Executive Director of the Dominica’s Employers Federation (DEF), Achille Chris Joseph, has made it clear that calls for a public holiday by the nation’s indigenous people, the Kalinagos, will not get the support of this organization.
Appearing on Marpin’s Channel 5 news cast Kalinago leaders called on the relevant authorities to set aside a date, or a Public Holiday, to recognize the heritage and the endangerment their people.
But this has not gone down well with Joseph who said if this means adding another public holiday to the nation’s list of holidays, then it will not likely receive support from the employers or businesspersons in Dominica.
“While the case of the Kalinago may be a worthy one, one which may actually add value to the cultural diversity and heritage of Dominica, adding another day to the current schedule of 64 public days occurring here every year is not advisable,” Joseph argued.
He is advising the authorities that if the Kalinago’s recommendation is to receive favorable consideration, a suitable title should be given to a current holiday instead of adding another one. “We are recommending amending the title of one of the current public holidays to ‘Kalinago Day’ or other suitable title,” Joseph explained.
Give the Caribs (Kalinagos) their day just like the pigs, goats, rabits, cats, and every other animal that get their day. Every culture, parish, religion, even the language get a day, give the Caribs (Kalinagos) their day. There are 12 months in the year, pick a month with no celebration and assign a day within that month as Kalinago Day. Dominica celebrate days with NO SIGNIFICANCE, Kalinagos should have their day to celebrate their culture. They’re not taking anything from anyone. GIVE THEM THEIR DAY. Achille, GO TO WORK ON SATURDAY!!!!!
I ‘d say give them the holiday ..don’t they deserve it? We could always cancel one or two of the other holidays but we got to respect our indigenous people
I am on the side of the Kalinago nation in their demand but also support Mr. Joseph’s response that no new holiday should be created. However, I have always believed and do so more strongly now, that the first people of our country should get one of those days around the Independence holidays named for them. In fact, they should be the focus of that time. I was bitterly disappointed when I went home for the 30th anniversary and saw so little time devoted to the place of the Kalinago in our nation’s history. We are so eager to embrace everything Jamaican and yet I’m reading all these derogatory comments about these people. I thought we had moved on from our times of ignorance and maltreatment of the then named Caribs. The more developed countries like Canada have shown the way. We want to trot them out to show to tourists but we don’t want to grant them their position of prominence. Hypocrisy! Find an existenting holiday and name it in their honor and make that day all about the Kalinago. It’s the least we can/should do.
Mr. Joseph’s idea makes sense but did he suggest an “empty” holiday we should change for our precious natives instead?
I do not quite understand the statement, “adding another day to the current schedule of 64 public days.” I regret that Mr. Joseph may have included Sundays as a “public holiday” However, to do so in this context appears to be a misrepresentation and professionally misleading.
As far as I am aware, when one speaks of a national public holiday, we only have about 12 official public holidays namely New Year’s Day, Carnival Monday and Tuesday, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Labour Day, Whit Monday, August Monday, Independence Day, Community Day of Service, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Whereas a holiday in honour of the original inhabitants would be in order, I agree with Mr. Joseph that it would make sense to combine it with another similar holiday possibly with a change of name that would bring all the causes for remembrance under a single umbrella such as the August holiday with name change of something like “Indigenous or original inhabitants and emancipation day” similar in spirit to the Trinidadian “Indian Arrival Day, which is celebrated by all the people of Trinidad.
The fact remains, whereas employees would like as many holidays as possible and be paid, employers would prefer less holidays for which they have to pay. Underlying all of this, it is when businesses do well that the make profits , create more jobs and employ more people for the benefit of the wider society .
Therefore, we cannot kill the goose that lay the golden egg as it were. Putting aside, the gentleman’s personal Christian belief as a seventh Day Adventist, we must acknowledge that he represents the Employers Federation and as the head of this body, he must seek to advance the best interest of his members. However, as he has well stated the case of the Kalinago may be a worthy one for consideration and I support that.
