Dominica, Ecuador sign cooperation agreements

Ecuador's foreign minister with Dominica's housing minister, with interpreter in the background
Ecuador’s foreign minister with Dominica’s housing minister, with interpreter in the background

The Commonwealth of Dominica and the Republic Of Ecuador are officially bilateral partners.

A delegation from the Government of Ecuador which included Foreign Minister, Ricardo Patiño, arrived on the island on Thursday August 14th and two cooperation agreements were signed.

Patiño met with Reginald Austrie, Minister for Lands, Housing, Settlements and Water Resource Management, who represented Dominica’s Prime Minister.

Austrie, speaking through an interpreter, said Latin America and the Caribbean ought to seek more areas for cooperation.

Both Ministers agreed that the policies of both countries are similar: the political leaders share the same passion for the elderly, the disabled, youth and the farming community.

The Foreign Minister was accompanied by Ecuadorian representatives from varying fields including human rights, science and technology and agriculture among others.

Patiño was insistent that the meeting be more than a formality but of actual mutual benefit.

Banana farming, despite Black Sigatoka, was discussed at length.

Minister Patiño said, “We’ve come very far in our country in terms of the treatment of bananas and we are one of the greatest banana exporters in the world. We have invested a lot in the care of our plants and we believe that we can [send] a delegation here to help you continue producing bananas and develop that again.”

A mission is scheduled to visit Dominica later this month for exchange of information in this area.

“We’re afraid that we may be losing that crop because of the disease that we’re [experiencing]. Many of our farmers have been displaced but we believe that we should still continue in banana production because even if we have challenges on the international market, we have very strong regional market for our bananas. Our bananas are in demand but we cannot supply our regional market because of the low production as a result of the disease. We’ve invested very heavily in the procurement for chemicals and treatments for the disease but we would really appreciate some technical cooperation to assist our own technicians to combat the disease. It is something which is very urgent and important,” Reginald Austrie responded.

Shrimp farming, a field which Ecuador has mastered, was also proposed as an area for technical cooperation.

“We export 200,000 tonnes of shrimp and we’ve really developed the production of shrimp farming. We told the Prime Minister [of Dominica] that maybe you would be interested in learning about our experience in shrimp farming, always taking care, of course, of the environment,” Patiño stated.

The Foreign Minister revealed that the Republic of Ecuador is currently cultivating enough shrimp to share with Dominica for its initial start-up, if willing.

Austrie told the Minister, “A couple of years ago we experimented with shrimp farming and we did a few ponds but…with the investments and the technical support that was unavailable, we basically stopped so I’m very happy that you [mentioned that]. It is something in which we are interested and I’m sure that your technical support in that regard would be highly appreciated.”

Minister Patiño proposed Ecuadorian investment support in that area.

Following the hour long discussion, cultural tokens were exchanged and the agreements signed.

One was a Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of bilateral consultations between the two countries. This will encourage various forms of cooperation in the areas of economic development, trade, science, technology, culture, information, sports and tourism.

The second was a basic technical cooperation agreement between the two countries. The proposed activities included exchange of information, training through scheduled visits, internships, scholarships for technical expertise as well as the organisation of seminars and conferences, joint research projects in science and technology, exchange of experts ad scientists, exchange of materials needed for the implementation of specific projects, and also any other form of cooperation that is mutually agreed upon by both parties.

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15 Comments

  1. August 19, 2014

    Them people kill farming,They should be the last people to talk about farming.Can anyone tell me what does Dominica export? Cause they import just about everything they need.

  2. Anonymous
    August 19, 2014

    when those folks are coming the PM or rep must know the needs or the private sector to stimulate the economy. Austrie forget latin american shut down our banana man.

    • CIA on the Watch
      August 20, 2014

      Rosie Douglas must be turning in his grave

  3. Frank Talker
    August 19, 2014

    Where was the private sector in all these talks? Did the State inform the private sector that the Ecuadorians were coming?

    • The Facts
      August 19, 2014

      Why should the private sector know about their visit prematurely? Since when do they know about those types of visits? They are only representatives.

  4. Morihei Ueshiba
    August 19, 2014

    Coha is right is right we losing our democracy, we have no say in what countries we want relations with and the only area we participate in is paying taxes.

    • The Facts
      August 19, 2014

      Only in Dominica you say? Other governments of other countries do not go to the private sector and ask for their approval on such matters. It is all left to the government.

  5. CIA
    August 19, 2014

    This diplomats must stop taking us for fools, Ecuador was one of the Latin American countries who took the Windward Islands Banana Producing Countries to the WTO because we were receiving preferential treatment from the European union that allowed our Bananas to be exported to London without the tariffs, they helped killed banana production in the respective countries now the hypocrites are offering assistance, some may have forgotten while others do remember the mischief of the Latin American Countries

  6. Erasmus B. Black
    August 19, 2014

    And can it be?…

    Austrie told the minister ” A couple years ago we experimented with shrimp farming and we did a few ponds…with the investments and technical support that was available…we basically stopped.”‘

    Well, how long is your nose Mr. Minister? Did you know that Pinocchio was a very bad motivational speaker? The truth is the Taiwanese were involved in the shrimp farming and ponds but when we broke off relations with them in 2004 for the now “significant” relationship with the PRC, they took their expertise and technology elsewhere. And, even at the highest stage of production, shrimp farming was never a profitable venture. Maybe you should try the mantis shrimp next.

  7. August 19, 2014

    I do believe it’s time when these officials from other Islands/Countries come to Dominica to establishing relationships with the GOVT and people , they should also be speaking with other groups not just GOVT ministers and PM because they are not helping they keep the people in the dark until it’s too late their should be some balance especially how things are been done now the people are the last to know

    • The Facts
      August 19, 2014

      Which groups do you suggest they should speak to?

  8. grell
    August 19, 2014

    SO many Ecuadorians flee to the US daily,what can Dominica benefit from Ecuador,just SMH,these ridulous stories makes no sense.

  9. Orange County
    August 19, 2014

    hmm, seems this regime has finally awoken but it’s too late..

    all these signing of cooperation with all these countries, but the island of Dominica is the Poorest in the Caribbean, means that these deals are either for the benefit of the Ministers of Government to continue to fool the masses..

    can anyone tell me the trickle down effects of the Chinese on the local economy in Dominica…where are the spin offs

    why is poverty on the increase daily?

    why would a Regime in this modern era boast of a red clinic idea as a way off growth…

    change is surely needed in dominica….

    dominica’s regime is ill and completely FOOLISH…

    thus the end product of the country will continue to be zero.

    if Dominica is doing so good as the blind labour regime says…why haven’t nationals from the OCES flock to Dominica for work, why is the costing of biz the highest in all the islands….

    this regime is all about trickery and deception…

    Dominica could very well continue to be a failed caribbean island simply because their policy makers and institutions are completely “WEAK” the opposition forces alone can’t effect change as one unit…

    sadly dominicans are tough and blunt citizens..

    Dominica is a reflection of why Democracy won’t flourish in these third world islands…

    the education system has a leak pipe thus unable to teach the early minds the structure of being civilized…
    the churches are a money making machines,as religion is confusing the dominica society they are all looking for GOD in their domination..

    Dominica is a modern day animal farm with pirate hunters..

    • Anonymous
      August 19, 2014

      Your credibility just took another hit.

    • Anonymous
      August 19, 2014

      Your CREDIBILITY just took another blow.

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