Dominica cruise accident victims recovering

Victims of the accident that took place in Dominica almost one week ago continue to recover from their injuries.

Of the sixteen tourists, fourteen were airlifted a day after the accident by two chartered aircraft to Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital. Two left the same day of the accident with the cruise ship. The driver of the truck, Gerard James remained in Dominica and has since been released from hospital.

Spokesperson for the Miami hospital Lorraine Nelson says that five of the 14 passengers that were brought to the facility have now been discharged. Two remain in critical condition. Of the others, one is in serious condition, four are good, and two are fair.

Police charge three in death of Dominican youth

Police in Antigua have arrested and charged three Antiguan youths in the murder of Dominican Steve Mingo.

The three; Antonio Smith and Trevor Boston, both 20 and a 15-year-old made their first appearance before a local magistrate in Antigua on Friday. They stood silently as the charges of murder and conspiracy to murder were read by the magistrate. They were advised that they do not have to enter a plea to the indictable charges at this stage, and the proceedings were adjourned.

Police say that the men shot Mingo in his bed after he had earlier reported them to police for breaking into his home and stealing his personal belongings. After he was shot several times, Mingo managed to get up and run outside of his house, where he died in the middle of the road.

Injured visitors to Dominica airlifted to Miami

Eleven of the sixteen most seriously injured tourists involved in a road accident on Monday February 24, were airlifted to hospital in Miami on Tuesday after treatment at the main hospital in Roseau, the Princess Margaret Hospital. The visitors arrived on a visiting cruise liner, the Celebrity Summit.

The visitors were taking part in a Caribbean Cooking Adventure shore excursion, in which they joined local cooking experts to learn how to prepare traditional local Creole dishes.

Following their cooking classes, the visitors then embarked on a scenic tour of the island, taking them to the Emerald pool, the Trafalgar falls and other destinations. They were approaching the end of the tour when the driver of the truck they were driving in suddenly lost control and the truck careened into a wall dislodging most of the passengers in the process. They sustained injuries including broken bones, bumps, bruises and lacerations.

Ambulances and private vehicles worked their way through thousands of revelers to get the victims to the Island’s main hospital about twenty minutes from the scene of the accident.

Dominican youth murdered in Antigua

A Dominican youth, Steve Mingo was murdered in Antigua over the weekend. According to police reports out of that country, Mingo was shot four times before collapsing and dying on the road.

The home of the 25-year-old had earlier been burglarized and jewelry and clothing items stolen. Mingo is believed to have seen another youth wearing his clothing and reported it to the police.

The same day of the report, he was confronted by two youths and shot at point blank range. Police later picked up the two men for questioning. The men, brothers, one aged 22-years-old and the other in his teens, remain in police custody assisting with the investigations into the incident.

Family members describe Mingo as very friendly and quiet and a young man who generally kept to himself. Mingo is just one of thousands of Dominicans who have migrated to Antigua in search of better job opportunities.
This is the fifth murder in Antigua for 2009.

Sixteen tourists injured in truck accident

A truck carrying 16 tourists have overturned in Giraudel. Police are reporting that at least two are in critical condition and all 16 were transported to the Princess Margaret Hospital.

Early reports indicate that the driver lost control while negotiating a hill on his way to Roseau. Witnesses say that the truck driver hit into a wall surrounding the home of Francis Sevarin before it flipped.

Police were quickly on the scene and ambulances and private vehicles took the injured Hospital.

Karessa is the 2009 Calypso Monarch

Gregory “Karessah” Riviere is the 2009 Calypso Monarch winning the competition from a strong field of ten finalists. The Pastor Rod proved to be the winning song for the night. First runner up was Observer followed by Tarina and Scrunter.
Thousands of Dominicans were treated to a wonderful show at the Pottersville savanah.
The calypso finals is the last major competition leading up to the street jump up on Monday and Tuesday.

Baltimore man sentenced in illegal drug importation

A 45-year-old Baltimore man was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison yesterday for conspiracy to import cocaine and heroin into the United States from Barbados, Dominica and elsewhere, according to the Maryland U.S. attorney's office.

