Bilateral discussions are ongoing to tackle the many complexities involved in relocating families and acquiring the necessary homes and properties to facilitate the road expansion aspect of the $100-million rehabilitation project on the West Coast, Chief Technical Officer of the Public Works and Ports Ministry, Kendell Johnson has disclosed.
His comments came in response to questions from this publication regarding recent concerns voiced by the project’s Chinese contracting company on the level of expediency in which government is executing their aspect of the project.
“It goes beyond public awareness and individual consultations,” he said. “Government has position and social responsibility to take care of the welfare of these individuals.”
During a DNO exclusive interview, Johnson posited that although a better road network is crucial to the island’s development, so is the manner in which the relocation aspect this project is executed. “We have to examine costs. Discussions are ongoing – not just with residents,” he said.
“There are specifications. The road is split a certain way and passing through those villages would mean you would have to acquire a lot of those properties –houses and land,” the chief technical officer said.
This means government would have to purchase these properties and possibly find alternative locations for the families, should the project go according to its original layout.
As with many projects, this aspect of the rehabilitation initiative is not usually covered in foreign aid grants and is therefore a bill that government, or by extension the tax payers, will have to carry. “That venture is tremendously expensive. Just like any other CDB or EU-funded project we have to find our own funds to the property to widen the road,” Johnson said.
“To shift the utilities, to acquire the house, to find compensation – that is your responsibility and it is no different with the Chinese,” he added.
With this in mind, the public works ministry is currently examining alternatives that could see the rerouting of the road channel either along shorelines or elsewhere or the employment of different construction methods.
Johnson said whatever the selected alternative it would look to have the “least impact on the livelihood of the people in the area”.
“Discussions are currently ongoing, bilaterally, between government and the Chinese,” he said.
During an exclusive interview on the status of the West Coast Rehabilitation Project with contractors, Dominica News Online was informed of the lapses in the project’s timeline due to the inefficiencies of government and other stakeholders in executing their end of the project.
“Our main concerns, which may delay the process are the residential facilities. If they remain like this we will be delayed,” the manager of the contracting company – China Railway Bureau Group Company Limited – Jing Hao had said.
This is not the first time that plans have been put in place to bypass Mahaut and Massacre. I can remember the plan to cut a road all the way up coobawee through Jacob (rip) land at lespointes all the way to where the Warner road is now.
The Massacre bypass was swallowed up by the hurricane.
Irony: who was in charge of that project:????::: Blackmoore father.
Who build the Warner road???::Blackmoore brother
Mahaut will not be moved. Alyou do not know Mahaut people.
In a rush to gain “political Points’ they overlooked all the ramifications of the project.
It’s pathetic that these engineers and planners could not forsee these problems.
To relocate Mahaut and Massacre would gobble up the entire 100 million.
The damage has been done so just include the communities in the project. When we get to these villages we will just have to slow down and resume speed after these villages.
Look on the bright side HALF A HIGHWAY IS BETTER THAN NO HIGHWAY.
i think the best solution for Dominica
we do need protest actions across the board thats the only how this island can be settled well..
i think we call the radio show too much,block a few bridges disrupt the flow of traffic its the only way things can wake up in this island….nice talk and hoping institutions will do work that will never happen,it just takes a few hard core dominicans to start the ball rolling…
look at the french dependancies the work together to steady the course….we need protest thats the only way…..JUST TOO MUCH DAMM TALK WHY CALL THE RADIO!
I don’t get it !!
So many of us are frustrated with the roads in it’s current condition and size, yet so many of us are putting up resistance against progress and improvement.
I just don’t get it !!
This comes from the same folks who brought us a huge stadium yet made no provision for hotels, additional parking, VIP and media infrastructure in town and are now trying to bulk purchase properties to build what should have been done when the stadium was under construction.
Sorry, but planting a stadium, or road, in our midst without seeing beyond the horizon is just indicative of the problems across all levels of govt. “A look what I’ve done attitude”, without sufficient or any forward planning to encompass things long after the project is complete.
All of this should have been worked out at planning stage not once underway.
