​CEO of the Dominica Air & Sea Port Authority Benoit Bardouille is of the view that a more proactive approach is needed to resolve the challenges affecting Dominica's Tourism Industry.
 
Bardouille says stakeholders should not await the reports from cruise officials before implementing new approaches.
 
He commended the Tourism Minister for his part in seeking to address some of the challenges.

​Meantime, Bardouille is optimistic that the number of cruise passengers coming to Dominica will increase by 145,000 during the 2017/2018 Cruise Ship Season.

​CEO of the Dominica Air & Sea Port Authority Benoit Bardouille

​The Dominica Festival of Arts (DOMFESTA) kicks off next week with an Opening ceremony at the Old Mill Cultural Centre on May 3 during which the second edition of a magazine on Kalinago Heritage will be released. Kalinago Heritage Vol. 2 covers various aspects of Kalinago Heritage including architecture, language, cuisine, carnival and education.
 
DOMFESTA comprises of events organized by various cultural associations and institutions as well as those organized by the Cultural Division and the National Cultural Council. This year, the festival showcases a plethora of events such as a Jazz and Open Mic session, a poetry evening, a play by New Dimension Theatre, and much more.
 
According to a release, the festival will also feature the African element of the Dominica’s Cultural Heritage highlighted during Africa Week as well as an international dimension with an International Fiesta. The international dimension to DOMFESTA is aimed at exposing the Dominican population to the cultures of other countries and particularly that of countries with a significant presence in Dominica.
 
DOMFESTA is an annual festival hosted by the Cultural Division and the National Cultural Council and is held in May with a focus on the contemporary arts.

​Economist Dr. Thompson Fontaine says he is humbled by the outpouring of support from the Dominican public after being awarded a top position of Senior Economic and Financial Policy Advisor to the Government of South Sudan.
 
Speaking on Q95's ‘Talk on the Block’ yesterday Thursday, Dr. Fontaine said the process to selection for the post, was not an easy one.
 
He says his role includes providing economic policy advice to the Government, and assisting them in moving forward, following the 2013-2015 Civil war, which displaced 2.2Million people, and threatened the success of one of the world's newest countries.

​While the vast majority Dominicans at home and abroad have congratulated Dr Thomson Fontaine, on his new post as Senior Economic and Financial Policy Advisor to the Government of South Sudan, the DLP Government's legal advisor, Attorney Anthony Astaphan is one who says he will not wish Dr Fontaine well.
 
Astaphan stated on a local radio program on Thursday morning, "I don't wish him well, I want to condemn him, for not being able to show that he has a grain of character and moral principles in his backbone".
 
Astaphan said having accepted this job with what he described as "a criminal enterprise Government" in South Sudan, shows that Dr Fontaine has no moral fibre.

​Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit says too many landlords are taking advantage of renters in Dominica.
 
Speaking at a handing over ceremony on Wednesday, Skerrit said, “I am sending a message to those of you who are renting homes for people in Dominica, that we will be addressing this issue, because there are too many landlords who are taking advantage of poor unsuspecting citizens”.
 
He says too many have reported to him of poor living conditions in rented apartments, while landlords do nothing to address these issues.

​Media Coordinator for Mayfest 2017, Alvin Alexander, is inviting everyone to attend the Reunion Mayfest Expo, which will be on until Sunday 1st May 2017.
 
Alexander says the events leading up to Mayfest have so far been successful. From 5pm today, the Marigot Development Committee will be hosting the Master Chef Competition and the traditional games night, at the Wills Strathmore Stevens School.

​The London- based Privy Council has ordered court costs of over£45,000 to chartered Accountant Kieron Pinard-Byrne, to be paid by Opposition Leader Lennox Linton, in a defamation court matter.
 
This assessment dated 27 April 2017 and signed by the Privy Council’s Registrar, became necessary because Mr Linton disagreed with the bill of cost Pinard-Byrne submitted to him, to the tune of£93,000.
 
According to Linton, of the court costs of £45,992.19 as assessed by the Privy Council, £20,000 was already paid as of February 2016.

​The defamation suit was filed against Mr Linton in 2002, after he called into a radio programme and made certain comments allegedly accusing Mr Pinard-Byrne of criminality, dishonesty and unprofessional conduct, in regards to the Layou River Hotel project.
 
In January 2016, Linton was ordered to pay Pinard-Byrne $79,324.86 for defamation by the High Court in Dominica.
 
The Privy Council in March of that year also ordered Linton to pay £20,000 in court costs before the Judicial Committee.

​Sixty (60) apartments in Bath Estate and Elmshall were officially handed over Wednesday by the Ministry of Housing, Lands & Water Resource Management.
 
The Bath Estate Housing project which was funded by the Dominica government through a soft loan from China commenced in 2014 with a view to providing a low cost, comfortable accommodation for low income families.
 
It comprises of 2 & 3 bedroom apartments, 36 in Elmshall and 24 in Bath Estate. The apartment complexes were constructed by Chinese firm Shanghai construction company. The ceremony took place at the Bath Estate Apartments Compound.
 
Meanwhile, Government has announced plans to construct sixty apartments in the City of Roseau.
 
Prime Minister Skerrit made the announcement at the official handing over of 60 apartments at Bath Estate and Elmshall on Wednesday. The apartments are expected to be completed by August 2018.

​Over $5,000 has been donated to the Association of Parents advocating for the inclusion of Children with Disabilities in society. The association also received educational toys and clothing valued at over $1,000.
 
The donation was handed over to the association at their centre in Chance Portsmouth Tuesday and was made by a Canadian businessman. Vice President of the Association Emile Lancelot Sr. Said that the donor also met the cost of 25 meals.

​The association was recipient of another donation the same day.

​Vice President of the Association of Parents advocating for the inclusion of Children with Disabilities in society Emile Lancelot Sr.

​Opposition Leader Lennox Linton is extending his congratulations to colleague UWP Senator Dr. Thomson Fontaine, who has been appointed as Senior Economic and International Policy Adviser, to the Government of South Sudan in Africa.
 
In his new position, Fontaine will be assisting in the organization of resources of the state, and establishing an Economic and Financial Management Policy for the country, which engages key stakeholders including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, and the African Development Bank (ADB).
 
Linton expressed his confidence in the senator’s ability to aid the world’s newest nation, while lamenting that the Dominican Government did not seek Fontaine’s advice to help build the country’s economy, although his services were available free of charge.

​Meanwhile, Linton views UWP Senator Dr. Thompson Fontaine’s new appointment in South Sudan as a lesson to Dominicans.
 
He says Fontaine’s employment signals Dominica is capable of much more, and the UWP is seeking to double its efforts to ensure a change in the country.
 
Linton went on to say that the DLP Government has disgraced the country, with mismanagement of its affairs, while showing extreme disrespect to those who are able to restore it to higher heights.