Call me Mr. President

Well today is my first official day as President of the National Youth Council of Dominica. Already made one press statement which aired on DBS. All around town person's are congratulating me but also asking what role i had in the resignation of the former President. His resignation came as a shock to all of us and we all had similar reactions of disbelief but his reluctance to give the Council a suitable explanation for his actions have really left us looking like the "bad" guys.

We were only informed by email of his resignation in a very cold letter not even addressed to us. However life goes on. I will continue to serve the Youth of Dominica in my new capacity and hope i get the support of the rest of the general public as we strive to develop the youth of the country

Nest@

And the family just gets bigger

If someone told you that their family is getting bigger you would automatically think that they are having kids or someone in their family is having kids but with me it is just not the case, well actually a few of my cousins just had babies and even my sister is pregnant. But I’m actually talking bout the next side of my family, my father's side. Over the past year or so I’ve been crossing paths with his family: cousins, grandaunts, grand cousins. You see my father never really introduced me to his family on his father's side (my grandfather).

There is this funny story of how I met one of my cousin at a funeral. I was there looking through the crowd at this chocolate brown, fine and thick beauty and was telling another cousin (Bigjoe) that I was going to approach her at the happy hour. A curious aunt heard me and asked who i was talking about and when i pointed her out, she told me that it was my cousin. She introduced me right then and there, much to my reluctance cause in my mind she was just to fine to be my cousin or I really didn’t want her to know, i cant remember which one, lol.

Next story, my mother had a co-worker who was asking her about her kids and she mentioned that my name was Delroy ........ and that my father was Fitzroy .... and that i was from Blue Blue Country (Bath Estate) and her co-worker said that he had a cousin from Bath Estate with that exact same so i found another member of my family again. I met up with him and he took me around to meet his mother and some of my cousins who lived in Citronniere. But the twist is that once at Citronniere, i realized that one of my cousins was actually a schoolmate of mine and we had even played football against each other a few times.

Now that brings me to a few weeks ago, when a grandaunt of mine introduced me to her daughter and then today, i met another grandaunt, who again introduced me to her daughter, i don’t know why my cousins have to look so good, the cute gene didn’t land in my pool, well in comparison to them, lol.

But now, I’m even more excited to find out who my family is, I am on my way to Newtown where I will pass by a cousin of mine to meet her for the first time, i have heard about her but never really ventured because I always figured that if they wanted to know who I was, then they would have found me. Well today i found out that most of them don’t even know about me, so my family continues to grow, although I don’t really feel a part of the family as yet but I guess that will all come with time. The excitement and adventure continues...

On the way to Ravine Cyrique

If anyone had told me i would have been doing that on Saturday morning, i would have probably told them they would be lying since i spent most of the Saturdays in bed till around 12 but here i was in Riviere Cyrique climbing down this cliff, well actually at times i was crawling down. Me and a few friends from NAYA were making our way to the Ravine Cyrique, this waterfall right on the beach, I've seen pics of it, I have heard people talk about it but they all seemed to forget or conveniently decided not to mention how difficult it is to get to it.

I felt like i was training to be in the Army or something, rock climbing, holding on to tree roots, climbing down cliffs holding ropes (with no harness too). I could describe it as best as i can and nothing would allow you to picture me doing that with knees knocking, sweating while at the same time playing confident so that my friends (the female ones) would not get scared. There were a few screams, even more tears (not from me) but in the end we all made it safely. It was worth every trembling minute, every thought of turning back.

I think i can speak for everyone when i say that it was a memorable experience, one that i will tell my grandchildren about, one that i hope to do again too, i had a good weekend in the southeast, as usual, whenever NAYA goes there for its annual membership camp. I never knew the southeast had so many tourist attractions for it has been four years now since NAYA has been camping there and everytime we go to different sites and they never stop amazing me, life in Newfoundland down to Delices must be on never ending adventure. I dont think nowhere else in DA can compare and I'm a good person to judge to, i've been all over.

Nesta

Turtle eggs anyone?

imagine a bright night on the south east coast of Dominica staring out at the sea. Taking in the sights and sounds, the breeze of the Atlantic ocean. Then all of a sudden there is this excitement all around. The beach monitor scampers along the beach telling each and everyone of the presence of this ancient but still present creature. It's making it way on to the beach, crawling to find the perfect spot.

