Mutta Mathew elected as Atkinson Village Council chairperson

Atkinson and Antrizle have a new village council chairperson. In a recently contested election, Mrs. Mutta Matthew was elected to the position. She, with seven other councilors, took the oath of office at the Atkinson Resource Center in the presence of local Government officials, family members, friends, and villagers. This was the nineteenth inauguration ceremony since 1961 when the first ceremony took place.

The inauguration of the Atkinson Village Council was a joyous one for villagers because it reaffirms their identity as an independent community. It is felt by many that Atkinson is a dying and stagnant community; that since the Kalinago and Atkinson form one political constituency, Atkinson is being sidelined and often forgotten by the Politicians. However, with a new council, there is hope that change will occur affirms the incoming chairperson, Mrs. Mutta Matthew.

The elected councilors are as follows: Catherine Laurent, Neliscia Louis, Ruth Louis, Mutta Mathew (chairperson), Lyroy Williams. The nominees are as follows: David Graneau, Phillip Rabess, and Jernal Sully. Among the dignitaries present were Hon. Dr. Irvin McIntyre (Representing the Prime Minister), Hon. Cozier Frederick (Parliamentary Representative for the Salybia Constituency), Hon. Gretta Roberts, Florence Gage DDO and Regina Antoine JP who administered the oath of office. A number of villagers turned out to witness this occasion and pledge their support to this new council.

The incoming chairperson of the new council, Mrs. Mutta Matthew is a daughter of the soil. She worked in the community for forty years as an educator. Upon retirement from the teaching service, she entered the political field and contested the last general election as an independent candidate. In her address as the incoming chairperson, she said, “I want to follow in my late father’s footsteps, Mr. Patrick Laville, who was an educator, a politician, and a past chairman of the Atkinson Village Council”. She listed a number of goals that she thinks the council should work to achieve. Among these goals were: re-activate the vibrancy of the community of Atkinson; villagers becoming part of the decision-making of the council; and establishing a cordial relationship with the parliamentary representative and the Government of Dominica.

“A lot of times we are left behind. We don’t hear about Atkinson. We seek the corporation of all stake-holders as we seek to enhance our community” she lamented.

In addition, she challenged villagers to preserve and promote the annual “Sewinal festival” in December; to get back into agriculture by having a backyard garden in each house. She also challenged the political authorities to give more attention to feeder roads, the Antrizle beach, the health center, housing project, amongst other issues. Kavem Hodge and Joel Durand were singled out as exemplary youths of the community in the field of cricket.

Mrs. Matthew pledged, “My first re-numeration will be donated to Kavem and Joel and later, I want to help more youths”. The Hon. Cozier Frederick offered his support to the new council and reminded them that “the council is crucial for the effective governance and ensuring the smooth function of the community and there is a linkage between the council and the government of Dominica that would allow communication to flow. The council should be in direct contact with the people to understand their needs and aspiration and the linkage between the council and government
fosters accountability and transparency”.

The ceremony came to a close with entertainment provided by “Ban Akayo Jing Ping Band” of Atkinson.