Roseau, Dominica – October 07, 2008……. The late Hon. Alleyne Carbon, described by many as one of the most industrious Ministers of Communications and Works in the history of Dominica, has now been immortalised in the annals of Dominica’s history, with the naming of a road in his memory in his home village of Capuchin.
A ceremony attended by Prime Minister, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit, Cabinet Ministers and Mrs. June Carbon, widow of the late Alleyne Carbon among others, took place in the village of Capuchin on Sunday, during the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. The Road is now known as the Alleyne Carbon Ring Road
In his remarks at the ceremony, former friend and Cabinet Colleague, Hon. Charles Savarin said the loss of Alleyne Carbon at sea in 1996 was a ” tremendous loss, a terrible tragedy to all of Dominica, to the constituency of Cottage, to his friends but more particularly to his wife June and his children “.
“I believe it is entirely fitting that something in the constituency should be named after Alleyne Carbon. He worked exceptionally hard for his community and exceptionally hard for his country. And it is fitting, absolutely fitting, that he should be immortalised by naming after him a road in his native village of Capuchin, so that all who come afterwards who did not know him will ask and be told why this road has been named after Alleyne Carbon, ” Hon. Savarin said.
In an address at the event, Historian and former friend, Dr. Lennox Honychurch chronicled the achievements of Mr. Alleyne Carbon as a Parliamentarian and a community man over nearly two decades.
Hon. Alleyne Carbon won the Cottage constituency in the huge Dominica Freedom Party landslide in the July 21st 1980 General Elections. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Works and Tourism in the Government of Miss Mary Eugenia Charles.
Following the dismissal of Hon. Henry Dyer in August 1983, Hon. Alleyne Carbon was appointed Minister for Communications and Works. Following his success in the Cottage constituency in the General Elections of July 1985, he was appointed Minister for Communications, Works, Electricity, Telecommunications and Feeder Roads.
As Minister for Communications and Works during the 1980s, Mr. Carbon oversaw the largest island-wide road rehabilitation programme since the road building boom of the 1960s which totalled some $48 million ECD.
It was under his watch that the Long House Jetty in Portsmouth was rehabilitated, the Cabrits Cruise Ship Berth was constructed and the Port at Woodbridge Bay in Roseau was rehabilitated. The Roseau Bay Front project and the vast DOMLEC Hydro Plant at Laudat were also built during his tenure. New feeder roads were constructed all over the country.
It was also in the era of Mr. Alleyne Carbon in 1987, that Dominica achieved a first by becoming the first country in the world to have an entirely digital telephone network.
Dr. Honychurch also highlighted the hands-on and practical approach of Mr. Alleyne Carbon and described him as one of the most popular ministers in the Cabinet of Dame Mary Eugenia Charles.
“It can be frankly said that Dame Eugenia Charles favoured him perhaps even over many of her other ministers. He was loyal and trustworthy and was keen to learn from her expertise. She also had an affinity for members of her party who were hands-on and practical people interested in farming and fishing in a way similar to her family, particularly her father in his early days at Point Michel.”
Current Parliamentary Representative for Cottage, Hon. Reginald Austrie, described the ceremony as “very emotional ” and described politics as a “funny game” as he reminisced on his political battles with Alleyne Carbon in the 1990 and 1995 General Elections.
Described by many as a model ” parliamentarian ” Prime Minister, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit said the late Alleyne Carbon was a “simple man who dedicated his entire life for the development of his constituency and Dominica”. The Dominican leader also highlighted the tremendous sacrifices that persons in public life and in Parliament have to make.
” I can tell you that being in public life, a member of Parliament or Minister of Government calls for untold sacrifice and you can only know of the extent of that sacrifice if you have been a member of Parliament or a Minister of Government. It speaks about setting your family’s priorities aside, it speaks about putting the people first, so it is important we don’t forget the contribution of people like Alleyne Carbon ,” the Prime Minister concluded.
Mr. Alleyne Carbon was born in 1952 and died in 1996.
