United Workers Party (UWP) candidate for the upcoming Roseau North by-election, Danny Lugay, says unemployment remains one of the country’s most pressing challenges and has pledged to transform the former Public Works site into a major tourism and commercial hub aimed at creating jobs and boosting economic activity.
Addressing a UWP public meeting on Friday night, Lugay argued that a lack of employment opportunities is forcing many young Dominicans to seek work overseas.
“One of the major issues for us now is unemployment. That is why most of our young men are running away to countries where they get killed, when we should be having serious employment in our country,” he said.
Lugay said his proposal, which he described as complementing the economic plans of UWP political leader Dr. Thompson Fontaine, centres on reclaiming the old Public Works property in Roseau for a mixed-use tourism development.
According to him, the project would feature a modern tourist reception centre, a vendors’ arcade, restaurants, hair-braiding, manicure and pedicure, massage and beauty salons, artists’ studios and spaces for local artisans.
He said the development would provide new opportunities for entrepreneurs while creating employment for residents of Roseau North and surrounding communities.
“We’re going to reclaim the old Public Works area, and that site will be for major development, which will create jobs for our young people,” Lugay declared.
The former Roseau North parliamentary representative said the complex would also include a bus terminal where visitors could begin and end organised island tours before returning to shop, dine and enjoy local entertainment.
Lugay envisioned the facility as a cultural attraction, with live performances by local musicians and twice-weekly festival nights designed to bring residents and visitors together.
“Those of us who have been to St. Lucia would know about Gros Islet, so we would have that ambience right there on the old Public Works site,” he said, adding that Wednesday and Friday evenings would feature entertainment showcasing Dominican music and cuisine.
He said local architects would be engaged to design a welcoming and environmentally friendly space where visitors could enjoy music, conversation and authentic Dominican experiences.
Lugay also said the development would help ensure that more of the money spent by visitors remains within the local economy.
“What we want for Roseau North is to ensure that every tourism dollar that enters Dominica, we get 50 per cent of that dollar,” he said.
The proposal revives a long-standing position Lugay has maintained regarding the future of the former Public Works property. During his previous tenure as parliamentary representative, he strongly opposed government plans to facilitate the construction of a five-star hotel on the site, arguing instead that the approximately two-acre state-owned property should remain in public hands and be developed for the benefit of all Dominicans rather than a private investor.
In 2022, Lugay formally objected to the proposed hotel development in a letter to then Chief Physical Planner Naomi Dorival, contending that the site was designated for light industrial and warehousing use under the Potterville Housing Scheme Local Area Plan and that a hotel would be incompatible with the area’s zoning. He also argued that the property, given its strategic location near the country’s main commercial seaport, should be preserved for public purposes and future national development.
At the time, Lugay proposed that the property be redeveloped as a multi-purpose public facility incorporating youth skills training, commercial space for vendors, retail outlets and other community amenities. He also called for transparency surrounding any proposed sale of the property, insisting that if government decided to dispose of the land, it should be offered through a public tender process.
His objections received what he described as a “favourable response” from the Chief Physical Planner, who indicated that no planning approval had yet been granted for the proposed hotel and acknowledged the concerns raised in his submission.
The Roseau North by-election is constitutionally due by September following the resignation of former parliamentary representative Miriam Blanchard, which created a vacancy in the constituency’s parliamentary seat. Although the Electoral Office has not yet announced an election date, the two confirmed candidates—United Workers Party (UWP) candidate Danny Lugay and Dominica Labour Party (DLP) candidate Ashma McDougall—have been campaigning in earnest as they seek to build support among voters in the constituency.
