Roseau, Dominica – September 24, 2009……… Hundreds of persons from Fond St. Jean and the neighbouring communities of Bagatelle, Petite Savanne, and beyond converged in the small community of Fond St. Jean on Friday afternoon for the commissioning of the $2.34 million Fond St. Jean Sea Defence Wall and Roadworks project.
Addresses came from Acting Prime Minister, Hon. Reginald Austrie, Minister for Public Works and Infrastructural Development, Hon. Rayburn Blackmoore and Parliamentary Representative for the Petite Savanne constituency, Hon. Urban Baron. His Excellency, the President of Dominica, Dr. Nicholas J. O Liverpool and Mrs. Liverpool were also in attendance.
The atmosphere at the commissioning was of a celebratory nature. By the time Hon. Urban Baron, who is also the Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Public Works and Infrastructural Development took to the podium just before 6pm, the crowd had increased to more than five hundred (500) persons. Hon. Baron thanked the Government and Prime Minister in particular, for acting “promptly and swiftly” to construct the Sea Wall.
The Sea Wall became an absolute necessity after Hurricane Dean of August, 2007 compromised the road leading to the village so badly that any further severe weather occurrences would have cut off the village of Fond St. Jean from the rest of Dominica.
The Fond St. Jean Sea Defence and Roadworks project comprised the rehabilitation of 250m of road and the construction of 220m of retaining wall. The double surface dressed carriageway is 6.5m wide with slipper drains on both sides and a 2.0m wide sidewalk on one side. The average height of the reinforced concrete Sea Defence wall is 4m.
Upon the conclusion of the formal ceremony, the dignitaries and the villagers assembled were treated to what Fond St. Jean is known for – fish, while music blasted for several hours on a sound system made available by the Hon. Urban Baron.
