May 22, 2009

Grand Bay Credit Union held its Annual General Meeting (AGM)

On Sunday May 17, the Grand Bay Cooperative Credit Union held its AGM at Petite Savanne. The Credit Union which is at present constructing its new headquarters in Lallay, chose as its theme, “Continuing to build for a better tomorrow”. The meeting was addressed by chairman of the Grand Bay Village Council, Willie Fevrier.

The Credit Union reported growth in Assets, loan portfolio and membership. It also reported  a minimal delinquency rate. The members heard the audited report and reports from the various committees. The President, Armour Thomas also gave a summary of achievements of the Credit Union during the past year.

Early bird prizes were won by many people of the south. It is clear that the Credit Union is doing very well.

In attendance at the meeting were the President and General Manager of the Credit Union League, Messrs. Clement Carty and Ackroyd Birmingham respectively.

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January 9, 2009

St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church Holds Successful Fund Raising Dinner

On Saturday December 27, a very good crowd patronized the St. Patrick’s Church Christmas dinner to raise funds for the building of new benches. It was truly a successful effort given the number of people who participated. The Pierre Charles auditorium was up to capacity and a sumptuous meal was had. There were drinks galore and everyone had a very enjoyable time.

Kudos must go out to members of the Benches Committee led by His Excellency Dr. Nicholas J. O. Liverpool, chairman, and the many volunteers who prepared dishes and contributed food items to the effort. Special mention also must be made of Mrs. Theresa Cuffy who coordinated the cooking and her associates, Mrs. Ignatia Pascal for her input in devising an entertaining random gift exercise and Mr. Ken Buntin who spearheaded the sale of tickets. It was indeed a great effort.

It is hoped that this will be an annual event for Grandbayrians to enjoy a good evening out to socialize with friends from all parts of Dominica. It was most pleasing to see many returning Grandbayrians at the function. They must be given credit for their support of the church where most of them were baptized.

To complete the new benches project, the committee needs close to $40,000.  This dinner will certainly bring the committee a little closer to achieving the goal of having a brand new set of benches in the church.

However, people are asked to continue to make contributions in cash to the project.

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Monday December 15, 2008

President Nicholas Joseph Orville Liverpool named Man of the Year 2008.

The Sun newspaper has named President Nicholas Liverpool Man of the Year 2008 for his outstanding academic, and humanitarian accomplishments over the years. In particular, the Sun cited the region’s highest and most prestigious award, the Order of the Caricom Community which was bestowed on the President in Antigua at the Heads of Government conference in July. According to the Sun, His Excellency President Liverpool received the award along with cricket great Trinidadian Brian Lara, famous Barbadian poet and novelist George Lamming and brilliant academic Rex Nettleford of Jamaica. This award is given to distinguished Caribbean nationals who have “illuminated the path to integration by their thought and action, and transformative roles in national and regional development” (The Sun of December 15, 2008).

In addition, His Excellency has been involved in fundraising activities to support various charities in Dominica, particularly those that care for the elderly. He has also stimulated thought by his erudite speeches at the opening of Parliament and on other occasions when he addresses issues such as governance and civic responsibility among others.

 Added to this, His Excellency finds time to lend support to programs such as Camp Rescue, to interact with students at all levels, and to do some farming. At a time when it seems that many young men are shying away from the land, the activities of the President demonstrate that he is willing to lead by example.

Given his high academic achievements and his prestigious office and responsibility, His Excellency has remained cool, down to earth, always visiting old friends and sharing  good cheer with old and young alike. He is definitely a well-loved President of the Commonwealth of Dominica.

We in Grand Bay are extremely proud of this most accomplished son of the soil and we wish him, his charming wife and his family heartfelt congratulations and best wishes for continued good health and prosperity.

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Monday, December 8, 2008

Community Policing Workshop draws up workplan.

A successful community policing workshop held on Saturday December 6, produced what is believed to be a workable workplan for the immediate implementation to 2009. Led by Assistant Superintendent Nicholas George, Inspector Ferrol and Hon. John Fabien,  the group of about twenty residents spent the entire day deliberating on various issues of safety and security in Grand Bay and environs. At the end of the day, a document with details of the critical issues, possible solutions, activities, people responsible for action and a time frame was produced.

It is expected that this document will be shared with a wider cross section of the community and will be the guide for community policing activities in the district. Major responsibilities are to be shared by the Grand Bay police, the Grand Bay Village Council, various community groups and individuals.

The group will monitor progress of the plan on a monthly basis and will design a public education campaign to inform the public of what is expected of all stakeholders.

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Monday, November 9, 2008

Parliamentary Representative, Village Council and UN Ambassador Meet Visiting Grand Bayrians.

On Thursday 6 November, Parliamentary Representative Hon. John Fabien, the Grand Bay Village Council chairman, Willie Fevrier and His Excellency Crispin Gregoire, Dominica’s ambassador to the United Nations held a meeting with Grand Bayrians living overseas at the Old Fort in Lallay, Grand Bay. The Chairman of the Council expressed his gratitude and that of the community for the tremendous assistance that Grand Bay people living overseas have provided for community development. He further complimented the participants for their level of organization abroad. The Chairman believed that Grand Bay people were the best organized groups of overseas Dominicans and he mentioned Waseen Dominique of St. Thomas, the Grand Bay UK Community Alliance of England, South City People for Progress in Toronto, Canada, Southern District Development group of New York and the Dominica Atlanta Cultural Association of the USA. These groups are all headed by Grand Bay people.

His Excellency Crispin Gregoire welcomed the opportunity to interact with so many people from Grand Bay visiting for the Reunion. He said that overseas Dominicans have an important part to play in the development of Dominica. He referred to the remittances that are sent home to family and friends as being a substantial facet of the Dominica economy but warned that there should be less dependence on it, in view of the financial crisis that the world was going through at this time.

Hon John Fabien outlined some of the plans that he had in mind for Grand Bay. These include the All Saints University which intends to establish its permanent campus at the Center in Grand Bay. There is also the prospect of a private hospital being constructed in the same general area. These two projects would compliment each other and would transform Grand Bay when they materialize. He also mentioned the on-going construction of a factory shed at Geneva. It is hoped that local entrepreneurs would take advantage of the space there and set up their businesses.

Our visiting friends then raised their concerns. These included 1) the necessity to widen Lallay by slabbing the two drains, 2) the need to improve the Morpo road in order to stimulate agriculture in that area, 3) the improvement of sports 4) the creation of employment opportunities for young people, 5) the revitalization of our traditional culture through cultural and other groups, 6) the need for police presence 7) the need to improve the way that carnival is run, 8) improvement of the feast of St. Isidore, 9) reclaiming the bay for fishing and 10) how to get young people involved in agriculture and small businesses among other things.

After responses were received on the above issues, it was clear that there was a will to do many of the suggestions but  financial constraint was an impediment. However, they were noted and it is hoped that with the cooperation of overseas Grand Bayrians, some of them can be achieved.

Following all the speeches, awards were presented to Waseen Dominique, the Southern District group of New York, and the Grand Bay UK Community Alliance for their contribution to community development, and to Marcel Commodore for providing scholarships to young people to go to college and Jerome Mellow for his support of sports development. The awards were well received.

