United Workers Party (UWP) candidate for the Grand Fond constituency, Dr Thompson Fontaine, has revealed that his party has solid plans to revitalize the essential oils industry in Dominica.
Speaking at a special welcome ceremony held for him in Grand Fond earlier this week, Fontaine said that the essential oils sector is important to the economy of Dominica and noted that his party is committed to working for the good of the country.
“A week ago in New York I met with a gentleman … this gentleman started the essential oils business in Egypt and in India. Essential oils is now bringing in close to $100-million to Egypt and I spoke to this man, and guess what he wants from Dominica,” he told the crowd. “He wants our Citronella, our Lemon Grass, our Bayleaf …these are the things that they use in cosmetics.”
He added that the party is prepared to export these products, along with other fruits, as a source of income for the country.
“We are going to be sending these fruits to Guadeloupe and America, not necessarily in this form …. we are going to transform those fruits into juices, bar-b-q sauces, into salad dressings, biscuits and other different things and send it overseas so that we can send our children to school, and take care of our children and take care of the young people of this country,” Fontaine said.
Speaking at the same function party leader, Lennox Linton, said the community of Grand Fond has to be applauded for the man that Fontaine is today.
“In all our 35 years of independence only one Dominican has had the privilege, the distinction of working for the International Monetary Fund and that one Dominican is your own Dr Thomson Fontaine,” he said. “So when we speak about this gentleman, we speak on the strength of his record working with the fund and distinguishing himself as a consummate professional.”
” If our working population is just about 40,000 – 50,000, why should we burden ourselves with an International Airport.”(Reply).
In any event what you term “burden” to means progress, there are places with as small population as Dominica which has an International Airports.
This seems a big a deal in Dominica, because of the rubbish which the Labor Party has imprinted in the minds of our people, they talk nonsense such as it too expensive, some foolish people talk about how expensive it will be to maintain. How can someone think in terms of maintenance when they have not been yet nor try that.
The idea is tourism, and we have to do everything within our power to get the tourist to visit, and the most essential thing we can do to promote, and draw people into the country is to build an International Airport, and advertise the country as a tourist destination. We can build a new fifty room hotel every day of the week if we care too, however without the sale of the country as an tourist destination all of the new and old so called hotels will remain empty!
When I lived in Europe (Germany ) as a matter of fact, I would introduce Dominica to my friends and their friends, I would encourage people to take a vacation in Dominica. The first question they would ask me is ” ho can we get there. By the time I would get through explaining, flying two hours to England, making connection, then landing in Barbados, or Antigua, or St. Lucia, overnight on one of the islands, and then get unto a small commuter aircraft to Dominica, by the time they add up the flying time they spent in the air and the night spent on any of islands, which amounts to more than twenty hours.
The conclusion is always the same we can get to Las Palmas, England, or some other place in Europe in two hours, where we can rest and commence our vacation.
The thing is if we have direct flights from any city in Europe destine To Dominica, one can estimate between six and eight hours, maximum nine depending on the origination of the flights on the European continent.
We can talk tourism as much as we like without an International Airport, we will continue to struggle, and will not get beyond where we are. Be informed, St. Kitts, Grenada, St. Vincent, St. Lucia population is not much large than that of Dominica, they all have the international Airports, If the twenty-five thousand or so Dominicans in Antigua return home, Antigua’s population might become less that of Dominica.
You ask my resolve, I submit to you the Building of an International Airport in our country be the beginning of real economic progress.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Thanks again dno for publishing only the comments you want. It is your site after all.
Me, Myself is read and pass on sometimes on this blog. If the UWP are serious and interested in development for Dominica, apart from trying to imitate North American ways of political campaign that I meet this man or this woman and they told me, this and that; at least both Democrats and Republican would have the person who told them of their problems or the idea and show the public who they are. But not the UWP politicians; our opposition politicians says they met this man, who has no name. Who is the man? Does he has a name? Who does he represent? What Company? Is there a cost? We cannot just swallow, that talk. When the PM talks we see what he is talking about.
If we want to bring North American type politics or campaign strategy here, we must do it the right way. We all watch CNN, Fox and the other American Channels and we see and listen.
And most importantly, you do not have to be a member of parliament to bring people with investment opportunities to Dominica. So the way they are speaking, is as though, if we don’t vote them in, they will take their investment opportunity and take them to another island.
Did I hear something like that happened after the 2000 elections? Maybe I am wrong, someone can clarify for us, if they know.
If the UWP is serious about Dominica – bring the investors to the Invest Dominica or any other ministry and let them see if it can work for us. Why wait for another two years before elections or another 10 years for yet, another election.
Just Do It.
