Minister for Carib Affairs Ashton Graneau believes that a special lending institution is needed for Carib people to access funding.
Graneau, who spoke at a launching ceremony for Carib Week last week, said that land ownership continues to be a problem in the Carib Territory, making it difficult to access funds.
“What I think we need to do is to create a special facility, a special lending facility that will assist Carib people. Quite apart from having to use their land and it would be specifically just for Carib people so nobody else could access from it. I think that is the way we need to go,” he stated.
Graneau said that over the years the Carib people have developed a phobia of losing their land to the lending institutions due to default of payments.
“They seem to have that fear that if we have land titles and we are free to access funds from any lending institution, that if you default on your payments for example and the lending institutions were to come and say take this piece of land it will be free to sell it to someone else, may be an outsider …if we create a special lending facility for Carib people then that would lay our fears on the land,” he stated.
The minister said that this issue will be up for further discussion with higher authorities in the near future.
Very enlightening and beneficial to someone whose been out of the circuit for a long time.
– Kris
@Hello:
In regards to the Carib Territory Community Capacity Building Project. If you want an update go to the Ministry of Carib Affairs and request one. Trust me they are more than willing to give you that information.
@Fanfan: @Fanfan:
Please the Cairb Territory is big place and the only place you actually get to see poverty is when you leave Salybia heading to Sineku.
@Hello</
Therefore just as a black man can have title to his land and use that title to secure a loan etc so should a Carib. However that is not the situation inthe Carib Territory whereby the introduction of the loan facility. They are only trying to keep the land as Carib Land, its not just about Cairbs should get a loan facility. Look at the bigger picture of the land issue in the Territory.
Special lending facility? well that would an island wide project. Not only the caribs need an easi up to easi the pressure. Did n’t some misniter say that poeverty is decreasing in the Teriritory? Look not another minister is coming out and say: special lending facility for the Caribs. Is some folks talking out of turn? Next weeeek one might hear about mining in some part of Dominica. Its not silly season so what the people want is action , action action and not pronouncements. Talk wont put money in the Carib pockets neither will it for the Afro- Dominicans and the other ethenic grouping.
Caribs and Indians are all going through the same setbacks. The Indians in Guyana, Trinidad , Capesterre, Guadelope etc have all been neglected for a long time.
The Caribs here in Dominica are going through rough times. You may ask how, because all of us are struggling. The Caribs cann’t face a financial institution without a security. They cann’t use the land or house on the land to get a loan. It’s true every body goes through the same process from primary to secondary school. But for the cairbs, that’s where it ends. To make a 2 by 4 house, you need money from the bank, for further education need a loan, You’re a carib teacher and need a ride to travel, you cann’t get the loan. So the Caribs need a Carib Bank to alleviate some of their financial dificulties.
Graneau,
All you need to do is to ask your BOSS to give the Kalinago people their money that Chavez gave them. Furthermore, you are in the position now to get the concerns of the Kalinago people addressed, when will you start.
I visited the community a few days ago, and as usual, what you notice more is the level of deprivation that continues to exist in the Kalinago Territory.
Nothing in place to keep the young ones in the community!!!
Anyway, remember all shall eat!
Labourite
THANK U FOR LOOKING INTO THE LAND ISUE MR GRANEAU, ITS A LONG TIME IVE
BEEN WAITING FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. ITS TIME FOR TITLE ..
@Hello: I agree with the discrimination part of your response. The government run the risk of creating form biases towards a particular race which will be viewed as racism.
Regarding the selling of default properties to persons who want to purchase is legit, but to protect their territory they should put a clause that re-sale will only be to Caribs or their descendants.
Graneau can we please get an update on the millions that have been given to the carib people in the capacity building project? Details please.
And that phobia about losing land titles is nonsense. Like every other race caribs have to learn how to work hard to repay their loans.period.This discrimination has to stop. Caribs and blacks have equal opportunity here. We all have free access to primary education and go to the same high schools and college. Therefore just as a black man can get a job and work to repay his loan so should a carib. if you want a special facility for caribs then black people should demand one for only negre!