Refreshments were then served.

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Monday, November 9, 2008

Parliamentary Representative, Village Council and UN Ambassador Meet Visiting Grand Bayrians.

On Thursday 6 November, Parliamentary Representative Hon. John Fabien, the Grand Bay Village Council chairman, Willie Fevrier and His Excellency Crispin Gregoire, Dominica’s ambassador to the United Nations held a meeting with Grand Bayrians living overseas at the Old Fort in Lallay, Grand Bay. The Chairman of the Council expressed his gratitude and that of the community for the tremendous assistance that Grand Bay people living overseas have provided for community development. He further complimented the participants for their level of organization abroad. The Chairman believed that Grand Bay people were the best organized groups of overseas Dominicans and he mentioned Waseen Dominique of St. Thomas, the Grand Bay UK Community Alliance of England, South City People for Progress in Toronto, Canada, Southern District Development group of New York and the Dominica Atlanta Cultural Association of the USA. These groups are all headed by Grand Bay people.

His Excellency Crispin Gregoire welcomed the opportunity to interact with so many people from Grand Bay visiting for the Reunion. He said that overseas Dominicans have an important part to play in the development of Dominica. He referred to the remittances that are sent home to family and friends as being a substantial facet of the Dominica economy but warned that there should be less dependence on it, in view of the financial crisis that the world was going through at this time.

Hon John Fabien outlined some of the plans that he had in mind for Grand Bay. These include the All Saints University which intends to establish its permanent campus at the Center in Grand Bay. There is also the prospect of a private hospital being constructed in the same general area. These two projects would compliment each other and would transform Grand Bay when they materialize. He also mentioned the on-going construction of a factory shed at Geneva. It is hoped that local entrepreneurs would take advantage of the space there and set up their businesses.

Our visiting friends then raised their concerns. These included 1) the necessity to widen Lallay by slabbing the two drains, 2) the need to improve the Morpo road in order to stimulate agriculture in that area, 3) the improvement of sports 4) the creation of employment opportunities for young people, 5) the revitalization of our traditional culture through cultural and other groups, 6) the need for police presence 7) the need to improve the way that carnival is run, 8) improvement of the feast of St. Isidore, 9) reclaiming the bay for fishing and 10) how to get young people involved in agriculture and small businesses among other things.

After responses were received on the above issues, it was clear that there was a will to do many of the suggestions but  financial constraint was an impediment. However, they were noted and it is hoped that with the cooperation of overseas Grand Bayrians, some of them can be achieved.

Following all the speeches, awards were presented to Waseen Dominique, the Southern District group of New York, and the Grand Bay UK Community Alliance for their contribution to community development, and to Marcel Commodore for providing scholarships to young people to go to college and Jerome Mellow for his support of sports development. The awards were well received.

Refreshments were then served.

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New Council Inaugurated

On Monday 8^th September, 2008, the fourteenth inaugural meeting of the Grand Bay Village Council took place at the Grand Bay Community Centre. Willie Fevrier was  reelected chairman with Armour Thomas deputy chairman. Other councilors were Kenneth Blaize, Ed Registe and Valda George elected, and Margaret Toussaint, Frederick Toussaint and Sarah Blaize, nominated.

In his address, the chairman highlighted the accomplishments of the Council in the last term. These were the improvement of the Back Street  and Hagley roads, the Housing renovation, the spearheading of the Reunion 2006, the fencing of the Ma Tutu’s Park in concrete blocks, the lighting of the basketball court, assistance to the Primary school in the establishment of its computer lab and general maintenance, the introduction of green house farming for some ladies, computer literacy training for 35 adults, support for cultural and sporting activities. These were the highlights. The chairman thanked the various overseas agencies and governments which supported the council’s program and paid tribute to the Government of Dominica and the Parl. Rep. Hon. John Fabien for their tremendous support. He said that without the assistance of the Government, none of these successes would have been achieved.

Looking forward, the chairman hoped to continue the road rehabilitation and housing renovation projects with the assistance of the Government. He pledged the Council’s continued support for the Primary School. In addition, he hoped that the Council would pay more attention to garbage management and village beautification in the next term. He mentioned the close collaboration between the Council and the Parl. Rep. and said that in the new term, focus will be placed on employment generation.

Also addressing the ceremony were Mr. Albert Cuffy representing the Dominica Association of Local Government Authorities, Hon. John Fabien, Parliamentary Representative, Hon. Loreen Bannis Roberts, Minister for Community Development and Hon. Ambrose George, representing the Hon. Prime Minister.

The Council then recognized Mr. Charles Gregoire for his outstanding contribution as chairman and member of the Council over a period of twelve years and Mr. Maurice John Rose for his contribution as a member of the Council. Three other residents Harolda Henry, Reynold Alcendor and Bernard Noel were recognized for their contribution to road improvement in the Geneva Housing area. Each was presented with a plaque donated by Depex Colour Lab.

The youngest councilor Miss Sarah Blaize gave the vote of thanks and the Dubique Cultural group provided some belaire entertainment before refreshments were served.

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September 14, 2008

Caribbean Wellness Day Observed in Grand Bay.

September 13 was designated Caribbean Wellness Day. This day was instituted by Heads of Governments of the Caribbean in response to the epidemic of chronic non-communicable diseases which were very prevalent throughout the region. These diseases apparently are linked to one another. They are hypertension, diabetes, obesity, stroke, heart disease and cancer. The idea of observing this day is to raise awareness and promote a healthy life-style to include regular exercise, a balanced diet, and the moderation in alcohol consumption. It was expected that in all the Caribbean territories there would be activities at the community level to observe the day.

In the Grand Bay Health district, the health team put on an excellent program. Participants walked from the various communities ie from Petite Savanne, Tete Morne, Pichelin, Bagatelle and Grand Bay, they walked to the Geneva Playing field from about 6 am. In fact the people from Petite Savanne were the first to arrive for the formal opening which started at 10 am. Tete Morne arrived with their lapo cabwit band.

The formal opening was addressed by Dr. Darroux, district medical officer, Willie Fevrier, Village Council chairman, Hon. Urban Baron, Parl. Rep for Petite Savanne and Hon. John Fabien, Parl. Rep for Grand Bay and Minister for Health. The emphasis of the addresses was to encourage people to eat right, be active, cut out smoking and high alcohol consumption, sleep well and have a positive attitude to life. These practices will certainly reduce the risk of being overweight, reduce the onset of high blood pressure and its resulting effects on one’s health.

Following these addresses there were some cultural performances by children’s groups from Petite Savanne and Pichelin.

Then there were various sporting activities which culminated in a softball cricket competition between the various villages.

Natural foods and literature on nutrition and health were on display throughout the day.

All in all, the event was well attended and much information was shared while people had their blood pressure and blood sugar tests done.

The Grand Bay Health team ought to be complimented for a very good initial program. We look forward to subsequent exercises of this nature to try and reduce the illness brought about by these chronic non-communicable diseases.

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July 27, 2008

The Redemptorist priests paid tribute by the St. Patrick’s parish.

