Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has acknowledged the rising number of Chinese businesses in the capital Roseau is worrying Dominican nationals, but he has denied government has shown some preference to the Chinese investors.
He said the Chinese nationals are entitled to pay taxes as well as take on the necessary measures to establish their businesses, and the issues raised may just be political. According to Skerrit, “there has been an evolution of business ownership and business enterprises in Dominica, for the last 50, 60 years and from time to time the demographics changes”.
He added that he has had discussions with the Inland Revenue Division to ensure all investors pay up “whether you are a Chinese national, or you are Dominican…once you are established here, you have to pay taxes under the laws of Dominica. If you do not pay then we will come after you”.
Locals have complained about the speedy rate at which Chinese businesses are being erected in Roseau. The prime minister said while the matter appears to be affecting some Dominicans they must be fair about their approach to the issue. He noted, there are Dominicans working in foreign countries including Antigua, St. Maarten and the United States.
“We have to be very careful in this small world that we do not attack groups of people and being unmindful of the fact that we as Dominicans are in other people’s countries, in some cases basically doing some of the same things [as the Chinese]
“At the end of the day, its unfortunate, every single thing in this country boils down to party politics…and its unfortunate,” Skerrit lamented.
Tick Tock Tick Tock Its time for Revolution we sitting on a time bomb A Luta Continua
ENSLAVED AGAIN. During chattel slavery, there were many Blacks, Africans in authority at that, who would work and connive with the colonial masters. Africans themselves engaged in capturing and selling their own brothers and sisters into slavery. They would receive trinkets, cash and other material goods to do the dirty work of the colonialists.
Skerritt’s comments regarding the genuine concerns of Dominicans being swallowed up by Chinese businessmen and women in Dominica is unbecoming of any Dominican Leader interested in the development and welfare of its citizens. A new colonial state of affairs is enveloping our country. Local businesses are finding it really difficulty to compete with the number of Chinese shops, boutiques, restaurants, small stores that have set up all over Roseau. Mainland China cannot develop Dominica for us. China could assist. But in so doing Dominicans must not be relegated to third class citizens in their own homeland. Locals should not be treated with such contempt.
It is unprecedented in Dominica’s history what is happening in Dominica. Because of greed, personal aggrandizement and for a few dollars more, Dominicans are witnessing right in their faces, under their noses, the gradual sweeping aside of local entrepreneurs in favour of Chinese businesses, aided and abetted by their own brothers and sisters in power. Inferior, cheaper goods from China will continue to push our locals under. The Chinese have more money and enjoy financial and other support from Mainland China in their business ventures. LOCALS will never be able to compete with them. What does the MOU state Skerritt? Is that part of the plan? Are those small stores and restaurants the investments being made for selling of our Dominican Passports? Is that what you all call ‘Economic Citizenship? ENSLAVED AGAIN By the ONE CHINA POLICY? By the Time Dominicans wake up from their slumber, you all will regret what your own sons and daughters in authority are doing. It was done during chattel slavery, and being repeated in the new colonial era.
Skerrit must also outline the favorable business loans that the Chinese merchants are getting from their governments. Apparently this guy does not understand the entire issue. He is personally getting preferential treatment from the Chinese and in turn he is turning a blind eye. What else can he do?
The Chinese government (military) says that has a right to protect its citizens WHERE EVER THEY ARE if they are in danger It’s just a matter of time Mr. Skerrit—will you TAKE RESPONSILBITLY??????????????????????????????????????????????…………………………..
China has a problem — its population does not match its resources and gross domestic product. China’s more than 1.3 billion people don’t have the resources to adequately care for themselves [source: University Nebraska at Omaha]. This has led China to begin exporting its people, in a sense, by setting up shop in other parts of the world. Look no further than Africa, where China has rapidly developed its presence during the last decade, in countries like Nigeria and Angola, among others. During that time, more than 750,000 Chinese have moved to Africa [source: Malone]. Some experts contend that the plan is to increase this number to the hundreds of millions, helping to put a dent into China’s natural resource problem by tapping into Africa’s resources, while thinning the herd in the home country [source: Malone]. Air and sea routes are increasing between the two nations as massive deals are made for commodities, trade, labor and military cooperation. Chinese private schools, embassies and cultural centers are popping up in places like Rwanda, Nairobi and Angola. Angola even has its own “Chinatown” district.
