Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has vowed to stick to promises made to the Dominican people that he had said would materialize in the first 100 days of taking office.
Benefits for nurses and teachers, an increase in the minimum wage for public servants, the removal of the Value Added tax from a few more items and drastic measures to combat the high cost of living were among initiatives that Skerrit said would come on stream within the first 100 days of taking office.
He told the media in a recent interview that plans are already afoot to ensure these initiatives come on stream quickly.
“Once the new cabinet gets sworn in we will certainly start the process, but some of it has already started. I have already asked the senior public officers to look at some of the decisions I have taken and put systems in place to start implementing them. We believe that they are practical doable actions and in the second week of January 2010, I will meet with senior folks of the private sector to talk about the cost of living and the issue of the minimum wage,” he said.
Skerrit said at that meeting, a schedule will be agreed upon to take concrete decisions to ease the strain of the cost of living on some Dominican families.
The reduction of port charges by 20 percent, removal of all customs duties and port charges on gifts including barrels valued up to $150, and an increase in the number of days goods can remain on the port without incurring port charges from five to seven days were other initiatives outlined by Skerrit.
I hope the man don’t forget the plans he was makeing to build dominica Welsey international airport with the task force with mr vincent philbert and finish the menville hall airport. too. with president brrack obama and genreal james conway and genreal geoger casey jr and captain rodick porter and chief lynn kerwin Thank you
The reduction of port charges by 20 percent,
hello people port is port.
customs is custom.
now let us look at port workers. because it look like you dominica do not know the different between the two.they are the people in gray and white and the serurities. the one i brown.
that in two different section on the habour.
those that value your item are customs. those you have to beg for a broke down on the duties.
the last time i heard duties going down is up it go.
so do not expect any lower duties friends.
“Shelli” need t be the Prime Minister man!
Give the pm time to deliver.What he start he will finish by the grace of god ,just pray for them and watch god do it AGAIN!!!!!!! And Shelli get a life …..and learn to spell stop sending text messages and stop insulting the prime minister…..whether you like it or not he is our prime minister ..get use to it and be patience and may God be with you
why do we dominicans have 2 bawl 4 every thing give jack his jacket …….. shait man our mp is doin a fantastic job way toooooooooooo go wat he does is 4 the love of our country dapwey dem haterzzzzzzzzzz
JB,
How do you think that the government is going to generate income to support the schools, repair roads, ports etc. 20% is a great start in the reduction of custom duties and the removal of custom duties and port chaerges on certain goods is another step forward. As far as the vehicles, the taxes although slightly high, is needed. These vehicles create wear and tear on the roads and impact our environment.
I guess when we start implementing speed limits on our roads ad issuing tickets to offending drivers, you will also start complaining.
The elections are over…let’s stand with our PM and for the development of Dominica.
One Love Dominicans
Good plan Mr Prime Minister, but rhectoric is one thing – we the Dominican people want to see action!
Hope your promises materialise for the betterment of the Dominican people!
We are watching, waiting and taking notes!
Dominican Analyst
I ‘m sorry fellow D/cans but I can’t get excited – First off all I dislike the idea of a government who blatantly hijacked the election. (2) How can people’s life be better when the government depend on hand me down from a few friends and palm greasers of the PM. People life cannot be better on a begging government. People’s life cannot be better by a red clinic handouts. Mr PM please sell me on the ideas that will create jobs for the young people; ideas that would keep the young people from migrating to Antigua or Anguilla. Sell me on ideas that would entice the young people to return to Dominica upon completion of their studies.
I am not convinced that by giving a few people a pink one bedroom Chavez donated houses that the government is actually making life better for these people. Life will be better when people have jobs, better health care and services and better education.
Congratulations to you Honourable Skerrit. I will continue to pray for you and I look forward to seeing Dominica move to a higher level but first of all we must all do it together with you!
