Staff there report having been informed on Monday that the company will be shutting down its Portsmouth operations next week because of financial difficulties.

Several employees from the fast food franchise will reportedly be affected by the decision (one report puts the number at 50).

Indications are that the employees have not yet received any written letters about the matter, and aren’t clear on how they will be compensated.

KFC management are expected to issue a statement on the development.

The company responsible for KFC – Fine Foods Inc., has already closed down its other franchises in Roseau and Portsmouth, reportedly also for financial reasons.

Newly appointed chairman Martin Charles says if funds owed to the bank are not paid up, its mandate to be a catalyst and leader in financing investment in Dominica will be compromised.

Martin says that at the end of the last financial year 2010-2011 loans in the non-performing category totaled EC$19.91 million.

“Over the years the AID Bank has informed the general public that there are persons who have borrowed monies from the AID Bank, they are in a position to pay but yet still they are not paying their loans and as a result our non performing portfolio rose to a substantial amount,” the chairman who took up his official appointment last month, said.

He has indicated that the bank’s five-year strategic plan includes measures to press for loan repayment on the part of delinquents, and said the bank had in the last financial year made strides in the efforts to get defaulters to pay up.

He wants others who have planted themselves firmly in the delinquents’ club to rethink their reluctance to meet commitments that they gave to the financial institution.

“We are not totally satisfied with where we are right now. We believe that much more can be done and will be done. All I am asking is that persons who are delinquent take a decision to make good on their promise and pay AID Bank its monies,” Charles said.

He has expressed concern that the non-payment of monies will affect the Bank’s ability to finance projects in the productive sector, which is instrumental in sustaining investment, creating jobs, and increasing foreign exchange earnings.

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Julien Joseph was killed on February 5, 2010

A murder retrial began at the High Court on Wednesday, involving Garvin George, whose appeal against his murder conviction was granted on May 3 by the Court of Appeal of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court.

George appeared before Justice Bernie Stephenson-Brookes on  Wednesday morning along with his attorneys Wayne Norde and Bernadette Lambert.

He was previously sentenced to 14 years in prison by Justice Stephenson-Brookes after he was found guilty for the murder of Julien Joseph, following an incident which occurred on February 5, 2010 at Calibishie.

The appeal was granted on the grounds of the trial judge’s “misdirection” to the jury.

During the start of the retrial earlier Wednesday attorney Norde inquired into a bail application being made on behalf of his client.

However this was dismissed by Justice Stephenson-Brookes who wanted to recuse herself from the matter.

She advised Norde that Justice Brian Cottle would be dealing with the case, and the bail application should be made then.

The retrial is expected to continue on June 25 (2012).

St. Jean is accused of stabbing Clement James on the Indian River Bridge on September 20th, 2010 after an alleged altercation.

A nine-member jury was selected Wednesday morning to commence the trial.

St. Jean has been on remand at the State Prison.

He is represented by attorneys Wayne Norde and Bernadette Lambert.

The case is being prosecuted by the Office of Public Prosecution.

This murder trial marks the first such trial for the May 2012 assizes.

Prime Minister Roosevel Skerrit and China's Ambassador to Dominica Wang Zonglai

Can an unscientific online poll convince a government it ought to act in a certain way and acquiesce to requests to take a specific action.

While it may not necessarily do so, it is interesting to note the majority of online bloggers who participated in DNO’s latest online poll voted YES, on the question posed: What do you think – should Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit make public in full, Dominica’s 2004 memorandum of understanding (MOU) with China?

Of the 998 votes the question attracted (just two shy of a thousand), 78 percent, a total of 782 people said the prime minister should make full disclosure.

Only 18 per cent voted NO, a total of 179, while 4 per cent (37) were not sure.

Prime Minister Skerrit promised recently that Cabinet would examine the issue of whether the government should disclose fully, the memorandum of understanding (MOU) that Dominica signed with China when the two countries entered into diplomatic relations in 2004.

PM Skerrit appears to have since taken no action on the matter, explaining recently that the government was busy doing its work when reminded about his promise on the MOU.

