Ministry of Tourism saddened by accident in Roseau Valley

Minister of Tourism and Urban Renewal Senator Robert Tonge
Minister of Tourism and Urban Renewal Senator Robert Tonge

The Ministry of Tourism and Urban Renewal is saddened by the tragic accident that occurred in the Roseau Valley on January 28, 2016; more so because there has been the loss of life of an infant, and injuries sustained by the other passengers and the driver.

We express our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased.

The Ministry wishes to reassure all concerned that all the relevant authorities are working together to facilitate the family concerned.

The Government of Dominica, through the Ministry of Tourism & Urban Renewal, is open to assisting in any which way we can.

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27 Comments

  1. lorde bord
    February 2, 2016

    I wonder if Mr. Minister went to personally see the parents of the child that lost his life. I can positively bet not. But he is saddened. I guess he was out driving his new Mercedes. SMH

  2. MacBeth
    February 2, 2016

    The visitor/cruiseline/family should sue the DDA/Ministry of Tourism/government. Dominica is the only place where there is no regulation to minimize mishaps and at the end when they do happen, we have a reactionary apologetic foolishness. No wonder our tourism industry is not going anywhere!!! Poor Cinderella of the world!

  3. Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    February 2, 2016

    “The Government of Dominica, through the Ministry of Tourism & Urban Renewal, is open to assisting in any which way we can.”

    Will that bring the dead child back!

    Robert shut up; just shut up, shut your mouth! This is another photo-op for you, another fifteen minuets of fame on DNO. Dominica is practically a lawless place, the only care your kind knows is about the color red, and politics!

    The only time the laws in Dominica are enforced; it is always against anybody who do not dress in red, and who are not singing God Bless Skerrit and the Labor party. When we have people drinking and driving inebriated everyday; even in the presence of police who are most of the time sharing the bottle with the drunk, what do you expect?

    When government ministers supply the cheap white rum for some of those same drivers, what do you expect? A former Minister in the labor party greatest contribution to the country, was when she stated in a sitting of the parliament, she and the rest of…

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      February 2, 2016

      A former Minister in the labor party greatest contribution to the country, was when she stated in a sitting of the parliament, she and the rest of the government have worked feverishly all night to find a way to bring the price of rum down so that the nation can buy their rum cheaply to drink!

      The honorable lady hales from Castle Bruce, in the person of one called Barnis now residing on the island of St. Croix still receiving a monthly salary in US currency, from Dominica, while serving no useful purpose to the country, she is doing absolutely nothing, and getting paid!

      The labor party government has created a nation of drunks, therefore there will always be drunk drivers on the roads everyday, we are lucky more people are not killed everyday by vehicular accidents.

      There should be drunk driving laws in the country. I have never heard of anybody prosecuted for DUI in Dominica; not once! Secondly there should be speed limits, and those should be observed by drivers drunken…

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      February 2, 2016

      I have never heard of anybody prosecuted for DUI in Dominica; not once! Secondly there should be speed limits, and those should be observed by drivers drunken or sober. The trend is showing off to people how fast they can drive, in a case like this somebody should get life in jail, for the life of child’s life!

      I would hope that thing they were driving was comprehensively insured so that the unfortunate family can be compensated in some way for the loss of their love one, the money will not bring the dead back nevertheless, it will help to cover expensive incurred.

      • Other ways
        February 2, 2016

        Francisco, sometimes just shut up. Just because you haven’t heard of it doesn’t mean that it has never happened. You are not omnipotent and you have to acknowledge that. I have charged and gotten a conviction on the same years ago. Thank you.

    • February 2, 2016

      DNO – You guys allow this blogger/writer/contributor to always run amok with his postings on your site. I notice that he is driven by the amount of likes he receives when he post something. Can you guys please monitor what he posts. You can go back eons to see the amount of latitude you have given this writer compared to others. May I remind you of your disclaimer:
      “We will delete comments that:
      •violate or infringe the rights of any person, are defamatory or harassing or include personal attacks
      •are abusive, profane or offensive
      •contain material which violates or encourages others to violate any applicable law
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      •refer to people arrested or charged with a crime as though they had been found guilty
      •contain links to “chain letters”, pornographic or obscene movies or graphic images
      •are excessively long and off-message”
      Thanks.

      • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
        February 2, 2016

        Don’t say squat to DNO: My name is Francisco Etienne Dods Telemaque, if you want an address where you can come and confront me all you have to do ask, or suggest a place where I can come and get into your face, and deal with you!

        IF I was singing for my supper, and bowing down to Skerrit and his corrupted crap, DNO would have done fine giving me more leeway than you and the rest of Skerrit’s corrupted supporters.

        Look; I suspect you are a piece of bourgeoisie crap, but like you, means zip, nada, zero, nothing to me! DON gives everybody the privilege of writing comments on there site, you are also free to write on it if they allow you!

        Everything I submit on DNO do not all get posted; so shut your bloody mouth, you are not in any position to dictate to the administration what and who they should allow to write comments on their site. Robert, if it is you in disguise be informed you are not going to intimidate anybody by talking about disclaimer, so shut up! We exists…

      • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
        February 2, 2016

        We exists in a democracy, even in China one of the only two communists nation left on the planet, Cuba the other people speaks freely in China! I will state again if you or anyone is worried about anything I say or have to say about Skerrit,don’t worry mind you business because anything I write her about that Mountain Chicken Crapo Mentality Skerrit; I also write my comments in a forum where Skerrit is a recipient of everything we write.

        And if you do not believe Ask the Sc,he too is a recipient of my comments, and I am yet to be sued! So, get off DNO’s back get on mine by name see if you can make me budge. And if you wish to read the heat we throw at Skerrit’s heal give me your E-mail address, so we can include you as a participant.

        By so doing you will not go on DNO crawling like a yellow dog on your belly trying to get DNO to censor me!

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      February 2, 2016

      “Other ways?”

      You are a fool, I said I have never heard of anyone charged and prosecuted in Dominica for driving under the influence of alcohol, or any other substance.

      If you wish to refute my opinion, do so with something which can substantiate your argument: i.e., by naming a single case, and the person involve. State time and date, otherwise shut, up!

      When you decide to oppose another, don’t simply drag nonsensical comments out of the sky and try to impress people; when you know you are simply talking rubbish!

      As for the fool who talks about thumbs up, you need to know I get as many thumbs down on this site; I am not writing anything on DNO expecting any reward. All of mine are supposed to be intellectual, if someone learn something from what I wrote, so be it! I am not running for anything in Dominica, I want nothing out of Dominica, I have everything a man my age should have, so worry about you. If DNO refuse to print me, I can have a web site on the Internet…

  4. 4cars
    February 2, 2016

    You do not have to be smart; just look smart. We have people in high position who have no idea what they should be doing or what to do. Some of these bus drivers do not, or cannot afford to properly maintain their buses in a safe road worthy way. Some are not able to afford to change their tires when necessary! If they are “registered” with the tourist board, then the board should have some type of inspection done on the busses prior to loading passengers on the buses. If for some reason the bus fails the inspection; that bus should be excluded from having the tourists onboard. As it stands now, a bus could have all four bald tires and improper braking system, and still go out on a tour. This is insane by all means. The tourist board needs a drastic overhaul. And this man atop who says he is saddened needs also to be guilty.

  5. A Tourist Speaks Out
    February 1, 2016

    I have no knowledge of Dominica’s politics so I direct my comments to the everyday people of Dominica. Have you ever gone to a place far from home and knew no one and did not speak the language, or know anything about the roads, villages, or geography? Have you been in a situation where you had to count on strangers to transport you safely? Have you had to do business with people you did not know and counted on them to be fair and honest with your money? Have you ever been in a situation where you felt uncomfortable or uneasy because you were clearly a “foreigner”? Have you ever felt intimidated, even threatened, by people constantly demanding money from you because of the way you look? As a tourist in Dominica I experience all these things everyday. We tourists travel to your beautiful country with much difficulty and at great expense. Please be kind to us.

    • anonymous2
      February 2, 2016

      ONe thing that you have to understand about these people. Most of them have never been any place except maybe to another island.

  6. Dan Tanner
    February 1, 2016

    There are no effective regulations of or inspections of buses. So expect this to continue.