On Sunday 20^th July, the redemptorist priests serving in Dominica were paid a rousing tribute by the parish church of St. Patrick as the order completed its tour of duty in that parish. A mass concelebrated by Father Mark Owen, Father Vanty Auguiste and Father Jude, with Fr. Lamote in attendance was a fitting tribute for the unselfish work that the priests did in Grand Bay and the south of the island. From 1972 to today, except for a brief period between 1986 and 1990, the order of priests served the parish with dedication and hard work. They accomplished a lot, building churches and chapels, organizing church groups for prayer and relief  of the needy, spreading the gospel, baptizing, confirming, marrying and burying thousands. They gave support to the development of young and old alike.

The priests who served the parish are as follows: Fr. Standaerd  (1972 – 78), Fr. Francis Boogaerts (1973), Fr. Albert Lamote (1974 – 2008), Fr. Vanackere (1978 – 82), Fr. Stoeckel (1982), Fr. Bergmans (1982 – 86), Fr. Jerome Moody (1990 -96), Fr. Joe Bertrand (1990), Fr. John McLoughlin (1991 – 1993), Fr. Vanty Auguiste (1994 – 1999), Fr. Werner (1996 – 1999), Fr. Joseph Krastel (1999 – 2005), Fr. Clement Jolly (1999), Fr. John Gallagher (1999), Fr. Francis Okorafor (2005 – 2006), Fr. Mark Owen (2005 – 2008), and Fr. Jude Ibe (2007 -2008). (Source – Church Bulletin of July 20).

The new parish priest is expected to be Fr. Kelvin Felix, former archbishop of Castries.

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Monday 7, 2008

Pierre Charles Secondary and Grand Bay Primary hold graduation ceremonies.

On June 23, the Pierre Charles Secondary School (PCSS) graduated 79 students. Featured speaker at the occasion was Mrs. Melanie Henderson (Teacher Nanie). In her speech she urged the students to continue to aim for success. She examined some of the prerequisites of success and concluded that to achieve success, one had to be consistent, have the right attitude and apply their endowed aptitude. The Chief Education Officer, addressing the function asked teachers to reflect on some of the aspects of school life and ponder on how they could work towards getting all the students of the fifth form to graduate.

Student of the year was head girl Josette John of Montine.

On Thursday July 3, the Grand Bay Primary School held a ceremony to honour the students who will be leaving grade 6 to enter the Pierre Charles Secondary. Seven of these students received bursaries. Top student was Dean Desiree of Grand Coulibrie.

Featured speaker Willie Fevrier complimented the Principal Mrs Samuel for the way she has transformed the physical environment of the school. Working with the PTA, Mrs Samuel got the front  and lobby of the school freshly   painted. She also got some classrooms painted but her major achievement was the establishment of a computer room with about 30 computers.

Mr. Fevrier urged parents to get more involved in the education of their children, especially in the area of reading. He urged parents to communicate with teachers about their children’s progress and give support to the Principal and staff.

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June 30, 2008

Pierre Charles Secondary School remembers the late Prime Minister

The Pierre Charles Secondary School on Monday June 30, the birth anniversary of the late Prime Minister Pierre Charles holds a memorial celebration in honour of the man after whom the school is named. A packed program of cultural and educational activities is planned for the day with appearances being made by His Excellency the President of Dominica Dr. Nicholas J. O. Liverpool, representatives of the Government, the Parliamentary Representative Mr. John Fabien, the chairman of the village council, Mr. Willie Fevrier, the principal of the school Mr. Benedict Charles and other distinguished members of the Grand Bay and surrounding communities.

The ceremony is expected to highlight the life of the late Prime Minister and it is expected that students will be inspired by what they see and hear. The principal, staff and students of the school, working with a community committee, put the program together for this patriotic event.

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June 29, 2008

Dominicans in Atlanta reorganize.

Dominicans living in Atlanta have come together to form the Dominica Atlanta Cultural Association (DACA). At a highly successful inauguration celebration on Saturday June 28, the group was addressed by Consul General to the UN Ms Barbara Dailey. The following officers were installed: John Baptiste John (Holeday), president, Jennifer  Beazer as vice president, Lisa Blaize - secretary, Kenyatta Eugene – treasurer, Paula John (Abie) – assistant secretary/treasurer and Kevin Laurent – PRO. The group intends to maintain and promote Dominica’s cultural heritage in the US, assist in the development of Dominica and assist members in their own development. Many members of the group are originally from Grand Bay but there are members from other communities.

We congratulate Holeday and the members of DACA  on this initiative and we look forward to their collaboration with us and the other organized groups in New York, St. Thomas, London and Toronto as we move in unison to make Grand Bay and Dominica a better place to live. I am sure that Grand Bayrians living in other big cities will be encouraged by this move and will examine the possibility of getting themselves organized into a functional group.

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Monday June 2, 2008

Youth Centre Club (YCC) wins Digicel award

The Youth Centre Club under the direction of Mr. Julien Pacquette won the Digicel Caring Connections award for the southern district. The youth group was given a prize of EC$10,000 to expand their music program. The club has been engaged in teaching music and playing musical instruments such as the recorder, guitar, keyboard and steel band. Several young people are engaged in this program and they showed off their newly learned skill at an awards function on Saturday May 31 at the Old Fort in Grand Bay. Mr. Derrick Francis, former principal of the Grand Bay Primary School is the music teacher. Mr. Francis is himself an accomplished musician and guitarist par excellence.

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Monday June 2, 2008

Young People of Grand Bay are doing positive things, too.

On Sunday 11 May 2008, 10 young men and 9 young women were enrolled in the 41 strong  Pierre Charles Secondary School (PCSS) cadet corps. Under the direction of Police Officer Lennard Henderson, the new cadets showed off their drilling skills accompanied by the corps’ marching band in the court yard of the school . Present at the ceremony were Major Francis Richards, national commandant of the cadet corps, Mr. Benedict Charles, Principal of the PCSS, Mrs Techar Cuffy Charles, an officer in the cadet corps and Mr. Bonty Liverpool, Deputy Scout Commissioner who is making a great effort to revive scouting in Grand Bay. Some parents of the cadets were also present for the ceremony.

Hon. Urban Baron took the salute while cadet Larissa Bonnie won an award for being the best cadet. Young people should be encouraged to join the cadet corps.

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May 13, 2008

Feast of St. Isidore 2008

The most essential part of the celebration of the feast of St. Isidore is the Mass at the Roman Catholic Church during which the fruits of the farmers’ labour are presented at the alter in thanksgiving for God’s abundant love which has allowed the fertility of the land to produce such good food for the people’s nourishment. Before the final blessing, the church honoured six farmers of the district. Simon Fevrier and Julien Victorin of Grand Bay, John Moise of Stowe,  Rudolph Fontaine (Papa Mark) of Petite Savanne, Martina Charles of Pichelin and Philip Bedminister of Tete Morne. After the Mass, some of the provisions went on sale in the church yard while the people were being entertained by Sakis and the local steel band. The Pichelin cultural group also put in a performance to entertain the audience.

