Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, is urging Dominicans to choose locally produced goods over imports and aid in job creation on the island.
His remarks come in light of an abattoir being built in the Layou Valley which he said is back on track following some “challenges.”
“We had some challenges with the abattoir, we have since addressed those,” he said, adding that the government has now entered into an “amended agreement with the contractors”.
He said work on the project resumed about three weeks ago and is scheduled to be completed by July.
“We see this as being a very important component of the agricultural sector,” the Prime Minister said. “If we can reduce the importation of pork and poultry products to the country, we can keep a lot of our money in Dominica.”
He noted that at the end of the day, it all have to do with the “consumption practices” of Dominicans.
“We have to decide when we go to the supermarkets, we have to make a determination what do we buy,” he said. “It’s like our Loubiere Water, as opposed to imported water. We decide when we go to the supermarket because it is a free economy. So it is left to us to determine whether we’re going to support locally produced chicken and pork and make those demands to the supermarkets, so that they can stock their shelves and freezers with our local chicken, our locally produced pork, so that we can help the farmers, at the end of the day help the economy and help keep jobs in Dominica.”
The Prime Minister argued that citizens of the country has to come to the realization that “every time we buy something that is imported in Dominica, as opposed to something that is manufactured in Dominica, we are exporting jobs.”
“So the government can do all what the Government wants to do, it is left for the people to decide what they want,” he said. “So when I hear people talking about the Government, the Government, the Government. We must ask ourselves, ‘am I assisting the government in achieving its objective?'”
The abattior is a $10-million Venezuela-funded project.
Authorities has said that upon completion it will have a capacity output of 1,000 birds per hour and 50 pigs per day and it was being built to ensure food security, reduce the import bill and to provide employment in Dominica.
Various deadlines were given for its completion including January 2014 and March 2014.
for some people .they do not like what is good. for some of them they prefer to see it 20 years back word.
The Ministry is a waste of time. People are either late, out of state or at lunch. Nothing functions as it should. John needs to get in touch with his big boys whiskey drinking friends and tell them to do their jobs. How many public lectures has Donald Peters held on Dominica’s debt? None. When PhD. Fontaine tried to educate the people, John’s big boy friends tried to run him out of town.
How many Dominicans read the annual Eastern Caribbean Central Bank Report? Not many. It’s not part of any high school curriculum. Skerrit and the big boys keep Dominicans drunk and ignorant and fool them with cheap rum while they line their pockets.
I spent four years at Grammar School and only learnt of the bank’s existence because I love to read and research on my own.
Innocent Children are being raped regularly. Where are the authorities? The waste of time Levi Peters collects his paycheck and drink his expensive rum. He should be fired!
You have a fence being erected at Lindo Park in Goodwill to help prevent children from running into oncoming vehicles. Skerrit and the boys stopped the project and the representative is from a rival party. And you want Dominicans to come back home. Really?
For years we have been writing and calling on the authorities to pay attention to road safety on the island. These words have been falling on deaf ears. The Big Boys like Donald Peters at the State College has yet to address this and proposed a new curriculum for issuing driver licenses. Instead, he’s worried about calypso. Dominica has no desire for its sons and daughters to make any meaningful contributions to the island. They do not want us back. The Big Boys run everything and we in turn gave them the middle finger a long time ago. To date, not one government employed civil engineer has spoken or put forth plans about road safety.
So John, you need to talk to your big boy friends in Dominica and get them on board before we even think of coming back home.
Ordinary citizens must be able to successfully participate in any given society for it to prosper and function effectively. There is too much red tape to overcome to get things done. I know of Dominicans who purchased land and built homes through hard work and they have yet to receive their title. How do you expect people who spent years in the cold to come back and invest when you can’t provide them with a title, unless you pay off clerks at the registry. There is too much corruption and lack of transparency.
