Government has said it will move quickly to lessen risks in the Layou Valley after the recent collapse of the Matthieu Dam.
It has been revealed that the government got expert advice which Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said is being considered.
When the dam collapsed last Thursday, the massive amounts of water released overflowed the Layou River banks. Getting the river to its original depth is one of government’s priorities, Skerrit said.
“We are in the process of identifying a dredger so that we can get the sand out of the river and get the river to be at its original depth because if the sand remains that way and we continue to get heavy rains, it will be much easier for the river to overflow its banks,” the Prime Minister pointed out.
The flooding damaged crops, livestock, infrastructure and fishing equipment.
Layou fishermen were among villagers who attended a meeting last night in light of the catastrophe. Government pledged its willingness to assist fishermen whose outboard motors and boats got damaged.
“We’re trying to finalize the various assessments on that,” Member of Parliament for the area, Kelver Darroux said.
The Ministry of Public Works on Tuesday announced $22-million in damage to infrastructure. $8-million will go toward the reconstruction of the Clarke Hall Bridge. The center part of the bridge was completely destroyed during the flood. $10-million will be needed for road realignment and construction of retaining walls, and $4-million for improving the river course to minimize future flooding.
DNO
Can you please inform all and sundry, and also correct your articles, that the bridge that wa sbroken during the Layou flood is the YORK VALLEY BRIDGE.
WE HAVE DE 27 MILLION ALREADY LETS JUST USE 22 IN IT AND THE OTHER FIVE WE CAN SPEND IT ON AGRICULTURE.
SWEET DREAMS
sometimes i think that we dominicans or too political …..who the hell or which company in dominica can own or have access to a dredger that size that can clean layou river in the state that it is …..this or any goverment will never be able to please allyou those backwards people ….. a local company was given a water project for the penville area and is the same thing all you say ….how is that company that get the job. man wake up and stop playing petty politics …… all these guys (politicians) living like kings and queens and where are the people going no where at all ……. what in can say to allyou dom-niger is @#$@%$# off
if u look close enough u will see that there IS politics involved in everything in dominica. to get a loan, is who u know and who know u. public works micromanaged by the government and the minister is constantly over riding the managers and board of directors authority, its politics, the church incapable of opening its mouth to be the moral compass of the country, is political. dont u see??? i dont have any party in dominica. i have never voted, because i already see in dominica that is just how it is…. even u that saying everything is politics, u too are political. by saying that you are trying to pacify people and stifle their voice. people must talk… and politics is just that…..talk talk talk talk talk talk talk….and never any action, so when u have a business plan in any institution trying to get a loan, dont ask for pull string. because that too is politics….dont ask for nobody to call the loans officer on your behalf because that is politics….
Does this still exist in Dominica as was in those days?
I thought that to get a loan it depends on your credit rating, your income, assets, liabilities and capability to repay the loan and not who you know.
I am not residing in Dominica and I suppose this is how the system still works.
If this is so there is some degree of discrimination. A lot of changes really need to be made.
I should be Prime Minister of Dominica, his Deputy, Financial Assistance or Bank Manager to change this unfairness.
you got a seconder there,when the frist set of sand came down the river, who made the money on it? here again sand come to give the country money and you guys don’t know what to do? talk to Dubi, i am sure they would dredge and pay for the sand, they need sand.
Uncle Hugo Chavez will help us.
where we the farmers are going to pass to get to the layou valley , is it through wacky roller pack or above the clif through the rolle land up to the domlec proposed site.
WE ALL KNOW THAT IS A FOREIGN COMPANY .. GOVERNMENT LIKE TO GIVE PROJECTS TO PPL NOT FROM DOMINICA
They COULD HAVE taken care of this BEFORE it even happened or started to happen!
We all saw the dam as a tourism asset. no one thought that a clog that large would rupture…, now that it did everyone has comments to make. why did you all remain quiet before, and run your mouth now think of it.
As predicted.
These guys have seen another way for money to be taken under the table.
This is a blessing not a curse.
Dominica can have a wonderful large sandy beach that would spread from tarou to st joseph. Villagers would have an expanse of waterfront. This soil is ideal for pineapple growing and other cash crops.
They just need to step back any construction from the river bank.
Portmouth, cane field and roseau are both built on river delta’s.
Why destroy a blessing God is giving us?
Dominica already has no flat land.
boy the road ahead is not easy, brother,only jah knows
“The Ministry of Public Works on Tuesday announced $22-million in damage to infrastructure. $8-million will go toward the reconstruction of the Clarke Hall Bridge. The center part of the bridge was completely destroyed during the flood. $10-million will be needed for road realignment and construction of retaining walls, and $4-million for improving the river course to minimize future flooding.”
These estimates I find have been done in rather quick time. Didn’t this disaster happen just one week ago? I do hope that a comprehensive assesment was done knowing how things are usually done haphazardly and without proper planning.
u can hope all you want brother, there is NO changing the way things are done in this country. until we all collectively wake up we are fighting a losing battle.
I quite agree with you. I still have trouble believing that the bridge will cost 8 million buck. Especially when the foundation is still firmly planted in the river.
If that’s your line of work, one week is plenty time to come up with an estimate. People got degrees just to do these things, u know. Haven’t you seen disasters in developing countries and withing a day or two there is a ball park figure on the damages? We don’t only have “asterix” in Dca u know, we got educated and experienced people too.
Imagine what this disaster has cost government.I hope this time they are not going to give some foreign or private company a monopoly to take away and squander the resources away from Dominica and get rich in return.
we already know that that’s what’s going to happen. this is Dominica, land of slumber…
and there is nothing that you, or I or any “concerned Dominican” can do about it.
the government itself has its monopoly to maintain.