Instead of undertaking the customary road rehabilitation and infrastructural projects during National Day of Community Service, this year’s focus will be on cleanup and beautification.
Local Government Commissioner, Glenroy Toussaint, made that disclosure at a press conference held recently.
According to Toussaint, an allocation of $250,000 will go towards ensuring that each and every community will be covered under this programme. He said the various community-based groups such as the local authority, the development committee, and other interest groups are already on-board.
National Day of Community Service is set for Tuesday 5th November 2019.
“For This year’s national day of community service, the efforts will be on cleanup and beautification,” he said. “So we are no longer into this concrete thing; this time, we are into cleanup and beautification.”
Toussaint continued, “What I mean by clean-up and beautification is essentially we are talking of the removal of white goods and other household items [appliances].”
He explained that following Hurricane Maria there have been a number of old fridges, stoves, and other household items placed in some yards.
Toussaint mentioned also that the cleaning and clearing of drains will form part of that process.
“We have what we call in Dominica natural earth drains, the drains that are blocked, the drains that are natural,” he stated.
He believes it is important to unblock drains and culverts because it is part of a mitigation effort against flooding and floodwaters, “and that is important from a community level.”
Toussaint said the cutting of overhanging trees also forms part of the beautification process.
“Although we were impacted by Maria the trees have grown and so they will be required to be trimmed, and of course to ensure that they don’t pose a threat to human life as we proceed in that regard,” he noted.
Toussaint is also encouraging the planting of exotic plants and flowers.
“Let us beautify…let us ensure that we don’t just talk the talk…and ensure that we collectively do what we can to continue with that theme of saying Dominica is the Nature Isle,” he said.
Meanwhile, according to Toussaint, the ravages of Hurricane Maria have taught everyone that climate change is real.
“Certainly coming out of Maria, there was a realization that we need to strengthen our resolve in ensuring that we build that resilience in Dominica…,” he said.
I’m all for the clean up. Once that is done nature, if left to herself, will take care of keeping Dominica beautiful.
“Beautification” is a word that I would like to abolish.
Clean up and beautification is a great ideal. I only disagree with using old tires as flower pots because they, the tires, are non-biodegradable, and over time they actually release harmful toxins into the soil and atmosphere.
Also since we were told 3 months ago about the arrival of vast quantities of asphalt on the Island, and were told that in two months all our roads would be smooth, I am wondering about all the potholes that continue to plague the country. It seems as though these potholes appear overnight. And, somebody please tell me how the road in front of our parliament, in front of our white house, in front of our “nation’s station”, in front of our “premier hotel”, is so terrible. Have we no pride?
Let Skerritt n his government go and clean the whole country……. Unless he gives back the billions let him clean country…….
How can you beautify a country when the hearts n minds of the labour party is dirty…..
Let those labourites Clean the country untll further notice..
Ohhhhh, let the police gooo clean the country as wellll…
But, but, but. as if it has been a few years now since the focus has been on beautification eh. somebody correct me if I am wrong.
I cannot believe there is an outbreak of Dengue fever in Dominica ,
the Ministry of health has stated there were 45 cases of hospital admissions and 90 reported cases reported in one month on our little island and there are Dominicans , prominent citizens at that , who are still unaware of the presence of the disease on the island . Shouldn’t that be a topic aired on daily programs enlightening the public of what is required of them ?
WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENNING IN THAT COUNTRY NAH ”
allu going to let every body come down before eradicating the problem and then claim it is the foreigners who brought down there diseases into the country ?
I am mad about this , and the way the whole outbreak is being treated as if under wraps . COME ON .
lets hear the announcements .
with
in
A one day clean up effort is a good start but insufficient. What is needed is a strategic plan and a sustained effort. You may have this one day clean up exercise but if there are no long term plans put in place the country will be littered with garbage soon after this Herculean and costly effort. Next time in your planning add a little vision and some discernment.
Yeah and they don’t maintain afterwards…. Practicality should be looked at. For example, Not planting flowers/plants that don’t do well with sea water/blast… That’s why in the before times, the tamarind trees and zaman trees were planted near beach fronts… just saying.