We have reached out to our local vendors and given them a platform to sell their products internationally and they seem to have no incentive to do it. We also reached out to the government. Yes, we are a business model but we do not charge any vendors to list their products. Take advantage of this opportunity and try and get your local product to a wider audience.
http://www.CariSwapShop.com
Damn hypocrite – i have been trying for years to help in that arena with no support or response from these guys. if I was chinese and not Dominican i would have gotten the green light. This angers me that these guys are two faced
Here is the most dynamic, youthful and wise Prime Minister in the Eastern-Caribbean speaking on what should be common sense and common knowledge. His Holiness, Dr. Roosevelt M. Skerrit, a true visionary, is encouraging his subjects to chart the course towards a more independent and economically progressive Dominica. How can anyone doubt the wisdom and compassion of our great Christ-like King? Of course, there is always the jealous trolls of the blind, cold-hearted and evil UWP (Uneducated Wicked People) who are dedicated to oppose and criticize all that is said and done by His Holiness, Dr. Skerrit and the intelligent and motivated men and women of his Cabinet. These nay-sayers are in fact laughable as the rest of Dominica watch them go crazy like a mad dog chasing its own tail for hours every time our Blessed Prime Minister utters a word. Stiff-necked fools who cannot accept their defeat with dignity. What a shame!
$10 million dollars to build this abattoir? It is hard to believe. Everyone need to go look at this project and decide whether this looks like a $10 million project. It would be good to see a breakdown of the costing on this.
John found a new toy. It’s called DNO.
rubbish talk Mr. PM
buy local eh?
Mr. Skerrit! Why didn’t you follow your own advice and buy your nice lush green hedge for your home from the local boys?
Ehben, what is Roosevelt buying locally? His house furnished with locally made furniture, and Simeon Albert is his friend? Used local architect for all his building plans? Used local hospital for birth of his son? Have his suit tailored here? His missus selling locally produced garments? And what do you and your family have for breakfast Sir? Show an example before you speak P.M. that is all I ask.
The PM is perfectly right. He thinks country , not self. Any patriotic Dominican should agree and support the idea even though he/she does not support the Roosevelt led LP Government. Reducing imports of meat products with an objective to become self-sufficient is surely a brilliant way forward to save foreign currency and to generate the much needed jobs that all of us wish to happen. The abattoir is a significant addition in the sector that will assist in stimulating growth and economic activities. It is not expected to employ all Dominicans , however, it will definitely create a dent in the unemployment figure. As the PM alluded to ‘buy local and eat local’ this strategy when employed and practised by us will support and enhance our economy. Be positive and eliminate negativism . love your country !
And you are not biased either, are you mr. Walther?
Yes Joker gov’t Venezuela would love to buy our toilet paper and aid local job creation. The man does not know what he is doing.
There are too many wastes paying lip service to the country. They are commenting on everything but produce nothing. Not even a pod of pigeon peas.
Stop paying $100.000. for cars you cannot afford and big useless houses you cannot even afford stop putting the cat before the horse take your money go into business and let the business give you a car and house that’s the biggest mistake a black man does the problem is not government the problem is you I want government out of my way not in my way.
John, I would never put the cat before the horse my friend. That would not be fair to the cat, would it.
Skerritt is a politician he will always lie. Linton will lie too. The problem is you stop waiting on government to save you that will never happened go and plant watermelon like me then you will not need Skerritt to help you I am a free man I can say what I want I am not waiting on Skerritt or Linton. Go and create your own company.
many that vote labour is seeing through your deception
If you think his talk is cheap, yours is worst.
Some people do not help but they will criticize. Nothing constructive here.
Oh boy this one have me , Mr PM do you have a case of amnesia ? You just spent a whole set of money in Barbados, Trinidad ,USA etc, for your election campaign, then when it was over you flew to the USA with your family for Christmas ,were you thinking of us local? And you talking about buy local and keep the money and help create jobs? how many locals got cheques of $35,000.00 to go to the bank during the campaign? I thought you and your people said Linton was uneducated? it seems like you guys have it back to front. Linton been saying all what you saying there for a long time and you guys were criticizing him. I think your back is against the wall now , because you realize the promises you made during the campaign won’t be full filled so you trying to fool us again by blaming us.,Hey at least some of us do catch on quickly. you forget you said putting money in public works is like throwing money in a ravine? isn’t public works local? Dominicans will soon realize their mistake,
You all people are waiting for jesus to save you read john16 jesus is not coming back.