Following this activity, the band of beautifully dressed ladies paraded up Lallay led by Sakis lapo cabwit band.

On Mothers Day, the 11^th June, at Ma Tutu’s Park, South Style Production led by Ed Registe and Carleton Henry put on the Miss South pageant. Five young ladies, Vernanda Mitchel of  Petite Savanne, Joanna Walter of Tete Morne, Shernelle Thomas of Grand Coulibrie,  Nakiba Angol of Pichelin and Bella Leatham of Grand Bay vied for the title of Miss Reunion Isidore 2008. The competition was won by Miss Bella Leatham of Geneva Housing area.

The show was quite a spectacular one against the backdrop of a well decorated and freshly painted stage at Ma Tutu’s Park.

On Monday afternoon the crowd in Grand Bay was treated to an open air live band concert at Tete Lallay with Midnight Groovers being the  main performers. However, they were joined by Golden Squad, Fire Burners Crew and other performers.

All in all, while the visiting crowd was not as thick as in previous years, the feast of St. Isidore 2008 provided some good entertainment and a degree of circulation of currency in the community.

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April 28, 2008

Jerome Mellow Unity B and Bafondpointe of Bagatelle score victories.

In the Lambert Henderson Cricket League on Saturday 26, the Jerome Mellow Unity B defeated Unity A of Hagley by four wickets. Batting first, Unity A scored a healthy 156 for 8 with A. Matthew topscoring with 39, J. Xavier 28 and L. Loblack 20. Bowling for Unity B, A. Jolly got 2 for 26, D. Liverpool 2 for 31 and J.Xavier  Jn. 2 for 12. Chasing 157 for victory, Unity B scored 159 for 6 with D. Liverpool scoring 39, A. Jolly 29 and B. Defoe 26. J. Charles took 2 for 43 and A. Matthew 2 for 12. Jerome Mellow Unity B won by four wickets.

On Sunday 27, Bafondpointe of Bagatelle overcame a challenge by Taverners to win by 2 wickets. Batting first Taverners scored 97 with J. Liverpool taking 3 for 14, K. Thomas 2 for 21 and M. Thomas 2 for 25. In reply Bagatelle squeezed home scoring 98 for 8 with J. Liverpool scoring 25 and S. Edwards 23. For Taverners K. Benjamin got 3 for 16 and T. Kentish 3 for 19. Bafondpointe won by 2 wickets.

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April 24, 2008

Pierre Charles Secondary School Wins Kiwani’s Club Debating Competition.

The Pierre Charles Secondary School  (PCSS) led by Josette John of Tete Morne and Marie Addie Nelson also known as Gitana of Grand Bay yesterday edged out the North Eastern Comprehensive School (NECS)  in the finals of the Kiwani’s Club 16^th annual secondary schools debating competition. The subject of the debate was “An Oil Refinery is in the best interest of Dominica”. The North Eastern Comprehensive proposed and the Pierre Charles Secondary opposed.

Both teams were pretty forceful in presenting their well researched arguments for and against the topic. NECS emphasized the economic benefits that may accrue by the establishment of an oil refinery, referring to the number of employees that may be engaged as in the case of the oil refinery in neighbouring St. Croix. The team also argued that there would be little effect on the tourism industry as many might suggest, citing the coexistence of both industries in Curacao, Trinidad and St. Croix. NECS also argued that Dominica should embrace the opportunity for industrialization thereby stemming the outflow of talented and skilled young people to other industrialized countries.

The Pierre Charles team  based its arguments on the disastrous impacts that an oil refinery could have on Dominica’s pristine environment, citing possible oil spills, including a recent spill at the tank farm at Jimmit, explosions, air, land and water pollution, and damage to the image of the island as the nature island of the Caribbean.

The team also dismissed the claim that economic benefits would be great as, by its calculation, only a few unskilled Dominicans would be employed if a modern 10000 barrel per day refinery would be established here. Furthermore, it argued, if Dominica has a wealth of geothermal, wind and solar energy, all renewable energy sources, why should the country resort to oil refining when countries with oil are trying to mitigate the damage that the industry had inflicted on them? PCSS argued that Dominica should instead develop the more sustainable renewable energy sources for its future development.

In the end, the judges determined that PCSS had scored 151 points to NECS’ 144. Marie Addie Nelson of PCSS was adjudged the best speaker.

According to the moderator Mr. Ibrahim Brohim, there are no losers in these debates and indeed, NECS presented its case very well but came second in this debate.

Congratulations to the students, their teachers and all those who assisted in their preparation for this excellent exercise.

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April 16, 2008

Fire in Hagley

At about 8:30 am on Tuesday April 15, fire virtually destroyed the interior of a three bedroom building at Hagley. The occupant Margaret Liverpool was not in the building at the time that the fire broke out. According to Margaret, by the time the alarm was raised and she arrived on the scene, there was smoke and fire throughout the building. She could not have entered to save any of her belongings.

The Fire and Ambulance service responded quickly but could not extinguish the fire before the interior was totally burnt.

Margaret and her family have had to seek shelter at relatives.

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Wednesday 2^nd April, 2008

Cricket in Grand Bay Resurrects on Easter Sunday

A bright and sunny Easter Sunday morning the 23^rd of March, saw the commencement of the Lambert Henderson Cricket League at the Geneva Playing field. The league is once again sponsored by the Dominica National Lottery. Four teams participated in the Ball-o-rama that morning. Berricans made an early exit as they were eliminated by Bagatelle, while Unity A got the better of Unity B. The final match was a very exciting affair down to the last ball. Needing only 7 runs off the last over to beat Unity B, Bagatelle managed a boundary, two wides and a couple more runs to clinch victory.

On Sunday 30^th March, the first of a knock-out 20/20 competition sponsored by MaxRoy Trading also ended in a tight finish. In response to a score of 98 posted by Bagatelle, Taverners cruised to victory with one ball to spare. Cummings Shillingford (Chico) played a sheet anchoring knock of 37 to ensure victory for the senior men.

After the 20/20 knock out competition, the 40 overs competition will begin. Seven teams are expected to participate. In addition to the four teams which took part in the ball-o-rama, Taverners, Petite Savanne and Bellevue are expected to join the competition.

Meanwhile Grand Bay Credit Union Colts started their season with a hard-fought victory in the Augustus Gregoire Cricket League First Division against Marinor Blasters (formerly Renegades) at the Windsor Park Sports Stadium. Batting first Marinor were bowled out for 117. In reply Colts bounced back from 64 for six to lead by only three runs. Batting a second time Marinor were bowled out for a meagre 97 runs leaving Colts with only 95 to win. From a position of 40 without loss, Colts managed to lose 8 wickets in scoring the 95 runs needed for victory. Kade Brown (30) and Lindy Jules (37) put a strong opening partnership only to give their wickets away. However, Colts prevailed at the end and registered their first victory of the 2008 season.

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Program of Activities for Reunion Isidore 2008

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Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Prime Minister pledges Million Dollars for housing improvement in Grand Bay.

