In an article posted by www.caribbean360.com on 3rd December 2015, the Hon. Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica is quoted as saying “I’ll be the first to say, as I’ve said before, that we do not have the requisite expertise on the island to guide us in that direction therefore we are relying heavily on our partners all of whom have indicated their keen interest and intention to provide us with that level of support and guidance” (http://www.caribbean360.com/news/dominica-loses-almost-all-its-gdp-due-to-climate-change-says-world-bank).
The remarks were apparently made following a Development Partners Conference in Dominica on 16th November 2015 to discuss post-Erika recovery efforts.
The Joint Consultative Committee on the Construction Sector (JCCCS), and its Constituent member associations, recognising that the built environment in Dominica suffered overwhelming damage from tropical storm Erika, felt obliged and committed that the local construction sector ought to serve the Dominican people with parallel contribution in the recovery process and therefore, offered its services to the Government and the people of Dominica on several occasions.
Our letter of 7th October 2015 to the Prime Minister of Dominica is attached and is very instructive (See letter below).
Neither the JCCCS, nor any its constituent members have received as much as an acknowledgement from any public sector body or individual.
What is also instructive is that meetings with various ministries indicate that their senior officers and ministers appear to be unaware of any of our offers to assist in the recovery.
Calling the Prime Minister’s statement unfortunate may be a very naive approach by the JCCCS, and an utter betrayal of the Construction Sector, the interest of whom we pledge to represent. The fact is that the pronouncement by the Prime Minister is just possibly a confirmation of the ongoing attempt by the Prime Minister and his government to ignore the local Construction Sector and retard its growth.
It is more likely that the Prime Minister does not wish to be guided by local expertise in the construction sector rather than there being an absence of the requisite expertise. There has never been, since Erika, a request to furnish from any of our constituent members or the JCCCS itself, a list of experts. Neither has there been any, locally originating, public advertisement for expression of interest, or request for pre-qualification of experts or contractors for any recovery work. It is rather mystifying how the Prime Minister could have arrived at such a conclusion and make such a pronouncement.
It would be instructive for the Prime Minister to inform himself, and indeed the entire public sector, that Clause 10 (1) c and d of the Public Procurement and Contract Administration Act (no. 11 of 2012) provides for the development and maintenance of lists of service providers available to be engaged by the Public Sector. Had the Minister of Finance ensured that the Act was fully enforced with the requisite regulations then the Prime Minister would have been save from the embarrassment of such a statement. It is also instructive that the Engineering Professionals Act (no. 22 of 2002) at section 10 (f) also requires the publication in the Gazette of all Registered Engineers in current practice in the state.
The JCCCS would like to state clearly that there is a significant cadre of local experts who can provide much of the services required to help in the post-Erika recovery effort. While we acknowledge that the normal work requirement in Dominica does not justify a resident expert in every sub-discipline in engineering for example, we have always being willing, and it is our practice and intention, to network with regional and international experts in order to provide any additional requisite services necessary.
We therefore call on the international partners to assist in the growth of the local construction sector by affording us the opportunities to be engaged in accordance with our capacities and skills. We continue to salute funding agencies such as the European Union, Caribbean Development Bank and World Bank who, in very transparent ways, have been allowing local professionals and contractors access to work on equal term as with European, regional and international experts and contractors. The JCCCS recognises with tremendous gratitude the contribution to the growth of the local construction sector by these funding agencies.
Unless the Public Procurement and Contract Administration Act is enforced, the local construction sector will never have a fair chance at contributing to the development of Dominica. It is unlikely that this Act will be enforced unless there are, in addition to local pressure, considerable diplomatic pressures from these international partners and funding agencies.
The JCCCS continue to be committed to collaborating with the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica in the development of our country, and more immediately, in the post-Erika recovery effort.
JCCCS is comprised of Dominica Association of Professional Engineers (DAPE), Dominica Society of Architects (DSA) and Builders and Contractors Association of Dominica (BCAD).
Opinions expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Dominica News Online or its advertisers.
check link: it speaks for itself.
http://saharareporters.com/2015/12/18/ex-nigerian-oil-minister-plotted-flee-commonwealth-dominica-uk-arrest
mr dont respect dominicans..i live up the road ..arrest me for speaking truth
The Christ was crucified for telling the truth. The shortest verse from the bible reads “Jesus WEPT” HE WENT THROUGH so much yet he never said what cause him to weep. In any business if you don’t keep proper records your business will fail. spear a thought for Dominica and stop telling about other people. How did you account for all the mistakes you made. I FELL OFF MY HORSE, I REMOUNT AND LEARN TO RIDE BETTER
My Dear Dominicans, This is what we are living in….and will be for the next couple years until we throw away out of public office these bunch of inexperienced “Dummies in cans” (“Dummincans”) killing our country softly.