Skirrit will win the election, only marigot he will lose. He is taking everthing this timw
All I want to know is how can you believe a man who cannot give account for anything he does in his professional life? He cannot give account for the private funds he transferred into his personal account and now we finding out that he cannot give account for lands which were willed to the same organization in his financial reports as treasurer of the organization.
It is interesting that the same people that are supporting him are talking about corruption, transparency and accountability. Can you explain your new accounting methods to the people, Mr Fountain, so we can understand it? Are you trying to take Dominicans for a ride? Are you trying to CHANGE Dominica into your own personal ATM? Mr fontaine can you tell us who is this man you met or is it a secret? Does his company have a name? What other kinds of business is he involved in? We need to know these things Mr Fontaine. Dominicans beware before it is too late.
Until Labour came into power,Grand Fond was the poorest and most backward village in Dominica and now they are so excited and confused they will mislead any new candidate
Dominica is bless with water and good land god will bless those that will work the land
Dr Fontain ALL the WAY who VEX LOST..,,,,,,,,!!!!!!!”
What a joke . TIM TIM.” Dr Fontaine Met a Man” would make a good comedy show. All those years he worked for the IMF and this is the best he can come up with
Now this man does not want oil extracts , but leaves and grass.
Hey Doc , do you know what can be done with castor oil and coconut oil.
Thanks dno. Do not publish my comments. Just publish the ones you want. Its your site so you can do what you want. Continue to play politics. What are you afraid of anyway?
DNO is afraid of the truth that might hurt UWP
We have to be thankful for DNO providing a sort of comical relief and entertainment . The site ii always saying “duplicate comment” or your comments is being moderated. and it does not know how to mentain its own policy .But writers make Dominicans look like the most foolish people on earth. Because of our natural habitat Dominicans are blessed with beauty and common sence and intelligence beyond compare.
UWP you all will not Win!
@phil me Labour Powderites. You all will LOSE.
I will hear about all you UWP was there already remember people ok
@student. And they did a tremendously good job. They deserve to be back, to correct this mess Skerrit and his cabal has p;unged this poor country.
Dr Fontaine
What’s up with you? Do you really have to be in power to make a difference? Did you refer the unnamed gentleman to the appropriate people to begin negotiations or to get the sales going? If not why?
What some of us cannot see is that while you all are on your very high political horses the poor man is still hungry and struggling. You can certainly make a difference without being in party-power. I am just not impressed with you all – I mean both parties.
Your speeches are superficial and vain. When analyzed it proves what a bunch of liars you all are, just waiting in the slits to grab the little that is left.
Ok Fountain pretty Simple and straight forward!!!
You know Belfast right???
You know the part they used to make massive productions of Coconut Products right???
Ok Go there and do us a favor, instead of blowing in the wind and making all kinna Assumptions and promises, give us a month of your precious time and go to Coconut Products and come back with your Professional Opinion of the profitability and Sustainability of this Plant, and what it would take to have it turn back into a mass-producer as oppose to being a mass distributor of Palmolive Colgate,,,
Garçon is dat we have to work wiff why allyou trying to reinvent the wheel when allyou have one wheel already all you just need to give a little Grease for it to roll a little more smoothly,,,
When you finish there let Marn know your findings yeh, cause there are more Wheels dat could use some Grease,,,
Doh worry when you finish wiff dat one Marn will show you d rest if is blind allyou blind!!!
By D time Marn finish wiff you allyou doh even have to hold elections no more cause by den allyou will have all d answers to fixing Dominicans’ unfortunate Situation,,,
All the best Dr. Fontaine. We need new methods, means and ways and thinking.
Hmmmmmm, new methods, ways of thinking…… just remember politicians will say anything to get in power.
By the way, Dominicans are no longer uneducated. The policies and recommendations from the IMF are they really beneficial to developing countries. The same strategies are applied to all countries irrespective of their challenges. U definitely can’t assume that all colds can be treated with the same medicine. If the reccomendations were strategically developed to address the specific problems of a country then I could say, yes we have found a man, finally we have found an asset but when recommendations are just copied and paste , I don’t see an asset there. Do u?
I must laugh, contact was made with a man who say he wants oil from Dominica. Lol. No name no warrant
oil, which oil! who is going to plan it. DOMINICANS OR HAITIANS? HAHAHAAHAHA….MAN, you people so hate to work is plan all you going to plan…PLLLLEEEEAAASSSSS……HAHAHAHAA
GOOD INITIATIVE. Impressive crowd. Skerrit will really have a battle to get 11 seats this time around. HE MIGHT NOT!
GUESS HIS ARROGANCE HAS CAUSED HIS DOWNFALL. His fall will be very hard too.