In his plea agreement, Derrick "Prince" Gilliard admitted arranging the importation of more than 150 kilograms of cocaine or heroin, though he was convicted of importing much smaller amounts.

According to the government's sentencing memorandum, which calls Gilliard a "seasoned drug smuggler and businessman," he recruited couriers, typically young women, to take large amounts of money out of the country and return with kilograms of drugs, which were distributed in Baltimore and New York City.

The couriers made at least 200 trips to the islands from 2001 through February, importing at least 600 kilograms of cocaine and heroin into the United States; they were paid between $8,000 and $12,000 per trip.

A 45-year-old Baltimore man was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison yesterday for conspiracy to import cocaine and heroin into the United States from Barbados, Dominica and elsewhere. Derrick "Prince" Gilliard admitted arranging the importation of more than 150 kilograms of cocaine or heroin, using young women who made more than 200 trips from the islands.

Kayan Toussaint is 2009 Miss Dominica

Miss Dominica 2009 is Kayan Toussaint of Pointe Michel. She won from a field of seven beautiful ladies. She also won awards for Best in Swimwear and Best in Evening Gown. An ecstatic Miss Dominica told the adoring crowd that “she prayed through each round, held her breath, and hoped for the best.”

She also said that she will use her role as queen to fight child abuse in Pointe Michel. Placing second was Amye James of Grand Bay and in third place was Attainea Toulon of Roseau.
Miss Photogenic and Miss Amity was awarded to Wendy Glenville; Best Carnival Costume and Best in Carnival Costume went to Kayla Benjamin and Amye James was awarded with Best Evening Gown and Best Question Response.

Photo of Bruised and Battered Rihanna Released

Los Angeles police have launched an internal investigation to determine who leaked a picture that appears to show a bruised and battered Rihanna.
The close-up photo -- showing a woman with contusions on her forehead and below her eyes, and cuts on her lip -- was published on the entertainment Web site TMZ Thursday. TMZ said it was a photo of Rihanna.
Twenty-one-year-old Rihanna was allegedly attacked by her boyfriend, singer Chris Brown, on a Los Angeles street before the two were to perform at the Grammys on February 8.
"The unauthorized release of a domestic violence photograph immediately generated an internal investigation," an L.A. police spokesman said in a statement. "The Los Angeles Police Department takes seriously its duty to maintain the confidentiality of victims of domestic violence. A violation of this type is considered serious misconduct, with penalties up to and including termination."
A spokeswoman for Rihanna declined to comment.

MV Vision of the Seas makes second call to Dominica

The MV Visions of the Seas of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line recently made its second call to Dominica. The ship made its inaugural call to Dominica on January 28, 2009 together with the MV Eurodam.

This is the second of six calls the ship will make to Dominica during the 2008/2009 cruise season.

At its most recent call, and during a brief ceremony held aboard with government officials, tourism stakeholders and representative from Discover Dominica Authority and the Dominica Air and Sea Ports Authority, Anders Ingebrigtsen, the ship’s captain referred to Dominica as ‘an island of plenty nature’ when he addressed the gathering.Continue

A Call to End the Death Penalty in Dominica

In the recent past, Dominica has seen an alarming acceleration in the murder rate. During 2008, eight murders were reported up from 3 in 2007, and so far in 2009, 3 Dominicans have been brutally murdered.

In 2008, 23 people were murdered in St. Kitts (Population 46 000); 45 persons were murdered in St. Lucia and over a thousand each in Trinidad and Jamaica. While the number of people murdered in Dominica are small compared to the rest of the region, the trend is no less alarming.Continue

We Need A Unity Government Now

Concerned Dominicans and Friends:
Whether we have agreed with him in the past or not, we must all commend Lennox Linton for exposing the unsavory allegations now before a court in Tortola. Some of us had heard of these things and could not believe it true.

The events in the summer 2008 and the government's geothermal license sell out of the national interest which Adenauer "Washway" Douglas and myself condemned, brought us in for criticism from some we considered friends and "comrades." Continue