Yes people, a greenback turtle made its presence known at Rosalie Beach and i was there to behold it, first digging a hole with continuous action then laying its eggs with no care for who is viewing the activity. Such an event that the turtle even allows humans to participate in the activity for there was I with turtle eggs in hand, collecting them to take them to a protected hatchery.

I wasnt alone though, 17 of my NAYA friends was also part of the activity and that was just friday night.

What's in my cd player at the moment

Havent been listening to much music lately but every now and then i sit down, relax, play a tune. sometimes i just sit back and listen, other times it gets me motivated to do some work. I feed of the music i listen to alot and if you are near you can probably tell the kind of mood i am in from the music i listen too. off course, my musical library aint that big, mainly rap, reggae and dancehall, sometimes a lil gospel particularly sundays.

right now though, its between three artists that i listen to: there's dwayne stephenson, Damian "Welcome to Jamrock" Marley and off course, the Best rapper Alive, T.I.

T.I. songs have always been banging on my laptop but one of his latest release has really captured my attention. It's called No Matter What and here are the words to the song:

yeah. yeah. yeah. aye.
yo. yo. yo. yo. yo. yo. yo.
I say still I stand
and shawty here I am

neva have ya seen in ya lifetime
a more devine southern rapper wit a swag like mine
facin all kind of time
but smile like im fine
brag with such passion and shine without trying
believe me pain's a small thing to a giant
I was born without a dime
out tha gutta I climbed
spoke my mind and didnt stutter one time
Ali say even the greatest gotta suffer some time
so i huff and puff rhymes
lyrics so sick wit it
set the standard in atlanta
how to get get get it
so you up imcoming rappers wanna dis just kill it
I'm officially the realest
point blank period
whether i still live in the hood or juss visit
whateva you can do in the hood i done did it
thats why the dope boys and the misfits feel it
this still his city as long as tip living...(listen)

(Chorus)
i aint dead (naw)
i aint done (naw)
i aint scared (of what!)
i aint run (from who!)
but still i stand (yeah)
no matterr what people here i am... (Yeah)
no matter what remember
I aint break (neva)
I aint fold (neva)
They hate me mo’ (so!)
Yeah I know… (haha)
Here I go (yeah)
No matter what shawty here I go (haha)
No matter what shawty

you let the blog sites and the magazines tell it
im sho to be in jail till 2027
rather see me in a cell in
stead of this new McLaren
god'll take you through hell just to get you to heaven
so even know its heavy the load i will carry
grin and still bear it
win and still share it
apologies to the fans i hope you can understand it
life can change ya directions
even when you aint planned it
all you can do is handle it
the worst thing you could do is panic
use it to your advantage
avoid insanity manage to conquer
every obstacle
make impossible possible
even when winnings illogical
losing's still far from optional
yeah they wanna see you shot up in the hospital
but one life throw punches, block ya counter like a boxer do
been locked inside mi casa too long
I did a song to make it known that the king lives on
(pimpin)

(Chrous)
i aint dead (naw)
i aint done (naw)
i aint scared (of what!)
i aint run (from who!)
but still i stand (yeah)
no matterr what people here i am... (Yeah)
no matter what remember I aint break (neva)
I aint fold (neva)
They hate me mo’ (so!)
Yeah I know… (haha)
Here I go (yeah)
No matter what shawty here I go (haha)
No matter what shawty

Even in sollitude
theres still no hotter dude
I show you how to do
What you do
You aint got a clue
All you do is follow dudes
Sound like a lot of dudes
I weather whateva storm
Make it out without a bruise
I understand why
Now wit my hands tied
Dey take shots cause if im out there it’s a land slide
But revenge is best served as a cold dish
and suckas will get served you better know this
guess it was understood for me it was over with
but I don’t quit if ya aint notice yet
they couldn’t wait to say good night shawty
so they can try to rhyme act and look like shawty
go get a beat from Toomp? and make a hook like shawty
before ya know it im back what it look like shawty
I lost my partna and my daughter in the same year
Somehow I rise above my problems and remain here
Yeah and I hope the picture painted clear
If ya heart filled with faith then ya cant fear
Wonder how I face years and im still chillen
Easy,let go and let god deal wit it

(Chorus)
i aint dead (naw)
i aint done (naw)
i aint scared (of what!)
i aint run (from who!)
but still i stand (yeah)
no matter what people here i am... (Yeah)
no matter what remember
I aint break (neva)
I aint fold (neva)
They hate me mo’ (so!)
Yeah I know… (haha)
Here I go (yeah)
No matter what shawty here I go (hah)
No matter what shawty

...close...