There is still potential for the bay oil and other essential oils industries. The fungal rust on the bay leaves can be controlled, the leaf harvesting and distillation improved for higher oil yield,lab testing for better quality ..and the waste leaves can make compost for fertiliser/crop nutrition.. Research will be necessary to develop best practices..Success as always will hang on the quality of planning and the human resource engaged in the industry..We are much too prone to see failure where others seem to succeed,,Why so?
Dr Clayton Shillingford
good i dear how ever one do not have to be a parliamentarian, to take up this program.doc this is one you could have taken up on your retirement instead of spending time time exposing Dr, Fountains skeletons,his DAAS financial cadaver was not well burred and is now stinking in our nose`s so sad eh?
You all just afraid Dr. Fontaine will ask questions in the House about Skerrit bank account. We all know that.
@julius carbon What about you Julius Carbon. Why people like you always want someone else to do the work for you all? Why can’t you do it. You seem to have the ability! And don’t you worry unduly about the learned Dr Fontaine. His constituency is already in a blue bag. There isn’t anything that you or the corrupt gang led by Skerrit can do to change that. HOPE THAT SATISFIES YOU.
I see success in the 40 year old PM. I see success in ten years with the Labour Pary. The only hindrance is the negative attitude that the new uwp party is causing in the minds of many people. People are beginning to see through the lies of the uwp.
One other thing is the revamping of the civil servants who are not serving the people. During the next ten years you will see definite and rapid economic development growth.
Mr. Shillingford, you and Mr. fontain need to tell us what happened to the piece of land in Rosalie that was willed to the DAAS. Was it sold? Why is it not accounted for in any DAAS report? Is it a coincidence that Mr. Fontain has acquired a certificate of title for a piece of land in the same area bodering with the piece of land in question? This may be the new form of accountability but is it transparent?
Dr Shillingford, I do not have a Phd ,all I have is an NDD but I can see that you hold the idea that LDC’s should continue to produce primary products and import secondary products and manufactured goods from MDC’s . This is a colonial approach to keep the LDC’s in persistent poverty.
Lennox Linton you wants to go on the state CAR never that going to happen in Dominica!Labour we say five more years in office we love our p.m so bad lol Our pm working! This election looking like it will be like Jamaica trust me pm love you!
@ROWROW….. The article was about the Essential Oil Industry.Your understanding is zero rated.You did not understand what you read, or you could not read it.
I think this is exciting news from Dr Fontaine especially for those in the south east. That’s why Fontaine and Team Dominica is so superior to thos jokers in this failed Labour Party.
This was about an industry with no deta ,but leaves and grass. The man claimed to be an economists , has a Phd and extensive experience at a world banking organization and all he can say is he met a man who can buy leaves and grass.
Anyone , who was educated at the school of hard knocks and has an NDD could do better.
if we all love Dominica the way we say , we should all work together and pool our resources . and all those ideas of how to put back jobs and money in our pockets could be worked out.how I wish we had one big group of people going up election and we chose lets say 12,and there was no political parties. just vote at large. party politics is destroying our lovely island.
This is a massive crowd gathered by Team Dominica on a week day in Dominica not in Roseau but Grand Fond.
“Change is a Must”
It’s obvious laborites are not interested in essential oils. All they want is their red clinic, toilets,free bus ride,some plywood, a few sheets of galvanize and they happy.
linky develop what? I don’t understand which man the uwp talking about that’s to tell that man don’t exists. a bunch of losers in the WORKERS PARTY.
I need to connect to Dr. Fontaine from Grand Fond and the UWP team Dominica on how we can present a proposal together to build this international airport for the good of country. My friends unless we put in place a plan to build this infrastructure for economic independence we will always be singing the national anthem and not living its words. “All for each and each for all”
Great idea to improve productivity amongst the rural community but unless the country does not build an international airport to broaden the scope of business and encourage more entrepreneurs beyond the shores of the country all fancy talk and promises will be good talk, talk and more talk. Faith without works is dead.
Thank you Grand Fond…you have shown that you are ready for change and in support of the your son Dr. Fontain. Keep on fighting for what is just and fear. Just keep reminding the DLP Cabal that Change Must Come because it is NOT an option.
Assertive, NOT Agressive!
Not so fast, funtain must first come clean ,as it stands now i will not trust him behind my cash register.
“He wants our Citronella, our Lemon Grass, our Bayleaf …these are the things that they use in cosmetics.”
Thompson dey man want to do business with dominica. Election is constitutionally due in 2015. I bet you Skerrit not going to call election before the end of 2014 so you better get the man to do business with these farmers now. Do wait for when you get in office. Furthermore Skerrit may go find the man and steal your idea.
WE voting UWP all the way. Those visionary leaders are for all Dominicans.