Respectfully
Roseau Valley
My suggestion would be that during the month of October when we are celebrating creole month, one of the days be given to celebrate the Kalinagoes as most of us in Dominica have some kalingo in us. So yes. Name a day after the kalinago for what they did for us black Africans descendants in helping us escape the evil slave owners on the estates and preserving the heritage.
mabrika….mabrika,how are you?? Give the indigenous people of DOminica the holiday they deserve and tell Achille Joseph to shut his mouth and stop calling for Sunday to be a normal working day. Absurd! So what he wants? Teachers to work Sunday to Sunday? Government offices to be opened Sunday through Sunday? stupesss….why not discuss the need for a wage increase across the baord? People already work so long and hard for a mere $1500 a month, many get less than that? stupess. oh please! #just my two cents
On Creole day we celebrate the Creole culture without having a public holiday. The kalinago can do the same. Honestly, the country looses a lot of revenue on public holidays. I challenge our journalist to dig beneath the surface. Investigate the loss to our treasury on holidays. It is no coincidence that economically successful countries have fewer holidays than us.
So the black people of Dominica celebrating their day of emancipation, but us de kalinago cannot have a day? Soon the chinese population here will want their day
pls no more holidays…I agree…a change of name for one of the holidays…DA will not prosper…
I suggest we remove all those stupid ‘Fest’ that have taken over Dominica– Rabbit Fest, Goat Fest, soon to come, Rat Fest, Dog and Cat Fest! Stop killing our indigenous animals and save the indigenous people. Give them a weekend (Thursday to Sunday) to celebrate their history and heritage. They have lots to offer. Give them a chance to exhibit their goods, their art, their history, and much more! No need for a day off! If a public holiday is given; just imagine, nothing going on in the other parts of the country except for the Kalinago Territory; Roseau dread, Portsmouth dread, and the country losing money. It;s not like all of Roseau or Possie heading to the Territory. They can go on the weekend and participate. Mr. Joseph, consider that instead.
do you know the economic value of those “stupid” fests you want to rid the country of?
think before you type !!
Mr Joseph all due respect to you some of us deserve these holidays.
Deserve these Holidays?????? No wonder our economy is where it is and we blame who??? I doubt we UNDERSTAND the effect these PUBLIC PAID Holidays are having on the Labour Cost. Maybe its time to begin educating the Public.
SHUT DOWN THE COUNTRY; MAKE EVERYDAY A HOLIDAY. HE HE HE
LOL NEXT THING YOU KNOW THEY WILL DEMAND INDEPENDENCE. REPUBLIC OF KALINAGO LOL
please give it a break you sound dumb
Achille, we have 12 public holidays http://www.dominica.gov.dm/cms/?q=node/1443. Do not try to mislead people with your sunday nonsense.
Dominica is not unusual from any of the other Caribbean countries so I don’t know where this man gets his c*ap. See this caricom report on public holidays of caricom islands and associates. http://www.caricom.org/jsp/community/public_holidays_2012.pdf?menu=community
You all want to work people to the bone and pay them 2 cents but this will not happen. If Dominicans allow that to happen and not protest, and not let any ruling govt who negatively amends this law to pay, I lose all respect.
For Achille alone if he can slave all Dominicans he will. See what he did to the workers @ Courts for years. they were to work on Merchants holidays because he claims Courts are not merchants.He on the other hand will be off and at church every saturday because he is adventist however you being another religion and mass is on sunday you have no choice to work if you want to keep your daily bread.