I am surprised that you made that comment. Are you a non-Christian? Has someone falsely indoctrinated you or you decided this on your own? As the years progress, there will be more ungodly people who will also reject the Truth of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our Holy Bible, The New Testament gives us evidence that Our Lord will return. When? We do not know. He told us to “Stay awake.” Some will die before He returns.
He said, “When I return to earth will I find faith on earth?” And, “Whoever is ashamed of Me and My Word I will be ashamed of him when the Son of Man comes in His glory with His angels.” He also said, “Whoever does not acknowledge Me before all men, I will not acknowledge him before my Father in Heaven.”
You must read/study Holy Scripture. A Chapter a day will do and meditate on it. You must first pray to the Holy Spirit to assist you and enlighten you. When you complete reading the chapter, you must thank the Holy Spirit for His enlightenment.
You are right John, we got Skerrit instead.
Seriously, do peolple really believe Jesus is coming? What is he coming back for and what is he going to do? He should make his reappearance in The Southern United States, a Jew talking about eveyone is equal and love you brother. Religion has been devastating to our people.
My brother, I’ve been saying so for a while. People have their heads up in the clouds instead of here on earth. This is a pie in the sky story and our people need to wake up! Religion has us stupid and not using our brain and being critical thinkers.
PEACE
You tell the pm when they are having all the useless meetings with caribean have it all over the island and create jobs for people in the villages they can cook the food supply the tents and chairs , they only go to fort young you people have to tell him you have to create the wealth dominica have pretty places. Have meetings by the beech in the mountains . You people must know what you want. In life you must have purpose in our country that does not exist . You must create a brand new model wheat are all the educated people to lead us is every body drunk.
There is a God above who gives them life, health, strength and intelligence. Our Lord said, “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” They must make the most of their time.
For those who appear to be successful, they must thank God and ask him to continue making them progressive. They must not lord it over others. Love and humility are godly virtues.
Some people are in need of financial help and worthwhile advice. They must help others to achieve their goal. We are not here in the world for ourselves. This is one way of giving thanks to God.
Our Lord Jesus Christ said, “He (Our Heavenly Father) makes his sun to rise on the good and the bad and the rain to fall on the just and the unjust.”
The words of a religious song: “If I can help somebody, then my living shall not be in vain.” Whatever good we do to and for others, God is taking note. He will bless those who do for what goes around comes around and twofold.
The toilet papper too hard mr PM South America don’t want it.
Why do we have so many beggers in dominica when we have all that land doing nothing. Every body wants a job in Roseau, our Ancestors took nothing from any body they worked hard for their supper. We should be ashamed of our selves our Ancestors used to walk for miles across the mountains with load on there head to feed us today we go to Roseau to beg , tell your government to stop it. When you do that you take away people dignity , the people in new york is not doing so well come back home we need you
I agree with you here about employment. They had roads and a sort of feeder roads which were not motor-able and not maintained by the government. Yet, they did not complain and stage protests.
Some people love a leisure life. As I have stated, the government should make financially helping them a condition that they should seek employment according to their capabilities in order to continue receiving assistance.
Times are hard also for the government. In previous years the Canadian gov’t. provided unemployment insurance benefit and welfare assistance. The policy has since changed. Everyone who receives these benefits must seek employment. If they are taking courses, they are exempt for a while.
At a stipulated time, they will be called to a meeting and will have to show proof that they have been seeking employment. If they do not, they will be cut-off from benefits. The D/ca government should adopt this policy to encourage these recipients to seek employment.
Linton is also a good Dominican he will also need help , the free loaders and beggers will be still there we need hard workers and thinkers in Dominica not drunkards and people singing for their supper. We need more business people and that will solve some of our problems
Why do you people give all the power to one man if he is building any thing and you know its not good talk why do you talk after whose fault it is its your country and your fault , because you don’t know the Laws in your own country, stop making useless noise that does not solve any thing. How much you people know about the Hospital before it is build nothing , because you don’t know who owns the country you will talk after its finished, can’t fountain tell you what to do. When its finished you are going to blame Skerritt. How much its going to cost are we getting new beds no one knows nothing shoes fault yours. Every thing that’s being you must know its your country too. Its so sad and so easy to know when you don’t know leaders will always take advantage of you Skerritt is a good dominican he needs guidance from you people he must know who he is working for noise alone will not do it you need people brains
Governments do go to the people for advice. They encourage them to write and voice their concerns. Of course, the respondents should do so respectfully.