Call elections!
the last one said he wanted to build a 5 star resort in Carib reserve. FYI per the law Caribs cannot sell their land it is reserved and communal property, non Caribs are not even supposed to be living there on the land much less foreigners. Now oil is the next talk oil really luille, luille meme… zor faux! you might as well tell people you want everybody to start selling fig.
Again, somebody is going to say I am a know it all.
Nevertheless, I am butting in here and inform you whereas the hundreds of years old colonial law, even to this day protects the sale of land on the Carib Reservation to outsiders (none Carib’s); I do not believe there is anything in the law which stats, the Carib’s cannot lease land to accommodate industries, such as hotels from which the Carib’s themselves can benefit from economically!
What is the difference in an Caribbean India, and an American Indian residing on Reservations in Oklahoma, Palm Springs California, in Arizona, Alaska, or some other place in the United Stats?
The same rules are in place, an outsider, Black, white, nor any other are allowed to buy land belonging to the Indians, however, we find that on some of theses untouchable land, are found some of the nations largest, and most expensive hotels, and casino’s; those of us Dominicans who reside in California, who like to gamble like me knows where they are all located, I will not mention them by name in order to prevent any form of advertisement which thy can benefit from.
On the other hand those of us who drive across the United States, using I-40 will remember if not all of the location, nevertheless, when we are going threw on the Oklahoma Turnpike driving East or West, one cannot avoid seeing these large Hotels Casino’s in Tulsa Oklahoma some of which are owned by people who have the same ventures in Las Vegas.
Some are owned and operated by local Indian Tribes themselves, what is wrong with the Carib Indians in Dominica own and develop an Hotel on their Reservation?
Are they not human too; possessing all of the faculties as every other human?
Such investments has literally changed the life’s of many if not all of the Indian population in the United states. What is wrong about leasing the land to accommodate such a venture on the Indian Reservation in our country? It is a very bad thing to commence critiquing prior to looking into the probabilities, and that has been Dominica’s problem for more than a hundred years.
We are never willing to challenge anything if only to see how it works out, nothing is guaranty in this life, one simply have to chance it, and see if it works. In Dominica, we take the advise of such idiots as Ralph Gonzales, and Bajans, and all others, we do what they say and suggest, which in the interim hampered our country’s progress.
I will never understand the Dominica mentality!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
You do realize that laws created by men can be modified, eliminated or ignored (as our current gov’t reminds us frequently) right?
If small businesses can exist in the Kalinago territory to benefit the people why not a hotel/resort? If the people living there are up for it, they can work with stakeholders to make it happen.
Its so convenient to shut down any idea and claim its unfeasible…but ask yourself: if it seems far fetched that a country rich in fertile land cannot develop its agricultural industry, isn’t it even more inconceivable that we can launch industries where we have no natural advantage?
GOOD MOVE BY THE DOCTOR.
DOMINICA NEEDS MORE MEN LIKE THAT.Is he the same man Skerrit and his gang were trying to bring down? Dominicans must send a loud message to Skerrit and his useless team that this shall never happen.
you don’t need to buy any land to build they can list it
Thomson you do do have to be in power to export citronella and bay leaf… go talk to the Bay Oil Co-operative … They are exporting bay oil so getting them that market would be essential as the oil itself….
As a former IMF Economist you ought to know what you just said is crap, we need to know what is your policy on Agriculture.. will we see a reduction in agricultural tools? Policy my boy policy… Cabinet nor Government exports products is we the people who does this in this global environment… USA could still refuse our citronella and bay oil, then what will you say? you had a market but……..
Clearly, the crap is coming from you, Joe. You ask what’s Dr. Fontaine’s policy on agriculture. The article provides the answer. Dr. Fontaine wants to increase production and add value to agriculture through agro-processing. You read but do not understand.
p[eople of Grand Fond, please support Dr.Fontain.
Do not let this man slip. Do not behave like the stupid people in your neighboring constituency who who allowed Dr. Finn to slip away.
I tell you,right now there is such a demand for Natural oils and it sells for good money.
Citronelle,Rosemary,lavender,.
Wake up Dominica.
@Joe Is this buffoon called joe DEATH? DID YOU ASK FOR TEAM DOMINICAS PLAN FOR AGRICULTURE?. Joe go make Dr Pascal the ear specialist clean your ears for you, THEN YOU WILL HEAR.I HAVE HEARD UWP PLAN FOR AGRICULTURE MORE THAN A MILLION TIMES.
This is once again a team of thinkers. Team Dominica has impressed me from a-z, and they have shown without any doubt that they are ready and prepared to govern, and to govern this poor country, to take it from poverty to prosperity.
