The Government of Dominica has pledged a yearly subvention of 100,000 dollars to the annual Giraudel Eggleston Flower show as preparations have begun to reintroduce the event in October 2022.
This announcement followed a site visit led by Prime Minister Hon Roosevelt Skerrit and Parliamentary Representative for the Roseau South Constituency, Hon. Chekira Lockhart-Hypolite to get a first-hand view of the site’s progress on Thursday, April 21 2022.
The flower show which has been an annual event anticipated by patrons across Dominica, was last held in 2016.
Prime Minister Skerrit commended the organizing committee for what he described as their hard work which has kept this flower show ongoing for decades.
“The flower garden here and the flower show really are testimonies to the tremendous work that so many of you have put in for so many decades, and bringing tourist here and bringing in the foreign exchange into Giraudel and Eggleston. This is something we need to find a way of sustaining. And so we would like to partner with you in a more structured way to realizing those things,” Hon. Skerrit stated.
The Prime Minister then announced that Government will give a subvention to the committee to maintain the flower garden.
“What I will do in the upcoming budget to help you to advance this programme is to give you a subvention. We will give you a yearly subvention of a hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) so that you will be able to do the basic things that you need to do. And we will join forces with the NEP as well to help you with the labour. So let us advance it. It is not easy to maintain two acres plus of plants because planting is one percent but maintaining is ninety-nine percent,” Prime Minister noted.
Prime Minister Skerrit also pledged $15,000 to the organizing committee for the purchase of seedlings and other necessary equipment.
The Prime Minister went on to say that this subvention will advance the experience which will in turn increase economic activity in the twin communities.
“You promote an experience. Not one where a tourist visits for one hour and leaves but one where they kind of get to be part of the community. And this will stimulate economic activity in the villages. And we can help with the financing of these cottages so that we can assist with the programme. And so the Ministry of Tourism along with the Parliamentary Representative will work with you on the designs of this. And my suggestion is that we should make it natural by using our stones and wood in Dominica,” he explained.
Minister for Tourism, International Transport and Maritime Initiatives, Hon. Denise Charles stated that the preparation work on the site was a joy to see as the committee moves to reestablish the Giraudel Flower Show.
“This project augers very well for tourism especially under our agro-tourism and cultural heritage pillars. We have relaunched the destination under various pillars and agro-tourism is one of the key pillars that we are trying to develop. So horticulture is one area of focus in the ministry of Tourism so we were very elated to support Hon. Chekira Lockhart-Hypolite in this initiative,” Hon. Charles stated.
The Minister urged citizens from around Dominica to visit the enchanted garden and patronize the establishment so that the committee is able to maintain the site for years to come.
“I want to encourage all Dominicans to come to the show in November; but they will be open every weekend so you can come and buy flowers that will help them raise much needed revenue that they can use for the further development and maintenance of the site. This is a very important aspect in our tourism sector and I am excited that we can finally have the flower show on schedule this year,” Hon. Charles added.
Member of Parliament for the Roseau South Constituency, Hon. Chekira Lockhart-Hypolite stated that much work has been done since visiting the site a year ago.
“The site looks very beautiful, very different. It is an area where you can relax, where you can rejuvenate, and just come to have a nice refreshing time. We had a preview of the enchanted garden and I must say many people are interested in the Giraudel Eggleston Flower Show. We have been getting a lot of support from residents and even from citizens outside of the twin communities,” Hon. Lockhart Hypolite explained.
She listed some of the events that will be held leading up to the show, adding that a comprehensive programme is in the works for the event.
“On May 27 we will be having the launch of the Giraudel Flower Show which will take place at the Giraudel Primary School; on the 28th a market fair will take place showcasing local products of the people of Giraudel and Eggleston and on the 29th we will have a tea party where a live band will be playing at the flower show site. Expectations are very high and we intend to have a very comprehensive programme for our flower show. It is a holistic activity because we are putting together our community tourism and so we intend to do a lot of training in terms of tour guiding, the propagation sites and also training in terms of the maintenance of the site,” the Roseau South MP added.