Melissa Skerrit reveals the reason of shutting down Santa's Mall

Parliament Representative from Roseau Central- Melissa Poponne Skerrit, revealed the reason behind closing down Santa's Mall at the Roseau Bayfront. In a statement shared on Facebook, she said the Christmas District was created to bring life to the city. She stated that the event was becoming very popular, causing concerns about the possibility of huge crowds, particularly on Christmas Eve.

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"I did not want Santa's Mall to be associated in any way with any new cases, God forbid a surge of cases in Dominica, after consultations and deep discussions, the decision was taken to cut the duration of the production".

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The wife of Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit also assured everyone that the Christmas district in the City of Roseau, particularly the Santa's Mall, will be bigger in 2022. She said next year, a Santa's Mall will also be established in Portsmouth, and consultations are ongoing with Parliamentarian Ian Douglas. She said the local exhibitions, lights, and other Christmas-related activities at Santa's Mall brought cheer to families, especially children.

Melissa Skerrit stated that Santa's Mall brought extensive happiness for children who had been subjected to online learning and confined in their homes.

"Recognising the small businesses were most affected by the pandemic and based on my interactions with the wide-cross section of small business owners, having also listened to their concerns, I felt it would have been a good opportunity to showcase their talent and make them able to earn some income during the Christmas season,".

She said the Santa's Mall showcased around 60 businesses from Islandwide, while there is also a long list of persons who could not be accommodated because of space.

Furthermore, she stated that the management of Santa's Mall ensured that all COVID-19 protocols were followed at the location. However, she took note of the concerns laid out by the public.