LOVE YOU ALL GUYS.
i’m sorry they are not! every body for them self
Well you politicians always bring your weird promises when close to elections. You were doing nothing while waiting, nothing you will do when you get in.only now you know about essential oils? Your party should have been out there a long time ago if you were really serious about the welfare of our nation.We are still looking for that party.Dominica has so much to offer but our people including you are unwilling to do what it takes to make things happen, and no I am not being negative.
Countious you failed to see that govt formulates the policy, they collect the taxes, the are in charge of all state institutions that has the responsibility to facilitate these actions so whats your point?
What are you doing
WOW, these are a hell of a transformation to Dominica! Millions coming from the contacts of the P J regime, the KLUKLUX Clan, the South African Mafia,Perdue’s hench men are out there, vowing revenge on their failed coup during Euginia’s time, watch out Dominica, their world travel, contacts established.
that is exactly what your party is doing , just look at how many diplomats your P M has appointed.
Team Dominica is indeed committed to the Development of the Dominican people and local products. That is the only way the country can prosper…by developing what we have a competitive advantage in….It is not at all about handouts or fly-by-night investors, whose only interest is in selling our passports….
I can feel the energy coming form this team and I am convinced that they have the competence and drive to transform Dominica….Great Work Guys!!!!
Change is a Must…Not an Option!!!
That gentleman you talk to in new York don’t have a name.
Did Skerrit told us the names of the people he was in talk with when he promised on several occasions he was bringing jobs so young people would get work.
Why is it you as well as others are asking Dr.F to either show document or give names when you fail to ask the PM the very same and when we do you remember what his response was I will remind you ” It’s not your damm business where he gets money from “
Nope, but he has brought (and continues to bring) those jobs. HUGE difference between the fantasy, lies, and tomfoolery of the UWP and the focused action of PM Skerro and his cabinet.
Now, go choke on dat!
My brother, ( can I call you that ) you cannot do what Skerrit does. This is where I thought the CHANGE was going to be. You all claimed Skerrit’s government was corrupt and conducting business in a non transparent manner so you all were calling on the people to give you a chance to run the government, so you could CHANGE the way government conducts business by conducting business in a transparent way, bringing about good governance and accountability. This is what we are looking for. If you all cannot deliver this before you get in office, how can we believe you will, when you get into office. Then where is the so called CHANGE. Is it just a political hoax to get you all into office and then it will be business usual. How can the people believe anything you say, especially, when lately, you all have been making some pretty outrageous promises?
And last , but not least, you all have been promoting a man, who have been PROVEN to be very financially irresponsible, exhibiting very questionable behavior and shows that he is incapable of handling his personal finances as you future Minister of Finance. This is very troubling and downright scary.
Good article….allu still not going and win because people of Dominica dont want Lennox for their PM. Until you all realise that you fighting a loosing battle.
Only you and your opinion will be your down fall so please dont ever speak for us D’icans because the freeness you enjoy off the backs of other D’icans is comming to an end why dont you follow the wave and wind in the air, We are not telling you to pack up and leave we are saying to you all slackness by this Govt is comming to an end.
People are going to see that you all are not practicing what you all preach. That wave is going to come crashing down. All you all promises are empty. Come clean. Are you all trying to pull a con job on Dominicans?
No even the cable cart in Trafalgar DLP could have sustained . Those guys need to go so fast, and allow Team Dominica to implement they plans.
It is time for elections.
I am dipping in again!
It matters not who owned, and operated the ride through the jungle, it mattered not which government was, is in power; that thing was destine to fail!
For something like that to survive, and be financially strong there must be “large crowd participation,” there must be a paying crowd. Dominica’s population is too small to maintain an operation like that, if a census is taken right now, chances are we might find the population to be approximately forty thousand people or less.
Do not be too quick to shout there are seventy thousand people in Dominica, because to me that is a myth, and nothing more than wishful thinking. indeed there are more than seventy thousand Dominicans alive, however, we all are not in Dominica. And anybody who wish to prove that can do so, by totaling the number of votes cast in the last election, even counting the reject votes, you will find; if I am not mistaken, less than thirty thousand people voted, even with all whom were imported to vote.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
Since the population of our country is not large enough to sustain something like that financially, the alternative dependency would have to be on the tourist, which is a seasonal thing. And how many of these people who island hop on a ship into a country for eight hours are going to put themselves out to go to ride on a tram?
You see the problem?
The only way the tourist participation may help, is if we had plenty of tourist overnight on the island, spending between five and ten days which is a normal vacation time for working class tourist which are the young working people. Attracting that population of tourist to Dominica is impossible since we refuse to build an International Airport, we believe that if people here about night land at Melville Airport they flocked to Dominica, that is yet to be seen.
