My Fellow Dominicans,
We have been advised that discussions are now ongoing re the passage of a Dominica Geothermal Bill. It is of interest that no effort has been made to include the Dominica Diaspora in the process. We have only learnt of this stake holders meeting set for Thursday March 25, 2010 via an e-mail forwarded by Adenauer Douglas from a note sent by Dominican government civil servant Michael Fadelle.
In 2008 Adenauer Douglas and myself had reason to criticize our own Government for the piece meal fashion in which our resources were being bargained away in back door deals and with “secret contracts” without any assurance that the national interest of our people would be protected. Further, we were adamant then, and remain steadfast in the view today, that any legislation regarding our natural resources should ensure that our people remain in control of the commanding heights of our economy by the formation of government linked companies (GLC’s). That was the format that the successful Asian “tiger” economies such as Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia and South Korea were able to lift their peoples from backwardness and external subjugation within a generation.
A GLC is public private partnership, where the state remains the major player, with the beneficial input of private sector managerial and technological expertise. A prerequisite to the success of such an enterprise would be a National Renewable Energy Commission (NREC) of government appointed experts from the Dominican nation at home, and abroad – inclusive of non-Dominicans who are philosophically committed to the accumulation of skills and capital for our island’s development. That NREC would be the oversight body of ALL renewable energy laws – such as the proposed geothermal law – and would work to ensure that affordable energy derived income were reinvested in agriculture, education and the formation of “green” industry. Any other approach which does not place renewable energy (RE) into such a national-development centered format risks the frittering away of our resources and the continued impoverishment of the Dominican people.
We pray that all who have a role in this process can reflect on the beneficial role of the state in righting past inequities, while respecting the dynamic role of the private sector in such a partnership. A good example of the role of a NREC can be found in the famous Tennessee Valley Authority of the 1930s which industrialized a large swathe of the midwest and southeast. As this note on the TVA makes clear:
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is a federally owned corporation in the United States created by congressional charter in May 1933 to provide navigation, flood control, electricity generation, fertilizer manufacturing, and economic development in the Tennessee Valley, a region particularly impacted by the Great Depression. The enterprise was a result of the efforts of Senator George W. Norris of Nebraska. TVA was envisioned not only as a provider, but also as a regional economic development agency that would use federal experts and electricity to rapidly modernize the region’s economy and society.
TVA’s service area covers most of Tennessee, parts of Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky, and small slices of Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, Indiana and Virginia. It was the first large regional planning agency of the federal government and remains the largest. Under the leadership of David Lilienthal (“Mr. TVA”), TVA became a model for America’s governmental efforts to modernize Third World agrarian societies (Wikipedia)
Again, let us put Dominica’s development first and adopt an approach which not only retains ownership of the resource in our people’s hands, but ensures the bounty derived therefrom goes into indigenous economic empowerment and growth.
We hope that the whole nation is joined in this enterprise re the proposed bill so that we can include the specifics which shall realize the objective noted herein. Such inclusion can only enhance transparency and accountability in the management of our natural resources.
A 2007 article on a proposed Alternative Energy Policy for Dominica can also be found at the Dominica Academy of Arts and Sciences at:
http://da-academy.org/DA_Alternative_Energy_Policy.pdf
In the spirit of national development, we remain truly yours,
Gabriel J. Christian and Adenauer Douglas
JUST A LEGAL WAKE-UP CALL FROM THE MAN HIMSELF – UDC AND GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITIES GRAD. NO FEAR MY PEOPLE, FROM THE INDOMITABLES AND COURAGEOUS FOLKS OF DA. JUST A CALL FOR THOSE WHO ARE STILL SLUMBERING.
Gabo has his own personal agenda driven by greed.
I’m a D/can living overseas not because I totally want to, but because I’m married to a foreigner. I had the opportunity to live in many foreign countries and especially Asians countries. Please be on your guards. Don’t allow those guys to take control of what we have. As a D/can they would never give me the chance to take control of or have the biggest share in their ressources. I know them!!!!!!!!! I’m not saying that because I JUST WANT TO TALK, I’m saying it because I was able to be with certain people thanks to the position my husband had. Many of these countries buy everything and anything. When we are sleeping and having a nice time, they have their experts checking for them. You will be so surprised how far they can travel in order to invest their money. They are even in Europe doing the same, and even the Euopean are trying to be careful, but it’s very difficult. Please hold on to what we have and even if those foreign guys get involved NEVER make them HAVE THE BIGGEST share or the FINAL say in what God HAVE blessed us with, because we would never be given that chance in their country.Always remember that! I had been around those people for long enough and I know them very well. Remember they have plenty of money and know good lawyers and they can play with the law and then we won’t be able to get back what we they take from us.