At a ceremony at the Old Fort in Lallay, the Honourable Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of Dominica handed over to the Chairman of the Grand Bay Village Council Mr. Willie Fevrier, a cheque in the sum of EC$300,000 for the repair of homes damaged by Hurricane Dean. These funds will allow for the continuation of housing repair and improvement work undertaken by the Government of Dominica as part of the Housing Revolution. In handing over the cheque, the Prime Minister said that the money was only part of the Government’s pledge to give support to the Grand Bay constituency. He pledged to provide some more funds to a total of one million dollars to continue the process of housing development in Grand Bay, Montine and Tete Morne.

Mr. Skerrit also gave a commitment to provide some funds for the paving of some of the roads in the newly developing areas of the village, namely Bala Park and Bolom.

The Prime Minister disclosed that these funds were made possible through the kind generosity of the Government and people of Venezuela and the ALBA agreement that has been much maligned. He reiterated his determination to go to friendly governments and organizations to raise financial resources to help the needy people of the country that he leads.

Hon. Skerrit showered praise on Parliamentary Representative Hon. John Fabien for his commitment and dedication in serving the people of his constituency. He urged the people of Grand Bay to be patient and to continue to support the Dominica Labour Party.

Parliamentary Representative Hon. John Fabien refuted claims by detractors that nothing was being done for Grand Bay by the Government. He pointed to the much improved network of paved roads at Back Street, Mabouchay, Hagley and Chemin Cabway, and recalled almost forty years ago when the Council of Mr. Joseph Alcendor actually built some of these roads which were constantly being patched over the years by deceased Mr. Gaspar Blanc. Today he said these roads are fully resurfaced. Several homes have been repaired since Hurricane Dean and farmers have been given assistance to resume farming.

In receiving the cheque from the PM, the Chairman of the Council, Mr. Willie Fevrier expressed gratitude on behalf of the community for this substantial sum of money to help people whose houses were damaged by Hurricane Dean. He thanked the Prime Minister, the Parl. Rep., the Government of Dominica and the Government and people of Venezuela. The Chairman called on villagers to make their own contribution to the Council by paying their house rates and giving a helping hand to each other and those needing help through the koudmain. He commented that the Council already had a long list of people who had reported that their homes were damaged during the last hurricane. He cautioned people that though the sum of money appears large, it will not meet the needs of all. He further stated that people tend to say that nothing is done in the community and that the money was wasted. He advised that the books of all councils were audited and therefore there was no risk of misappropriation. He confirmed that the Council will do all it can to ensure equitable distribution and efficient use of the funds.

Before the Chairman’s vote of thanks, the Hon. Reginald Austrie addressed the audience and dispelled many of the rumours and inuendos from the opposition forces in the country.

Armour Thomas, Councilor and chairman of the Labour Party branch in Grand Bay chaired the function which was extremely well attended.

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Ash Wednesday, 06 February 2008

Carnival 2008

It would have been nice to report today that there was an incident-free carnival in Grand Bay. Things were going reasonably well until Tuesday night (last lap) when a shooting incident left about four revellers injured. Otherwise the people seemed to have had a great time.

However, there are certain practices during carnival that must be stopped. The carnival order stipulates that revellers shall not carry weapons of any description. This order apparently does not apply to Grand Bay because it is not enforced. The carnival parade in Roseau is monitored by many police officers. Not so in Grand Bay. The police, it is understood, made brief appearances in Lallay on carnival Monday. Constant patrolling is not done as it is done in Roseau. It is alleged that the police prefers to stay away in order to avoid a bloody confrontation with revellers who are carrying cutlasses and guns. It is also believed that Grand Bay people are generally uncooperative in assisting the police in carrying out their duties and, in a situation where there are so many people in a carnival band carrying weapons, it may be wiser to leave them alone.

It should be known, though, that there is a groundswell of support for the elimination of those unlawful practices during carnival. A week before carnival there was a “peace” rally organized by the Youth Centre Club calling on revellers to leave weapons out of the carnival band and desist from violent activities, drug abuse and excessive alcohol consumption. Furthermore, the chairman of the Council and the carnival queen contestant for the south addressed the students of the Pierre Charles Secondary School, admonishing them to keep clear of violence and be safe during carnival. Yet, it is reported that the main perpetrators of the bottle breaking are school children. The question is where are their parents?

There were some positive aspects of the Carnival. The highlight was the introduction of the Montine/Tete Morne carnival band, complete with the hottest Lapo Cabwit, the loudest Lavway, the largest group of uniformed revellers, the best organized group and weapon free. The Montine group must be highly commended for this effort.

There were other very colourful groups such as Swefers Combo, sporting their “colombie” head gear and red and white costumes and accompanied by a High Fi system on a truck,  the Guada group (Grand Bayrians in Guadeloupe and their friends) in their blue and white costumes, the Hagley Young Outgoing stars, the Mabouchay crew and the Highland group of young ladies to name some small gangs.

There was indeed some colour and the ever present Sakis were there as usual.

The truth is Grand Bay carnival could be special but for the breaking of bottles and the carrying of weapons in the band. It is about time that the young people who are involved in these unlawful acts reflect on the negative impact that their foolish activities are having on the image of the community. Furthermore, they and their supporters should think of the danger that these activities pose to innocent people who are just trying to have a good time. Also, the effect on the present and future economic development of Grand Bay is in jeopardy and they are the ones who will suffer the consequences of a languishing community. It is time for all to speak out against these unruly acts and it is about time that a strategy be devised to enforce the carnival order in Grand Bay as it is in Roseau.

Queen Marva Launched

Marva Williams of Pichelin is the carnival queen contestant representing the south of the island in 2008. Miss Williams is no stranger to the stage as she has competed in various competitions from her primary school days. Marva is very talented and has been one young person who has been involved in helping to preserve our cultural heritage. She has taken part in creole song contest, conte competition and has danced belaire as part of a cultural group. At present she is a member of the cultural group Moulin Culture.

Marva is also very involved in community work. She is the deputy chairperson of  the Pichelin Village Council.

She is employed at the Festivals Commission as a secretary. She is quite versed in the Creole language and often promotes the activities of the Commission in patois.

The entire southern district is supportive of Miss Williams in her quest to capture the Reunion Carnival Queen come February 1, 2008.

November 25, 2007

What’s Going On?

That is the question on many minds following strange happenings at the Pierre Charles Secondary School (PCSS) on Thursday 22^nd November, 2007. Most people would have heard the story that about 25 female students experienced varying degrees of what might be described as psychosomatic disturbances which manifested in their fainting, experiencing seizures, making unintelligible utterances, and in some cases downright demonic expletives (swearing and cursing etc). The health team at the Grand Bay Health Centre led by Dr. Kenneth Darroux was challenged but with the help of Dr. Griffin Benjamin, consultant psychiatrist at the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) was able to manage the chaotic situation. The team was also assisted by various pastors, the Catholic priest, the children’s parents and other volunteers. About eight of these students had to be transferred to the psychiatric ward of the PMH where they were observed overnight.

Dr. Benjamin described the children’s condition as “conversion disorder”. However, most people who saw the reaction of the students ie the seizures, their uncontrollable and vigorous movements, their utterances, have speculated that what they saw was beyond a medical condition and that it involved some sort of demonic possession of the young girls.