Our people and government are experts in placing obstacles in the way of such business, even if every go for a ride through the jungle every week, by the time salaries are paid to the workers the will be no profit for the owners, so what’s the point?
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
There are seventy thousand Dominicans in New York alone. We are everywhere but in D/ca.
Let me correct that:” we believe that if people here about night landing at Melville Airport they will flocked to Dominica, that is yet to be seen.”
Our people and government are experts in placing obstacles in the way of such business, even if every Dominican go for a ride through the jungle every week, by the time salaries are paid to the workers there will be no profit for the owners, so what’s the point?
FET.
So Mr. Telmaque
Are you saying that we need the International Airport to encourage stay -over visitors? If our working population is just about 40,000 – 50,000, why should we burden ourselves with an International Airport. With the economy as it is, how would we sustain it?
Please propose a plan, or just tell us what you have in mind.
china is the only one that’s giving money
It was Nassief who told DLP to move from Agriculture and develop the tourism industry. As we have seen , DLP is good at destroying the good that we have in Dominica, but terrible at building anything of substance.
Where are all the stay-over tourists??
roseau do not make roseau people look so dumb,where are the hotels for over night tourist,you all need to think before you write.what is needed is hotels with casinos,and then the last time i check,you all almost send crazy crazy for a slot machine room,the bottom line is,you all
do not understand you all ass from you all elbows
But DLP have invested heavily in agriculture and the tourism sector is slowly on the rise. There is more work to be done and we are doing it.
Here they go again…Talk..Talk..Talk..Escriox mal papie..If wishes were horses every begger would ride…Dem days youths of today don’t want to even grow vegetables you think is Bayleaf,Citronella that take so much time to mature they want to plant?Thomson,good idea but start the ball rolling so that others can follow because you want to compare EGYPT and INDIA terrain with that of Doinica.Saying it is one but implimenting and maintaining is another.
learn how to spell first then make corrections to Thomson
Have you been to the east and see the plantations of bayleaf. Do you know how much for a small package of lime leaf?
See that crowed,hmmmm that says something!!!!
Agriculture has always been an integral part of Dominica’s foreign exchange until DLP came into office.
They want to make us a dependent society and have done a good job at doing so in most predominantly Agricultural communities.
It is clear that the Men and women in UWP have a vision to make every Dominican self sufficient.
“Call election nah!?”
If I remember clearly, Agriculture was on the decline during the reign of uwp. In fact, I believe, it decline by about 50% while uwp was in office.
Its so hard for some one to voice their opinion on here cause anonymous is right it takes a while to grow those trees plus I know they said some time that the bay trees had a fungus that was affecting it that’s why bay oil is so scarce now,now how bias we are rite above they talked about the coffee plant u bashing it now the same thing not enough bay trees for mass production but that will work coffee trees as far as I know don’t have fungus I guess u all will be ok to import bay oil are u all for Dominica or for party?
Nonsense,think of it again and come back .
The World and its markets awaits Dominica Essential Oils Cooperative to release not only an abundance of Top Quality Bay Oil but also Patchouli, Ylang Ylang,Rosemary and other Essential Oils, the quality of which God has blessed our Dominica with like no other nation. A re-configured re-staffed Ministry of Agriculture is arising to support,serve and partner with Dominica’s largest and longest surviving Cooperative (DEOSC) in achieving its vision for the development and advancement of our agriculture/agribusiness sector.AMEN!
Great initiative by the UWP. Let’s give them a chance in order to experience real change in our lives. And if their performance mirrors that of the current administration, we shall vote them out. We can’t continue on the dangerous course the Roosevelt Skerrit’s one man show is exhibiting to the world.
People you trusted the Labor party for the last 15years. And what are you getting? A barrage of allegations, our passports are sold to criminals terrorists, fraudsters, swindlers, and you say and do nothing. We are not being responsible.
The leaders, politicians continue to lie and deceive our people while they get richer at the expense of the poor. You’ve been dismissive to all the allegations even though you see and hear the negative images and publicity that are affecting our beloved nature isle locally, regionally and internationally. When will you take a stand and say we shall take no more? After all, it’s our country. We need a clean sweep of the current administration in the next election, and finally bring sanity to the governance of our beloved nature isle. You owe it to Ma Dominique.
The picture you are painting of the DLP is false. Dominica has made great strides under this DLP administration. Our infrastructure has improved greatly. According to the IMF and World Bank POVERTY and UNEMPLOYMENT have REDUCED considerably and Dominica is now ranked #8 of the ten wealthiest countries in the Caribbean.