Give me a break. They have their own territory then they went from Caribs to kalinago now they want their own holid!y? What next??
kissa.we can get a day off because a storm might hit but we can not give the real dominicans a day for themselves ,,,,ok pal
Such ignorance…
hahaha, their own government (Prime Minister, president, Mayor etc.) Ebeh is long time I know Caribs (sorry Kalinago) come out. But I believe their demand is unreasonable. I do not see the logic in that. They can use any Sunday or Saturday to celebrate, in that way less employers or business places will be affected. Something go up in their head man, because they have their Queen,Princess, (King soon to come)?
from up here you all sound so bad
, dont put it like that, they could use one of the days we have already, but dont say it that way,pleas!
you realize how racist you sound. May not be intentional, but these are racist sentiments. Check the source of your thinking and make an attempt to not be so racist. Think for example what the White Man was saying when all we needed was he remove our shackles. I could only hear him: “So the Blacks want to get rid of this one burden; next he will want education, equal schools, recognition for his liberation; reparation for his long exploitation. Eventually, he will want to retake his land, his birthright. Where will he stop?”
so what, we wanted to be free from slavery and we got it, what next we want? how does that sound to you, selfish
Trinidad has indian arrival day to celebrate when the first indentured labourers landed on trinidad. And the whole island celebrates it…black, Chinese Indian everybody.
Dominica don’t have holidays yet. Check trinidad and see how many holidays they have. I swear almost every month has a holiday.
and their money lower than ours and they still doing better than us
more Holidays? Qui sa… a joke that man… Dominicans that want more free up sttps… more holidays we have enough. Go and work, already people like to complain about they not getting enough money… but some allu too lazy and some of you all do not deserve no raise. Sttps go and work tan, our country need money… and stop asking for holidays we have enough… soon allu will be asking for holidays to say the ABC.
u sound foolish already you all not getting enough for what you all doing, that s y they doing you all so, because you all settle for less, please think of it; they getting money but where is it going
Didnt you all know Achille is an adventist? Thats what he has against us resting on a sunday. He should be fired for his religious bias. However he is right we do not need another holiday. WE have many holidays which we do nothing with except sewo. Africans liberation want holiday, kalinago want holiday, gays want holiday, everybody wants a holiday how can we set precedents? We need to utilize the days we already have on which we do nothing with and that is that! zor toe feyar.
lol lol
Dominica celebrates an absurd # of holidays, many I’d call irrelevant. Mr. Joseph himself verified it in his statement by suggesting that a holiday’s name be changed to “Kalinago day or something”. Now if you’re willing to change a holiday’s name,doesn’t it come to the same as designating that day specifically for the new one? It is rather unfair that so many are against upholding a vital part of Dominica’s culture, but are not so against the implementation of a Chinese one… Double standards anyone? Bottom line is if you can change the name of one holiday to another, you can also simply change the date of that old holiday to the date that the new holiday is to be celebrated. So pretty much Mr. Joseph was just giving the run around to distract from the issue. The date of Carnival has been changed more than once without any serious issues. It would be the same thing in this case. So please, take a deep breath, lose the nasty attitudes and language and realize the true issue. At the end of the day Mr. Joseph and his colleagues do not want to give recognition where it is due, and that, is pathetic.
The change of date of Carnival has been up for debate, when it change? It’s the two days before Ash Wednesday ALWAYS
I checking dat blogger know something I dont know man, and I living in DA.
All those agreeing with Mr. Joseph are employers. Those el cheapos! Give the Caribs what they want for once – toneh!!! They have to beg for everything then.
What are you without your employer? Hope you never become an employer one day but remember this, every bit of bread you put in your mouth and every bill you pay is because of an employer!
My take on this is that we seem to be treating the Kalinago people like they don’t mean anything to us. If de PM say no work de day after elections we will be seewoing hard. What I am getting from these posts is that we willing to seewo on their head. But we don’t have any respect for the Kalinago people.’Kalinago have contributed more to our little Dominica than Chavez and China put together.
Skerrit @ dere man!
Mr Joseph is right. We don’t need another holiday. Our discussion should be which current holiday is must suitable for a name change. My suggestion is “August Monday”
Don’t you know august monday is really a holiday for emmancipation? Some caribbean countries use august monday…others use different dates in August. So u can’t change it. Do some research.
wow, i’m sorry, i had no idea and i did not do any research on the meaning of august monday. thanks for the info and i will surely follow up on that. thanks.
