The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:
FIRST: The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
SECOND: High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society;
THIRD: The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business, and community life;
FOURTH: The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
On Monday August 6th I traveled to Dominica for two reasons, first to visit projects being carried out by the Rotary clubs in Dominica, and second because it was, in my opinion, important to show up for the visit of RI President Barry Rassin and his wife Esther.
Last week I reported on the initial stop of President Barry and his wife, Esther in San Juan Puerto Rico (see bulletin of August 5th for the story).
Barry and Esther visited Guadeloupe, Dominica and Antigua on a whirlwind tour of three territories that fall in District 7030.The visit to Guadeloupe, the home of District Governor, Dominique Vénéré coincided with a banquet to raise funds for The Rotary Foundation.The visit to Dominica was dedicated to visiting projects and meeting Rotarians, Rotaractors and Interactors, all of whom had both suffered loss as a result of Hurricane Maria, last September, and who have made a huge effort to assist the less fortunate in Dominica to recover from the devastation. The visit was hugely significant to Rotarians in 7030 and especially Rotarians in Dominica who have borne the brunt of the hardship in District 7030 resulting from Hurricane Maria.
First, they visited one of the houses in the “Cover a Home” project that RC Portsmouth, with the financial support from Rotary Barbados and Rotary Gros Islet and other clubs have engaged in.
Next the team moved on to the Fish Pot project.This project was conceived when, in discussion with the Portsmouth team, I recommended that Fishing would be the best place to start when trying to kick start the economy.After considering the options of getting line fishing back on stream by repairing boats and engines and tackle, the Portsmouth Rotarians settled on fish pots as the most practical and cost-effective way to go.
Fishing gives immediate returns to the economy and provides immediate food supply that is badly needed after such devastating hurricanes.Once the decision was taken to build fish pots the next problem was that there was no fish pot wire available in Dominica.You will recall that RC Gros Islet came to the assistance of RC Portsmouth by purchasing the wire and getting it to Portsmouth on MV Lovely - 1
From RC Gros Islet to the Fishermen of Portsmouth
Rotarians Joel, Konrad and Anthony loading the wire onto
Rotarian Maggies truck
Konrad and Joel load the wire onto MV Lovely - 1 with Matt looking on
Yes I did some work also!
Wire converted into the first fish pots
This project is ongoing as the Ministry of Fisheries estimates that approximately eight hundred fish pots were lost in Hurricane Maria.RC Gros Islet contribution of wire produced forty fish pots.
Then on to the recycling project in Portsmouth.President Barry and Esther were presented with a memento of their trip made from recycled plastic from plastic forks collected off of a single beach.
Sophy made the earrings from recycled plastic
Esther shows the map of Dominica that was impressed with the Roptary mark of excellence and the date as well as "presented to RI President Barry and Esther Rassin"
The young man and his partner, Rory and Stephanie, are behind the recycling project.The prototype of the equipment that will be built on site was demonstrated.Rotary Grenada has provided approximately US$20,000 toward this project.Rory is a newly pinned Rotarian.
Pres.Cecil Shillingford; Esther Rassin; PDG David Edwards; PDG Roger Bose; DG Dominique Venere; RI President Barry Rassin; Pres. Hans Schilders; AG Sammy Wyke; Rt. Rory Thor Dickens; Sophia??
Time to eat and we stopped at the Lobster Place where President Barry posed for yet another photograph.
The cray fish lunch was excellent!
The Lobster Place and we were hungry!
In Roseau we stopped to inspect a project to rebuild a foot-path and railing used by school children as they walk between school and the town alongside the highway.
A short break to regroup having been driving all day on roads that make Saint Lucia west coast roads look like super highways!Then a meeting with Rotaract and Interact
Surprise – there in the yellow dress was our very own president of Rotaract South Saint Lucia, Iyanka James!This was an interactive and productive meeting that I would have loved more of our Rotaractors to have been at.