Do you know what this will mean for the economy of Dominica when we complete this geothermal energy plant. A reduction of electricity bills of up to 50% for citizens while making it much easier to attract foreign investments. We will reduce our import bill by producing our own local chicken and pork with the opening of this abattoir which is presently being built and the coffee plant will mean a lot of work and revenue for our local farmers. Then the various hotels we are building comes into play with the increase of foreign investment. That will be the time to go full speed ahead with the International airport because the infrastructure, the hotels and everything else will be in place. The preliminary work have already been done.
The economic citizen programs may have some flaws but we are working on it. I’m sure your party will admit that it is very useful since they are planning to continue having one if the ever get into power. You have to admit, if you can find it in your little heart, that most of the scandals Dominica have been involved in uwp had a hand to play in it. What was the purpose of uwp going into the diaspora and painting a very false picture of Dominica? Can you remember the other scandals involving a publication called Weekly Blitz involving this same economic citizen program. This also, was the doing of Thomson Fontaine. I believe that there was a case pending on this matter. The recent case of the two athletes who represented Dominica in the Olympics. Nobody would be interested. But someone took it to the press. And the latest, the Tommy LEE Sparta incident came directly from pressure by the opposition forces on the religious leaders to take a stand on matters they claim that were going wrong in the country. The religious organizations took a stand on something which they thought was wrong and to my mind went too far, causing the government to take action, and now we have what we have today. A scandal which was totally unnecessary.
I am not going to criticize your new initiative but can the uwp be transparent for once and explain to Dominicans how they are going to fund this initiative and what markets have the secured? All the DLP project I have mentioned are already in motion and some are close to completion. What are Dominicans going to choose-promises or reality? Just for once I would like to see uwp be the change they are talking about. The change I am talking about is the one they started to promise the people in the beginning, of good governance, transparency and accountability. I suspect that they have backed away from these policies. All they are interested in, is a CHANGE of PERSONNEL in the government. Yes, give us a chance. The DLP have been there for too long. Would you change something that is tried and proven for something with a very questionable track record?
brilliant.. bring some money into the poor man’s hand…
More empty promises and lies. This is just to fool the farmers but them man know that they are not capable of what they announcing. Tell team Dominica do not just go around with cheap talk draw up a plan of how they going to do and finance these project prepare thre manifesto and give us proof and not just flying word of mouth .
Way to go! High-value specialised products that can be processed locally to add value and create skilled jobs. Any govt. should encourage that.
Good initiative as the coffee plant but I guess that some of us are to bias and partisan that Dominica is left behind.
This is a realistic plan. Coffee plant is a wet dream.
I can tell you boy. As one in the Petite Savanne Constituency, when i read that, even if i was not a supporter of TEAM DOMINICA, I WOULD HAVE CHANGED INTO ONE.
This essential oil can bring so much into the country but THOSE GREEDIES IN GOVERNMENT, are so busy accumulating wealth that they have totally abandoned us.
LINTONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
you think dem man care about essential oils, all they can do is sell passport beg for children hospital and used the money.. a bunch of greedy, corrupt, ungodly, rude politicans
Not true, not true! Your market for essential oils are questionable and carries a higher risk than our geothermal, poultry, coffee and pork. These markets are practically guaranteed.
Who you trying to fool with your bay oil story? The bay trees are practically dead. Furthermore, do you have any idea how long it takes to grow a bayleaf tree in order to harvest its leaves? Not months….I can tell you that. So in the meantime, what will the growers of bayleaf do while they wait to harvest their crops? Bayleaf is as dead as bananas right now!
Stay black and die, because there is nothing else to do if you don’t want to plant back more trees
really.. how long does it take to grow coffee..?
the country side is already littered with bay leaf..
petite savanne.. the castlebruce constituency to name a few… its not something new where we have to import plants to meet production needs
and you could go as far north as capuchin and get bay widespread along the coastal dry forest and further inland, the issue is we have only really been doing production of bay oil on the south-East of the island if we utilize our entire stock or even just 75% of local stock we could build strong industry. we could also make our stills more productive by investing in things like castor oil production as a possible bio-fuel as well as in the skin and hair care sector. the wash(meal after oil extraction is a good bio nematicide, windban use to do research on its use in the late 80s i think). we could also do research in our gomier and see what we could distil from the the gum, we just need to develop tapping protocols to ensure sustainability. so this is a very pleasing development.we could revolutionise of agri sector
You remind me of the “internet children” calypso…they want it now, they want it now, but they don’t want to work for it!!
So because it will take time for the crop to develop we should abandon the idea? There is nothing more that can be produced until then?