In return, countries in Africa get a willing trade partner and assistance and weaponry for its military factions. Africa also receives the supposed benefit of jobs and infrastructure building. While trade has increased from 5 million Yuan to 6 billion in the last 10 years, many contend that Africa is getting the short end of the stick, importing cheap Chinese toys and goods, while exporting valuable commodities like oil and timber. It’s estimated that 70 percent of African timber ends up in Chinese ports, a figure that hints at massive deforestation [source: Malone]. There are also assertions that Chinese mining operations in Africa are staffed with African laborers earning less than one Yuan per day, which is about 14 cents [source: Malone]. The weapons sent to Africa often supply arms that help to fuel the continent’s many civil wars. And in some parts of Africa, Chinese-only communities have gates, and blacks are not allowed to enter.
Similarly, China has reached out to Latin America as well, bypassing the United States as Brazil’s No. 1 trading partner, and coming in second to the United States in Argentina, Costa Rica, Chile, Peru and Venezuela. With this kind of reach, and a population at well over a billion people, it’s no wonder that a large percentage of the global financial news focuses on China.
why complain u are the people if every dominican stop spending there money by the chinese and spend with the local that will teach them a lesson.then ask a question how many local work for chinese and are they underpay?
Lambie says and i quote “we don’t support each other”…..and i say that this support must flow in both directions, the support ought to be mutual and reciprocal. so just as we accusing government of not supporting local business and business man crying over Chinese competition so too some of us the consumers cry down some local businesses to whom we have been faithful for years, of not reciprocating the support. our local businessmen for years have been getting rich of our sweat and toil yet when the call goes out for sponsorship and community investment the patrons are always the same selected few, many local businesses have refused to improve their services and establishments to better accommodate the Dominican clientele (quick though to brighten up for Chinese tourists and other foreign nationals), many of our business houses treat us Dominican clients like second class citizens holding the belief that we would have no other choices and nowhere else to take our money too.
I Won’t support the selling our country to Chinese or anybody else but let the competition be an eye opener for our Dominican businesses to reconsider their local policies and to make significant improvements to the quality of their products and services, meet international standards, we Dominicans deserve it.
Yes I, Red-Antz, I think you telling it like it is
your such an idiot everthing is political for you pm,dominicans are beginning to open there eyes.
Is that the best Skerrit can say on the issue. It is sad to hear the level of thought of the pm of Dominica.
How typical of the Negro to allow other races to get rich of our hard work…the biggest businesses in dominica are owned by non blacks..we don’t support eachother..if u go to any non-black country you won’t find any significant businesses that are owned by blacks..but look at all the countries ran by blacks and see who own the businesses…plus the prices are always overwhelmingly high…Blacks are Still being enslaved..and we don’t even realize that
NO ONE ASK YOU TO TAKE YOUR CASH TO THEIR BUSINESSES, YOU TAKE IT TO THEM THEY ACCEPT IT.
THEIR GOVERNMENT PROVIDE FOR THE FINANCIAL INVESTMENT THAT IS THE EDGE THEY HAVE OVER DOMINICANS. DID ANY OF OUR GOVERNMENTS THINK OF PROVIDING LARGE SUMS OF CASH FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT? ASK YOUR SELVES THESE QUESTIONS. DON’T GRUDGE THE CHINESE THEY ARE TAKEN CARE OF BY THEIR GOVERNMENT JUST LIKE THE FRENCH.
KEEP THEM COMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
According to Bible prophecy, the King of the East is rising and very powerful too.
We know the finger is pointing at China. The leader of our country needs to know what he is signing with the Chinese.
As a Tax Officer::::…according to the PM, “…. the Chinese nationals are entitled to pay taxes as well…” They are entitled……doesn’t mean they are paying.
They get tax holidays and when these holidays are almost over, they change the ownership, or the name of the business, and re-register it as a new business or they just shut down and go….all to avoid paying taxes….
them chineese do right……next level we goin wii…all that comes with it….i so glad….skerrit will fininsh wit allu …and occording to jah cure….’we will never see it coming”
Skerritt is AMAZING. At this time of his life and confronted with the increasing concerns by the public about corruption in public Office, integrity, respect for the rule of Law, transparency, accountability Skerritt is once again demonstrating his ignorance of DEVELOPMENT which should be about PEOPLE FIRST. Even more troubling is the matter of his illegitimacy and illegality as the country’s leader, given the DUAL CITIZENSHIP AFFAIR.