The head table
President of RI, Barry Rassin presenting PHF pins and certificates to members of RC Dominica
DG Dominique Introducing President of RI, Barry Rassin
RI President Barry Rassin addressing the gathering of the jopint clubs in Dominica
PDG David Edwards and President Hans Schilders present the Computer Classroom at Paix Bouche to the PS Education. On behalf of Rotarians in Barbados, PDG David pledged significant monetary support for projects that are ready to be executed but for which the Rotary Clubs have no funding.
DG Dominique pinning the four new Rotarians
PDG Roger Bose handed over a Satellite phone to President Hans Schilders of Portsmouth. This is a gift from PDG and his company. The phone can be monitored by PDG Roger's team.
PDG Roger exchanging banners with Pres. Hans
Great evening of fellowship.Was hoping to have the official photographs by now but just have to go with what I took with my mobile phone.
The next day the official party visited the President of the Commonwealth of Dominica and the Deputy Prime Minister then we attended the lunch meeting of the RC Dominica.PDG David and I had to leave at that point so there ends the account of what I thought was an excellent Rotary experience.
Remember that handbag that RCGI gave DG Dominique?
This month the Membership committee and the Club Administration committee of RCGI held a joint meeting geared at strengthen the club's membership growth and retention. As we await the report of the joint meeting the Rotary Club of Saint Lucia announced to its members in general meeting that they are well advanced in launching a Satellite Club that will initially comprise of past Rotaractors. This will mean that Saint Lucia will be home to two out of two Satellite Clubs in District 7030. The object of these clubs is to either evolve into independent Rotary clubs or to act as a stepping stone for young Rotarians to transition into existing clubs.
This is an exciting time for the expansion of Rotary in Saint Lucia and in District 7030 generally. I am aware of at least three other clubs in the District that are gearing up to explore how this type of Rotary membership will work for them. I expect that this will reverse the trend of falling membership in the District and hopefully once rolled out globally we will soon see a stronger more diverse and dynamic Rotary organization.
Sushil Kumar Gupta selected to be 2020-21 Rotary president
Sushil Kumar Gupta, of the Rotary Club of Delhi Midwest, Delhi, India, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International for 2020-21. He will be declared the president-nominee on 1 October if no challenging candidates have been suggested.
Gupta wants to increase Rotary’s humanitarian impact as well as the diversity of its membership.
“As individuals, we can only do so much,” Gupta said in a statement. “But when 1.2 million Rotarians work together, there is no limit to what we can achieve, and in the process, we can truly change the world.”
Gupta has been a Rotarian since 1977 and has served Rotary as district governor, training leader, and resource group adviser, and as a member, vice chair, or chair of several committees.
Sushil Kumar Gupta President Nominee 2020-21.
He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree by the IIS University, Jaipur, in recognition of his contributions to water conservation.
He has also received the coveted Padma Shri Award, the fourth-highest civilian award in India, conferred by the president of India for distinguished service to tourism and social work.
Gupta has also received the Distinguished Service Award from The Rotary Foundation for his support of its humanitarian and educational programs. He and his wife, Vinita, are Major Donors to The Rotary Foundation and members of the Arch Klumph Society.
Gupta is chair and managing director of Asian Hotels (West) Ltd., and owner of Hyatt Regency Mumbai and JW Marriott Hotel New Delhi Aerocity. He has served as president of the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India and on the board of directors of Tourism Finance Corporation of India Ltd. He is the president of Experience India Society, a public-private partnership between the tourism industry and the government of India that promotes India as a tourist destination. He is also vice chair of the Himalayan Environment Trust and serves on the board of Operation Eyesight Universal in India
For those who may have forgotten, see below article for the President Elect for 2019/2020
Mark D Maloney is the choice of Nominating Committee as 2019-20 RI President.
Mark Daniel Maloney, of the Rotary Club of Decatur, Alabama, USA, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International for 2019-20. He will be declared the president-nominee on 1 October if no challenging candidates have been suggested.
“The clubs are where Rotary happens,” says Maloney, an attorney. He aims to support and strengthen clubs at the community level, preserve Rotary’s culture as a service-oriented membership organization, and test new regional approaches for growth.
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