Prayers flowed and it is reported that the prayers had a calming influence on the children.

The following day, many officials of the Ministry of Education, pastors, some parents and sympathetic observers went to the school and participated in prayers for the recovery of the students.

Now, it is not clear what the cause of these happenings is. People speculate. There is need, however, for a thorough investigation into the matter. Such an investigation should be conducted by a team which should include the psychiatrist, the doctor, a counselor, a parent, a pastor, a priest and the police. A thorough background check of the children and their parents should be conducted and documented. There should be group interactions (ie with the group of affected students) and there should be individual interviews.

The incident at the PCSS must have shaken the community but people should ask themselves whether they have performed the supervision of their girls as well as they should have.

For what it is worth, there has been a call for lots of prayer for the children, their parents, the community and our country, for today it is Grand Bay tomorrow it may be another community. Pray people, pray!

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Death Announcement : Mrs. Madlen Bedminster Morancie  (Ma Pal) - age 66

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Hurricane Dean Relief going well.

After the passage of Hurricane Dean, the Government of Dominica requested an assessment of damage to homes in the community. The Village Council proceeded to make an evaluation and presented to the Government an estimate of the damage suffered. Within weeks funds were received by the Village Council, through the Parliamentary Representative to provide assistance to people who suffered damage to their homes.

In collaboration with the Parl. Rep., the Council decided to issue cheques to those persons who were felt to be capable of effecting repairs by themselves and contracted Bernard Noel to assist those persons who were not capable of doing the repairs by themselves.

So far, several people have fixed their leaky roofs, while Bernard has completed the repairs to three houses including the complete refurbishment of a house in the Geneva Housing area.

In addition to the home repairs, several families received food supplies sent by the Government and distributed by the Village Council.

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Monday, November 5, 2007

Community Day of Service, a celebration of our Koudmain tradition.

As the celebration of Dominica’s twenty-ninth anniversary of independence comes to a close with the Community Day of Service, there is one tradition that continues to hang on quite strongly. It is the koudmain tradition. The word “koudmain” appears to have derived from the French phrase “Coup de main”, meaning “helping hand”. In the past, families helped each other in building a house, planting a garden, or doing some other important work by volunteering their labour free of charge to one another. Especially in the planting of a garden, two or three families teamed up one Saturday and planted one family’s garden. Then the following Saturday the team planted the garden of another member of the team and so on until all the gardens of the team members were planted. This tradition still persists as part of Dominica’s culture. It is demonstrated strongly when someone has to cast a floor or roof in concrete where intensive labour is required and where the job has to be done in one go. The people are mobilized. Food and drinks, including the all-important rum, are provided and the labour is given free by the participants.

The Community Day of Service is an extension of this concept. It was introduced by the late Dame Eugenia Charles government. It requires that on the day following 3^rd November, National Independence day, nationals are called on to volunteer their labour to do some work to develop their community. This concept has been refined to the point where the Department of Community Development receives project proposals, evaluates them, approves and supplies materials for the execution of these projects. The communities select a project leader for each project and mobilize volunteers to work on community day of service. Again, each project organizes to have food and drink prepared for the workers. Generally, the men do the major physical work like mixing concrete while the women do the cooking and the lighter work. It is not unusual, though, to find some women doing heavy physical work while some men do the cooking. Village Councils usually submit several project proposals for different sub-communities within their jurisdiction. Therefore it is possible that a community like Grand Bay could have from four to eight projects on that day. However, individuals could also submit proposals to the department for consideration. It is important, though, that all projects have the objective of improving the community as a whole and not a resident’s personal property.

Most projects fall into the categories of road construction, road repair and drainage, construction of footpaths, construction or renovation of bus shelters, painting of community institutions such as schools, health centres, churches, planting of flowers and hedges or simply cleaning the environment.

Generally, these projects are expected to be completed on the day of community service. However, most are continued during the course of the year or on Community Day of Service of successive years. These projects contribute greatly to the progressive development of the various communities.

Parliamentary representatives in the various constituencies play a major role in mobilizing community support for these projects. They also provide financial and material support for these projects and often put in physical labour as well. In many communities, people who are unable to do physical work, donate food items, bottles of liquor, or quantities of juice and other drinks as well as cash as their contribution to the success of the project.

These days, the local media have given much attention to Community Day of Service by providing island-wide coverage of the projects. The Dominica Broadcasting Service (DBS) in particular sends its reporters to all districts to send live reports of the progress on the projects. Project leaders, Council chairpersons, workers, cooks and on-lookers are interviewed live on radio. They describe the objective of their project, give an assessment of its progress, report on challenges and difficulties encountered  and share their drinks and food with the roving reporters. Therefore the entire nation is informed of what is going on in all parts of the island. The Government Information Service gathers footage and conducts interviews for the preparation of a documentary on Community Day of Service for the news, for future presentation and for its archives.

At the end of the day, residents participate in a “jump up”, a carnival-like street party to culminate a hard day’s work and to bring the curtains down on the celebration of national independence.

Indeed the tradition of koudmain is alive and well during the Community Day of Service and is a unique way to celebrate a nation’s attainment of independence. To crown it all, the tradition fits well into this year’s theme for national independence, “Building Country, Celebrating Heritage”. The Community Day of Service is a celebration of our Koudmain tradition and it contributes substantially to building communities and by extension our country.

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October 15, 2007

Petite Savanne and Dubic top Quadrille and Belaire

In the finals of the cultural competitions held all over the island, Petite Savanne Cultural Group emerged the winner of the Adult Quadrille competition. The group, led by Athenia Darroux for decades, has demonstrated a certain grace in their performance of the traditional dance. Backed up by the experience of their bandsmen, the group has maintained a high quality of artistry in that folk dance. Meanwhile the Dubic Cultural group has continued to thrill audiences all over the island with their pure energy in executing the Belaire. Most of the members of the group come from the lineage of Ma Tutu, the mother of Belaire in the south. Dubic has won that competition for the past three years. This year their energy and “lavway” were irresistible to the panel of judges and they came away with the top prize. These two groups will be on show during the National Day Cultural extravaganza.

The question now needs to be asked, is Grand Bay still the cultural  capital of Dominica? Given that the community won no major title this year, this is a reasonable question. However, no one community dominates in more than one category of our cultural expressions. Capuchin and Paix Bouche in the north, Petite Savanne and Pointe Michel in the south have put on good performances in several categories. But do they dominate more than one category?

Monday September 17, 2007

Dr. Max Hilaire to receive Faculty of the Year Award

Dr. Max Hilaire, chairman of the Department of Political Science and professor of International Law at Morgan State University in the USA, has been selected to receive the 2007 Faculty of the Year Award from the Washington Centre for Internships and Academic Seminars.

In his letter to Dr. Hilaire, Dr. Eugene J. Alpert, Senior Vice President of the Washington Centre explained that the award was given annually to an associate faculty member of the Centre who exemplified outstanding instruction, dedication and achievement while teaching a course for the internship program. Dr. Alpert went further by saying, “Max, you make your classes exceptionally interesting, and you challenge your students to reach greater heights of learning, therefore contributing in a significant way to their education while in Washington DC. We know it is a labor of love for you and that your teaching has a strong, positive impact on your students”.

