Dominica is optimistic that its relationship with the Republic of Azerbaijan will bear fruit.
The island is expected to host a delegation from that country this month.
In August, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit and Dominica’s ambassador to the United Nations Vince Henderson went on an official visit to Azerbaijan. Government had disclosed that the purpose was to enhance relations in trade, education, agricultural development and tourism.
Azerbaijan is located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe.
Vince Henderson, Dominica’s ambassador at the United Nations said a delegation from the country will visit Dominica this month.
“We will be hosting a delegation from Azerbaijan to engage into a cooperation agreement, which we hope will bring some benefits to Dominica,” he said on a radio program of government on Thursday night.
He has described the Republic of Azerbaijan as the country with the fastest growing economy in the world.
“They have tremendous reserves of oil and gas, and they are expanding at a phenomenal rate,” he pointed out.
Azerbaijan is primarily a source and transit country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor;
women and some children from Azerbaijan are trafficked to Turkey and the UAE for the purpose of sexual exploitation;
men and boys are trafficked to Russia for the purpose of forced labor;
Azerbaijan serves as a transit country for victims from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Moldova trafficked to Turkey and the UAE for sexual exploitation
Transparency International’s 2011 Corruption Percentage Index (CPI),reflects the situation in 183 Countries and Territories on a scale of 0 (highest level of corruption) to 10 (lowest level of corruption). Azerbaijan is located at No. 143 with 2.4 points. What do you make from that my people?
The CPI reflects the data used in several surveys that measure factors such as the execution of anti-corruption laws, access to information and conflicts of interest. Is Dominica in the right pew? Food for thought.
Nothing this adhock and inproficient so called government does surprises me any more. The question is,what are we going to do about it?
well, we must be positive instead of the name calling. I wonder whay domibica have to loode. we cannot compet with yhe big boyz then we need to have somebody on our side
Name somewhere on earth which is not corrupt?
How do you all think the West got rich, by honestly dealing with Africa, and the natives of the new world.? How did they crush all black nations, and became top of the world, how did they break Japan,how did Dominica lost its Banana industry taking away our independence? So before you go sprouting ask yourselves a question how is Dominica going to survive economically in this new world? America brok, Europe broke, who going to help Dominica survive economically..
So sad to hear such negative vibes! Lift yourself up brother, take off that yoke and let’s start by helping ourselves instead of depending on others all the time. A man with a begging bowl can never be truly free.
I feel obliged to re-emphasise what a few patriots correctly observed and to give some more insights. According to the Transparency International’s 2011 CPI (Corruption Percentage Index), corruption remains a major problem in many countries around the world. CPI data show that some Governments have failed to protect their citizens from corruption, whether from the misuse of public funds, bribery, or making decisions without informing the public.
The CPI reflects the situation in 183 countries and territories on a scale of 0 (highest level of corruption to 10 (lowest level of corruption). Azerbaijan is located at no. 143 with 2.4 points. For many years, the country has remained one of the most corrupt countries, despite the adoption of Laws. Experts attribute this to the lack of political will at Govt. level to implement its own Laws or obligations.
International anti-corruption bodies claim that corruption is an important tool to support authoritarian regimes.
Do your own research. Google Azeri Report: Azerbaijan: Democracy lost in transition, by Elmar Chakhtakhtinski. Read for yourself. Reflect on Dominica’s budding relationship with that country and the kind of real benefits to be obtained as a result of establishing foreign relations with a country with such low corruption percentage Indices for years. Food For thought. Truth is Freedom.
To restate a very good point from Malatate:
Corruption Perception Index;
Azerbaijan score – 2.4 !
One ths CPI scale they are VERY corrupt!
What the hell do they expect to learn from them? How to be more corrupt??
“enhance relations in trade, education, agricultural development and tourism”, please Mr. Ambassador Henderson, break this down for us. Let Dominicans know because we have a right to know how is Dominica going to benefit from this country. We just seem to be digging a bigger hole for ourselves.
Robin, they went there in search of money in return for giving Azerbaijan our U.N. vote on their claim for the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, and Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan. That’s what it really is,simple horse trading! That’s our latest business venture, selling our vote to the highest bidder. All the rest is just window dressing.
Were the Dominican people informed of Govt.’s decision to establish foreign relations with Azerbaijan? When?
Why wasn’t the people told about that move? Why we were not told that Hartley Henry was part of the delegation that travelled to Azerbaijan? So no other Official in any of the Ministry accompanied Skerritt, Vince and Hartley? Strange !!! Isn’t it STRANGE and questionable in the first place? Are the technical personnel in the Ministries incapable of representing Dominica in that instance?