I have written my MP and MPP’s on certain matters. Some of what I wrote have been implemented. I will not state what they are but they concern every Canadian resident.
I do not wish to brag. However, in speaking to my MP’s Admin. Assistant, I was informed that he said my writing made good sense. Governments do not want people to write nonsense and to be crude and rude. It is a waste of time. If we expect our concerns to be read and considered, we must also write sensibly.
We all observe and we all have opinions. However, we must not be demanding and boss the government. If what we propose is not accepted, we must not get offended and angry. We must consider that many people write and many have excellent opinion better than ours.
Citizens/residents of a country have an obligation to their country.
As nationals we have power to initiate changes but we must use this power wisely and respectfully. Some people need to learn this also in their comments to other fellow Dominicans on this Website.
How long have we been asking for the MOU signed with China? We have been active John. When Brisbane wrote and complained about the State House, Charles Savarin encouraged citizens to stop buying from him. His business eventually closed.
It’s been over forty years since Eric Shilling ford was murdered because he was ambitious and was about to secure an auto dealership. John, why don’t you tell your big boy friends to come clean about the Eric Shilling ford murder. You drink whiskey with these thugs and then you talk.
It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of a person who pays no price for being wrong.
well said mr pm everybody can blah blah blah yea yea kfc right next to market u decide where u want to purchase .choose our loubiere water and local chicken and pork and the supermarkets will be forced to order more from the abbatoir and lesss imports ….also theyre not changing from growing vegetables to chicken and pigs surely we can do both
Caricom was set up for the Europeans and Americans, Black Caribean people don’t own most of the companys we must be educated about what is happening in the caribean. We must go to college and learn how to raise money and open businesses , we are trained to work for people and not think for our selves. They train us well we complain and make useless noise every day and solve nothing. We don’t even have ten chefs in dominica to run a proper Restaurant in dominica. Most of the courses we are taking in college will not make us own our own business. Grambling state university check all the courses dominican students are taking its a party Black school. We tell every body to go to school but we don’t tell them what to take to control their future. They will come back to beg for jobs.
I totally agree that we should buy local and I am all for it. You said that this all depends on the consumer. So does that mean we will continue to import contaminated chicken, sell cheaper alongside local? Then of course this buy local will not work.
The fact is that it costs more to raise a chicken in Dominica than to import one from the U.S.A. But you have a choice, buy a frozen force-fed battery hen from uncle Sam or pay a bit more for a locally reared fresh chicken. It is your money, you can chose how you spend it.
Why not employ locals versus chinese on the big projects? Why not pay public works workers their salary?
You just like to express your verbal diarrhoea. You are haunted by spirits. Do not produce more of your kind.
lol, so true… local Chinese hahhaha
Mr PM , i have no problem with buying local at all . But i need to ask you a few things , because it’s you and your government who controls Dominica’s coming and going business. 1. Buy local yah , so why you allow KFC to have so much parking next to our main market, where they only have a few minutes to off load? 2. why don’t you make sure that the Small Business sector always have funds to help the small business owners to produce more local goods ? I applied for a grant for two years now and all they telling me is there is no funds. 3. instead of building so many 5 star hotels which truly we don’t need why don’t you put the monies into the few factories we have now to help boost their productivity instead of standing by and see them shut their doors. 4.The $500,00.00, you gave the business man to help boost entertainment ,now the business is shut down ,ask him to pay back that money and give that money to the farmers., I could go on and on but you get my point, I love…
The Pm should really stop pronouncing on everything. He sounds so superficial and incoherent these days.
I would simply demonstrate by my actions that I put local people and their products first.
How much of what they eat at their public events, parties and cocktails are local?
How much effort is made to push local people who not grovelling and bowing to him and the government.
Garcon lead by example. Talk is cheap.
