Dear Dominica News Online,
I’ve visited your country three times now, so you could call me a fan. During the last time we were in Dominica we discovered a gem: Lennon’s bar at the bayfront in Roseau. It had a really authentic atmosphere and the cocktails and rum punches Lennon made us were superb. The quality is incomparable with other places (such as Hi Rise, Garage Bar and Ruins Rock) we visited in the capital. Altogether it was the best experience we had during our whole holiday!
Especially in a place that is characterized by the mass tourism of the cruise ships, this is an authentic surprise that shows the ingeniousness, craftsmanship and uniqueness of your country and citizens.
Today I was shocked to hear that Lennon has to break down his bar. I think the bar has a high touristic value and it would be a real loss if it has to shut down. If the bar can’t stay at the bayfront, we hope Lennon can open a bar at a different place, because when we come back to your beautiful country, we would certainly hope to visit it again. I hope that you, as a news channel, can make a difference by giving publicity to his craftmanship and the amazing bar he has and the way the authorities treated him.
Yours faithfully,
Trudy Groninger from the Netherlands
Everyone gets the zoning issue, but when you’re receiving letters from the international community, it’s time for the planning division to work something out and encourage something, in the same style that could be moved, probably on wheels to create the same ambiance for tourist and locals alike. Unfortunately, we have a bunch of “Mental Midgets” running things, so foresight is a foreign concept to them. Dominica has to start differentiating itself from the rest to become a serious player in international tourism. Why can’t the planning division work with vendors and help create unique moveable huts that’s aesthetically pleasing, thereby creating a unique one-off experience for everyone.
UWP just want to do what they want in the country that Skerrit and Labourites built after Maria.The authorities should never allow that stupidness on the bay front.The same set of people put all kinds of foolishness,crates,blocks,chairs etc and say is reserve parking,the police do nothing and ask no questions.This same set of people go to the USA,Canada and England and look like Mouton Natalie.
Trudy Groninger, like many others i have been really perturbed by all of this. i alone with many other have seen this man grown from a young man into this ambitious human being who have created his own employment from creating this business from thin air.
Ofcorse alot of hard work has been put into it over the years with various idea from patrons, the like of which are evident throughout so many tourist destinations. This so called Gem has made it self as the go-to place for many persons just looking for a decent place to have a refreshing drink and chat with a friend in an environment that is open, clean and respected.
I am a regular at the spot, many times i just go there to lend support and encourage this man into becoming the best version of him, which i have been doing for a very very long time.
It is sad but something will be figured out soonest.
Firstly Trudy, while you enjoyed the cocktails, please note that we do not encourage squatting in Dominica. Secondly, we need proper facilities for our vendors who have made our bayfront one of the ugliest points in Dominica. Between Benoit Bardouille and the Min of Tourism they have single handedly turned that beautiful port of entry into an eyesore, and that bar wasnt making it any better. While i support small business and entrepreneurship, we have to start doing things better in Dominica for us to have any real impact.
Why is the CM and Gucci still allowed to squat in that palace at Morne Daniel at tax payers expense? Why?
Write to yours truly his majesty the illustrious Prime minister. AKA Skerrit.
The real loss was when Ross was pawned to Barbados and Dominicans elected that mental miget with even more seats, you ain’t seen nothing yet, things are about to get even worst, buckle up.
The concept of the bar is great and clearly, the chap has enjoyed the generous patience and support of “the authorities” because it is a real eyesore. It is the ugliest piece of crap on the Bayfront! I suspect the only reason that it was not yet demolished (although the owner was previously asked to demolish it) was because of its perceived value as an income earner to the guy and it was a great spot to hang out, but, Trudy, this eyesore cannot be allowed to remain in its current state. I doubt “the authorities” in Amsterdam would have tolerated this if it happened in the center of the city. In fact, from the first day he attempted to settle there, he would have been hauled to jail!
The bar is one small component of what has increasingly become the ugliest bay front in the Caribbean. It looks like a refugee camp.
But he had no authority to put up some old pallets in that location. Things have to be done legally YOU are squatting and that is illegal. You will be setting a precedent.