If the relationship would be to the benefit of Dominica and Dominicans, what was the secret? Only when it was revealed that Dominicans got to know. Why should any Govt. behave with such disrespect to its citizens by not informing them officially about important National matters like those?
What would be the trade, agricultural, tourism, education benefits to Dominica? What do we have to sell, or trade- dasheen, banana, yams, so that the farmers could have an outlet to market their crops? processed goods, locally made soaps, baskets, sandals? What? Water, maybe water. What do we expect? Massive visitor arrivals from Azerbaijan? Cheaper oil from Azerbaijan than Venezuela? What? Calypsonians and other artists would be able to travel there to perform? What?
Dominica needs to deepen its relations, increase trading or establish and implement trade policies with its Caribbean neighbours. The Caribbean, on a whole, could be a viable, lucrative market for Dominica’s fresh agricultural produce. For too long,Caribbean Countries spend hundreds of millions of dollars importing food and food products from US and further afield.
That is an area Dominica must focus on. Dominica must take advantage of the much touted CSME. We hear of food insecurity and food crises. Stepping up on doing serious business and increasing relations with our Caribbean people is a win-win situation. The people of Dominica from the beginning of any relations with any country, must be properly informed, allowed to exercise their rights to seek and receive information about any Agreement/MOU entered into with another country. Isn’t the Agreement signed and done on behalf of the people, as we are always told? Therefore, we have the right to know.
Why would Vince not organise a Press Conference, feed the people with the necessary info and allow questions to be asked by the press on his work as DA’s Rep. to the UN.
is it a communist country just asking?
No it isn’t communist…but is very corrupt!
When is SATAN and his crew coming to visit DA and it’s Gov’t? My friend sitting next to me is whispering they are already here.LMAO!!!!
THE GOVERNMENT OF DOMINICA REALLY LIKES DAYBAR,WITH ALL THESE ALLEGATIONS FLOATING AS REGARDS DIPLOMATES AND DIPLOMATIC PASSPORTS, NOW WE ARE GOING TO GET INVOLVE WITH RUSSIANS.VINCE TOLD US THAT GOVERNMENT WILL BE HOSTING A DELEGATION FROM A ONE TIME RUSSIAN PROVINCE TO ENGAGE INTO COOPERATION AGREEMENTS WHICH HE HOPES WILL BRING SOME BENEFITS TO DOMINICA.THIS AZERBAIJAN COUNTRY IS AN OIL RICH COUNTRY, BUT WE ALREADY HAVE CHAVEZ AND HIS ALBA.ACCORDING TO MY DAD THE MORE THE MERRIER. ON A RADIO SHOW LAST NIGHT ,VINCE DIDNT TELL US THAT AZERBAIJAN GOVERNMENT HAD INTIMIDATED VOTERS,THE OPPOSITION,THE MEDIA DURING A PRESIDENTAL ELECTION IN 2003.HE DIDNT TELL US POLICE WERE ARRESTING PEOPLE LIKE PEAS.HE DIDNT TELL US THAT THERE IS NO VOTERS I.D. AND PROPER REGISTRATION OF VOTERS.DOES THAT SOUND A BELL.HE DIDNT TELL US THAT THE GOVERNMENT CONTROLED THE RADIO STATIONS AND THAT BBC AND A US INTERNATIONAL RADIO STATION WERE CLOSED BY GOVERNMENT.ALL THEM FELLARS CARE ABOUT IS MONEY ,AS TO HOW IT COMES DOES NOT MATTER.
WHO ARE THESE GUYS THINK THEY ARE FOOLING??
ARE WE GOING TO SELL THEM BANANAS?HOWIS IT GOING TO GET THERE?
THE MINISTER OF TOURISM CAN NOT GET A CRUIZE SHIP FROM FLORIDA TO STOP IN DOMINICA. TOURISM FROM AZERBIJAN?????????? WAKE UP MOFOS
Barbadian Hartley Henry, Skerrit’s right-hand man who is not engaged by the Commonwealth of Dominica, was also part of the delegation to Azerbaijan. There was no technical officer or PS from the Dominica public service on the mission.
I thought China was the fastest growing economy?
AYE BOI!!!!!
Corruption Perception Index;
Azerbaijan score – 2.4 !
you think those guys care, more cash for their pocket.
Very good observation. Why is Skerrit & Vince going behind countries that are clearly corrupt? They want to be more like them huh?