​MP for the Roseau North Constituency Daniel Lugay has expressed grave disappointment, in the distribution s of the Government of Dominica, post Hurricane Maria.
 
Lugay says recently, he was forced to publicly announce his request to family members, for relief supplies, because he along with the majority of his constituency have not been receiving relief items in a timely manner.

​President of the Builders and Contractors Association of Dominica (BCAD) Anthony Leblanc is calling for transparent, public procurement practices, when offers for construction projects are ‘up for grabs in Dominica.’
 
The BCAD president is warning against the unjust practice of the Ministry of Works and Ports, awarding contracts to construction firms which are foreign based, without the opportunity of open tender among local construction firms and personnel.

​Dominica Freedom Party Leader and Economist Kent Vital is calling on the Government of Dominica to develop proper practices of managing Dominica’s economy, which promotes good governance.
 
Vital says for the past 17 years the government has illustrated to business professionals and Dominicans, a lack in the ability to implement policies and projects which economically benefit a large portion of the population.

​Meanwhile, Vital is urging Government to cease in making announcements or promises that it is unable to implement.
Vital says many Dominicans, inclusive of the business sector are annoyed and frustrated by the failed announcement given by the Dominica’s Government. The DFP Leader has lost confidence in the Government due to its inability to implement opportunities and infrastructure which benefit majority of the populace. 

DFP Leader Kent Vital, Vital spoke to Q95FM in an exclusive interview recently.

Executive Director of the Dominica Employers Federation (DEF) Achille Joseph is calling on Government to create a committee, which meets frequently, to look at policy and administrative reform, which is critical to the development of the business sector, and civil society.
 
Joseph expressed appreciation from foreign partners who have pledged to meet with members of the Dominica Business Forum, to engage in discussion relevant to restoration works.

CEO of the Dominica Air & Sea Ports Authority Benoit Bardouille says the damage to the Port infrastructure amounts to EC$51Million. Bardouille was speaking at a press briefing this week.
 
He says that the port authority is working in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism to have the Cruise Ship Berth ready for the upcoming season.

Mr Bardouille says that the Pier at the Woodbridge Bay Port did not suffer any damage because the government had invested US$12.5M recently on repairs.

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

​Dion Matthew of Portsmouth will be among six FLOW customers to win $1000 in the Christmas Season. She is the first lucky winner of One Thousand dollars cash from Flow this Christmas. Customers qualify to win by activating a 7-day and over prepaid combo plan which comes with the bonus gift of double data.
 
The Flow Christmas campaign features the very popular ZTE Blade at an attractive price of $199 including a free 7-day combo plan with 300 anywhere local minutes, 500 MB data and 300 texts for prepaid subscribers.  New post-paid subscribers will get the handset free upon signup of our attractive post-paid combo plans and a chance to win the one-thousand-dollar weekly prize.
 
Dion Matthew was elated to win the one-thousand-dollar cash prize, describing it as an ‘answered prayer’. She also commended Flow for its heroic efforts at restoring mobile service to the town of Portsmouth and other parts of Dominica.
 
Five more customers have a chance to win the one-thousand-dollar cash prize over the next few weeks. The second winner will be presented on Friday at the Flow store in Roseau.

​DAIC PRO Kenny Green has commended the level of resilience shown by Dominicans post hurricane Maria. However, Green is calling on stakeholders, inclusive of the Government, to refrain from ‘piggy backing’ on the resilience of Dominicans, as an excuse for slow recovery.

​Green spoke at a recent high level DBF conference in Roseau

Public Relations Officer of the Dominica Police Force Inspector Pelham Jno Baptiste says that investigations are ongoing  into the death of Kurt Matthew
Matthew who was the chief technician the Dominica Broadcasting Station was involved in a vehicular accident which led to his death on November 26th 2017.

Public Relations Officer of the Dominica Police Force Inspector Pelham Jno Baptiste

​Dominica will join the rest of the world in its observance of World AIDS Day on December 1st, 2017, under the theme “My Health, My Right”.
 
This United Nations program theme focuses on the right to health, and explores the challenges people around the world face in exercising their rights. The campaign reminds people that the right to health is much more than access to quality health services and medicines, that it also depends on a range of important assurances including, adequate sanitation and housing, healthy working conditions, a clean environment and access to justice.
 
Meanwhile, Dominica’s Ministry of Health and Environment ‘s National HIV and AIDS Response Programme, in collaboration with the Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV/AIDS – (PANCAP) is partnering with the Dominica Planned Parenthood Association, Jolly’s Pharmacy, Caribbean HIV and AIDS Partnership (CHAP), National Youth Council (NYC), Youth Arm Movement (YAM), and FOUCHE – (a support group for persons leaving and affected by HIV). in the world AIDS Day campaign, which was launched in Dominica on November 16, 2017.
 
Lester Guye, Acting National Coordinator of The National HIV and AIDS Response Programme said “A primary focus is the right to health at all levels and to explore challenges people face such as the current situation in Dominica. It is imperative that we remain on that path, as we seek to meet the needs of our public, after the devastation by Hurricane Maria.”
 
The hurricane interrupted the health structural system and destroyed many testing sites across the Island. Despite the setback, the Unit will observe World AIDS Day on December 1st. The Counsellor and Psychotherapist noted that in post-trauma, peoples’ coping mechanisms are most times unhealthy, and affect their behaviour.
In addition, because of severe loss of employment, transactional sex may have increased. Therefore, the Unit considers the resumption of testing to be of paramount importance.
 
Activities for World AIDS Day will include:
 
1. HIV Rapid testing at sites that are functional
2. Providing Behavioral Change Education (BCE) as it relates to sexual health to encourage healthy coping
3. Media programmes
4. Demonstration of the correct use of condoms
5. Educational sessions on HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections
6. Sensitization on the prevention of gender-based violence
 
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination, and zero AIDS-related deaths.

​The Authorities have announced that the Roseau Market which was damaged by hurricane Maria on September 18, 2017, will be reopen on December 1, 2017.
 
The Roseau Market Authority is also warning that the sale of marketable items on the streets of Roseau, which increased since Maria, is against the law, since no license has been issued for such transactions.
 
A statement by the authority on Tuesday stated, “The Roseau Market Authority has not granted license to any Vendors to vend on the streets of Roseau, since vending of agricultural produce on the streets is in violation of the laws of the Commonwealth of Dominica. Post Hurricane Maria, there has been an escalation of vending of marketable commodities on the streets in the city, and this type of activity is in direct violation of the Roseau Market Act.”
 
Anyone who disobeys this law “is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $75 and in default of payment thereof to imprisonment for fourteen days and to a further fine of $15 for every occasion on which such sales take place.” Even those who purchase commodities face a fine of $30 or in default of payment, a prison sentence of seven days.
 
The Market Authority said the Roseau Market has been cleaned and is ready for business. The statement said “The Market Authority and other stakeholders have since conducted the cleaning and sanitization of the entire Market compound to get the Market ready for the return of Market Vendors. The Roseau Market will be opened to Vendors and the public on Friday, December 1, 2017. The Roseau Market Authority looks forward to the kind co-operation of all Vendors and the public, as we seek to return all Vendors to the Roseau Market.”