Don’t touch that day when we celebrate emancipation as black people.take off any of the followingBoxing day ,new years day’whit Monday and celebrate kalinnago day in sept
It would be an insult to the Carib people, the first people who defended the country from the gangstar Christopher Columbus; if we took an already existing holiday to call it theirs. They deserve their own holiday designated to them. These people have played an important role in Dominica; hardworking, committed people. They deserve a holiday. Respect the Carib People and give them a holiday in their name and honor. Be real Mr. Achille Joseph. You seem to have a problem with everything. Take a chill pill!!!
The holiday in their rocognition makes perfect sense.They are a major part of our history. Moreover, they are the first inhabitants of the Island.
i never knew sunday was considered a public holiday
for Achille alone
we should get Kalinago month
I just want to ask , how are they going to decided that public holiday for the kalinagoes ? Is it going to be only the kalinagoes getting this day off from work or can everyone come and say they are half kalinago and demand the day off too? tell me. i really don’t think we need another public holiday in this hard economic times , every time the country shuts down do we looses millions of dollars, these dollars can be put to improve the life of the kalinagoes . so i think , as one blogger said the kalinagoes have a week designated for to them already , called The Kalinago Week, so choose one day and make it kalinago Day . It will still be celebrated and respected by all .
agree
I think it’s a wonderful idea to recognize the Kalinago people and it should be done! But agree with Mr. Joseph to use one of the existing holidays and rename it.
And whoever said that black people should have a public holiday too, well for your information we do in Dominica! Everyday in fact! We do no work at all but get paid anyway and social security benefits to boot and western union and barrels! DDA should market Dominica as the place to come too where you don’t work but get wages and benefits and presents!
I am on my lunch break which is why I am online just saying.
i am kalinago are u? we don’t need another holiday..my people like too much sewo. smh we will make it our holiday when boxing day come. okay? Joseph good 4 us kalinags.
I welcome another holiday anytime. Bring it on….
Its time somebody shuts this “controversial noise box” called Achille Joseph up! I am just fed up with this man raising issues with every miniscule thing! Oh shocks man! … This just gives truth to the saying that “empty barrels make the most noise”!
@Viewpoint. Why you calling on somebody to shut up de man? Why can’t you do it yourself? Why don’t you write on the subject under discussion and prove the man wrong? You have said almost nothing to contribute to the discussion; actually I believe you are the empty barrel. I believe Mr. Joseph has said the right thing. He works for an organisation that represents private employers and I believe it is his job to point to things which do not support enterprise. And frankly, another public holiday in Dominica would be madness. So, rather than waste DNO editor’s time with a paragraph that does not add anything to news, go get yourself occupied in something where your views and effort will be respected.
i agree.. such a fool…
Isn’t there something called freedom of speech? How would you feel if DNO shut you up by not posting your comments? Would that mean you are an empty barrel?
well kalinago people u can use May Day as Kalinago day..up allu up nor…there is pentecost monday to ..make ur choice…by the way mr joseph where in the world we getting 64 holidays a year..u sick or what..check ur calender again. 64 what? awa wake up and smell the coffee. i want to know how u get 64 please
He must have added sundays…
The Kalinagos deserve recognition definitely. Dominica has numerous holidays outside of the christmas and easter season. Would there be a problem cutting off just one of the recognized other holidays (eg merchants holiday) and having another day just in recognition of the Kalinagos?
Because is Kalinago most people are negative but let those Chinese ask for a day and you will see what happens. Minister of Tourism already agree with Haitian day celebrations and none of them fought for the protection of DA
These Kalinagos just dont know what to do with themselves. Holiday for what. If so there should be a holiday for blacks.
These Kalinagos are people just like you that has a heritage and culture in Dominica. They know where they come from and they have a right to ask like any other. We have come a long way to have our name mention in the 21st century and yet still you feel we should just shut up!!! Why don’t you go to Africa and fight for your heritage and culture see how much they would welcome you…These Kalinagos are Native Dominican they have rights.