Youth Festival Poster

I wonder

Below is a poem my ex-girlfren once gave to me, it was just when we were trying out a long distance relationship, off course it didnt last, i'm living/leaving single now, depends on the way you look at it, lol. Im not sure if the poem was written by her, i dont think i asked or she didnt tell me either, I was just going through some files on my pc and i found it there so decided to post it, off course it got me thinking about her and wondering if she's thinking about me too. I wonder what nesta (she took my middle name as hers) is doing right now.

To deli , I am thinking of you always

Even when we are apart
And distance feels so far
We are still together, Love
For I am where you are

You can feel me near
In the evening breeze
I am right there with you
In the wind through the trees

Or in the clouds above
High up in the skies
Look real close, my Love
You will see me through your eyes

And when you feel a flutter
Deep within your heart
Remember, it is me right there
For of you, I am a part

NATIONAL YOUTH FESTIVAL GOES TO ST. JOE

THE NATIONAL YOUTH COUNCIL OF DOMINICA PRESENTS THE FIRST ANNUAL NATIONAL YOUTH FESTIVAL TO TAKE PLACE IN THE COMMUNITY OF ST. JOSEPH FEATURING EXCESS GROOVE, MFR BAND, CARIBBEAN VIBES PLUS YOUTHFUL TALENTS IN POETRY, DRAMA, SONG, DANCE AND SO MUCH MORE. THE EVENT WILL START AT 3:00PM OUTSIDE THE ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH WITH A STREET PARADE TO THE ST. JOSEPH PRIMARY SCHOOL ON AUGUST 16, 2008.

THERE WILL BE A NUMBER OF ADDRESSES FROM PERSONS INVOLVED IN THE ST. JOE COMMUNITY, REUNION ACTIVITIES AND POLITICAL REPRESENTATIVES.

FOR MORE INFO CALL: 448 6944

performance

just posting a pic of me at the Nature Island Literary Festival and Book Fair. I had a fun time performing and looking at others perform as well.

My eyes looked closed but its only because i am looking down at my paper, i got some good reviews and hoping to continue my poetry and off course looking for every opportunity to perform them too.

Dee

Dominica

By Delroy Nesta Williams

Fresh of the grill, wrote this one last night

Shades of green and everything in between
Encircled by seas of translucent blue,
Displaying wonders above and below
A beauty for all to behold,
Peaks that touch the sky
Stars that bless the night,
While the clear rivers quench the thirst
Of the land that grows it all.

Flowers of red, yellow, orange and blue
Birds of all sizes and colours sweetly sing,
The wind greets the hills and valleys
As the swaying palms speak to the flamboyant
Giving shade to the people below,
As they busily go about their day,
Each and everything mixed in.

For in Dominica they are well pleased
For here, Nature carefully prepares the way,
A path though full of bumps and bruises
Potholes and ditches,
An experience second to none
This is where all this is found,
Undisturbed it stands
DA, shining jewel among other islands

