Public Utilities Minister Reginald Austrie says the implementation of a national Water System Development Plan for Dominica will cost government in excess of approximately $191 million.
In his address at a ground-breaking ceremony to commission work on the Delices water supply project on Tuesday, Austrie said the plan, which was recently completed by the Dominica Sewerage Company (DOWASCO ), proposes a number of projects to improve every water system on the island.
The development plan will also increase the coverage of reliable and portable water in every community, according to Austrie.
“This plan will cost the government of Dominica, the people of Dominica and DOWASCO 191 million dollars,” he said.
According to him, management of Dominica’s water resource is essential in an effort to preserve the vital commodity.
He said government has placed a lot of emphasis on water resource management.
DNO CORRESPONDENT.
There is a heightened sense of anticipation and pride in Dominica as the country prepares to host for the very first time a major CARICOM event – the Twenty-First Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community(CARICOM).
Current Chairman of CARICOM, Dominica’s Prime Minister, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit will officially welcome to Dominica tomorrow delegations from various CARICOM Member Countries and regional and international organisations.
Eight(8) Prime Ministers, two(2) Presidents and one(1) Premier are expected in Dominica for the March 11thand 12th Meeting.
President of the World Bank, Mr. Robert Zoellick, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Mr. Dominque Strauss Kahn and CARICOM Special Envoy to Haiti, former Jamaican Prime Minister, Mr. Percival Patterson are among the other high profile officials expected in Dominica to participate in some of the discussions at the two-day meeting.
Other organisations expected to participate in some of the discussions include: the Inter-American Development Bank(IDB), Eastern Caribbean Central Bank(ECCB) Organisation of American States(OAS), Caribbean Development Bank, Caribbean Tourism Organisation(CTO), Caribbean Community Council on Climate Change(CCCCC), Caribbean Development Fund(CDF), Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency(CDEMA) among others.
Matters for deliberation among the Heads of Government include:
· Present situation in Haiti in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake
· Review of the Economies of the Member States by the President of the CDB
· The Global Financial and Economic Crisis and CARICOM’s response
· Status of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy(CSME)
· Tourism: Regional Marketing Fund and the Air Passenger Duty
· CARICOM Development Fund
· The Presence of Small Vulnerable Economies at G20(Observer Status) set for Canada in June, 2010
Other matters related to external trade, border issues, climate change, water resources and institutional developments within the Community will receive the attention of the Heads of Government.
The agenda also includes an Exchange of Views with His Excellency, Jose Miguel Insulza, Secretary-General of the Organisation of American States. There will also be discussions with officials from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the Inter- American Development Bank.
A Grand Cultural Soiree under the distinguished patronage of Prime Minister, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit will bring the curtains down on the 21st Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM. The activity will take place at the State House grounds in Roseau on Friday evening.
This sounds as though they have a developed plan, an idea of what they would like to see around the country when they are finished. Will they be coordinating with the road works to lay water lines and sewage pipes? We do not need another Federation Drive fiasco.