“Semaine de la Dominique” in Guadeloupe deemed a success.

A delegation of more than sixty (60) persons returned to Dominica from Guadeloupe after what has been described as a very successful “Semaine de la Dominique or Dominica Week”.

The December 3rd to 7th event, was a joint undertaking by the National Export Council Secretariat (NECS) under the Ministry responsible for Trade and the Commune of Le Lamentin in Guadeloupe.

The NECS states in a release, that the objectives of the Dominica Week were “to conduct market research and establish strategic linkages with key buyers in Guadeloupe which would lead to increased exports of Dominican products and services in the the next two years and, to enhance Dominica’s image in Guadeloupe through the promotion of services, products and culture and create a better understanding of the Guadeloupe/French market.”

It says the event was executed as part of the Council’s mandate under the National Export Strategy (NES) “to increase exports of Dominica’s agricultural and agro-processed products, cultural industries and tourism, energy and natural resources and professional business services.”

Activities for the week included a three (3) day exhibition of Dominica’s products (paintings, craft, soaps, herbals teas, jams, coffee, pepper sauce, rum, coconut oil, etc), round tables discussions, meetings with buyers, promoters, tour operators, business professionals, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and school visits by performers and local painters (Earl Etienne, Tyfanny Burnet-Biscombe and Petros Meaza Zewdie). Also on display were performances of traditional music and dance by the Whole World Belé Dancers, Flambouyant Dancers and Portsmouth Jing Ping Band. Semaine de la Dominique culminated with a grand show featuring Dominica’s Ophelia Marie, Gordon Henderson, Michele Henderson, Webster Marie and Derick Peters backed up by the FANATIK Band. The NECS says that all the expenses in Guadeloupe for the 35 artists including the salaries of the performers were paid for by the Commune of Le Lamentin .

According to the NECS, the Dominica Week resulted in significant contacts with service providers, institutions such as the National Institute for Agronomic Research (INRA), the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

It says orders were obtained from buyers/distributors interested in distributing Kalinago craft, Dominican recordings and handmade specialty soaps among other products. “Additionally, the NECS estimates that sales of approximately EC$100,000.00 in products and services for the week were recorded during the mission and an additional EC$25,000.00 in products orders and collaboration in services will be achieved in the short to medium term,” the NECS states.

Forming part of the Dominica delegation were Senator Alvin Bernard, Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister for Tourism, Ian Douglas, Chairman of the National Export Council, McCarthy Marie, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NECS, Joseph Isaac, the Mayors of Roseau and Portsmouth, Dominica’s Consul in Guadeloupe Mme Cherdieu, staff of the NECS and the President of the Dominica Guadeloupe Association.

Other participants from Dominica included agro-processors, Kalinago and other craft producers, the Discover Dominica Authority, manufacturers of handmade soaps, others such as Bello, Benjo’s Seamoss, Caribbean Agro-Producers Ltd, as well as an engineer and architect.

Guadeloupe’s delegation was represented by the Mayor of Le Lamentin and member of the General Council of Guadeloupe, the President of the Commission on Cooperation of the Regional Council of Guadeloupe and the Directorate on Culture from the Prefecture, as well as a cross-section of Guadeloupe’s business and political elites.

The NECS says the week’s activities were supported by a comprehensive publicity campaign borne by the Communications Department of the Mayor’s Office, which included television and radio ads as well as newspaper articles. Dominica’s Tourism Minister also appeared on the primetime news broadcast which is rebroadcast in Martinique, French Guyana, France, La Reunion and Tahiti, where he highlighted the need for better relationships with Guadeloupe, particularly as that French Department, together with Martinique, seeks to become Associate Members of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

The “Semaine de la Dominique” was funded by the UK Department for International Development (the British government foreign aid agency), through the CARTFUND which is being managed by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Mayor’s Office of Le Lamentin.