I suppose the DLP has spoiled you with the quick money/quick return that has landed us in one mess after another. Some of us still believe in patience, hard work and honest living…most things of value take time to develop!
that is not true cause we still manufacture a lot of bay oil in the south east, if this blind vampire like government was interested in making it a viable business they would have installed proper distillation plants in all bay leaf planting villages and include other plants like lemon grass, glory cedar.
the oil from many green useful plants can be extracted for soap, medicine, and can be used in much more applications.
people like you that can get a little 200 dollars from the pm will support him even if he takes Dominica to it grave and we are almost there. what Dominicans need is to go back to WORK and not walk up the financial center steps to beg.
Remain anonymous. It is people like you who like to see Dominica in this lowly standard that it is in today!
But this won’t last because Team Dominica is dedicated to improve the lives of every Dominican, even you!
You are, anonymous!
You are so negative and pessimistic….try being optimistic for once…
You prefer go wait for hours in the Red clinic ? Science and technology has change things, don’t you know you don’t have to wait as long as you do inline at the Red clinic to harvest your crops ? see how short the apricot , oranges , grapefruit, limes trees etc. are before we use to climb big trees to get our crops, (fruits) , So the same can be done with the bay leaf trees ,they don’t have to be as tall as they use to be to harvest . I am from the south where bay leaf was my grand parents 8-4 job, which build our house and sent us to school , now my 8-4 job cannot even pay may Marpin. So i wish bay oil industry would come back.
So according to you, there is no hope for the country. Just keep it dead because every thing is dead and just go by the red clinic and beg for a fifty dollars. Is that how we Dominicans have become? Just remain poor and let the DLP government make bobol and become rich and we stay poor. That is good for you, Anonymous. Well, no that is not good for us. We want a visionary team to manage our country and bring back Dominica to the level of the other eastern Caribbean countries. It is time for a change. Change is a must!
anonymous lol
Why dont you open your mind because whatever comes out of your mouth can be either life or death so why dont you choose life so dont be afraid of what the future will being instead think of that for your family sake.
wow!!! i’m not even surprised, why??? because it’s Team Dominica, guys who are visionary and have their hearts towards the betterment of Dominica
Sounds like Nature Isle Tropical Gourmet the company you invested in. You are trying to bring this company to Dominica.
Interesting Thompson invested in a company. He never mention that. How successful is or was that?
finally i see somebody is seeing through this guy motive for coming back to Dominica.they are all in it for their pocket.the writting is on the wall please do not be blinded by their eloquent speeches there are a lot of wolves in sheep clothing.
you can read minds or see the future man, if they are not in office how can you say they are there for their pockets, as opposed to a man in 2000 that did not have a suit or an old car bombing ride in Blenheim, now he have more money than GOD.
ou toe SORT, Idiot
so right
DNO why did u cut off from my comment
sounds like he has a track record of failed investments.
i would be happy to see that, a politician who openly invest in the productive economy is a plus and something very positive. This shows that he is confident in economy and that others in the diaspora should do the same. instead those in power hoard their millions either hidden somewhere overseas or invested in real estate, who benefits from this? certainly not the tax payers , just a few of their henchmen/women who increasing get rich while we become ever more destitute.
It’s all in your mind.
that is what i am talking about let’s develoupe what we have
I agree, that is why we are developing geothermal, our local coffee, poultry and pork.
Coffee, p–oultry and pork are commodity products where we are are not competitive on the international market. Look, local chicken already costs more than imported frozen one.It is the same with our bananas. We must concentrate on lower volume, high quality end-products that demand a premium, where we can add value and so create local jobs.
nice that you highlight what this regime is doing, however we have been waiting 15 yrs or so and we are not seeing niether the impacts on ground( increased production, optimism among producers) nor the benefits( increase exports, plants doing value added, jobs, jobs, jobs). so it is hard to take you seriously as what you talk about is but a myth or political electioneering. if the talk about the coffee plant was true we would have already been exporting coffee since the equipment has sat on the ports for a few years now. At least, if our officials had seen it fit to use that time to build local coffee production or to build capacity among those who would populate the value chain(extension staff, traders, bulkers)but we have seen nothing. so my only optimism lies with the fact that this government will soon to be out of office and a serious bunch of people will be in their stead.
@malgraysa and afan
WE are looking primarily to be self sufficient thereby drastically cutting down our import bill and creating employment in the process. a little export creating foreign income would not be bad.
This venture addresses everything afan spoke about increase in jobs and export and then some, cutting down our import bill drastically. As far as your statement about the impact not being felt on the ground this is just your bias speaking because the IMF and the world Bank agreed that unemployment and poverty have decreased dramatically under this administration and that Dominica have moved up in the standing to be #8 of the top ten wealthiest Caribbean nations. Remember the people on the ground agreed with this assessment by delivering the DLP a landslide victory at the last general elections.