ROSEAU – There is a pep in the step of Dominicans today.
Tomorrow, they hope to turn that step into a dance.
But the residents of the Nature Isle will continue to look to the heavens, not just to pray to the Almighty, but also to keep a keen eye on the weather.
After all, they don’t want Tropical Storm Jerry to rain on their parade. Not as they continue to rebuild their major city.
Thousands of Dominicans and specially invited guests are expected to flock to the Windsor Park Cricket Stadium tomorrow, where the government of Dominica will stage a special event of Hope And Celebration, as the island continues it’s comeback from the devastation brought about on September 18, 2017, when Hurricane Maria virtually destroyed the capital Roseau, and left most of the island crippled for months.
Roseanne Thorne, a cosmetic oils vendor plying her trade on Marlboro Street, said Dominicans were proud people, and worked extremely hard over the past two years to help rebuild the capital.
“Everyone played their part. And now the place is busy. I love to see Dominicans on the street smiling and working. It took a while, but we are getting there,” she told NATION ONLINE.
There was a buzz of excitement today, as the Nature Islanders prepared for tomorrow’s event, which will be highlighted by performances by local and international gospel artistes, as well Barbadian Edwin Yearwood.
Some of those artistes were expected to do rehearsals later tonight, but producer of the show, Barbadian Dorcy Boyce, got in his first soundcheck yesterday, even as workers continued to effect repairs at the cricket ground, which was also seriously damaged when Maria swept across the island two years ago.
In downtown Roseau, new construction is the order of the day, with numerous workmen and tradesmen dealing with scorching temperatures while atop buildings from the coastline, and further inland of the city.
Dominicans continued to look to the sky or to their mobile phones most of today too, even though the Barbados Meteorological Services indicated that Tropical Storm Jerry, packing winds of about 40 miles per hour, would not pose much of a threat as it traversed the Atlantic Sea heading a little north of the Leeward Islands.
They aren’t about to take any chances.
Not after being flooded out by Tropical Storm Erica in 2015, and blasted by Hurricane Maria two years ago to the day. (BA)