As to inefficiency, two bridges, a partially constructed wall and road into the sea in how long, 6 months? I say let the Chinese company bid on all our projects, so long as it’s a level playing field with no hidden ambassadorial or government concessions, perhaps take a few of our construction crews under your belt to teach them what private work is about. …yet our boys can’t complete a road to Laudat after 3 years, citing rain, apathy and laziness. Well, we had the worst drought in history recently, yet it was probably too hot to work, right? They have to be being paid by the hour.
Road repairs should be done at night or post 7pm when there is less traffic, it happens elsewhere. and gives the road time to harden overnight, yet when you ask the workers, they look at you like you spat on them. It’s called shift work, and would relieve the need to take breaks every 5 minutes working in the heat of the day, stopping traffic so 3 can watch the Hatian do all the work.
The Pond Casse- Canefield road is no better than before, the corners are still too tight, and they spend hours filling holes and flattening, When asked the answer is that the govt is not providing any assistance in sourcing bitumen for the asphalt to cover it, (part of their commitment apparently), yet the construction continues from Pond Casse to Floral Gdns, PLEASE fix one side completely before digging up the other.
Wake up Dominica.
A Senior Project Manager with 26 years experience working on capital projects sharing a thought…
You just don’t initiate a project before all the key documents formalities are completed/signed off. The absence of Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) documents put the project in a major risk before it started. Both the government of D/ca and the Chinese company executing the project are at fault and show their amateurish experience in dealing with any sizable capital project.
In my humble opinion, this hiccup tars D/ca’s image and makes a mockery out
of the nation’s ability to do/handle effective/efficiently anything.
I would not have started the assignment given there is a void, which is a major risk factor that compromises the finish project. I’m not doubting this, but to continue, what D/ca will get is something inferior to what’s build as a state of the art Highway Road project.
@Please: I detest your comment. It is tasteless and insultive.how dare you refer to these two communities in this manner?
I detest your comment. it is tasteless and insultive. how dare you adress these two comunities in such a way?
If the Government cannot even deal with that property thats in the middle of the Scotts Head and Soufrière road, how are they going to buy all those along the West Coast road?
The Chinese made it known long time ago that they were only there to rehabilitate the existing road and government would move the people at government’s expense if they wanted to widen Mahaut and Massacre, because the Chinese were quite clear that they were not going in the sea except in Jimmit.
When will the politicians and technocrats come clean with the Dominican people?
The Chinese insists on road rehabilitation but the politicians continue to fool the people with Roseau to Portsmouth highway.
With EC$110 MILLION a bridge in Roseau, tareau sea wall, Mahaut retaining wall, resurface of the main road, Picard broken road, what else can you all get? Money finish!!!!!!
Do the calculation, open your eyes polically blind.
well well well the time is approach decision will be made. minister blackmoore no that was in the planning but yet he stiil build that concrete house by thje road mahaut. i would like to no when the government is buying those houses how much blakmoore will offer his father.
(2) we not suppose to be discussion on that matter now, this like that should be plae long ting this is government and not Private project, a graph out plan should be in the news paper so people can see when the project is complete what it will look like. when people see that that graphic photo and the deference in the beauty i guaranty u their will be no resistance in government relocating those people.
fuwp you will tied hear matt,. lennox,. Authie ,jerry and all the others because they are the ones who enlighting you out from your egnorrant zone you seeing all what happen in your eyes and you still turning a blind eyes towards it but dont worry you will ask for these same men some day soon to beg for their forgiveness , it was the ship some days ago now is about moving the people from these two villages but is good for them they wanted moore so God surly giving them moore what they cannot carry they will drag another thing the ratwilder say he has 3 millions dallors to fix the road so why is tax payers money that have to move or relocate these houses labouriet what is going open you all ears if it block go clean it, take out the wax in it so you all can hear and see what Skerrit trying to do to Dominicans alas bodier help us all
Dominica is always difficult to do any road projects and the cost is phenomenal—but relocation is too costly…..and living by the bay has social and economic implications for some ,,,so i know that is major headache but that is where innovation comes in,,,,,so far the two areas in Lespoint looking good, wow have to commend the chinese workers so far—-to extend the road in these precipice not easy , the Tarou section looking good too, just a little patience folks and stop behaving like some of you living on planet Earth but your mind residing on planet MARS——-THESE PROJECTS ARE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY
@Devoted Dominican.: true info…but its dominica where standards are a biggy around these parts and remember it just a small project of ecd100M
nothing to shout about….