BE CAREFUL my brothers and sisters. These love their country, we love ours TOO!
No more consultations on this. We just need to get this done, we will fix what needs to be fixed after. Laws are written by men and can be amended, repealed, replaced (even in the great US of A). We have been talking and studying for at least 6yrs. This is one project that could fundamentally transform Dominica. We could be producing electricity as cheap as coal. Moreover there is a market for all that we can produce.
Does anyone understand what this would mean for our cost of living, quality of life, the manufacturing sector and the tourist sector? Wars have been waged over energy and we have the potential of meeting all of our needs extremely cheap and sustainably. Chavez might not be too thrilled about this, since it would significantly reduce our dependance on fossil fuels.
I do not understand why the Government is not taking a more proactive role in identifying suitable partners. We have adopted the lazy approach of waiting for “partners” to come to us instead of going to look for a list of suitable partners. Why aren’t we talking to The Gysers in the US who have one of the largest plants in the world and have been doing this since the 60s. Instead we are talking to “investors” who are speculating and learning on the job.
People do your research. This should be a higher priority than it is.
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/geothermal/faqs.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_energy_in_the_United_States
Well Mr. Christian its good to know you’re alive and kicking. I’m still wondering what happened to the New Labour Party or whatever it was called.
That said I do agree with the general content of your letter. If the country has resources they should be utilized to benefit all citizens not a select few, especially a select few of overseas nationals and corporations.
Dominicans have lost sovereignty of their beautiful land. Everyone applauded Marcia Baptiste for emerging winner at the Miss Caribbean pageant. Good. Dominicans are not only good displaying their cultural attributes but also we have what it takes to be masters of our own destiny. In the field of business, economics, we also have the potential to excel. The DLP government has lost confidence in the people and virtually gives away control of our natural resources to foreigners. The Gov’t partnered with a French company to develop the Waitikubuli Trail instead of WEF, a Dominican NGO that initiated and raised millions to set the project in motion. Now the project is facing several teething problems and is way behind schedule.
The gov’t again preferred to hand over to another foreign company, the exploration of our geothermal resources although several Dominicans, capable to undertake such a project, submitted proposals. What a precedence being set by Dominicans in Gov’t In fact, it is the manager of our National Bank, a non national, who is chairman of that company. No status report re. the geothermal project has been forthcoming to the public. Two French companies are involved in mining activities. One Chinese woman is into bottling of Water. With all the talk of young entrepreneurs and monies available for projects, the youths have not been advised or encouraged to go into bottling of our water. Water must sell. But you see, when it comes to controlling our natural resources, Dominican authorities sell out to foreigners and leave out their own people even though they may have the capacity to make it work and mobilise resources both internally and from outside.
How much money has that company responsible for exploring geothermal energy raised? How much work has been done so far? There are Dominican electrical and mechanical engineers, economists, accountants, others with project management expertise both here and in the diaspora who most certainly could take on that project. What sort of development approach is that? Putting your people last. Dominicans can do more than parade on a stage showing off their cultural talents. Where important national projects and plenty monies to be made are concerned foreigners must not get priority over our sons and daughters. We like it so. It’s business as usual. A new kind of colonialism is sweeping through, showing its ugly head in many areas of the country’s development. Dominica must be for Dominicans. But we must struggle persistently for that to happen because there are some sections of our society who feel that foreigners should control our Nature Isle and its rich resources to the detriment of the local population.
In the interest of all invovled, the piece written above is a clear indication that we are listening all over the US and are akin to how such development would evolve to become a major boost for economy as a whole.
However, such develplopment is always better decided on by the local people in authority who are given jurisdiction over these resources.
What rubbish is Gabu speaking now?
Again, i am surprised by the lack of feedback on this subject which is of significant importance to the dominican people.We know what colonialism has wrought on the colonies, where the mainland countries pillaged and plundered the resources of the islands.This is of paramount importantance to our future well being and we must take it seriously.