For any politician in Govt. to compare the rapid influx of Chinese into Dominica and the swamping of Roseau with Chinese businessmen and women by asserting that Dominicans are doing the same overseas, is madness. Do Dominican business people overseas receive such help from their country? Mainland China budgets millions of $$$$$$ to assist financially any Chinese citizen willing to do business in foreign countries. The Chinese are creating/establishing markets in all those countries, including Dominica, to sell their products. Although goods are sometimes inferior, but prices are cheaper and more affordable. The locals will never be able to compete with the Chinese. The PLAYING FIELD IS NOT LEVEL. Therefore locals will slowly be priced out, pushed out of the market, out of business.
Chinese Construction Cos. are now being given contracts over local construction Cos. for National Projects, although Dominicans have the capability to do the job. Worse yet Dominicans have to pay back the loan but local construction workers will be on the sideline without a job from that big project. Isn’t that true of the building of the STATE PALACE?
Dominicans will NEVER get to know what is in that MOU signed with China. In that MOU must be some things that they do not want Dominicans to be AWARE OF. WHY did Skerritt and the DLP claim that the MOU was signed on BEHALF of Dominicans, yet refuse to let Dominicans be informed about the MOU’s CONTENTS? Isn’t such behaviour STRANGE? Outright DICTATORIAL? WHAT IS THE SECRET that DOMINICANS SHOULD NOT KNOW ABOUT? The PROOF of the PUDDING is in the EATING !!!!!!!
Whatever Skerrit, you are the only leader of a country I see outside Africa who favours so openly foreigners over your nationals. You know full well and folly that you and your government are giving them preferential treatment, you know full well their goods do not go through the same rigors as the nationals at customs, but keep saying that to yourself, you may even believe it someday. Chinese governments number one agreement to countries they give loans, or indirect grants, is to take in their nationals and give them preferential treatment. Their governments set up banks to grant them low interest loans, they send all the money they make on their cheap dilapidated goods back to China to strengthen their economies. You will insult the intelligence of those who refuse to read and take an open minded approach, but not to me you will sing this utter nonesense. If you had guts and national pride like the Bahamas and Cayman Islands you would put the citizens of Dominica first.
I blame Dominicans too, we like cheap, inferior goods, and we prefer to buy from them because God forbid another Dominicans makes a dollar from us, is so we stay , it good for us! If Dominicans were’nt supporting Chinese garbage stores they would up and go, because certainly they are not shopping their own ratoons. Down to our national cuisine we give up for chinese heart attack on a plate food. We are a non-patriotic people and so our leaders can do to us whatever they like, after all they are just like us, just in the position to make backroom deals to enrich themselves and their clans while all else pays the price. Dominicans too damn fast, let us pay the price!
more lies…………Do we know that all the chinese stores and restaurants here none pay any VAT!!!!
The Chinese are doing the same thing everywhere they go. It’s a strategy that they believe will help them overtake the US. It’s simple, they establish diplomatic ties, establish businesses until they pretty much control the market, this gives them economic power, which leads to political power. Once they have political power over all these countries, they become a bigger force in the world.
It won’t be long before they are in total control of Dominica.
http://blogs.reuters.com/africanews/2010/01/22/how-will-chinese-culture-influence-africa/
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/126/special-report-china-in-africa.html
http://www.internationalrivers.org/en/africa/chinese-dams-africa
WHAT ABOUT THAT POPULAR SLOGAN THE LABOUR PARTY HAD DURING THE 1990 ELECTION?——-ALL SHALL EAT. dont 4 get that.
Beggers are no choosers……. just look at the so-called rehabilitating Portsmouth to Roseau road resurfacing.
If you can’t beat them on price beat them at customer service.
That must count for something…!
Welcome to the GCI (Global Chinese Invasion)
A systematic process whereby the PRC ( Peoples Republic of China) selects and provides some of its citizens the ways and means (assistance training and education) to gradually infiltrate and ultimately exploit all other countries. This is the result of years of studying how these other countries function. Even the USA is not immune. If we were the Chinese with such a population problem we would do the same if not worse.
The fact that even “Dominican” souvenirs sold to tourists at the Roseau harbour are mostly made in China is no surprise as none of the souvenirs sold at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History were made in the USA, including little busts of the presidents which were made in China.
How can the Kalinago and other local crafts people compete with the mass-production, PRC Government subsidised imitations from China?
This may be buy lateral and bye lateral but it sure isn’t bi-lateral trade
We can have a say when we start making more children and using the resources Allah gave us to manufacture for ourselves.
Mr P.M I just came back from Vietnam and though that country is still partly communist, the gov’t ensure that all foreign business finds a local partner to collaborate with. Can you take a leaf from that?????
so u asking the pm to be communist? interesting
if you read carefully, I stated “although”. Try to comprehend rather than jumping to hasty conclusion.