You cannot deceive the sensible. If you do not favor him as the ruling PM, you will never like what he states. I have observed that with DLP non-supporters. You will consistently criticize him and throw words at him. You will never see any good in what he says and does. These are of no help. They are not builders but destroyers.
buy local, so what about export our local product like toilet paper to venezueala
Even when the european union gives new bathrooms we steal the toilet bowls or block it with stones because we don’t like the government. For heavens sake if we cannot run a country with 70 thousand people what can we do . We have to do better than that we are more educated now how much more time do we need. We have people like norman shilling who came back home with millions of dollars who did not know what the he’ll he was doing and blow it all one women now he call every day on the radio blaming every body but his self. I think in time we will speak in one voice when are we going to stop begging think and do it for our selves with education it will happen with time. We we get it right the rest of the caribean will follow. Start by sending some of your money home so people can borrow to do business.
How does the Dear Leader define local? With the advent of the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) Caricom owned companies have the right to establish and operate businesses in any Caricom member state under the same terms and conditions as local businesses. And if the government signed a treaty its objective should be to promote the CSME. So shouldn’t “buy local” now become “buy Caricom”? In any case, buying local does not always equate to good value especially when one considers that the local options leave so much more to be desired.
Very good point Erasmus, we can not stop Caricom and OECS products coming in. However, we could make imports cheaper anyway by allowing us to import better flour and cheaper from N.America and the EU direct and the same for animal feed, which we now have to buy from fellow mem bers at inflated prices. The govt. does not get any import duty from that so why not let us import from better, alternative sources. I sure do not like to put profit in Ralph Gonsalves pocket simply because we are OECS members and must protect his business.
Every caribean island have the same problem management problem, can any one tell me how much money wr owe the I.M.F every dominican should know that you should be able to go to Roseau and see that number in the office. How much money we take in and how much money goes out. We have Lawyers and people with P.H.D. why are they educating us about our rights and the Law. Politicians must tell us the truth do any one knows how much money we owe. Every project we start it cannot be finished you see the same thing in Africa. Every body wants to be in politics not Business the money is in business. The european union talks to us likes dogs put a maintenance plan in place before I give you the money for the feeder roads. Black more have buildings in Jimmit closed for 6 yrs doing nothing nothing works well.
Now you are putting pressure on him he start talking, forget the government, if any country send most of their money over seas you are going to have a problem. Dominica has good soil we should be exporting pork, chickens, fish, and ground provisions in exchange for something. Government has nothing to do with that. We must produce more. Private people must get together buy our own boat sell our stuff our selves so begging people to help us. Edison James when he was prime minister he told us we must control every aspect of the banana business we must own the boat and sell the bananas our selves we must find the markets and sell the goods our selves. The country does not generate enough money, we have to change that not the government we have to create the jobs.
Realllllllllyyyyyy then why are you calling customs directly and demanding that they not even inspect lettuces, tomatoes etc that was important by this big name boys in town (last name starts with N)…..shouldnt you have encourage him to sponsor a local farmer to produce these here in dominica……this in turn would have created a backward link (linkages) with the tourism sector/Business sector and the agriculture sector…..instead these people import these from other islands and even internationally……
Next I can come to Dominica and buy Blue Water at Save A-Lot…..but I have never gone to Trinidad and see one Piton or Loubiere water on a supermarket shelf………So why dont you address the big boys first, your friends dem!!!!!!!
What gets Dominicans angry Skerritt tell to many lies, Skerritt must do one thing every thing in the government in public knowledge. Citizens should be able to go to any Departments and have a room where all the books are kept and read and see where is there government spend there money, that’s the way a free society works, before they elect people they don’t tell them that. People its your government they work for you, they cannot do nothing until you give them permission to do it but if you font know what your rights all you are going to do is make useless noise every day , because they no you don’t no , you have Lawyers let them educate you. Stop him from giving every body money the country cannot afford.