Excerpts from a story in the Sun newspaper in September last year:
The provisional design “by an African,” one source told The Sun, was for “a fancy highway with flyovers, Massacre bypass and Mahaut bypass” and was estimated to cost $150 million.
In the first place, said the source, Beijing maintained that a new highway was never part of the deal, with the disclosure leading to an angry exchange between the prime minister and the then government engineer at a Cabinet meeting.
The Chinese also said a flyover would be too costly and, as The Sun has reported, Beijing demanded that the village of Mahaut be relocated.
“(The Chinese) were clear they were not going to the sea (building bypasses) and the cost of a flyover (was too high),” said the source, who has intimate knowledge of the exchanges between Beijing and Roseau.
A source at the public works department has revealed that a Chinese team is expected to visit during the first week of October to advance the plans for the project, which the government said in a press release issued on 22 December 2006, would cost $200 million.
In the meantime, the people of Mahaut are being kept in the dark as to their fate, several sources confirmed.
“I have no official information as to what will be done,” the village council chairman, Nigel Esprit, told The Sun in a telephone interview. “I am not in a position to tell you what will be done because I don’t know what will be done.”
“They are not discussing with the people because they don’t know what they are going to get,” added a source who requested anonymity so as not to expose persons within Blackmore’s ministry to possible backlash.
Esprit, however, speculated that instead of moving the entire village, the government may simply “relocate some houses;” a view shared by Savarin.
“No, no, no, there is no proposal to relocate Mahaut,” the ports minister told The Sun, “a couple of houses might have to be moved, but not the village.”
In my world some people would be axed. But alas it seems like we would have to dismiss the politicians. I guess Papa chavez can’t come thru on this one. While money is a factor the most essential element here is planning. However formatted the Mahaut and Massacre Thru Way issues should have been dealt with even before the contractor began to mobilize. Whatever design solution there is for the Mahaut area it is going to be costly. It seem logical to acquire through eminent domain all the properties on the west side of the main road thru the village of Mahaut- that should run the government 120-180 million EC. The properties on the west side of the street in Massacre – 50-100 million acquisition fee. Let us build the road but DOMINICANS must be prepared to pay for the project.
This is where government must become more enterprising and I hope these dumb politicians have the balls to take hard line decisions. My advice – Install toll locations as follow; $ 2.00 (car), $5 (buses), $5 trucks at at (1) Layou River Bridge, One at the canfield bridge(s) next to the Coke factory, one at the Point Mitchelle /Grandbay Route intersection the bath estate area.. I estimate that within 20 years the government should be able to recover that cost and provide enough cash flow for road maintenance in Dominica. I would also recommend parking meters as a means of generating cash flow.
DOMINICANS , DLP UWP AND DFP we must be prepared to shoulder the load. We can look back and be proud of our accomplishment.
This is my 2 cents – FEEL FREE TO DISAGREE
Has the government compared the cost of doing bypasses in those areas vs relocating the shanty towns? Like reclaiming land from the sea and building the bypass on it.I really dislike driving through the untidy dirty villages of massacre and mahaut.
i am not suprised… these ppl are a bunch of idiots doing work they are not qualified for. dominica i am sorry but you have let urself down. our kids have no vision, dreams or reason to dream. the workforce is unreliable, lack customer/comercial appreciation and have a troubling work ethic. i will be suprised if any of this gets done or to a level where it make a difference. i love my country but we need a wake up call and quick. our priorities are screwed and this road project is the greatest example. why are we trying to aquire land after the project has started? why do the chineses complain about or lack of professionalism? why is the govt depts to be blamed for the project not being on schedule?
somthing is wrong and one day we will wake up…
Man this is just a shame. Fail to Plan , Plan to fail; The next level
Move these people, if they wont move quietly make them move. why we blk people can’t just allow the wheels of time and progress to roll, dmn-man!!