Ninety-five percent of business in Belize is now Chinese. Wont be long before our people who own their small stores/shops in Roseau will be out of business. Skerrit only cares for his interest and that of those who will enrich his ego.
The prime minister said while the matter appears to be affecting some Dominicans they must be fair about their approach to the issue. He noted, there are Dominicans working in foreign countries including Antigua, St. Maarten and the United States. Please PM this sounds so child like, its not about dominicans working abroad its about owning businessess, you know for a fact that the Chinese Government provides their people with financial help to set up and maintain their businessess, surely that is all the dominican business owners and potential business owners are asking for. Is that too much to ask MR PM. Please guys have a read of this please: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/11/world/americas/11suriname.html
…but half of his immediate family living and working abroad too. Fuss you see Skerrit does raise my blood pressure when you see he makes snide remarks about Dominicans living and working abroad as if he doesn’t know the difference in the argument. Tanto tanto. He himself holds a foreign passport and should things sour in Dominica he would bounce like ape on secamore tree too.. man stick to what you doing to your people.
China is on a rampage to put their over population crisis on other nations, is pay back time after their 100 years of strife so tell the truth or read up on it.
By the time the eyes of the Dominican people open up, it will be too late. Every second person in Dominica will be Chinese. Start they start.
Mr PM the issue is not political, it is about economics . The uncontrolled influx of Chinese retail business persons over such a short period and concentrating in a single sector is not an issue of polities, it is a matter of sound economic governance. It is the role of government to plan a balanced national economic development. Where are the businesses that generate foreign exchange. Where are the businesses that add value to local resources. What most of there immigrant business persons do is collect local effort ($) and export it to China. Do these new businesses employ more persons than the displaced business.
Mr. PM your failure to publicly disclose the China Dominica MOU makes thinking persons wonder what are your plans for Dominica when it comes to China and their citizens who reside and do business in Dominica. Dominicans have cause to be suspicious of your plans and policies via-a vie China. But maybe you don’t really care.
Mr PM do you know that infrastructural projects can be turbo charger to the economy. Historically governments initiate grand infrastructural expenditures to take advantage of the multiplier effect which makes possible the development and growth of ancillary businesses that support the construction effort. The projects being constructed through the assistance of China do no such thing. Not even a lunch truck. Mr. PM. your failure to negotiate a deal with China so that more Dominicans could be employed on those China supported infrastructural projects is a source of wonderment. was that a blunder or is there a plan.
what investors you talking about,you mean them chinese that opening them little store in Roseau to compete with the locals and maybe three out of ten of those stores will employ one Dominican,give me a break. thats investment? what about manufacturing why don’t you bring that in and then you will able to use the word investment. Open your eyes people have you ever seen a black chinese baby in Dominica?Have you seen chinese shopping at whitchurch,astaphans or Brisbanes or even in the Roseau market on saturday morning buying our local produce?these people import everything and export all their money and you have the guts to call them investors.i can say the oposite for the indians,the bazzaars and the best buys to name a thew,they invest in the economy, they marry our local women,they employ multiple locals and they pay their taxes.
One day I went to the Bank for a loan to build an addition to my house. I got a great deal – low interest rate, grace period, long time to pay back. Life was good! I built the addition and everything went well. The Bank monitored the progress of the construction and my loans officer was Mr. Nice Guy.
A few weeks later while at work, I get a call from my wife and she tells me that some people are in the yard with tents and belongings and that I should come home. I rush home and she was right. It turned out that the loan agreement I had signed permitted the loans officer’s family to camp out on our premises each Summer for three years. I just had not read the fine print and therefore compromised the privacy that my family had enjoyed up to now.
Ok, so that was a joke. I need to read the MOU.
lol
good
@Peace and Love:
Many a true word is spoken in jest…!!’
You’re comments cut to to the bone!
Very good.
Please respect the man as a head of state;more so: our beloved nature isle.what does the outside world think of what they read.stop hating thePM.when we having a good night rest,he and his ministers in conference.it is not an easy job.we loudmouth out there we have all solution to DA’s problems.yes, we are spectators;but throw us on the field and see how long we can endure.who can do better take the reins and do the job.always unsatisfied, no matter party in gov’t.Jah bless u my people.
Sphynx, ……………….food for thought!!!
