It is an integral part of the capital city and on Saturday the banks of the Roseau River will be the subject of a clean up campaign.
Local company, Cashwiz and the Kiwanis Club of Roseau have teamed up to clean up the river between the E.C. Loblack Bridge and the Dominica/China Friendship Bridge, in an effort to uplift the surroundings and give it a more sightly appearance.
Khonda Hamlet President of the Club told DNO that the club decided to do the project because it wanted to be more involved in community activities.
“So this time around we wanted to get our hands wet in the community and do stuff,” she said. “We are teaming up with Cash Wiz..it is a new company that wants to get involved in the community as well and we want to clean up the river bank because it’s like right in front of the business.”
She said the company wants a ‘very nice scenery’ and “you know the best way to do it is to really team up with a service group and really do something in the community which will be a benefit for all of us.”
She pointed out that this project was the brainchild of Cash Wiz since the area in front of the business place was a bit untidy.
“It is untidy in front of everybody and is just not a good view,” she stated.
Hamlet said a number of activities will take place during the clean up. ‘We are going into the river, we are going to clean up the sides of the river, we are going to have some brush cutters to cut down the grass, the plastic bottles we are going to recycle them,” she explained.
Additionally, she stated that the club is toying with the idea of planting flowers along the river bank but that will be for a future project. “Our primary function is just to clean and beautify the area,” she stated.
The group is expected to begin working early Saturday morning with a group of 10 members from the Kiwani’s group, five community members and employees from Cash Wiz.
Hamlet said they will also try to get some of the vagrants in the area to assist.
Good move guys but the entire town needs a facelift not the river banks only. Good luck.
Good afternoon my people. Hello this is long over due and I hope they put up signs by the market telling people that its not a public bathroom otherwise they will be fined for using it as a restroom. I hope the Government keep their word based on the rendition they presented for the development of that area.
Good idea. This initiative should be undertaken involving most if not all the rivers.
Some of the rivers are not functioning at their best because of blockages further up. These should be investigated and dealt.
Using the vagrants is an added touch as it makes them feel worthy and useful.
This also goes towards reinforcing Dominica as a Nature Isle.
I like the idea of the vagrants being involved. It would be nice…give them a warm meal after
Stop your negative criticism. Any initiative like this is a start and can only be good; Especially if you can get youth groups involved.Some of us just sit around and do nothing .I say good luck to all and hope that is only the start of great things to come.
good move indeed, all the best to you
thank you.
I can recall a group of River Street and River bank residents/citizens doing a great job in 1975-76. PJ was p.M then and came by to express gratitude etc. the original folk who started the clean up before the entire community pitcheed in decline PJ’s help.They included people like valina Tonge, Shenry Jno.baptise both deceased another/living brother, Alex, Trouble Dr.P, the numerous others from river st. the folks at the building complex across the river the young and not so young on river bank names …….
Those were the conscious days guys .
River Street is a far cry from it pass. So many prominent people hail from this now skeleton of what it use to be.
Nowhere in the Commonwealth of DA has produced more mechanics boxers etc. One may add drug dealers ,chracters like zing ping, Moozie, to name two larger than life creatures of habit.
So please do not think River street was never a great place to be.
We need an update on the Roseau River Promenade.
Yeah, whatever happened to that?
Just ‘lip service’ by this incompetent and corrupt government!
So if we have a problem with the dirty river, we should come out in our numbers to clean the river bed.we chat alot in Dominica and never do.I expect to see people in their numbers to help.
I hope that those in charge of the cleaning process are also focused on eliminating the dirty of hobbit of those who chose to urinate on the bank of the river–for that is so awful.
I love watching the movement of water, so in 2008, when I was in Dominica, as I walked by the river I decided to go behind a rum shop that was there at the time, so to look at the river and to feel the breeze, as I have done in Toronto, when walking the parks that contains long and winding brooks.
Well unfortunately, a gruesome stench hit my nostrils, I was only there for a few seconds. I had to take off as fast as I could to avoid choking to that deadly stench –that is extremely bad for the Capital City of our Dominica.
We do need public washrooms around the city. And also, those who maintain businesses for eating and drinking should also make sure that they proper washrooms, for their customers–we need to get rid of the uncivilized mentality that embrace in Dominica-not only in Roseau.
Great idea to get all the garbage out of the Roseau River. In my youth and early adulthood in DA that river was so beautiful and clean.
A beautiful wrought iron fence on both sides could be built with approximately two openings, one below the old bridge as I knew it and the other below the new bridge. It is difficult to thing of the name of the other bridges. Traditional names are hard to die.
Then later trees could be built. Hope the trees are not built close to the river bank. Consider when the river is overflowing it could endanger the trees.
Those who reside near the river bank who are prone to keeping it filthy should be advised about keeping it clean.
Yes! Get the vagrants who are idle to assist. I am certain, at least some of them will not mind. People want to be busy but do not know how and are not taught accordingly. When they help out they feel fruitful and happy knowing that they achieved something worthwhile. I expect they will want to be compensated for their time. This should be no problem.
Clean today dirty tomorrow. Mark my words.
It is about time,For a long time I have been advocating for Govt to upgrade to river front ,
Dredge the river so that the sea water will come in and boat will go up about 100-200 meters up stream
The entire City of Roseau needs a bath and some makeup. We advertise ourselves as the nature island of the Caribbean but when tourists visit us all they see is a hot congested little City with garbage and dirty gutters everywhere. Not to mention the only river they see from the Ship is the Roseau River which is Dominica’s dirtiest. Yes the river is unsightly for Cashwiz but more importantly it’s unsightly for all of Dominica.
Would be nice if you would come to help the cause instead of your ‘rubbish’ comment.
Some Dominicans must take care of their houses and beautify the outside of the homes. This means repairs to their home.
Sidewalks are badly needed in Roseau. I visited someone who resided on Independent Street and Cork Street. When I left the home, walking outside, I tripped on that type of sidewalk with stones. Fortunately I did not fall and hurt myself, ankle or knee.
I would think that Roseau is one of the primary areas that sidewalks should be repaired and/or constructed.
Perhaps you can play your part in keeping it clean as well. Someonetimes all we do as citizens is bring down the country but we do not help in anyway to do positive things. Just take a good look at the blogs, and you will see the venom spewing out of people on a daily basis. You wonder sometimes why do they even live in Dominica if they can’t apprecaite it. If everyone put their hands to the plough there will be no need for just complaining.# justathought
Good initiative on the parties involved. Good work and keep it up.
I hope more volunteers show up to help.
I agree with you @vexness…I was wondering the same thing. too many cooks eh ebeh weh
Great idea.Good move!
But wait…what about the roseau pomnade mayor had talk about nuh another pie in the sky man…
dats wat u wishing for
Yes, were they not supposed to start on that in April? Your Lordship, do you perhaps operate on a different time scale from the rest of us? Please, explain. Thank you.