Gov’t to place focus on yachting sector

Yachts anchored in Dominican waters. Photo credit: caribya.com
Yachts anchored in Dominican waters. Photo credit: caribya.com

The government of Dominica is to place focus on the yachting sector, since it is believed it has potential for economic growth in Dominica.

Yachting is one of the sectors that will allow persons to come to Dominica and enjoy all of the beauty and culture the country has to offer, officials say.

“It is very clear that there is still huge potential for yachting in our region, and it is potential that is still yet to be maximized,” OECS Ambassador to Brussels – H.E. Dr. Len Ishmael told a press conference last week. “It is very important to understand where we are as a region in terms of what we look like for an attractive destination.”

According to her the region require a lot more in terms of marketing to attract serious investments in yachting.

“From the USVI all the way down to Trinidad and Tobago, we have a little less than 7,000 berths only compare to Turkey, which in two or three marinas will have more than 7,000,” Ishmael noted. “It says therefore something which for me is compelling, simply put that we are massively underinvested and given all of the comparative advantage that we have we are ripe for investment, much more investment in the region.”

Ambassador Ishmael pointed out that Dominica has many things which no other island has which is good for the yachting industry.

“Dominica is the nature island, it is the Creole hub for our part of the world, it has everything that people in Martinique and Guadeloupe want,” she noted. “What you have there is exactly what people want to experience and so we have to find ways in Dominica of making sure that people can come, there are services and infrastructure and we have services and infrastructure that allow people to be able to access the land from their boats and to be able to spend and contribute to our development here in Dominica.”

Meantime Minister for Tourism and Urban Renewal, Robert Tonge, said yachting is an important sector because when yacht visitors come to the island they tend to spend more time.

He mentioned that a study was done to show the potential opportunities of the sector.

“We are to do our best to utilize on this, especially as it relates to community tourism…that is a great opportunity for us to showcase what we have to offer,” he said.

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26 Comments

  1. Roger Burnett
    October 26, 2015

    Having spent 20 years sailing the Caribbean, I know this sector well. It can be a huge positive for Dominica.

    One thing to bear in mind is that the yachting community network like no other. Good news is passed on and others follow that lead. But equally, one bad incident and your market sails on by!

    • Annon
      October 26, 2015

      True dat. Just like it happened in Possie when more and more yachts began showing up there, very promising. After the misharp on the boat that infamous night one of the victims promised to use networking to spread word. Since then there has been a drop in yacht arrivals there. Security is very important.

  2. negremaron
    October 26, 2015

    Send themto study the BVI,Grenada andSVG operations.

    • Annon
      October 26, 2015

      No pal, you cannot talk to them fellas. They know nothing about a thing but will not consult with sister islands that have been doing the thing for so long. Just read Tonge’s remarks when advised by Ambassador Ishmael, he goes on a tangent relating this to community tourism like he knows something, rather than be hombled.

  3. October 26, 2015

    Yes….you’ll should have a mariner a long time ago…truly behind time.

  4. Anonymouse
    October 25, 2015

    After all, let’s not be naive, the very same yachters you need to attract want to experience freedom when they anchor, like they do in Turkey, spend their money in your town and not be harassed for a bit of marijuana. And they will come, win win for us all. Mr. Tonge, good move on the garbage fines, but you must also be enthusiastic about yachting and marijuana tourism. Since you are the business man type, rock the boat a little then, if that’s what it takes.

  5. Anonymouse
    October 25, 2015

    Sir Mr. Len they have been given that advise many times but they won’t listen. They keep wanting to build one 100 room hotel after another and in remote areas. Just look how Mr. Tonge doesn’t get it, he kinda side steps you by comparing this need for marinas to community tourism.

    You can tell he just doesn’t get it can’t you? but will he at least listen? I do admit the gov’t cannot do everything but since investors are few, then the gov’t (Tonge)can at least secure their legacy by looking into the feasability of building a marina in the Roseau area or Loubiere to Belfast and a nice one in Possie. Better yet give lucrative and very enticing incentives to potential investors, (not only friends though). It’s ‘high time’ to open up the business environment making it easier for anyone to set up business in Dominica. Speaking of high time, also legalize marijuana to bring in the madicinaland recreational marijuana users. After all, let’s not be naive, the very same yaughters…

    • Titiwi
      October 26, 2015

      For your information Dr. Len Ishmael is a woman, and you should know that by now. The article makes that clear where it says “according to her”.

      • Anonymouse
        October 26, 2015

        My bad, missed the important 3 letter word ‘her’. I took recess during reading class. Not even simple spell-check either. Next time I screw up like that … I buy lunch. :-P

  6. October 25, 2015

    Our leaders don’t have the ideas how to create revenues and dont know how to put measures in place to generate the economy like our sister islands,They should have built a marina decades ago not only current administration previous administration as well,I met some folks overseas and they told me if Dominica had a marina they would have sail to Dominica, If our leaders had the idea how to invest our country would have been way advance.

    • Tjebe fort
      October 26, 2015

      All their eyes focuses now on selling passports. Some are in it, some are not and that giving friction in cabinet. If you are a favourite lawyer , you can be in it. If you are a lawyer supporting the opposition you are never in it because is the bid boss himself, who approves or disapproves. Keep your eyes on the country garcon, not filling your own pockets. You all living in 5 star hotels and eating fancy diners but the common people sucking salt.

  7. October 25, 2015

    Keep on trying.