Dr. Hilaire, who hails from Lallay, Grand Bay visited Dominica for the Grand Bay Heritage and Reunion celebrations last year and held an interactive session with prospective students in the area. As a result of his visit, two students of Grand Bay parents Raisa Jones and Melissa Pinard received partial scholarships to study at Morgan State University.

Dr. Max Hilaire wll receive his award on October 15, 2007.

In somewhat related news, Mr. Marcel Commodore, from Hagley, now practising law in Antigua, has made available a sum of money to provide scholarships to students who are in need of assistance to access secondary and tertiary education. A committee headed by Willie Fevrier, chairman of the Grand Bay Village Council, has assisted  six students of Grand Bay and three of Tete Morne to attend the Dominica State College.

The Grand Bay community at home and abroad is justly proud of these great sons. We thank them for their valuable contributions to the education of our young people. 

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Hurricane Dean lashed Grand Bay

The advent of Hurricane Dean brought some of the heaviest sea swells ever seen in Grand Bay. The devastation along the coast is testimony to that fact. Damage to the road leading to Dubic was substantial. However, the erosion of the beach, especially close to the mouth of the Geneva River was significant. Thanks to the sea wall along the Pierre Charles boulevard, the road was left intact, although the sea went over the wall under the cliff.

Some houses lost all or part of their roofs. The loss to  farmers was almost complete. The banana crop was totally destroyed. Other crops such as avocado and breadfruit were severely affected.

One of the greatest losses was the galvanise fence at Ma Tutu’s Park and indeed much of the roof over the stage.

All in all, while Hurricane Dean did much damage to major roads all over the country, we in Grand Bay should be thankful that we did not suffer more from Dean's fury.  About thirty houses suffered damage from partial destruction of the roof to complete destruction of an entire house.

The Government has moved swiftly to assist farmers and householders who suffered damage. House repair has been estimated at around EC$100,000 and soon, materials and cash will be made available to help those in need.

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July 4, 2007

Pierre Charles Secondary graduates 69 students

On Monday 25^th June, 2007, the Pierre Charles Secondary School (PCSS) sent 69 students into the world of further education, skills training, the working world or the world of unemployment or self-employment when its graduation ceremony was held at the school auditorium. In the presence of the Minister for Education, Youth Affairs, Sports and Human Resource Development, Hon. Vince Henderson, the Parliamentary Representatives of Grand Bay and Petite Savanne constituencies, Hon John Fabien and Urban Baron respectively, PS and CEO of the Ministry of Education, the students heard featured speaker Dr. Kenneth Darroux urge them to try and craft a niche for themselves in this highly competitive world. He warned them that it would not be easy as there are many challenges that they will face upon graduation. However, he encouraged them to keep focused on their life’s goal and make the effort to achieve it.

Deputy Principal Mrs Jude, in the absence of the principal, gave a report of the school’s achievement during the past academic year. She also mentioned some challenging situations encountered during the year and called on the Ministry to attend to some of the shortcomings of the school.

Hon. John Fabien also urged the students to make an effort to advance themselves, whether they were going to the Dominica State College, or to work. He said that opportunities are available for graduates to advance themselves.

The Minister congratulated the students and outlined his ministry’s efforts in providing opportunities for graduates to go into further studies locally and abroad. Scholarships are provided for students to study in Cuba, China, Libya, Mexico, Venezuela, the US and of course the University of the West Indies. He also mentioned that for those who did not want to go on to further studies, facilities were established for them to do skills training or to get into their own business. He promised to address some of the issues raised in the principal’s report and looked forward to visiting the school in the new school year.

Top student Miss Naomie Matthew, daughter of Athanaze Matthew (Black) and Augustina Henry (Nen), gave a touching speech in which she called on her fellow graduates to be humble in all they do. She called for a world of peace, understanding and harmony. Miss Matthew was the best student in many subjects and her own calm and confident manner is a tribute to her family and community.

We congratulate Miss Matthew on her achievement and the Pierre Charles Secondary School for nurturing the graduates through five years of preparation for the rest of their lives.

Wednesday May 30th.

Isidore 2007 – Interesting

While many people were saying that the feast of St. Isidore this year was low-keyed, there were in fact quite some spectacular events for the celebration. The Miss South Queen show for example, held on Friday 26^th May and won by Miss Marva Williams of Pichelin, was of a very high standard. Unfortunately only a handful of people witnessed it. Then the Mas Camp calypso tent with the calypso king the Hunter etc at the Old Fort on Saturday night was quite great.

How many people turned out to see a football match between a Grand Bay team and a team visiting from Guadeloupe? That happened on Sunday 27^th at the Geneva Playing field. On Sunday night at the Old Fort there was oldie goldie dancing and of course Bubble city was swinging with the younger folks.

But the main event was the Holy Mass celebrated at the St. Patricks Roman Catholic Church. There, on Monday 28^th, the farmers brought the produce of the land to the alter as part of the offering. It is a symbol of asking God to bless their work as farmers. The Church community took the opportunity to recognize a farmer from each of the villages of the parish. Lucy Juispais of Petite Savanne, Bernard Henderson of Bagatalle, Mrs Registe of Pichelin. Miss Augustine of Tete Morne, Mrs John-Lewis and Jean Henry of Grand Bay were honored for their work on the farm.

The homily given by Rev Fr. Cornelius Philip was quite inspiring and relevant. He urged all Dominicans not to set aside agriculture and the things Dominican. He exhorted the congregation to appreciate Dominica and its many blessings and called on all to work together to make life better for all.

The Mass was attended by His Excellency the President Dr. Nicolas Liverpool, the Prime Minister and many Cabinet colleagues including Hon. Urban Baron and John Fabien, Speaker of the House of Assembly Alix Boyd-Knights and other distinguished guests from Grand Bay and further afield.

Following the mass there were some cultural performances in the church yard and a mini market fair in which some of the agricultural products were sold, food and drinks flowed and there were some dips and raffles going around.

Finally, Sakis took the crowd up to Lallay where the entertainment continued with Reggae at Hewlett John’s cultural center and Triple K at the Old Fort. Thousands of people crowded Lallay well into the evening.

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Road Rehabilitation Moves to Hagley

The resurfacing of the village roads continues with the team of workers moving to Hagley this week. All the major Back Street and Ma Bouchay roads have been resurfaced. There is still some work to be done in drainage. However, work continues at Hagley close to Mr Victorine’s (Lollipop) home.

The Council urges residents at Back Street and Ma Bouchay to follow the example of the Hagley people who planted beautiful flowers along a piece of road that was resurfaced last year. Council is certain that Hagley people will continue to beautify their surroundings as their road gets a face-lift.

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Village Council Women’s Group start vegetable production

A group of five women associated with the Grand Bay Village Council has started to execute its organic vegetable production project which was funded by the Gildersleeve Women’s Organization of Virginia, USA after His Excellency Crispin Gregoire submitted the Council’s proposal to that organization. Vanya Remy, clerk of the Council, Maryse Henderson, former Councilor, Sarah Blaize, Sophie Henry, Librarian and Gregrianna Henderson have taken the initiative to produce organic vegetables to try and improve the nutritional options for health conscious villagers. The green house is a 60ft by 40 ft structure complete with its irrigation system.

