Earlier this afternoon (Saturday November 11, 2023), a contingent of police from the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force was sent to the scene of a project being undertaken by residents of an area called Windblow in Castle Bruce, apparently, after receiving reports that those villagers had barricaded the road.
The Castle Bruce residents took the initiative this morning to clear a drain in that section of road which, according to them, had been blocked due to an ongoing road project in the area. They say the situation was exacerbated by flooding from recent heavy rain. The road was also badly damaged by the floodwaters but some repairs have since been carried out to make it motorable again.
However, one of the actions taken by the Windblow residents to facilitate their work, was to block the road to prevent vehicles from traversing the area in which they were working, but Dominica News Online (DNO) was informed that about four o’clock this afternoon, the police showed up and ordered those engaged in the drain-clearing project to unblock the road.
In response to the police action, many villagers were asking, “Why is it that none of the officials came to see what was happening to us but instead, sent the police to force us to open the road, and not to open the drain?” a villager on the scene who spoke to (DNO), stated.
“Good idea by the villagers of Castle Bruce but the wrong approach.”(Mark).
In reality, the villagers actually violated the some sort of legal act. Whereas they believe it is in the interest of the village to clear block drains and clean up after a storm, the blocking of the road, or street is a high misdemeanor, if not a criminal offense.
Crazy as it may sound unless they are authorize by some government authority to clean the streets, gutter, and side walk, if any; they can be sanctioned monetarily or sent to jail.
One time the edge of the gutter at the edge of my lawn broke in several places for more than five years the city left it without repair, I went out one day and decided I was going to patch it myself, within an hour, somebody from the city came and told me to “cease and desists.”
The man told me if I fix it; it will cost me more t. break it down than what it was going to cost me to fix it!
Francisco, the villagers had good intentions but they should have first checked with the authorities and gotten permission before embarking on their project. This would have saved them a lot of grief.
FYI, we are allowed to clean the sidewalks in Dominica. The NEP folks don’t show up regularly therefore homeowners take it upon themselves to maintain the sidewalks while their yard is being done. Helps with the appearance of the neighborhood.
Not that they vote for nuh? Not that they will STILLL vote for come next election? I can never feel sorry for Dominicans. all of all you are to blame for the mess we are in. Plenty of all you from Castle Bruce area do not even like your parl rep, but all you will still vote for her, or any other clown dlp decide to put as a figure head to represent all you. Before it was Jono. same story. That is why i can never feel sorry for all you going through them nonsense there. vote the right person to represent you. Stop voting blindly in party politics. Then crying for politician you vote for when they not doing what you wanted them to do. Understand, the average person in Dominica goes into politics to help themselves first.
Good idea by the villagers of Castle Bruce but the wrong approach. You cannot block a public road and inconvenience other road users while doing so. You should have consulted the authorities and develop a game plan. There is process for everything so you run the risk of unnecessary confrontations like the one mentioned in the article if not followed. Anyone who tells you it’s okay to block public roads is not giving you sound advice and should not be taken seriously.
I commend the villagers for getting together in the spirit of “self help” put please get with the authorities in the future before any such action can be taken. That way, all parties involved are on the same page.
What you have described in your first paragraph is the acceptable procedure to take. But sometimes it takes civil disobedience in order to get anything accomplished.
I’m convinced that the parl rep and the relevant authorities were aware of this problem. I am sure the villagers pleaded numerous times for help to no avail. We all know that these government ministers are too busy engaging in self enrichment activities to be bothered with the problems of the people.
Only one other option was left for the people to rectify this problem. Can you blame them for taking the proverbial Bull by the Horns?
“Sometimes, it takes civil disobedience in order to get anything accomplished”. True if everything else fails.
I see you’re advocating for the late congressman John Lewis’ strategy of “Good Trouble” but remember there’s a price to be paid for such action. Not everyone realizes that.
Mark, whereas you seems not to appreciate the thought of a Dominica Militia, you seems to embrace the philosophy of John Lewis.
May I remind you however, that the late John Lewis was fully prepared to die for his belief, and others, during the civil rights era.
“John Lewis, a political leader and activist who died in 2020, often used the phrase “good trouble, necessary trouble” to inspire people to fight for social justice. He said this on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, where he was beaten during a civil rights march in 1965. He also encouraged young people to “get in the way” and “speak up, speak out” for their rights.”
John was not only lip service, he spoke with actions; in Dominica, people talk and walk for perhaps five days and expect Roosevelt to run from office. It will take another as Charles Saveirn did in 1979 and worst to overthrow Roosevelt!
Hence, our Militia will be needed; if you can’t fight boy go and hide!
I will be up-front shooting like…
Francisco, it is not wise for you to be upfront shooting at this late stage since you’ll get killed. Now is the time for you to enjoy life and your money having worked hard and probably put up with a lot of BS in the diaspora. I’ve been telling you to come down to DA, not to fight but to enjoy peace and tranquility. You’ll love it. Didn’t you read that Dominica is the friendliest place on planet earth and the safest as well? You need to visit soon, don’t wait for the new airport, that might be 10 years down the road. TOO LONG.
Now I see you’re back with that militia thing again. “Dem man ain’t militia”. They’re gang bangers and drug dealers, a far cry from what one would consider to be a patriot. Don’t rely on these folks should there be a revolution.
