way… but it’s there now and we hope it will continue to benefit the surrounding communities….

  13. anonymous
    August 21, 2013

    It was terrible to see those filled petrol container among passengers on those loaded buses headed for Soufriere and Scotts Head.It is less risk taking a bus to the beach now :)

  14. bougla
    August 21, 2013

    It is one of six commissioned by the government across the island. Where are others going to be located. Does anyone know?

  15. reahmassicott
    August 21, 2013

    So what did he say how you know

  16. Jnolewis
    August 21, 2013

    When the past UWP Government was going to put a gas station at Scotts all u Scotts head fishermen said NO and some villagers remember allu said if a gas station is there it can cause oil spill and kill the fishes oh its to close to the sea that’s a bad idea remember etc now labour put it for you guys is another story all of a sudden that same idea which was bad is a good one. My fellow villagers all u to bad. Allu to hypocrite You all would have gotten the gas station long time. STUPES so don’t do as if lol lol That is what I cannot stand when a government doing something if it good say it good don’t cry it down just because you not supporting them and then when the government you supporting come do the same thing you go on like is the first time the idea come about and forget that before you were against it. when it good say it good when it bad say it bad. I don’t support labour party but that is a good project.

  17. August 21, 2013

    There is always a But…… Julien be thankful the fuel is right at your disposal. Great move by the government on this piece of development.

  18. Annica Alethea
    August 21, 2013

    This fishing facility started way back in 1999 when Labour Party protested about Planning permission and Environmental Impact Assessment. So what’s the shouting about?

    • lisad
      August 21, 2013

      Oh please be happy for the people.

    • lol
      August 21, 2013

      totally agree

    • Pedro
      August 21, 2013

      The fishermen has lost 14 years without a gas station because of Labour.

  19. harlem newtown
    August 21, 2013

    dno d pm said nothing to the people at d ceremony or wat shame un u dno u playing LINTON POLITICS SAD

    • sadist
      August 21, 2013

      4 REAL HE DID NOT SAY NOTHING?but i just read de other story where dno claimed he talked about election.SO U CALING DNO A LIAR? so whom do i believe? U or DNO?

    • Jamdominic
      August 21, 2013

      I am sure I read an article dedicated completely to what the pm said at the ceremony. and it was posted before this one too.

    • ?
      August 21, 2013

      You never thought Linton would have been so powerful? Well he has Skerrit dotish those days. You too are scared like hell? Don’t be scared. Come on board, there is room/space for you in the UWP, the next government.

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