As we all know some of these properties in mahaut and massacre are not really nice to look upon anyway. So if the gov’t is offering to relocate let them do it and let the project go forward.
omg omg omg
skeritt, have you or any one else in government ever travelled to portsmouth. do you only take the eastern route to roseau or do you travel on your private jet, if so did you hve one from birth?
this is pure rubbish, just plain rubbish.
For all the people who talking about this quote (“There are specifications. The road is split a certain way and passing through those villages would mean you would have to acquire a lot of those properties –houses and land,” the chief technical officer said.This means government would have to purchase these properties and possibly find alternative locations for the families, should the project go according to its original layout.) Most states bt mainly New York City even if you have your personal house the land is not urs. the US government has a right to pay you for wateva is on that land they need to do something like a park, road, build etc. its not only dominica….. the point is The government of dominica is taking a major step towards the development of the country. True everything has its advantages and disadvantages but sometimes you have to do watever it takes to go forward.
Oh My God! What is wrong with these people in charge of these projects. Now They are scratching their heads wondering where they are going to get money to relocate people. Best they had told that to china. Now i see this going to be a big problem. I guest they have no choose now. But to leave the roads in certain as is. And let the chinese continue their project. Before this drag up to be a ten years project. I Hope they don’t get the chinese Forcestrated. Please People do something.This a free road funded by china Being built by the chinese.we need the road done.Before the Chinese pack up and live.
This absolutely nonsense. But I hop when they try to move these people, they don’t say its communist and dictatorship.
I see how our people behave…they just love to talk and now post stuff on internet.
Watch that space….you see how much blows the government get for trying to move the little “small” house right before the stadium entrance…all dictator and communist they call the PM…until the small “little ” house is still there.
LOL…LOL…LOL
Wait until they start moving people, you will see how much Matt, Jerry, Lennox, Arthie, Edison, Ron and Hector will have to say…JUST WAIT.
Next Level Right. You see the technocrats have a headache now, but yet still you see planning granting permission for persons to build concrete structure on the western side of the Mahaut narrow road. That’s prrof that the left hand of the government machinery have no idea what the right hand is doing or going to do. Guess the parl rep and his supporters was only interested in the gifts that were handed to them and the promises made during election campaign. Now reality strikes them at the core they are reluctant to take the necessary action. time for them to move ahead wit the project, so the Chinese them can get all the other projects in Dominica
Next Level
I refuse to accept this garbage of an excuse that in order to complete the west coast road the property of the people of Mahaut and Massacre has to be first purchased by the govt. Number one, this should have been addressed long ago between the govt and the home owners. Number two, the chinees are the world’s best in constructing bridges which can span from one village to another. Has anyone of you been to china to see the longest, highest, and most beautiful bridges in the world? my point is, if the chinees can do it in china so can it be done in Dominica. They can built bridges over the water in Mahaut and Massacre and not disturb the properties. I also think that the govt of DA already knows that the chinees can do just that. (SO WHAT’S THE HOLDUP?)
What a Bunch of…. BOE>>>BOE heads in that Ministry!!! Such issues should have been dealt with at list a year before any project was started. Weh Papa… some people are just not meant to be leaders…….. I know the prime minister has lots to do… but even he himself should have had that resolved long time ago. After all…his the top PROJECT MANAGER!!
nothing new nothing to be alarmed about,just typical lack of vision they new about the road project and what they had to do as a govt but sat down and did nothing…
thats why i the end everything this govt does is veery shortsighted lacks visionary planning and foresight,their will always be chaos when you have children playing in the park without adult supervison!
thats why at the end nothing bears any large fruit from this Govt, ship pulls out then minister speak about the ills,no wonder why we have become the laughing stock in the region,as we fail as a people and our institutions to be proffessional..