Another Dominican hoping for big things at Olympics

If you ask her mother, Karina LeBlanc has always had something to prove.
On Sunday, the Maple Ridge goaltender proved she was worthy of starting at the Olympics as she back-stopped the Canadian women’s soccer squad to an 8-0 victory over the Singapore national team in a pre-Olympic international match.
It was her first start since breaking her thumb in June, and the 16th international shut-out of her career.
In fact, the 28-year-old former Maple Ridge secondary Rambler has only allowed one goal in her last four international matches, three of them starts.
Like many on the Canadian women’s soccer team, she seems to be peaking at the right time, and hopes are high for this Olympics.
For LeBlanc, her quick reactions, strength and balance have set her apart, and have taken her to the biggest sporting stage in the world.
The Olympics have always sought to unite the world through the universality of sport, and LeBlanc discovered this common bond amongst all cultures at an early age.
When the LeBlanc family moved to Canada from the tiny Caribbean island nation of Dominica in 1988, Karina was the only black child at Fairview elementary.
“The questions were so silly,” recalls her mother Winsome, a school teacher at Laity View elementary. “How do you comb your hair? Why do you talk like that? If you wash yourself long enough, will you become white? The children didn’t mean to be rude or mean, they just didn’t know.”
At eight years old in Grade 5, LeBlanc, who had skipped a grade, was also the youngest child in her class.
That too made her different.
She became shy, and rarely left the house, Winsome recalls. She would shoo Karina and her older sister Sharma out of the house to ride their bikes around the neighbourhood, and it was on one of these rides that Karina came upon a track team practicing at Maple Ridge secondary. Shy Karina just watched, until the coach asked her if she wanted to try the high jump.
Winsome got a call asking if she could bring Karina out to Bear Creek Park in Surrey at 6:30 the next morning for a track meet.
Sure enough, Karina won first place. It was the first of many sports accolades she would win.
With sports, LeBlanc fit in. It gave her a freedom of expression that was universal.
“She just wanted to prove that she was like everybody else,” says her mother. It turned out she was better.
LeBlanc excelled at every sport, even winning B.C.’s Best Defensive Player honours for basketball with the Ramblers in 1997, all the while on the honour roll for her grades.
Not surprisingly, LeBlanc was offered 19 full-ride scholarships to play in the U.S. at NCAA schools, and opted for the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers. In four years at the school, she played 79 games, allowing only 36 goals and compiling an impressive 67-5-3 record.
Off the pitch she earned a degree in business administration, carrying a 3.7 GPA.
These days, LeBlanc is an assistant coach with the NCAA Division 1 Rutgers University Scarlet Knights girls’ soccer team, and plays for the nearby New Jersey Wildcats. In what little spare time she has, she works as a motivational speaker, sharing her experiences and inspiring others.
However, LeBlanc might never had played in the U.S. were it not for Hurricane David.
The deadly storm struck the tiny island nation of Dominica on Aug. 29, 1979, leaving all but two buildings intact. LeBlanc’s mother, two months pregnant, waited out the Category 5 storm with the rest of the family in a cave-like depression under their neighbour’s porch.
When the winds finally died, their house, and the whole of the island, was ruined. Winsome Leblanc travelled to Atlanta, Georgia, where she stayed with family and where Karina was born six months later. Karina’s father, Vans, a bank manager in Dominica, stayed to coordinate disaster relief.
To this day, Karina carries dual citizenship with the U.S., enabling her live and work and play there.
Winsome and Vans will both be there in the stands in China, doing their best to inspire the Canadian team, ranked ninth in the world, to win gold.
“I’m a big mouth at these games,” says Winsome. “I can’t wait to cheer them on.”
The Canadian women’s soccer team opens Olympic play against Argentina on Aug. 6.

Nature Island Book Fair and Literary Festival

The Festival starts today o8.08. 08, lucky date if you ask me and the same date as the olympic games. I'm looking forward to see D/ca finally bring home an olympic medal through our two hopefuls (Chris and Ericson), even if i just see them race it will be something spectacular.

Tomorrow is the day that I will be performing three of my poems: These Words, Me and Waitukubuli and Where's my guardian angel. Looking forward to a good performance it being my first one. For those who don't know, it will take place at the UWI Dominica Centre on Elmshall Road from 2:00pm.

The entire weekend promises to be a good one with distinguished Noble Laureate and Caribbean Poet Derrick Walcott one of the special guests and performers.

The Festival is part of the Reunion 2008 programme to celebrate the 30th. Anniversary of Dominica’s independence, and has been designed to bring Dominican writers together, to enhance their skills and to provide wide exposure to their literary productions. Also carded for the book fair are Marie Elena John, Mervin Morris, Ras Mo and others.

On opening night, Derek Walcott will read from some of his works. There will also be readings from the works of Jean Rhys and Phyllis Allfrey in addition to that from local writers. On Saturday, there will be a number of workshops being carried out, which will include a workshop on creative writing done by Mervin Morris and another on Publishing done by Ian Randle and Macmillan (Caribbean) Publishers. There will also be workshops for children between the ages of 4 and 10, in reading, writing and music.

As part of Saturday’s activities, there will be a number of open mike sessions where locals will be given the opportunity to show off their talent in writing and poetry. This will be supported with reading sessions from Marie Elena John and Mervin Morris and highlighted by a one-on-one session with Mr. Walcott. Ras Mo will also form part of the act with his performance poetry.

