Dominica’s ambassador to Caricom and the OECS Charles Maynard says Dominica’s contribution to the global community is deserving of recognition.
Maynard, who’s also a member of the OECS Economic Union Task Force Committee, says Dominica, as a small state, is contributing greatly to the world, and that often goes unnoticed.
He said Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, in his capacity as chairman of the Caribbean community is “leading the region of some 15-member states in a host of different things”.
“People come here and they marvel at the things we do, why is it, all that we hear about is so negative when there are so many positive things?” he questioned.
Maynard said other small nations like those forming the OECS often make sound contributions, but the differences among them, often take the spotlight.
“Why is it, it takes the European Union when they were forming the EU and a central bank, to come to St. Kitts and look at our … little ECCB and learn from it? Why is it people who want to look at joint purchasing, look at the OECS to see what the OECS has claimed from doing joint purchasing together?” Maynard further questioned.
ya real scene i support that im now out of state and there i see companys fr different caribbean islands and where is doiminica nothing to be see wish i could help
Dominica has a lot more to offer that some of us think, especially when it comes to Tourism. So indeed we need the recognition.
Charles Maynard has no choice, but to sing for his supper. Very ill advised comments from DE POPE. MAMO must be turning in her grave. Grown men like, maynard acting as boys to get perks.. A sophisticated House Slave..
hugo best be silent if you do not know what you are talking about.
To Hugo…
Why don’t you shut your pie hole, if you cant understand what the man is saying?. What being pegged to the u.s dollar have to do with modelling their banking system on the ECCB structure. You sound like a narrow minded idiot.
If you don’t understand something keep you a** shut…
Man! this is old news., I think the problem we have here, in Dominica, is that we are so into the negatives, Therefore when something positive comes up, we are not tune into it. During our Inpendence celebration in Ottawa last year. The OECS High Commissioner, His Excellency Branden Brown, made mentioned of the fact, the the EU, modeled theire currency after the Estern Caribbean States. That in its self is a testament of things that we are able to do in the OECS. I whole heartedly agree with him. However We had a side discussion, and the reality is that Caribbean leaders must take integration more seriously. I mean you have a high Commissioner representiing 9 countries, you are at a function and 9 national anthems has to be played, plus the host country’s national anthem. So before the function started you want to go home.
I do not understand why on earth we don’t just come up with one national anthem, to represent the OECS. The High Commissioner is the only diplomat who has no flags flying outside his home. If he has to fly the flags, the man has to have 9 flag poles. I have listen and read the words of the other national anthem, I am not bias, but man, we have the best anthem in the caribbean. the words of our wnthem, speaks volume, to the people we are, and what our intentions are, For some reason we have not always be true to those words, and I think its time we become true to these words. It demands our call to action. Atleast if not for ourselves, then it must be for our children, if not then we owe it to the 40,000 slaves that were sent to Dominica, our fore fathers.
To all those negative people out there who thinks that maynard is nutts should be ashamed of yourselves, even the Europeans admit that they took their model from CARICOM and OECS. Dominican people don’t read ALL WE DO IS STAY ON A SIDE AND CRITICISE THAT IS WHY WE CANNOT GET ANYWHERE.
Dominica will always be blessed and the good we do will be recognised , if not now but in the future. God bless the people and the government of Dominica
If DA is smart, it will stay low profile and develop itself and not go looking for accolades.
Political rhetoric. What exactly are you saying, Mr. Maynard? I do not mean to be cynical, but I think I am missing something in what you are trying to convey.
Belonging to a committee or being chairman of XY and Z is not a guarantee of success. People must understand that being chairperson of a committee or organization does not necessarily further one’s cause if there is no economic impact or influence. It is not why things are done, it is how things are done that bring results.
We are talking about globalization. Economic ripples and political affiliation is what moves the world stage – not political belly aching and rhetoric. They marvel at the things we do, Mr. Maynard? Remember, it is not the “why” that is counted on the global stage, it is the “how” . How has the things that we have done in Dominica translated on the global or regional stage. Where is our econimic task force? What are their long-term goals on the regional and global platforms?
The truth is, we are in our enfancy stage on the global scale. Although I understand that global recognition is vital to economic development, we should not overlook the fact that we are still struggling to create a basic economic structure, and trying to align our resources to meet our needs.
It is true, the EU modeled it’s system after the OECS but they went too far with too many countries and that is why they are having problems, even Germany has just threatened to go back to using their own currency. That is why I oppose uniting with the bigger states like Trinidad etc…
The disparity in size and population is the main reason for the demise of the West Indies Federation. The bigger states will swallow the little ones so thanks but no thanks. CARICOM on the other hand has had 37 to sit around and scratch their you know what, so I think it’s irrelevant and the bigger states should just form their own union, we the little ones have survived so far.
Mr. Maynard’s statement comes as a surprise. Can Mr. Maynard or the media develop on this thesis that the “OECS has set an example” to others such as the EU?
I ask just because I want to know of these positive developments which occur – if I had access to this information I would write about it … we need this knowledge.
Am in TOTAL agreement with you Mr. Maynard. It’s time they give us the RECOGNITION we rightfully deserve.
Ambassador you know a prophet is never honored in his own land. Even on this site I remembered a St. Lucian writer saying: ‘give us Skerrit if you all dont want him.”
But all revellers can testify that this year they had options to drive into the city and not the usually one route that took three hours. A visitor made the observation. I am still waiting for it to come from a resident.
OECS leaders dispite their limitations have been part of significant contributions in our countries. Look at UWI and CEDERA as well. If only we could highlight more of the good in this region.
Personally, i could not help myself when i read this quote, “Why is it, it takes the European Union when they were forming the EU and a central bank, to come to St. Kitts and look at our … little ECCB and learn from it?”
I think Charles Maynard is nuts. The ECCB is pegged to the US dollar, the Euro is not pegged to the US dollars and europeans are coming to see how we do things, boy is that the best Dominica has to offer, i pray my european friends don’t read this garbage.