Holiday for blacks? what happen to emancipation day?
Achille can you please list the 64 public holidays?
Personally I think Achille and Tiny are the same person.
i suspect he counting sunday as a holiday….and there are 56 sundays in the year….and then he adds the other holidays to it….
52 you mean.. 52+12=64.. There are 52 weeks in a year lol..
Lol. Lol.
I do agree that the Kalinagos should get some form of recognition and respect for being our indegenous people.Just as we have Heritage Day during the independence season I that the day which is named Creole bod La Mere should be renamed Kalinago Day.This would also serve to take some of the activities out of Roseau.
Thats the kind of respect has for the Carib people? Shame.
I support Mr Joseph 100%. We really do not need another planned holiday added to the many we already have.
With all respect to the Kalinago people, I believe their case would be stronger if they would push for one of the existing holidays be named to recognize the Kalinago people especially during our independence. If not 3rd November, maybe what we refer to as ‘jounay creole’, or the day we speak creole. Although it is not a holiday, but since it’s a day we promote our culture and tradition, I think it would be very fitting to name it Kalinago day, since they have alot to contribute to our culture.
They do have all and everything to do with our and you friiiiii#@%$ culture.
Not a half day more!!
And I have nothing against our Kalinagos eh!
You are the man who want Sunday to become a regular working day, nevertheless, you are denying the indigenous people of our country the privilege of being recognized by celebrating their existence for only one day!
What is wrong with our entire nation expressing some love, and appreciation to a people who have many times over the centuries came close to a point of extinction dating back to the day when Columbus and crew gave blankets contaminated with Chicken Pox, and other nasty diseases which ravaged their bodies almost eradicating them all?
The Carib Indians are Dominicans also, if anything they have more rights and privilege in Dominica than you have; you little son of slaves, you came through slavery, the Caribs are indigenous, perhaps you should learn the meaning the of the word indigenous.
Who are you to decide who are recognized and who should not be recognized in our country, you little son of Slaves!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
I’ve been on your case before you know; only that I thought you were from the Etinoffe Klan, you look so much like them, I apologize for that error, but boy I am telling you each time you open your mouth, you spew nothing interesting, you spew all nonsense, I do not know what is going on in your mind, you seem to lack the ability to think and operate cognitively.
By the time you are fired from that job, our indigenous people will get their day, all of Dominica should agree to a day of recognition for the Indians, because without them there would be no us!
I suppose you still celebrate the holidays the British, and organization such as the Roman Catholic Church hung around our necks right?
Someone even suggest recognition of Martin Luther King, the slain American Civil Rights leader in our country, the Late Rosie Douglas suggested a holiday in his honor.
Some even brought his son to Dominica; again to talk only to prove they have American connection, and you cannot deny that!
So, if we were eager to push our head where it does not belong, and recognize foreign people who had never thought, of Dominica one day in their life of living, never knew if Dominica existed, why can’t you at lest show some respect to our own people?
Stop talking you little slave boy.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
dude,
you need to relax yourself. Did you read and understand what the man said before you blasted him.
And btw you are a nice one to talk about other people spewing nonsense…what a laugh!
Mr.Telemaque. Can’t you simply state your case WITHOUT the name calling and denigration? Sometimes we hurt our case by allowing such negativity to enter into our discussion. Just state the facts and let them (the facts) speak for themselves.
Denigration and name calling?
Where did I attempt to denigrate, or have I denigrated Achille; never mind call him any other name besides his name Achille?
Are you mad, or could it be that you simply cannot understand the English language?
If that is your problem, I am sorry I cannot accommodate you, because though I am fluent in Spanish, and the German language, I doubt if I try to communicate with you in any of the two languages which are foreign to you; since you are incapable of understanding English, I doubt the two foreign languages I speak and understand will make any sense or difference in your world.