Sunday, will encompass another full day of activities, with special dedication to Jean Rhys and will include a lecture and presentation on Jean Rhys popular writing – The Colour of my Soul. There will also be more open mike and reading sessions with cultural performances and other activities.The Nature Island Book Fair & Literary Festival is expected to become an annual event and an activity that everyone, from the young to the old, can enjoy

See You There

from whence I came

That's a pic of my mother, Patricia. I owe my life to her, she had me as a teenager, only 15 years old too. She could have had an abortion but chose life over death and today I am who I am because of that. Thanx to her. She's recieving an award from her workplace, not sure what the award is but to those of you who know me, i'm sure you can see the resemblance.

For that reason, i can't support abortion, not at all, what if my mother had chosen abortion and I am sure she probably had reason to think about that back then when Dominica was so conservative and bias against teenage mothers, it still is to a certain extent, but that's a convo for another time.

Did i mention she is an active follower of my blog too and a fan of my poetry, favourite one is These Words. I am writing one with her in mind too, here is a short preview:

From seven months I was
Sent from above,
The doctor didn’t believe
He only gave me days to live,
Not that I can remember
My first home: an incubator,
2 pounds, 3 ounces wasn’t much
The Lord, my guiding light, my solid crutch

At 15, my mother didn’t know
Just how far, her first born would go
Everything new, confusing to her...

to be cont'd

Thanks again Pato

Coming to the Big (small) Screen

I'm set to play two (2) characters (Roger and another) in an upcoming social commentary film in Dominica being produced by the La Cour Des Arts de la Dominique theater company.
A number of young, up and coming actors and actrices are set to make debut roles in the short film which Wake Up Call 2, which is a continuation from Wake Up Call 1 which was filmed during the 1990's.
I was a big fan of the first one and will try my best to follow in the footsteps of the past individuals and take it to the next level. If successful, this short film could lead the way for other ones and the development for a small home market for locally produced films.
There is alot of promise and excitement among all involved and shooting is set to begin next saturday if all goes well. We have been together since last December and I think everything should run smoothly.

Dee

God's Dietary Signs

A friend sent this to me. It's been said that God first separated the salt water from the fresh, made dry land, planted a garden, made animals and fish... all before making a human. He made and provided what we'd need before we were born. These are best & more powerful when eaten raw. We're such slow learners...
God left us a great clue as to what foods help what part of our body! God's Pharmacy! Amazing!

A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye... and YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart has four chambers and is red. All of the research shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart and blood food.

Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.

Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.

Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.

Avocadoes, Eggplant and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).

Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility.

Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries

Oranges, Grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.

Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, Garlic, also helps eliminate waste materials and dangerous free radicals from the body.

My first poetry performance

Im scheduled to perform at the Nature Island Book Fair and Literary Festival in Dominica. This is quite an honour for me and should be quite an experience. I will be performing on Day 2 (Saturday 9, August, 2008) at the Alliance Francaise (next to the Bath Estate Bridge) from 2:00pm under the category: Voices From the River's Mouth.

That category is quite suited to me as i was raised in Bath Estate a few minutes away from the river and i remember many days when i would leave home early in the morning and spend my entire day in the river eating mangoes, river grapes, guavas and any fruits that i would find. Even the coco, crayfish and veyo found their way on my plate when i ganged up with my friends to cook a one pot. Those were nice days on this blessed island.

Now back to the performance, i will be joined by fellow bu tmore experienced poetry performers Gloria Augustus, Kemai John, Alma Darroux and Reynold Gustave. If you can find yourself at the Alliance Francaise for the performance or any other performance from Friday 08th - Sunday 10th August please do.

There are also workshops on creative writing, publishing and a children's workshop on the Saturday morning. For further information call the Dominican Reunion Office 440 6079 or visit the website

Remembering Emancipation Day

On the 1st of August 1834 the emancipation bell proclaimed the end of slavery in the British Caribbean. Over the years many have forgotten this fact, since it was watered down to an August Monday celebration which to many did not mean anything other that picnics, fete, fun or carnival and it is now celebrated as the first Monday of August in my homeland, Dominica.

The knowledge of our emancipation from slavery was almost totally forgotten. In many islands, there was a four year apprenticeship period (which was just another name for slavery except that our forefathers were receiving a pittance) which ended on August 1st 1838.

Just a little reminder as you picnic, party, jam or fete, please pour a little libation to our ancestors thus paying homage for the journey and teach your children the meaning of this great day. Lest we forget!!!

I give thanks!!!!!