Mr. Skerrit, this comment is intended to ask whether the following can be implemented that can benefit ALL (Chineese/Dominican). While in a global market one has less leverage on foreign nationals doing business I am of the view if a win-win situation is presented it works better. Can government implement a policy such that foreign Nationals doing business in Dominica are offered a tax break base on a ratio of the number of locals employed? For example a percentage based on the number of locals i.e the higher the amount of locals employed the higher the tax break. Now, I am aware that this model would have to take into account competitiveness of local business to compete, and so the locals would probable need to have their taxes revised. The objective is to two fold increase local employment and spur growth of the business sector in a harmonious manner where every/most businessmen/businesswomen can succeed. This will consequently lead to more individuals paying taxes, and government limit their overheads particularly the amount of advisors some of whom are retired civil servants.
Finally, while there is no smoke without a fire the government needs to be the adult figure in any conversation by staying above the fray even in a highly charged political environment like Dominica. The concerns of local business person that the Chineese are using creative means to under-invoice needs to be seriously looked into and brought into control if there is a problem. Further, the fact that receipts are not being issued upon purchase creates a lot of problems for anyone be it the Chineese business person or potential customers from negotiating the return of items without dispute as there is no name depicting which store the item was purchased from.
This part is for the Dominican public we need to be careful in our utterance about foreign nationals investing and, instead discuss solutions to provide increased jobs and fair and equitable taxation payment; we are living in a global village connected by several forms of media and, any information coming from Dominica as being unfriendly to foriegn business can hurt the country. Therefore, the conversation needs to be specific as to solving the problem. Hopefully, this situation will be resolved and everyone concern gets addressed.
why are local businesses closing down? why can’t they compete? i would really like to know. is because they want too much profit. i really doubt it. someone please exolain to me.
and shouldn’t the govermnent take measures to see that local busineses flourish mor at leat are given a chance
Roosevelt Skerrit, people are not merely concerned about Chinese foreign investment. As far as Dominicans are concerned, let the money flow. They are concerned about being a second class citizen in their country.
Also, I have learnt from more than two workers regarding Chinese unjust treatment towards their Dominican workers. Among the issues relates to payment, they stress that Chinese do not like to pay.
Another issue, I noticed R.S mentioned about the Inland Revenue, however, nothing specific about the consessions on the Port. Is that true that the Chinese get free consessions or lower consessions than our nationals?
I AGREE he talking about dominicans workking in other countries not dominics who are business owners.
you will come for who? you lie, you meant you will come for thr locals if they are defaulting on their taxes, listen man, i worked in DA for sixteen years and on the job i dealt with numerouse chinese businesses in Roseau and environs where cash reciets are concerned and i can tell you,i am not asking you,that all them chinese that i dealt with had some cocomakak(inconsistences) where the vat is concerned. and you can take that to the bank!!
We Dominicans are always complaining about everything even the good things.what does nationalistic have to do with bussinesses in roseau ,those Dominicans with the money to open the businesses are not investing because of political opionions.If there were no new businesses opening in Dominica there would be complaints that the Government is not doing their job.So stop complaining and we Dominicans lets us invest in our country ,if we cannot do it by your self lets do it collectively.So down with that french man thing ,this is the best prime minister that Da has in the last 20 years. GOD BLESS YOU PM.
不要责备抵抗是徒劳我们在到处和不会停止的您的总理，直到世界汉语
Please don’t blame your Prime Minister. Resistance is futile. We are everywhere and will not stop until the world is Chinese.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/11/world/americas/11suriname.html
why are you DOMINICAN acting like fools? am not living in gwada and i can tel you that the Chineses are welcome here ! gwada is much biger and in a better place then da and they will let the
Chineses inj to open what ever they want to! so dominica need them to come ! one day it will be to late for dominican
Yeah you right about one thing; it will be too late for Dominica: WHEN THOSE CHINESE TAKE OVER. THEY MULTIPLYING WELL FAST.
What else can the PM say. Would he throw blame on himself or Government?
The Chinese have outgrown China, and are looking to populate the rest of the world who are willing to let this happen – Africa, Caribbean etc – for a handful of silver.
Skerritt’s mindset is that of a prostitute. He lacks any type of nationalistic consciousness. He does not understand the struggles of black people, the liberation struggle and what Roosie Douglas, Pierre Charles and the others gave their lives for.
What a shameful response to the biggest threat Dominica faces since colonialism.
You Forget that He is a French Citizen/ Where is His allegiance?
Pierre Charles and Rosie Douglas did not die from bullet wounds, nor from the struggle to liberate us from British Imperialism; in fact, Independence was shoved down our throats because the English thought it less profitable to exploit our resources than to include us in their annual budgetary appropriations. Get it right!
Labourite I could not have said it better !!!!!!!! That is why i refuse to call this party a LABOUR PARTY !!!!!!