  7. Sakwe Gas
    February 1, 2016

    Remember the ratings that Dominica received from Cruise ship visitors in the report released last year. We have barely improved some of the situations highlighted by the tourists, and now we have to add safety of our roads and tourist robberies in our main city.

    I don’t understand how/why there wasn’t a formal press release or conference to highlight short-term measures that could be put in place for the remainder of the season. Something much more than “extended sympathies” need to come from the government!

  8. AA
    February 1, 2016

    Is the ministry of tourism serious about their responsibilities? They cannot be, Robbie you are useless. Get off your a… and start working. You have had so many incidents in town of tourist harassment not a word from you, why aren’t you all paying attention to the bread winners of the country? you all have killed agriculture, there is no construction going on and you all think that selling passports will save the country with you all phantom hotels. where are the person going to come from to fill the rooms when this shit continues. for once can’t you and your government do something right????

  9. Leila
    February 1, 2016

    The buck has to stop with someone…………… Seriously, what checks – every 6 months or annually are put in place to ensure these tour guides are medically and mentally fit to be transporting tourists around the island?

    Licences are given out and there is no follow up as to who has them and who is fit to have them.

    There needs to be a major shake up now, a policy document written to ensure it actually happens and last but not least some basic training given to these guides who have had licences for many years but who have had not had to issue clean medical reports annually or any proof of customer service or training.

    Sir – to be saddened is not enough. The parents of the murdered child are the ones who are truly saddened.

    • CarnivalLover
      February 1, 2016

      Wow! You certainly consider yourself to be an expert on everything. In one swoop you not only cast aspersions on the mental and physical well-being of the driver but you have accused someone of murder. Who the hell gave you such powers? Were you in the vehicle??? Have you spoken to any of those who were and thankfully, survived this horrible ACCIDENT???? Have you any TRUE compassion for the poor parents of the deceased child and yes, the driver whom I am sure did not set out to cause any harm to anyone that fateful day?

      I hope for your sake you are showed more empathy and human kindness WHEN YOUR TIME COMES!

  10. Oriviere
    February 1, 2016

    Yvor was better than Robbie

  11. February 1, 2016

    I think that the people in position PICK and CHOOSE who they want to support, especially if the results will put a DENT in their POCKETS. I’ve also noticed that unless THEY are PRESSURED, THEY DO NOTHING. It’s a SHAME though, that SOME get MORE PUBLICITY than OTHERS, when ALL the situations are SIMILAR, in one way or another.

  12. cc
    February 1, 2016

    These taxi drivers need to start driving more carefully, some of them drive to crazy.

  13. hmmm
    February 1, 2016

    Allu something else. When the hotelier Calibishie Rosie get kill by dem mad fellas your mouth was well quiet. Invites got sent to allu to support the community and allu was pure no show, but this one got you talking. Go look at the biggest national newspaper in the UK (THE SUN).. The Calibishie killing taking centre stage about how UK citizen got kill in Dominica. Allu cannot pick and chose when to show up because the rest of the world is not sleeping, like allu. DA not ready yet.

  14. Floridian diaspora
    February 1, 2016

    Is the ministry of tourism really saddened by the accident in the Roseau valley, or are they fearful of the negative impact that this tragic accident would have on the already fragile tourism industry they created? I can see right through your sarcastic sympathy. These guys are scared of sub-par tourism industry experiencing a blackout because of the unfortunate accidents and the deliberate crimes that our locals have committed against the visitors. Just say it as it is. There’s no need to pretend.

    • February 1, 2016

      Do you have a specific policy recommendation or are you seriously just criticising the Minister of Tourism for expressing sympathy to tourists who have suffered serious misfortune in Dominica?

      • funiti
        February 1, 2016

        Sorry Sir
        I think its “agnotology” from a different perspective.
        See “Concerned” DNO, January 30, 2016

      • ????????
        February 1, 2016

        They make a hoolabaloo of everything. Nothing to recommend or say good. It is like the Minister cannot and should not offer sympathy. Where are we heading???

      • ????????
        February 1, 2016

        They make a hoolabaloo of everything. Nothing to recommend or say good. It is like the Minister cannot and should not offer sympathy. Where are we heading??? hmmmmmmmmmmm ???????????????????????

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