The funny thing about a computer and key board is that many of us who are dumb, unable to use or exercise commonsense; no matter what we do with the computer, it does not change the fact that we are dumb, if anything it only exposes our stupidity!
If we lack comprehension, it exposes that also, as it has in your case and the other stupid person above.
Here you are talking crap critiquing me, yet you hide as the nobody you are under some less than fictitious name, if you wish that I dignify your nonessential comments perhaps you should have some courage to state your name when you feel the need to critique me.
Until then keep you mouth shut; take a lock, you might be better off!
Achille, is a public figure, he puts himself in a position where people has the right to be critical of his thoughts and sentiments, in the political world, it is hot in the kitchen, he who cannot withstand the heat should get out of the kitchen.
Now you little wimp, go and cry at his feet and say ” oh lord Mr. Achille, ah feel sorry about the way that boy Telemaque treated you” perhaps he will give you a dime for you efforts, which perhaps you deserve.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
Now that is what I call blasting out of the water oui!
I am surprised that you have not yet accused me of hating Achille, so before you release that from your agenda, let it be known I am not in the hate business, I simply face people and let them know when they are wrong, and when the position they take makes absolutely no sense.
And I do not care who they are, or how important or how large they think they are, big man, little man, rich man poor man, all men are the same to me!
Even you.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
I want to know if you think the Kalinango tribe is a pure race….if u are referring to the blacks as sons of slaves, you are also speaking of the caribs who are also mixed with those same sons of slaves. And I am a mixed
Sorry I wasted my time on the creep above, I would have loved to weigh in on this at length, but I wasted enough time already so I will be brief.
The Carib Indians of Dominica, St. Vincent, and to an extent Belize in North America are not one hundred percent pure anymore, however, we should not even consider the purity of any person, since race should not be a factor.
If life itself began in Namibia in East Africa, we should not be talking about race, but indeed different tribes!
Fact is I am from the Village of Wesley, my epidermis is as dark as the melanin in my epidermis allows me to be.
However I have Carib blood in me, so too are many people in the Caribbean. I have a friend in Canada dark in complexion, however he is 100% Carib, you will never know unless he told you.
My late uncle Sentive Valmond and sisters are born Caribs, and I will not elaborate that.
In any event perhaps, you have already heard of ” DNA ” (that is Deoxyribonucleic acid). I view of that I hate to disappoint you, but, I must inform you that there are no so called pure race, since we all derive from the same place Namibia in Africa
Thus hereditary information is stored as a sequence of nucleotides in a linear nucleotide polymer called DNA which is a double helix ……………….. I know you will not understand that unless you are into health science, a nurse or medical doctor or somewhere in that field.
Nonetheless this genetic system is the one that has come down to us from the very beginnings of life The information necessary for the synthesis of all the protein molecules required by the cell is stored in a double-stranded DNA base sequence.
The cell uses this information by making a working copy of it: Okay at this point it is taking me into RNA, and that is complicated, and perhaps the reading audience not even begin to comprehend what I am talking about so I will get simply and say that every person alive was born from a black Woman, and man dating back to Adam and Eve of which the Bible speaks of.
That was proved via DNA testing which every result leads back to where life began, and that is in Namibia in East Africa.
Do not take my words only do some research and prove it for yourself.
Finally, some people are rising hell because I said Achille is the Son of Slaves, that is true we all are, since our ancestors were brought to the Caribbean and the Americas through slavery, we cannot deny that, the Carib came via other situations, and circumstances.
I am not even going to waste my time and get into that, if what you read above serve a purpose of enlightenment fin I am happy, if it serves no purpose I am still happy, no love lost.
White man, Chines, Indigenous Dominican all living human, and I suppose animals life originated in Namibia in Africa, science has proved that through DNA, without black people there would be no other person alive today!
Now they going to call me crazy.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Mr. Joseph never said he did not agree with the holiday. What he is saying is to use an existing day and rename it. What is wrong with that? Don’t see how his view makes him a slave boy.