The reason why I am very critical of Skeritt and the government is because after 15 years they have proven to be incompetent and deceptive. Yes buying local is good I would not argue about it. However this is a pm that says one thing and does something else. When last did anyone see Skeritt at a local restaurant, or at the market, who promotes having their kids overseas? Who gives contracts to foreign entities while local engineers and contractors are told they are not good enough, who removed taxes on barrels from overseas during Christmas, which is the peak season for local merchants instead of encouraging diaspora to send funds that could go a long way in boosting jobs and the economy. I could go on but it will take me 15 yrs. PM says what he thinks his narrow minded followers wants to hear. His policies and actions is far from progressive. This guy is leaving in fantasy land and his only idea for development is begging. 15 yrs.. Now you talking buy local. Empty vessel
I think on this page every one is reasonable, we as Dominican are learning , its less than forty yrs since the British gave us Dominica back. We had no one in charge to show us how to run a country. We will do all right down the road. Dominica is like a small city in most of those big country. They put Departments in place that functions. Skerritt and Linton is learning as they go . You have the same problems where ever the British was except Singapore, one man had the vision to change that. China had that same problem they look at Singapore a small country the size of Dominica and change in in 40 yrs and become a world power.
i support you Mr. PM. buy local and watch your country florish. good job. next step is exporting
And the incessant rambling continues. Where might I ask, will all the animals for slaughtering come from?? Is there an animal farm of such magnitude to keep the arbattoir replenished ? Or have farmers begun stock piling these birds and swine and cattle and agouti? I would hate for ship loads of live animals to have to arrive on shores….the cycle of over importation might never end! FEELING AMUSED
The abattoir is being built on the water table to the whole of the Layou valley. There was no environmental check done. If there is any leakage from the slaughter of animals this will impact and contaminate the ravine, springs and the Layou river. The abattoir is built in the wrong place. It is a disaster waiting to happen. Also changing from growing vegetables to keeping animals is a whole different business, not easy at all.
And I’m reading from a govt ad. in monday’s Sun they want to use money from the BAM to finish that slaugterhouse. I don’t understand that at all.
Although I see the logic in your argument about ground water contamination, I fear that those same Layou Valley conditions exist throughout the entire island. The truth is that there is an abundance of water in Dominica, and the water table is therefore high in most place.
Mr. PM while I agree with that statement. Import duties in Dominica is soo high, and with some of those greedy merchants wanting to make a fortune on a single item people have no choice but to look overseas
When a tin of planters cashew nut I get in USA for $4 usd selling in Dominica for $24+ usd (over $9 usd) something isbwrong. When a car which is already expensive anywhere, Dominicans have to pay 100% in custom duties + plus car dealer profit, they have to look overseas. An to locals- you to should appreciate locally produced goods.
Buy Chinese you mean. Everything comes from foreign even bananas. you take too long to realise that
Every project in DA has “challenges”.
Can’t we ever have a project that proceedes smoothly from start to finish?
On the other hand is freeness so we really shouldn’t complain too much.
Nope. The boys must get their cut first. That’s the problem.
I have something to tell you Mr. PM. You say to support local and all that but i hope your next child will be born right here in Dominica. We Dominicans do expect you to take seriously the creation of an enabling environment for local business to thrive and not Chinese. Dominicans should be able to get the same favored treatments for them to offer better prices on locally produced goods.
why mr. just there trying to be relevant ner?
P.M. I uderstand but why then do you allow the Min. of agriculture to issue import permits for agricultural produce, including fresh vegetables. Personally, I don’t mind because I want to be free to spend my money where and how I want , and remember imports bring you big import duties. But your utterings are not always logical and controversial at times.
For now, until Dominica has ample produce and overload to sell to nationals, this is the way it will be. Use your common sense.
Skerrit ,buy local yes we should, but if the heart of the produce to buy is in Carholm and the heights of Salisbury,where you squeeze them for not supporting you. I remember these 2 areas produced 90% of the agriculture in domininca and exported millions,but your little just dont get it.
Your comment is not a smart one. Everything for people as you is politics. There are times you make too much of an issue out of it.
Are they not D/cans? Do they not want to sell their produce in D/ca to D/cans? What has politics got to do with it?
When it pertains to buying and selling from and to fellow D/cans, politics is out of it. This is how it should be for those who have any common sense and if they want to sell their produce and make some money.
We are discussing selling and buying food for our plates, to eat for our health. Leave dislike, hatred and support for one Party or another out of it.
Me too. Skerrit is too petty.