  8. October 25, 2015

    Is this the last straw?

  9. Moe
    October 25, 2015

    Please ask first some foreigners why they don’t come Dominica right now. Here are some hints:
    – there is suitable no infra structure
    – the horrible customs scare away any potential visitors (maybe it is done by purpose)
    – there is no reliable form of public transportation
    – there is no security, no sense of safety, no nothing, so who would leave his boat alone to go ashore?

    • Possi
      October 26, 2015

      The Portsmouth area is booming in the yachting sector. If you are familiar with that then you would know of PAYS (Portsmouth Association of Yacht Security), an association formed among the Tour guides to provide security and other related services such as customs clearance for a fee to yachters who moor at the Prince Rupert Bay. So do your research before you just say what you want!

  10. October 25, 2015

    possie is the number one spot for yachts in Dominica it has been doing well so far without govt’s involvement. the only thing they need to do is to spear head a couple of marinas. one in the north and one in the south.

    • Look story
      October 26, 2015

      And who tell you it without involvement of the Government? Please know your facts before you run your mouth! :-|

  11. William Mc Lawrence
    October 25, 2015

    In the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean – UNECLAC Yachting Report of 2003/4 Dominica was described as having significant yachting capital. However, the recommendations made in that report on enhancing the yachting sector has never been fully implemented. A lot has changed in the regional and global yachting industry since then. However, when Dominica seriously considers these recommendations of the 2003/4 Yachting Report and fully implements them only then will Dominica be able to benefit significantly from the yachting industry. Meanwhile we just continue to emit hot air.
    Right now as we speak, Dominica is the only independent OECS country without a full service yacht marina with berthing capacity for cruisers, charters, and mega yachts or slipway for yacht repairs and yacht storage facilities. These are the things along with the various services that come with yachting activities that bring in the revenue that is needed for reinvestment in…

    • William Mc Lawrence
      October 25, 2015

      ….both the private and public sector.
      With no yacht marina, no slipway for yacht repairs, no yacht storage facilities, no organized annual yacht regatta, and limited yachting services and shore-side facilities we in Dominica will continue to marginalize ourselves and as usual just continue to blow hot air… Again we need to stop talking and start acting, or rather start implementing the things that will work for us in the short to medium term as we continue to explore the longer term benefits and opportunities that Yachting Tourism can bring us.

    • October 26, 2015

      Bill what do you mean ” it has never been fully implemented.” Bill nothing has been done towards a yacht mariner in Dominica or Portsmouth to be specific. You are creating the impression that somethings have been implemented. If so please educate me.
      Bill as kids we grew up talking about yacht mariner in Porssie. Do you remember the days when we would try to keep up with the count of yachts in the harbour.

  12. October 25, 2015

    Really. .Well you guys are so behind, I mentioned this decades ago if Dominica build a marina that would generate the economy also a revenue for Dominica, I met folks overseas and they told me if Dominica build a marina they will sail to Dominica, Yachts who already sailed to Dominica they would have stayed longer.It’s a shame to see our government has no idea how to invest to move our country forward.If our government put the right measures in place our country will move forward like our other sisters island.

  13. Facebook
    October 25, 2015

    Govt need to focus on the recovery it taking too long if it was Eugenia de Americans would be here already.

  14. Channel 1
    October 25, 2015

    Talk, talk and more talk. When will these people decide to replace more of their talk with actual work?

    They always dere yapping year in, year out about potential benefits of dis and dat. Talk less and start DOING!!!!! Phew.

  15. October 25, 2015

    A Las. I love Dominica, I am Dominican, but please, lets do one thing very good and workable, instead of just running after all things, and not being able to nail one or two good initiatives that brins tangible results. My point exactly! if some one tells us a rail road can work in Dominica, lets tell them the truth, instead of just echoing and sounding like we can and have every thing work in Dominica. but in the end all those projects and proposals gets stuck in the pipe line. Just saying. May be i can pave the streets of Roseau with Gold, that will work too. @)2o/ 20 vision, or not?????

  16. alas
    October 25, 2015

    I think someone is preparing to represent Dominica in yachting sport in de Olympics.
    On de other hand, do we have a marina here on island?
    Where? North, south, east or west?
    No where in this article is it mentioned. No one even hints at a plan to develop one single marina.
    Not even de tourism minister…he made no mention at all.
    Blowing hot air.
    I cannot imagine why de owners of fort young hotel and government do a small marina outside next to the bayfront.
    Or mero, macoucherie, ti bay or my favourites, picard and portsmouth bay.
    I’m no fool
    No foresight…just empty.
    After 15 years man?
    I have forgiven myself for de foolish blind support I gave to roosevelt skerrit and his weak blind bunch

  17. October 25, 2015

    $27 million plus stolen passport money. Then Lap Seng $20 million could have given Portmouth a nice yacgh mariner in Porssie. A yacht mariner would hanve created instant job creation and economic activities.
    A true depiction bbq of how corruption cripple the poor and enriches the rich.
    As boys growing up at the jetty area in Porssie Ian Douglas and others spoke about having a yacht mariner especially when we would lost count of the number of yachts in the harbor. I remember the kind of business that th “chasers” were making. Those of us who could not chase the yachts would guard the skipper dinghy for a fee. Fruit vendors, ice makers were making money. Restaurant s on the beach were making money.
    The Portsmouth Labor Party and Ian Douglas in government going on years and nothing. What a shame.

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