In the last article we said that we would be launching a series of articles on the kinds of sustainable development policies and strategies that the Dominica Freedom Party (DFP) will pursue should we get the nod to govern this country once again.
In this article we will begin to discuss policies and strategies in relation to the economic dimension of sustainable development. In that regard, we will first discuss the aspirations for the nation and the broad economic strategies; and in subsequent articles we will drill down to the necessary conditions that a DFP government will work towards to set the country on a path to prosperity and shared growth.
Clearly, Dominica is not a prosperous country. World bank data shows that Dominica has a GDP per capita income (national output per person) of USD 7691.35 (2018), which is less than half that of Barbados (USD17,949.28) and is significantly lower than all other OECS countries except St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Poverty in Dominica is high and was measured at 28.8% in 2009, but the current level is likely to be much higher given the weakness of the economy characterised by high unemployment (perhaps more than 25%) and a lack of dynamism and resilience. As a result, natural disaster and other external shocks have stalled progress much more than they should have, but over the last 20 years, such shocks have been used by a corrupt and inept government as convenient excuses for the weakness in the economy.
The Dominica Freedom Party wants to change that narrative. The country’s level of GDP per-capita can be doubled in real terms within 20 years. This will require average growth of about 6% to 7% per annum assuming that the population grows by about 2% per annum. At that level of growth, coupled with the right strategies for shared growth, the level of unemployment will be targeted to fall below 10% and the level of poverty to be under15%.
Can we achieve such stellar results? With the right economic leadership and with leadership of integrity, it can be achieved. This is especially so given the much untapped potential of the county and the opportunity to catch-up with our many Caribbean neighbouring countries that have gone ahead of us by leaps and bounds.
But how do we get there? Through effective strategic planning and effective implementation! Over the next few articles, we will detail the necessary conditions that must be set in place towards getting to our desired destination. The strategies and policies that will be pursued by a DFP government towards achieving those conditions will be those aimed at overcoming the constraints – the sectoral constraints and the root causes of underperformance. But before drilling down to such details in upcoming articles, let us set out some broad strategies that will be pursued.
Dominicans will be at the centre of development. This is to be achieved not only through employment, but also through entrepreneurship. While we will partner with foreign investors and we understand that there must be a benefit for them, our drive will be to empower our people to thrive. In that regard, our farmers must be transformed into proud and prosperous agricultural entrepreneurs; our small Dominican-owned businesses must be facilitated to evolved into internationally competitive businesses; and the stage has to be set for our young people to channel their skills to contribute to innovation withing the workplace. This is the type of focus that the DFP will have and this will be so because we will channel our energies, skills and talents towards the benefit of the people we serve and not to the pursuit of self-interest. T
The DFP will pursue a dynamic economy that can attain competitive advantage in some economic segments of activity. This is the key to increase our income and wealth. As a starting point we will utilize our natural assets including the beauty and splendour of our island, and we will tap into the skill sets of our people all over the world. But we will have to enhance our international competitiveness through the provision of adequate infrastructure, keep up with the demands of a changing world and pursue a number of conditions that we will discuss in more details in the coming articles. Creative thinking will be encouraged so that all feasible opportunities for sector potential linkages can be tapped.
The economy will be made resilient to economic shocks as well as to the risk posed by natural disasters and climate change. This must not just be talk and false promotion. There will be efforts to build a reserve fund in addition to pursing other resilience strategies which we will detail in the series of articles. This is critical to sustain our ability to earn well into the future.
Moreover, our natural resource-base will be well-managed in order to preserve our way of life and our earning capacity well into the future.
We will begin to get into details in the next article.
The biggest stumbling block to economic development and prosperity in Dominica is one, Mr. Roosevelt Skerrit . This man made himself Minister of Finance though he DOES NOT have the theoretical background or practical experience in financial matters.
Dominica is richly blessed with natural beauty (tourist attractions); natural resources -rare flora and fauna, abundance of water; plenty arable soil; a youthful and intelligent work force etcetera.
The only thing that is stymieing progress in Dominica is a corrupt, narcissistic ,, moronic leader and his cabinet of irascible, sycophantic bodyguards.
Very good initiative Kent Vital, Political Leader Dominica Freedom Party. But remember, when you are writing or commentating in the media, you are not trying to convince academics or impress policy operators, you are trying to convince Dominicans, the average Dominican, to vote for the Dominica Freedom Party. Get the accurate figures or estimates, no “likely to be much higher given the weakness of the economy characterised by high unemployment (perhaps more than 25%) and a lack of dynamism and resilience”. Challenge the Government and the Statistical Division to provide those figures, it is public information and the nation has a right to know, you are doing your national service as a politician. Keep your writing short, snappy, sexy and to the point. Use sound bites, catchy phrases, repetition and get real life examples of people’s suffering in the communities as anecdotes. You must always be in campaign mode, you are running a campaign every time you write or speak. Create impact!
My brother, I love you. Have you not seen that there is no prosperity for the freedom party to govern in your time or in your time zone? This effort that you are putting is wasted effort. Why cant you go along with the UWP and together put up this collaborated effort and defeat this evil regime of Roosevelt Skerrit? The freedom party is no where close to form not even a village council in Dominica further to form a national government. What is giving you hope that your freedom party can, and will form the government in your life time? We all hear the phrase nothing is impossible but my brother this one is an impossibility