Amidst the controversy surrounding the alleged dismissal of the Dominica Association of Industry and Commerce’s (DAIC) Chief Executive Officer, Cyril Volney, Dominica News Online has obtained a letter Volney wrote to the DAIC membership.
“In a working career that spans 45 years, I have never been so humiliated, berated, and treated with such contempt, as I have been these past two months, employed as your Chief Executive Officer,” Volney laments in his correspondence dated April 12.
“On Tuesday April 3 your President asked for my resignation, and advised me that a majority of the board of directors had decided to let me go. I declined to tender my resignation,” the CEO says in that letter, after blasting an organisation he says was not the organisation he expected it to be.
“The DAIC I joined was having it’s cheques returned… was continuing to lose membership; was held in “contempt” by a large section of the business community; was pathetically incapable of taking a position on important issues; and was ruled with an iron fist by one member,” he alleges.
He goes on to label DAIC president Lilian Piper inept, as well as list other complaints.
“I have been reviled and generally made a fool of in the local media. My DAIC phone was disconnected April 11, and office space has been withdrawn from me. There is a correct way to do everything! It is up to you to provide wise guidance to your board on how this matter should be amicably settled,” the aggrieved CEO tells the DAIC membership.
An earlier letter Volney sent to the DAIC president last month shows clearly that an interview he did with Dominica News Online about Chinese businesses in the city of Roseau became a matter of concern for the DAIC executive.
He quotes from earlier correspondence from the president and then responds.
Here is an excerpt from that March 8 letter, also made available to DNO:
“What we did not want happening was a repeat of your interview with DNO regarding the Chinese merchants”. Please provide me with your specific concerns regarding the interview. Please be guided by the fact that I was not asked questions regarding non compliant merchants, but questions regarding “Chinese merchants”.
“Had you been in a more informed position the outcome may have been different”. Can you please explain what you mean here, as the outcome was satisfactory to me, and quite a few of our membership have singled me out with complimentary comments. (end of quote from letter).
The two letters clearly reveal that Cyril Volney’s stint as DAIC Chief Executive Officer is under review, and that the DAIC needs to clear the air on that matter.
I always wondered why I did not get the gig a few years back as CEO of Discover Dominica. With my stellar qualifications, perfect pitch resume, I honestly thought that I had it in the bag. My resume package never made it to the Minister of Tourism’s desk, and I was not even short listed. BTW, the job went to a Piper. I did not realize the extent of influence they had in Dominica.
the ppl who like to use them have influence. they are just mooseboys as we used to say. nice colouring, good hair and can speak nice. tatay tato
dom is still is a primitive society in that regard.
Not to sidetrack, but that is another job I wonder what mista doing to promote tourism in DA???? Give me a break!
The CEO of DAIC is just a mouthpiece for people who afraid to say what they want. In other words THE CEO is just an echo of the membership is expected to say only what they want him to say.
A job for a spineless individual who is prepared to take orders from people less competent than himself. Mr Volney you are far too superior to those nincompoops for that job. RUN
No one gives a rat,s butt re the DAiC or the Pipers. Mem Bette Mem Pwel. Bruce let’s get some Buigo n Eldorado and enjoy the view in their moms backyard.
What a shame that the DAIC had to employ this gentleman to head the daic, where are the young university graduates, are they over qualified.
Does the ceo gets paid? I thought it was a voluntary position. Why would they give it to a fresh grad. Doesn’t Mr. Volney have a degree?
Take a look at the various business led organization in Dominica, and see who is running them all, people with absolutely no backbone….Volney doesn’t fit that bill, he was just not the best option for that job……
@ Aye Dominique
Who are you and what are your credentials? As you stated, he was not the best option for the job.
Explain yourself further.
Let me inform you about something which your limited mind cannot fathom. When people who are educated and experienced work for less educated and experienced people who are in need of management and training skills/tact and report to them this is what usually occurs. They will also detest them offering opinions on how well to perform the job, etc… This is nothing new.
I am being fair to Mr. Volney. He deserves respect. Put on your thinking cap, put it in your pipe, smoke it and learn from this!
You see that roro there. I leaving it alone. According to CK, that is there business weeee
But Volney didn’t tell DNO nothing, matter of fact he defended the Chinese and made excuses. Anyways that’s a whale and shark fight, balaw & volant will watch, cheer, ouch, oyee and shift as they rumble. Pass me some popcorn tan with a tall lime squash
@ Noteworthy
What you are insinuating that his words were misconstrued? I am not surprised.