These are the words that best described them: Please read carefully as we are reminded of the Bin Bobol, the Fertilizer bobol, the on going passport saga, the Layou River scandal etc…etc…etc….as our people continue to live in poverty.
“According to a report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, “Corruption is the abuse of public or private office for personal gain. It includes acts of bribery, embezzlement, nepotism or state capture. It is often associated with and reinforced by other illegal practices, such as bid rigging, fraud or money laundering.”
Touche´!
Great observations.
I am a professional and i concur fully!
I honestly thought your company was working at the gorge in boetica but i have since discovered that the contractor is Chris construction!
Where mr study engineering?
Was the PM saying that we do not have the requisite expertise in Dominica to rebuild or was he referring to the lack of expertise in regard to the challenges of Climate change. Was he responding to a question? What was the question? It is all about context.
I’m just gonna stay where I’m appreciated, that’s all folks! Later for for you guys who think that Skerrit has your best interest @ heart. As nice as Dominica is, I’m not gonna risk my lively hood to move there and screw up my future. You all could have the Communistic driven gov to yourselves!
“We do not have the requisite expertise” ? What a laugh! The Government does absolutely nothing about and is not interested in the development of our most valuable resource: our people. Within the archaic system that the Public Service works, our professionals are as stagnant as their salaries. There are numerous training opportunities that present themselves that the Government brushes aside. Public Workers have no incentive to obtain a Master s Degree as their salaries reflect, not on their educational achievements, but on the post that they occupy. When a professional has to wait more than seven years to be appointed means that the Government has no respect for its professionals and has no regard for their personal development. So if they believe that the country is lacking expertise it is because of their own doing, their failure to engage our professionals in the business of the country and the lack of morale they have inculcated among professionals.
Quite frankly I know of no one except those who are the sycophants of the PM ever getting responses OF ANY KIND from the office of the PM
The attitude is that all locals are to be disregarded except those who slavishly play lip service to the PM who when you check behind the veil ,are for the ,most part are devoid of any history of achievement –
From the President down to the senior advisor of the PM and head of the Investment Citizenship Program are all persons who have spent a lifetime of eating off the taxpayers pockets ..so does the head of the IPO !
All persons who have something to offer are sidelined and marginalized .You either accept that the MAN IN CHARGE knows all things or you are treated like the worm from off the floor for being rude enough to offer a suggestion or have a vision – SO IT IS MY FREINDS .
He as a country will remain as we are where new ideas are not tolerated.
Those with connections and ability to contribute are shot down !!!This is the culture!
Well said, Anthony LeBlanc
We must work together to get rid of this government that continues to fail the people!
You must be careful when you make such comments. Generally I do not take sides. I only comment based on the subject matter and respond based on comments. That is being fair.
Some of the people have failed Dominica, their country. What have these ever done and hope to do for Dominica? I am also referring to those who have never worked in their lifetime and who contribute nothing to D/ca’s revenue, its economy and progress. Too many think the government owes them everything. Some of these are the loudest talkers and critics.
The people you refer to are the ones who go to the Red Clinic. They embrace the Labour Party and the party embraces them in return. These are the people who have failed Dominica
Anthony I think you are a bright man. The answer is yes the PM has been and continues to sideline local skills and talents. We talk about FDI when the Local direct investment is not 5% of what it should be. Dictatorship does not like independent thinkers. It’s part of the overall scheme. Keep them poor. You control them. Shut them up. You control them. The more helpless they are the more we can milk the likes of Venezuela and China. If you are successful and dominicans can do for themselves Skeritt will feel unimportant. Probably start reproaching people for their own tax money.
Well the PM may be shaking in his boots because Venezuela will be knocking at our doors soon because the newly elected members of Parliament said they need to keep what belongs to them at home to help there people starting with their oil . The gravey train is not going to stop in Dominica any more.
At last, the truth begins to emerge, as it always must. The PM of Dominica, who has proclaimed in the past that Dominicans are lazy, has emerged as one who does not even acknowledge, let alone trust, the professionals that live here….and this in a time of crisis. I, for one, know that we have the professionals on hand, who in concert with professional help from abroad, can evaluate the post-Erika situation and propose the right corrective measures. Bravo JCCCS!
All those who carry out their task safely and fairly, and kept proper records have nothing to fear, your staff is happy and you treat them fairly, in work, wages and promotion good on you but, if you were being bias you will be noticed. This is as little as the long article is looking for.
Caretaker, why don’t some of you ignorant Labour Party supporters go back to school before making foolish public comments? Your comments suggest that you do not understand such substantive arguments and your response shows that you do not even know what you have commented on. God have mercy on you fools!
Your comment is based on your mentality. Even though you disagree with what Caretaker stated, you do not have to call him/her, Labourites in general, ignorant and foolish. Who is more intelligent than whom?
You must learn, free to agree and/or disagree. It is to be expected that everyone will have their individual views. This is human nature. Accord others that privilege as you expect the same from them.