Ports Minister Hon. Charles Savarin reflects on the contribution of Gordon Moreau
Roseau, Dominica – August 21, 2009………Minister for Public Utilities, Energy and Ports, Hon. Charles Savarin has been speaking about the significant contribution of
Mr. Gordon Moreau to Dominica’s development. Mr. Moreau, a chartered accountant by profession passed away on Thursday. Mr Savarin convened a press briefing on Thursday on learning of the passing of Mr. Moreau.
“In my capacity as Minister for Public Utilities, Energy and Ports, I had the privilege of working with Gordon Moreau because the Government turned to him when the decision was taken to merge the Airport Services Division and the Dominica Port Authority to create the Dominica Air and Sea Ports Authority (DASPA).
“He did the consultancy on that proposal and the Government was so satisfied with the work that he had done he was appointed to actually implement the merging of the two institutions. And then when the DASPA Board was established by law he was appointed Chairman of the Board. He subsequently said to us that because of his health, he was not able to continue in that role. It was a tremendous loss to us in this infant entity with all of the various challenges that we had to confront that we could no longer have his services on a full-time basis. But we could always refer to him whenever we needed advice.”
Hon. Charles Savarin who knew Gordon Moreau from their days at the Dominica Grammar School spoke of Mr Moreau’s diverse talents.
” One could always have an intelligent and invigorating discussion with Gordon Moreau on almost any subject; he was widely read and had a grasp of local as well as regional and world events and it was always uplifting to have a discussion with him…”
The Minister used the opportunity on behalf of the Government and people of Dominica “to extend my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Gordon Moreau”.
In recognition of his tremendous contribution to Dominica in the field of Accounting,
Mr. Gordon Moreau was bestowed with Dominica’s second highest award, the Sisserou Award of Honour (SAH) at the Parade of Uniformed Groups on November 3rd 2008 by the Government of Dominica.
Mr. Gordon Moreau served as a Town Clerk in the 1960s before going to the University of the West Indies (UWI) in Trinidad on a Canadian Government scholarship to study accounting. Mr. Moreau completed an Msc in Accounting in Trinidad before returning to Dominica.
Mr. Moreau served on every major Board in Dominica, including the Dominica Social Security, National Bank of Dominica, Dominica Banana Marketing Corporation, National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC), AID Bank, Dominica Broadcasting Corporation, Roseau Cooperative Credit Union among others. He was also a member of the OECS negotiating team on the Liberalisation of the Telecommunications sector in the sub-region.
Gordon Moreau has been described as a consummate professional, a frank and fearless writer/ social and political commentator and was a political activist in his early days. He contributed countless articles to the Chronicle Newspaper over many years on a wide variety of subjects. He had a regular programme on DBS radio for many years. His knowledge and love of calypso was also well known and appreciated.
For more information contact:
Sean Douglas
Press Secretary
Office of the Prime Minister
Email: seansworth@yahoo.com
Mobile: + 1 767-235-2955
Financial Centre
Kennedy Avenue, Roseau
Commonwealth of Dominica
Tel: + 1 767 266-3054
Fax: +1 767- 448-8960
Ref: 77/2009