PM doin so many things for dominica an yet still he cant get any respect from ppl wat is wrong with all u ppl huh PM doin all he can for all of us all u think he will not help all u if all u come for help even if all u didnt surported him naa he not like that na he doesnt care everything have de rite to vote we they want sum of all u get vex wit ppl for elecetion we are all humans lets us work together to bulid a better tomorrow ccome on ppl work together stop the hatin GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME AN ALL THE TIME GOD IS GOOD
hats of to the dominca ppl ….. all u must learn to give de PM respect i mean come on man all u be should happy as dominicans that u have sumbody that can do d job as a man an not a zaman ohhhhhhhhh plzzz stop wat all u doin their an respect de PM …… ron and eddison all u sure all u want a re-election becuz i can bet wit u this time we takin 20 seats LABOUR POWER and eddieson now is the time to stop down u a too old go home to ur wife boooooooooooo
NUFF RESPECT TO U PM
@ JB and Shelli
You guys need to stop the belly-aching and show some appreciation or at least be man or woman enough to admit that the PM is making an effort. Before we complained but paid full amounts on barrels received. Now we get 20% we find it not enough. We are “surviving” on salaries given cause we are stil alive but you find 2 weeks is too long to wait for discussions and such. I mean for one a country cannot be run without taxes and duties. You pay to drive on highways in North America and you go there and pay the fees no questions asked.
Rome was not built in a day and we cannot expect Dominica to get to where we need to be overnight. It will take time and work to get to that place of Prosperity that we sing about in our anthem. To get there we ALL need to cast aside politics and UWP/LABOUR/FREEDOM and worktowards building our island as ONE people UNDER GOD.
I will continue to pray for our lovely country and for the government in power because I understand and appreciate that if the country succeeds then I enjoy the benefits but if it goes the other way then I feel that as well.
God bless you and God bless Dominica
I think JB makes an excellent point. The less people have to give to the government, the more they can spend on goods and services locally. There will be an immediate boost in the economy.
And PM power, if he is your Obama i feel very sorry for Dominicans!
Look Mr. Skerrit, doh start and play games with people!
Why d hell two weeks have to pass in d new year before you can start talk with d Private Sector? That is 14 days in your first 100 days we as citizens will not be enjoying a reduction in the cost of leaving and that is not good.
The price of milk and milk powder is too high. You must to develop diary policy to encourage all d schools dem to have milk production and all village council and extension officers to encourage farmers to produce milk and cow meat. The milk should be sold to an inland buying depot.
The same approach should be done for chicken, eggs, rabbit and goat production as well.
Persons on high elevations should be provided with seedlings to grow grapes for d tourist, local consumption and for local wine production and for export by 2019.
We need good forest management Mr. PM. as well as good soil conservation practices. So source d equipment like wood chippers for those old trees and equipment to terrace those mountains that not stable.
We need youth employment like lifeguards on all d well known beaches round d island.
Sir you need to merge DBS and GIS and get better productivity from them and remove duplication of positions and relocate DBS radio studios and have all d land around where DBS is for other hotel companies that will have proper parking to drop off and pickup guest.
And Sir if d opposition doh have d stomach to face you I letting you know from now I will stand up to you on DNO and Tony doh better try any ting.
While I appreciate you small initioative Mr.PM, I do not quite understand how your administration go about making rules and implementing them.
thought a 20% reduction on custom duties is better than nothing, why not start by reducing the duties significantly?
removal of all customs duties and port charges on gifts including barrels valued up to $150, is that 150 US or EC? why not just make it duty free on such a perthetic little thing like a barrel of food and personal effects.
Lets talk about bringing a used vehicle into the island. It cost 3 to 4 times the value of the vehicle to get it out of customs. A friend of mine bought a used vehicle from Japan for about $1200.00 US and paid $12000.00 EC to get it out of customs. $3000.00 just for environmental tax? Come on, whos idea was this? why not $1000, 1500. or 2000. I realize the difficulty in finding a number that everybody would be happy with, but I would just like to know how these figures were derived.
How can we get ahead Mr. PM?
Hats off to you Mr. PM. You truly are our Obama!!
I love it!! This man is already on the ball. I read also that he has proposed constituency offices for parl reps – constituents should not be traveling to Roseau to see their representatives. Establish offices in the constituency, let the reps sit there and meet with the people and do the people’s work – excellent!
Forward we go PM
Thumbs up, PM!