The first set of vegetables will be lettuce, tomatoes and broccoli. A variety of fresh vegetables will be rotated in the green house over time.

The ladies are assisted by Alick and Josephine Blaize and family, and Peterson Grell, retired agricultural officer.

The Council applauds the ladies for this initiative and expresses its thanks to Gildersleeve for this valuable contribution.

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Monday March 12, 2007

Finally, The Reunion Raffle was drawn.

After many setbacks and delays, the 2006 Heritage Week and Reunion Raffle was drawn on the steps of the Reunion Secretariat on Saturday 10^th March, 2007. The results are as follows:

1^st Prize – A Refrigerator – Ticket #3223  held by Chellie Baron of Grand Bay

2^nd Prize – Laptop Computer – Ticket #0092 held by Jerma John Lewis of Fond Cole

3^rd Prize – Digital Camera – Ticket # 4269 held by Charles Gregoire of Grand Bay.

The Grand Bay Village Council and the Reunion Committee thank all those who bought tickets in support of the fundraising efforts for the Reunion.

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Tuesday 20^th February 2007

Carnival Tuesday in Grand Bay showed some colour

Several groups in Grand Bay responded to the call to get organized and compete for some incentives at this year’s carnival. Sakis and the Mabouche group teamed up while West End and the people of Geneva House had a good following. Dubic got sponsored by Premier Computing Services and Swefers Combo had a colourful outfit and a sizeable membership. The Montin Lapo Cabwit band had a tremendous following while a small but impressive group of Grand Bayrians living in Guadaloupe all paraded Lallay on Tuesday afternoon. There were other smaller groups of revelers in various colourful outfits. The bands were judged by a panel put together by Zenith Jean Jacques (Zola).

It is hoped that this is a small beginning to have organized bands in Grand Bay as in the past. Hopefully, this will reduce and ultimately eliminate the many undesirable activities such as the breaking of bottles, showing off of cutlasses and knives etc.

However, for this to succeed, the private sector in Grand Bay must provide support for the efforts being made to improve carnival in Grand Bay. Premier Computing Services is the only business belonging to a Grand Bayrian which provided some sponsorship. The company sponsored the Dubic band and Mr. Milner Francis must be commended for his support. Let us hope that for Reunion Mas 2008, there will be much more participation and the elimination of all the unnecessary show of violence in Mas Gwambe.

Monday February 19, 2007

Narrissa comes third

Narrissa Browne of Grand Bay, sponsored by her employer HHV Whitchurch placed third in the national carnival queen competition on Friday 16^th February. The queen was Leandra Lander who performed magnificently on that night. However, Narrissa was confident in her various appearances and did reasonably well. Her evening gown was made by The House Of Lorraine owned by Lorraine Delsol of Grand Bay living in Canada.

On Monday morning, Narrissa carried her costume easily through the carnival route in Roseau and looked resplendent and relaxed.

Meanwhile in Grand Bay revelry started in the early hours and continued through Monday. The carrying of weapons and breaking of bottles on the Lallay continued. It is a shameful sight. It is about time that this barbaric behaviour stops. This is an issue that all concerned Grand Bayrians will have to address. It should not be allowed to continue. While it is true that there is no intention to hurt anyone, the mere sight of this stupid manifestation creates a very bad image of the community and will result in severe loss in the future. Already sponsors are not supportive of carnival efforts in Grand Bay resulting in the cancellation of the Miss South show which was held for the past 10 to 12 years. This cannot be allowed to continue and for Carnival Reunion 2008, the authorities must devise a plan to dismantle this horrible behaviour.

Friday 16^th February, 2007

Grand Bayrians living in New York and surroundings donate computers.

On Wednesday 14^th February, Valentine’s day, the Pierre Charles Secondary School was formally handed the two computers sent to them by the group of Grand Bayrians living in New York. The computers were accessed through the efforts of the group, primarily His Excellency Crispin Gregoire, Dominica’s ambassador to the United Nations.

In the photo, Chairman of the Grand Bay Village Council, Willie Fevrier, hands the computer keyboard to the Principal Mr. Benedict Charles, while deputy principals Mrs. Nathalie Jude and Miss Adriana Henderson look on.

In the other photo, a student is making full use of the computer in the school’s computer lab.

Mr. Fevrier took the opportunity to address the school assembly on the issue of reckless behaviour during the carnival celebrations. He emphasized the need for everyone to be concerned about the image of the community and for all to enjoy carnival without having weapons in the band. He also advised students to keep away from drugs and alcohol and act responsibly at all times.

Carnival Opening, best in years

The Grand Bay Carnival opening parade took place on Saturday 10^th February starting at the Community Centre and marching down Lallay to the beat of Newtown, Sakis, West Side and Montin Lapo Cabwit. They were joined by Colihaut Ban Mauvay, Roseau Flag Wavers and the various contestants in the Princess,  Teenage and Queen shows to take place in Grand Bay during the week. To crown it all, the large contingent of Sensay shuffled their way through the crowd and created a real traditional spectacle, the real mas.

The various groups then went on to Ma Tutu’s Park where they were addressed by the Chairman of the Grand Bay Village Council, Willie Fevrier and Parliamentary Representative John Fabien. This was followed by each group presenting itself and showing what they had to offer to entertain the public.

The large crowd then followed the drums up Lallay to crown a beautiful evening.

Thanks to the organizers Zenith Jean Jacques (Zola), Mariana, Carlton, Ed and the Village Council. It is hoped that the rest of the carnival season will be just as successful.

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Narrisssa Browne is the Southern District Carnival Queen Representative

Nineteen year old Miss Narrissa Browne of Lallay, Grand Bay will represent the southern district in the national Carnival Queen competition in this year’s Real Mass 2007. Miss Browne is the daughter of Miranda Browne and the grand-daughter of Francisca Cuffy (Miss Assis). She is being sponsored by her employer HHV Whitchurch Co Ltd where she is an inventory clerk. Miss Browne is being assisted in her preparation by Marianna Grell, Carlton Henry and Adriana Henderson. She also has a team of Whitchurch employees including Miss Bruney who is working with her to ensure that she is well prepared for the competition.

The beauty has an interest in the environment and her talent will focus on the issue of global warming. She is a member of the Dominica Youth Environment Organization and the Duke of Edingburg Award Scheme. She intends to send a message to all Dominicans that we ought to appreciate our beautiful and pristine environment and ensure that we preserve it so that future generations will have an opportunity to enjoy it as well.

Narrissa says she also enjoys hiking, kayaking and singing. One of her favourite artistes is Michele Henderson.

The entire community of Grand Bay is giving its fullest support to the efforts of Miss Browne and wishes her success in this tough competition. Miss Browne was officially launched at the Old Fort Salon in Lallay on Sunday 14^th January, 2007 at 5pm with massive support from HHV Whitchurch & Co Ltd, demonstrating their value as a good corporate citizen, willing to give back to the community that has supported them over several decades.