Many bloggers on Dominica News Online have at one time or another called for full disclosure of the MOU.

Others contend that agreements with other countries have not been the subject of public scrutiny, and the Dominica/China agreement should also fall into that category.

The exact total is 1206, with a breakdown of 610 males and 596 females.

The 2012 figure represents an increase of 61 students over last year’s.

The country’s 6 graders will sit the exams in 52 centres manned by 108 supervisors and assistant supervisors.

The number of students writing the exams from the north is 322, south – 171, east – 156 and west – 557.

The Education Ministry has explained that the expected 2012 secondary school entry numbers are: Castle Bruce Sec – 86, Isaiah Thomas – 118, North East Comprehensive – 154, Pierre Charles Sec – 70, Portsmouth Sec – 170 and Roseau schools – 607.

The exams are scheduled  for the 24 and 25 of May.

Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Helen Royer. Photo by GIS

Health care providers here were updated on Wednesday about how to better deal with Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (CNCDs).

They’ve been advised on how best to improve the quality of care provided to people with CNCDs, at a workshop organized by the country’s Health Promotion Unit and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO).

These health professionals were also told about the Ministry of Health’s plans to adopt a Chronic Care Model Project as part of its campaign to address the problem.
PAHO is providing technical support to the island in implementing this project.

Ministry officials say they are hoping that the adoption of this Chronic care model will set the stage to better serve people with CNCDs, especially those with disabilities.

One of the objectives is to facilitate their integration into the community and to empower them to become more responsible.

According to the Health Ministry, the government has embarked on implementing measures to develop community based care services through the primary care health system for people with chronic problems.

Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Helen Royer said “by adopting this model, Dominica will be joining countries around the world that have already initiated this project and will be consistent with the International standards that have been set”.

“This will provide Dominicans with a chronic care passport which will assist in keeping track of health problems and taking the necessary actions to address them” Royer said.

Wednesday’s workshop was facilitated by Advisor on Chronic Disease and Mental Health at PAHO Dr.Tomo Kanda who will work with Dominica on this project for the next eighteen months.

Last year five countries in the Caribbean: Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, St.Lucia and Anguilla conducted a similar project.

Former Barbadian PM Owen Arthur

Regional integration, the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) and related matters will be on the agenda on Sunday (May 20) when the Dominica Labour Party (DLP) holds its delegates conference in the West Coast community of St Joseph in keeping with the DLP’s observance of its 57th Anniversary.

Barbados’ current opposition leader, former prime minister Owen Arthur will be the featured speaker there, and is expected to focus on these regional matters that he championed during his tenure as a regional leader.

However while the hundreds of delegates expected to converge on St Joseph from around the island will be happy to welcome the veteran Barbadian politician, they’ll probably be much more interested to hear Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit’s report on some of the major achievements of his administration over the past 12 months.

Party officials have indicated that although there will be elections for a new executive, the status quo is largely expected to remain the same, with Prime Minister Skerrit maintaining his position of party leader, along with the majority of other officials serving the DLP at executive level.

“The Party does not anticipate any major changes at the helm of the organization,” a release from the DLP states.

Party delegates are expected to deliberate on a number of resolutions being put forward for the consideration of the conference.

CDB President Warren Smith

The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) says people across the region will be able to follow online, some of the activities associated with the bank’s 42nd Annual meeting of the Board of Governors.

The meeting is being held this year in the Cayman Islands on May 23-24.

According to a CDB release, one of the events slated to be made available to a Caribbean audience through live web streaming is the William G Demas Memorial Lecture – Sensible Finance for a Dynamic Economy will be presented by Professor Amar Bhide of Tufts University on May 22.

Interested audiences will also have an opportunity to view the May 23 opening ceremony of the CDB Board of Governors meeting from nine in the morning via the Internet.

A panel discussion on improving citizen security in the region, the closing ceremony of the Board of Governors’ meeting, and a news conference hosted by CDB President, Dr. Warren Smith, and outgoing Chairman McKeeva Bush are some of the other major activities expected to be streamed live.

Bank officials say these events will be streamed via the CDB website, www.caribank.org.