the state house 27millon towards that and not even a level headed person who surports the Admin can quietly tell them to reallocate the funds to sectors which are in need…
its sad this island under this regime has gone under because all we do is call the talk shows and take no action,if we had civil unrest or state departments like the law and law upholders did their work this Govt couldnt have crash landed the island`s imagine with lack of hope and distrust
but it the entire dominican society which has brought this up on itself so called judges,lawyers policy makers etc…go and put a damm rebirth to what is dead,
Dominicans as a people should feel ashamed of what crisis they have brought among themselves a bunch of ignorant educated silly folks!
oye oye oye SOMETHING’S HAPPENING …. WE TO DAM LIKE FREENESS IN DOMINICA … THOSE ISSUES SHOULD HAVE BEEN WORKED OUT BEFORE THE PROJECT STARTED …
This is a not a uniquely Dominican problem. I know many projects in other Caribbean islands that have caused and is causing such headaches (the North Coast Highway in Jamaica readily comes to mind). People find it hard to move from places where they have lived all their lives because they have sentimental values attached to such places.
I think the government should have initiated discussions with the people even before the project started. Maybe they did, I am don’t know but at least they are in discussions with the people. Mugabe would have turned up with bulldozers and bulldoze everything in his path without even letting the people know that he was coming.
True development means taking bold steps to address issues while moving forward. Residents along the road side in Mahaut and surrounding villages need to be moved. Layou and Warner are great relocation alternatives. We cannot move forward as a nation, unless we significantly improve our basic infrastructure. Our roads are horrible. Please get this done!
Are you kidding me? Now that is fuel for Matt in the morning. After six years, and all the promises you mean to tell me these issues were not worked out prior to starting the road project? Now that is a bunch of doodoo if you ask me! How comes we the people like to operate like Volkswagon Bugs like that (brain/ engine in the rear)? Come on Dominicans, cant we see where we are headed? I mean if after all this time the ministry responsible had not completed the FEED (Front End Engineering & Development) part of the project why did we even rush to start? Now we talking about rerouting, change in project path etc? Give me a flippin break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mr. PM, I know you personally hate Karkabeff posts on her but I please I am begging for a favor this one time; ” Can you PLEASE, SOUPLAY, AH BEGGING, fire those responsible for this blnder?”
When are we going to get serious in this country? Why are we only addressing these known issues now? By the way, how comes the money in the MOUMOU Document does not cover everything all of a sudden? Didn’t you tell us that Mother China was paying all costs associated with that project under the 12 or 4 Pillar vision? So how comes we the tax payers now have to pay for private property and houses that have to be moved?
Please, souplay tell us what more that is not included in the 100 million dollar gift that we the tax payers have to saddle now that the first cat is out of the bag. I don’t like surprises especially since no mention was made of the monies to be allocated for houses and land in the last budget address. OHHHHHHH Dominica, when will your people be told the truth? When and how will they ever see the light of day? Ebeh bonda nou toute patay! MOU MOU, MOUMOU nou MOUMOU!
what the head ache all about,just start the road on the west coast please this road makes me sick every time i come to da,i need to smile when am back home next time.
this is a shamble if according to what i have read is true the road project was decided 6 years ago and monies allocated how was sum of 100million for the project decided who did the estimate if an estimate of 100million was decided for the project i would like to think that money for relocation of people and utilities was set aside so how comes at this point in time mr johnson talks about cost and dialouge this should have taken place 6 years ago dominica is the only country in the world with enginears not engineers this guys have no vision the only see thier toes they cant plan 6 years ahead how can develop for the future
The best things is to relocate the people of Mahaut and massacre especially since repairing the road and living it as is will be a waste. Relocate all the people on the bay side and organize a nice parking area for the people of mahaut. I see the difficulty for the these two villages.
Why do we always operate that way?
make it work, plz…cant deal with the headache of driving through Newtown, Mahaut, Massacre etc….
Headache is an understatement we knew the road was coming since 2004 six years now. Six long years and now it is a headache? 2 storms battered the coast a sign the people should be moved because they are in danger and all you did nothing instead all u allow them to build more and improve there houses. Now the project start you all find it is a headache. Man i would wrap all of all you in toilet paper and flush all you down a toilet because all just to full of …