Not sure if you are aware of what’s happening but the Dominica economy is failing so to add another public holiday is further financial burden on those businesses including the small business.
In fact the only businesses which will have a better chance of weathering the additional double-pay burden will be the big businesses and who owns the big businesses? The small businesses are about to become extinct in Dominica which will leave who standing? BIG business. and it’s Achille Joseph you are calling a slave boy? His views better support small businesses as they are less able to sustain higher wages. You people need to think before you spew.
When the PM declares Kalinago Day, where will Achille be. On his desk filing his nails. There is nothing you can do about the holiday Achille, all you do is talk talk talk. And where did you get the Sunday was a public holiday? It is a day to rest from a hard week of work. Take a break Achille!!!
then we should get an Arawak’s day because if I remember my high school history well enough they were first ones.
This is probably the stupidest comment I’ve read on this site. Does the Arawak still exist? Has the Arawaks really contributed and is still contributing to the cultural heritage of this country?
SMFH
Dorival John, no need to get hot under the collar. I’m sure Aye Dominique meant the comment as a sarcastic one but that was obviously lost upon you.You shold be shaking your head at yourself.
Indeed the Arawks are still among us, actually the people of Vieille Case, the light complexion one are indeed Arawks, mind you Achille name derives from someone who hale from the Village of Vieille Case, and the village just beyound Vieille Case, and elsewhere.
I do not know if that by is from Wesley, however when I grew up in Wesley there was an old woman in the village we called Ma Achille, and where she came from ” the village of Vieille Case.
She was of Arawaks decent.
She was brought to the Wesley to work for an old French priest his name was Barrow!
I will evoke the name Eustas Leblanc, an old friend and school mate who happens to be her grandson, he left Dominica many moons ago, however she still has a living granddaughter in the Village of Wesley in the person of Veronica Shaw, the wife of Algonan Shaw, born out of the Robin Klan, thus making him a member of the Telemaque Klan, because all the Robin’s are indeed ” Telemaque. ”
The epidermis of the Arawks are so light some could be mistaken to be white, Ma Achille was like that.
If you ever hear people on the North of Dominica derogatorily refer to anybody in Dominica as pussyette race, they are talking about the decedent of the Arawaks people, I do not know if they change, but that was my understanding when I was a kid.
Achille might be one of them since his name is distinctly Arawks, I would not be surprised if he is from Wesley.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
@Dorival John. Yours might be the most stupid because the Arawaks gave or lost their lives for this island.
@sotiswritten, what kind of name is that nuh? Why do you people hide behind fake names? Where did the Arawaks gave their lives for this island nuh? lmfao. Didn’t the Arawaks move up north following waves of migration from South America beginning around the time of Jesus’ birth? By the time the Europeans came the lesser Antilles was inhabited by what the they, the Europeans named the ‘Caribs.’ Now since the so-called ‘Caribs’ (remember these people never called themselves that name eh) resisted them, the Europeans automatically labeled them as savages, cannibals and other unsavory names, which many of us in Dominica still readily accept, unfortunately.
Well if you had read uour history books properly you would remember it said Arawak Indians.
I might add to Aye Dominique….. “the first ones” that were killed by the Kalingoes. Still, the Klinagoes are here with us, even in our blood and high cheek bones. Give them a day of Recognition.
It have arawaks in Dominica? Who going to celebrate an arawak holiday? Some Dominicans should just stop being so racist. They have been discriminating against us(Kalinagos) for years and it still hasn’t stopped. We are Dominica, or don’t you remember? Who was here first?
Suddenly I am almost ashamed to Dominican. There are other countries who celebrate and appreciate Kalinagos more than Dominicans. Unbelievable. Respect us.
In one part of the US the natives are paid money every month by the federal government just for the fact that they are the indigenous people of that place. Be thankful the kalinagos are only asking for a day.
This man is very disrespectful to the natives of Dominica.