John Lewis was all about peaceful protest, civil disobedience yes but no violence. Let’s advocate for the same in Dominica, protests but non violent.
So Mark, I don’t know if you remember Slinger Francisco (Sparrow) calypso he sang around 1959: “Ten To One Is Murder” in which he describe ten vicious assailants attacked him with sticks and bolder (stoning him.) He said in one verse of the song: “the feller in front was a very good pelter” is then he remember he had a chicken in his ramma, I don’t know what he meant about the chicken in his ramma except having a gun!
But anyway when bullets start to fly the bad boys scattered!
So, when de revolution; de insurrection start in Dominica, my old behind want to be in front; shooting the corrupted faction down; I go be shooting like I mad oui!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
The oppressors of our people will run for cover, but they will be covered from all angle, with no place to hide, and indeed I do not fashion myself after any martyr; nevertheless, prepared to die for freeing Dominica, and Wesley from the scoundrels, thieves and dirty scumbags in Dominica, playing government.
Francisco, not worth it. You’re going to end up dead while leading your revolution and noone is going to consider you a martyr. What’s going to become of all your hard earned cash? I guess you’re not concerned about that. You’re going to end up leaving all your money to folks who don’t care one bit about you, taking all those exotic trips, driving foreign luxury vehicles all on your money. My advice to you, stick around and enjoy your cash.
They were taking the dirt and stones from the clogged drains and throwing it in the road. Tell me how that is right. I am glad that you can educate them.
That is the BS the stupid UWP supporters are supporting,a handful of aholes led by a senior ahole Ibo France.To block any public road the people must first get permission from the police.In the city of Roseau people but all kinds of foolishness on the side of the road,chairs,stones,blocks and drums and say it’s for parking,without the permission of the police.That is obstruction,and UWP supporting that kind of nonsense,I hope the police realize the have and enemy in UWP.What they(UWP) should do is condemn the vicious attack on the leader of the opposition Jesma Paul-Victor on q95.Where is Delia Cuffy Weeks,where is Rosie Felix,where is Josephine Dublin Prince?When the lazy,lying UWP idiotic supporters do something,as wrong as it is it’s ok.Where is the rattlesnake pastor,where is the money laundering,uneducated Jacka?Now the world know with no doubt,that Sean Douglas was a traitor in the opposition working on behalf of UWP.
@Lin Clown
Start writing sense brother. How do you know it’s UWP supporters when you are lost and exiled in a foreign land? Are you implying that Labourites cannot show dissent? Well if that is the case, it is sad and sorrowful.
So start making sense!
Monkey it dont have UWP again. It seems every entity that stands up for themselves in the face of a nonsense government, in this case it happens to be headed by your lord and savior Skerrit Christ is UWP. Such a fool for a grown person with internet access. What Sean Douglas have to do with Castle Bruce road?
Eh bonda zot take it like real men! Money Bonnie will get her pension and the Mal-mama all you promoting to replace her will do no better. I weep for Castle Bruce. Ma Baba , Column, Wyett, Y-A, Pampam, Howell, Azelle and even Ton-Platt would cry if they could only see that once proud village today.
Gone are the days when C-Bruce was a very proud village. Peace, love, unity and the community spirit was plentiful. Now look at C-Bruce. It has surpassed Senjo as the most begging village if you ask me. Just stop in Cee-quee by Orma for a drink and you will see all them laybar yenyen looking you in the eyes just for a damn drink. All day is beg they begging and at night they withdraw to the stinky apartments built on the playing field. Now a few are trying to do something and police are sent to STOP them? I say revolution time!
C-Bruce serves as a poster child for how a government brought a once very proud and productive people to their knees.
How often do the MPs visit and walk through their constituencies, look around and converse with the residents to discover the most pressing needs of the districts they represent?
This initiative by the villages was desperate because of gross neglect and abandonment by their parliamentary representative and the do-nothing government.
Dominicans are getting exactly what they deserve by tolerating a group of deplorables who has a depraved disregard for their wellbeing.
When the revolution comes in this Onemanwealth… it is going to be like an erupting volcano! Too often, instead of addressing the plight of fellow Dominicans, they are met with an overhanded police response by this Labour party government!
No doubt about it. Dominica is a Police State. You peacefully walk the streets of Rose as a group and police armed to kill show up. You temporarily block a road to do your civic duty ( clear a blocked drain) and armed police show up. Is Dominica now becoming the perfect replica of North Korea?
This is precisely what happens to a nation of sheep. Public indifference to continuous excesses and breaches of the law by those in political power gives rise to the misrule of law.
This is how the police want to endear themselves to the people? Instead of consultation with those villagers of good intention, the police created unnecessary confrontation.Dominica is always replete with issues of bad governance.
Is this the same government sponsored road project being undertaken by Gardahkan?
who is the supervisor/consultant on this job?
How will they factor in the work of the villagers against the work contract itself?
was de work done by the villagers supervised and/or inspected by an engineer or competent work supervisor?
Do we have a CTO Chief Technical officer?
so a major road in under construction by a major road developer/contractor and suffers serious damage from adverse weather conditions ……..and that’s de response eh?
I don’t want to be a prophet of doom and gloom but……..this job appears to be very far from completion and suspect to serious compromise before the final product
More money for de project??????
oh my….what a good news story….the police are working…at last