“The DAIC I joined was having it’s cheques returned… was continuing to lose membership;
The man should have been given at least a chance to do the work he was hired to do. I think he might have been unfairly treated!!!
A whole bunch of baggage that Dominica carry. A whole lot of people bilking the country. We have people on overseas mission getting caught in a motel in Connecticut. Now she vex with Dominicans.
@ vex
She may be incompetent and probably needs to be fired. She may have exceeded her position. Some people let a position and status go to their head and cannot think and act rationally. Pride comes before the fall.
Ambasador A ej? lol
Who is on the board of DAIC? Anybody knows..??
The more relevant question is, does anybody care?
http://daic.dm/board.cfm
Piper – inept. lol. sounds like a kaiso. wonder where i heard that name before.
Wow! It is a shame that was is clearly an internal matter between the DAIC board and Volney had to be made public. Mr Volney you should know better than that.
This job clearly was not paying any decent salary – you should not have accepted it in the first place – had you done your homework you would have realized the conditions and problems faced by DAIC.
The heavy political influence by past president and a few current members of the board should come as no surprise to you – that alone should have made you stay away.
Walk away from the mess with you head up – let them do what they have to do to make the organization what it ought to be – clearly they have not been able to achieve this
@ Evolved
Who pays them their salary? If DAIC is as much as subsidized by the government obviously it must be made public. Are you not aware of that?
i see
even dominica has it’s own ‘illuminati’… pulling strings behind the scenes…
lmao mouth of the south……I’m really liking this comment….I guess we all know who’s playing the role of the illuminati in the DAIC….a certain member that has a baby by a police officer and who’s brother is the advisor to the Gov’t…..oh and in case u didnt figure it out….they have a really big supermarket????
DNO that story is now = to BEFF!!
That internal rife between the President and the CEO is of no significant importance to us the public.. It is just pure beff, like saying “let us see who is that woman that is in his car, so i can tell his woman neighbour so she can get the message”!!
I want to see more BBC Caribbean type of news not beff, BBC Caribbean would never carry that as a news item so why do it Mr. Reporter? You slowly killing my confidence in you SMH!
@ Correction
So you say but you are wrong.
It is of interest to the public.
I BLAME YOU MR. VOLNEY,HOW DEAR YOU SPEAK ABOUT THE THE CHINESE MERCHANTS IN ROSEAU. DIDN’T YOU KNOW THAT THEM FELLARS ARE OFF LIMIT.TAKE MY ADVISE,TELL DAIC AND THE MOU PARTNERS HOW GREAT THE CHINESE ARE IN ROSEAU,AND I WILL BET MY MONTH’S SALARY, YOU MUST GET YOUR JOB BACK.
but based on the d.n.o interview.. i believe mr volney was weaving and bobbing those questions ‘in defence of those same chinese’…
so i don’t think mr volney said anything ‘against’ those chinese… he stayed quite clear from saying anything against them
But apparently that wasn’t enough…
@ Doc.Love
No capitals! The words are spelt ‘dare and advice!’ Who asked you for advice? Keep your advice to yourself for it serves no useful purpose.
DAIC ? wats that again ? lol lol
We need to see the two full length letters
DNO won’t do that as it is not the impartial news provider that it started out as.
The DAIC should go ahead and sever the employment relationship. The relationship is now frustrated and trust is out the window. This advice has nothing to do with the competence of Cyril Volney; rather it has to do with a breakdown in the relationship as evident by Volney’s characterization of the board of directors and the President as ‘cluster-“. The parties are definately not compatible to a working relationship.
@ Hot Shot
‘thrust and definitely!’ Whose fault it really is why they are incompatible?
boss u ok? why u commenting on everybody’s post? ou pa ni ayen pou fete? sakray gas man!
But why wouldn’t Volney just pack up and resign with whatever bit of dignity he has left. It looks like his ego does not seem to allow his to acknowledge that he is defeated.
@ Piper
You must be related to the President. Mr. Volney should sue them for wrongful dismissal – without just cause. I do believe that he may do this and that he is waiting to see the outcome of his writing. Then, take steps accordingly. He has the right to do so.
DAIC is made up of a bunch of spoilt brats who are now running “daddy’s” company. I have no confidence is their organization at all.
so true POOF!! their bread well butter already wii stupes
DNO, I have a question. Except the its members, do Dominicans care that much about DAIC?
I want to know really?
do we care about anything?
@ Piper
Dominicans should be made aware of this organization and its responsibilities. Then, probably they will care. If you reside in DA are you aware of its responsibilities? You must take an interest in it.