As a man of the African diaspora (I reject calling myself a “black man)” I support the Kalinago people of their right to a public holiday to reflect on their legacy. We recognize holidays unfortunately which make no sense and is patterned on a Caucasian legacy.
We must respect the Kalinago natives of this land who was known to discover Dominica. They fought against the Caucasians for many years. Leave them in peace and let them rebuild their societies.
Thank you.
No he is not! His statement is very fair! What is it with this public holiday hang-up all of a sudden!
Mr. Joseph did not say they do not deserve to be recognized. He suggested they rename another holiday in their honour. I dont think you understood what the man was saying.
I know he didn’t mean 64 holidays. Wow, Dominica wake up. I think the Kalinagos deserve more recognition
He’s counting Sundays as a holiday rather than a day of rest. For his part he would have us work Sunday to Sunday.
that is really stupid for him counting Sundays as holidays…
how did sunday become the day of rest?
The constitution of Dominica States that Sunday is a public holiday. Some churches say that it is the day of rest. This is not the middle east where church and state are one. Separate secular from religion. In our part of the world there is a clear cut distinction.
I think that the Kalinagos deserve their day too…they are the originals…
if the holiday is only for kalinagoes then i see no problem…. but if the enjoying our independence then we can enjoy theirs… so lets add another holiday n seewoooottteeeeehhhhh….
gay rum!!! is dat we drinking.. palam palam palam
red cap!!! is dat we drinking.. ti ling ti ling
bois bande!! is dat we drinking… do bomb do bomb
LOL
If they enjoying our independence we can enjoy theirs …. Hmmmm! And their I thought we were all Dominicans; negroes and Kalinagoes.
u see reader!!!! kalinagoes were never enslaved and so… were always independent… so independence celebration isn’t a kalinago thing per se… but they do add some vibrance to it…
Exactly! And are there any pure kalinago? I doubt it.
64 “public” days? Surely he did not mean 64 public holidays per year. That works out to more than 5 days off every month. It’s like Dominica works a 4 day week (sometime 3 days). That is definitely not the case.
I do understand the need for greater productivity though.
In Dominica Sunday is noted as a Public Holiday. That’s why you get paid Double or Triple (Whatever rate your organization has set for public holidays) if you work overtime on a Sunday. That’s why the number is so high.
Correction! Not everyone who works on a Sunday gets paid double day. Double day is only applicable to persons who would have worked Mon-Friday (40 hrs) and was called in to work on a Sunday (which would normally have been their day off). People who work on a shift system, especially in the hotel industry and have been scheduled to work on a Sunday would have been given 2 days off in the week or one week day and a Saturday, would not qualify to receive double pay for working on a Sunday.
Some people needs to get their facts straight. If you do not know please call the labour division for clarification. The constitution, in other words, the law of the Commonwealth of Dominica states that whenenver a person works on sunday, they are entitle to get double pay for the time work. It furthers states that sunday could be the only day of the week that person works, they are still entitled to double pay. It clearly means that wheather you work on a shift system or not, whether you got two days off in the week, whether you are working over time, you must be paid double for sunday because it is stated by the law that sunday is a public holiday. The only way this can be changed is by government going to parliament and having it changed or amended. Any one needing clarification please pick up your phone, call government headquarters (4482401) and ask to speak to the labor commission or a labor officer for confirmation.
Sunday is a public holiday
I concur with Archille Joseph on this one
i agree with mr joseph on this one.i am a kalinago but i believe we have enough public holidays in D/ca.mr carib chief we have our carib week of activities and i think that we should among ourselves set aside a day in this carib week to recognize the heritage and the endangerment of our people. come on be real. ask yourself this questions.
1)what is the population of dominica?
2)what is the population of us kalinagoes?
do you really believe we need a public holiday to recognise the heritage and endangerment of our people?i dont think so.
That’s one sensible Kalinago for real. Good suggestions.
Why dont they use one of the already established holidays.
I love a holiday just like anyone else, but honestly we have enough as it is. Let the dislike start…