With statistics showing an overall decline in economic growth in CARICOM countries over the past 20 years, Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, Sir Dwight Venner, has highlighted the need for a strong private sector to change the course of the economies in the region.
“The crisis has exposed the major structural issues,” he told a meeting between the OECS Business Council and the private and public sectors in St. Lucia. “We have not developed a private sector which has been given the chance to move out of a certain zone because the system has been skewed towards importation for distribution and a few commodity exports.”
President of the OECS Business Council, Lilian Piper, told the meeting effective reform is needed in the private sector if economic growth is to increase.
“In order to improve per capita income, growth needs to measure 5-7 percent,” she said. “Effective reform will take place only if the private sector knows what it wants and can communicate and negotiate with Government purposefully and effectively.”
The meeting was a private sector-led initiative which aims to create valuable linkages with the Caribbean Growth Forum (CGF) through the three key pillars of Investment Climate, Logistics and Connectivity, Skills and Productivity.
It was held so that the OECS Business Council could present its rationale and strategy to engage and represent the OECS private sector at a regional level.
At the end of the meeting, all participants pledged their support to the process.
The OECS Business Council has also pledged to continue a series of meetings throughout the OECS over the next few months to include all stakeholders in the process.
To Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
“If you could believe that Mexico is one of the poorest Countries in the world that says a lot about your knowledge and understanding.”(Gray).
Gary, have you ever been to Mexico?
I have!
And be informed, I’ve been all over Mexico, and saw with my very own eyes; no one told me, so this is not a “they say.” Wether Mexico, have the number one or one hundred largest economy in the world, more than 70% of the people live below the poverty line; and that is a lot of poor people. That is why every day of the week millions of Mexicans line up in the boarder towns to the United States hoping for a chance to sneak over the boarder under the cover of darkness.
If in fact Mexico was as prosperous as you claim, so many Mexicans would not prefer to die in the Desert, from the burning heat, or in some cargo container while some “coyote” is smuggling them into the United States. For your information only, there are people who make their living illegally smuggling Mexicans, and other South Americans into the United States, they are called coyote’s.
Garry occasionally mass graves are found in the deserts outside of boarder towns with dead Mexicans who were trying to escape poverty in Mexico, hoping to find a better life here. If you want to see poverty on the Mexican side there is a place called El Paso Texas, all you have to do is ask one of your Dominica friends if you have any in that part of Texas, to describe the conditions some of these people live under.
It is not difficult to see; anybody driving across country using I-10 from Los Angels is compelled to go through El Paso, and they can let their eyes be their judge. It is one thing for you to sit in Dominica, or wherever you are and talk crap, about I am writing nonsense, but I ask you have you ever seen, or physically observe the condition under which these people live? Guy, I employ Mexicans; I have two brothers working with me for more than ten years, they are from Tijuana, and although the driving time from Los Angeles to their home in TJ, is forty-five minuets on a good day without traffic, and an hour and fifteen minuets in moderate traffic, these guys refuse to even go to visit, so you had better know what you are talking about before you sound off!
California’s economy is the World seventh largest, yet there are poor people here also, nevertheless, we do find anybody running from State to State looking for work, as a matter of fact, the person on Welfare in California is paid more than any other State in the Union. So, if your theory is correct, perhaps you can go to Mexico, and work for as much pesos as you wish.
And that’s all I have to say to you eh!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Why Sell Your Brothers, Neighbors and Foreigners? Do You Know That The Older must Serve The Young. Everyone Was Blessed With That He Can plan,Grow and Share After The Harvest. Each One Can Reach One.
CARICOM,You are carried ,but Please may We Say To You, Please Do not allow anyone or anything to carry You away. Work Together and Achieve Together. This cycle and circle can Continue. In This Way You May Have Abundant To Share.
i want to know who appoints the governor of the bank. since nane kanel i hearing dwight is governor and he not changing…..so he alone dat know how to run a bank? he alone dat know about economics?!…………get some fresh blood……..chupes
The problem Sir Dwight Vernner is alluding to quote “We have not developed a private sector which has been given the chance to move out of a certain zone because the system has been skewed towards importation for distribution and a few commodity exports.” this is a serious problem and if this continues we will all just be consumers and it also deprives the Country from earning foreign exchange.
The trend described by Sir Dwight has been with us for decades, it is a comfort zone for the private sector.What needed is a new bunch of entrepreneurs to step forward,with Government aiding them, we also need the help of the people to support them.Look at DCP and how it was started and see what it has done. Mr Severin McKenzie owner Nature Island Paper Product is one of these new bunch of entrepreneurs I’m talking about. We should be working hard to develop small cottage industries in agriculture and small ago processing Industries.The The OECS Business Council should also go to the schools in their different countries and teach the young people the importance of entrepreneurship.I know just recently the Government started such program Dominica Youth Business Trust I hope this will be an incubator to see the rise of new blood needed to spur our economic growth in a new direction.
entrepreneurship
In that case dominica economy wouldn’t can grow cause the private sector is dead
But this is what many local business people have been saying for years in dominica…this is not rocket science….but how can a private sector develop when they are not even given the opportunity to tender on chinese funded projects….negotiate with the chinese govt when loaning or granting money that we need to develop our private sector resources so we can stand on our own two feet some day while dominicans make money….
When a government in power believes that they are the engine of growth what you expect? The private sector is and will always will be the engine of growth. Governments are there to facilitate and enable a favorable climate thus making it easier for private businesses to invest large sums of capital to enable such growth. Private business here are treated like favor seekers. A thriving local private sector (in all areas) should be a government’s first priority and crowning achievement. Until then as they say “crapaup smoke our pipe”
The government steps in where the private sector does not step up. I suspect we have too many talkers and not many doers.
Sir Dwight Venner said right thing: the only motivator for economic growth is private sector…and its the reason why Dominica economy in such bad state. Its hard to understand for majority of Dominica people that ‘undisclosed interest free loans’, monetary relief and other ‘free’ benefits actually kill Dominica economy. Only way to tackle unemployment is to urge development of private sector and create opportunity to attract people to make business in Dominica. The government does everything in opposite way: the liquidity pumped from foreign aid, 2-3 families have monopoly and its supported, newcomers aren’t welcomed and often meet with hostility and racism, taxes are high and CUSTOM duties can kill any normal business.
Realistically Dominica chances to develop economy in near future are very low. You need tough and dramatical reforms of public sector, you need liberalize your economy and show to world that you are:
– transparent and accountable in public finances
– your have accountable government
– you have robust fiscal policy
– you attract investors not in powerpoint presentation in Fort Young but in real life
If you can’t implement it, then Dominica remains as it is: unemployment, frustrated young people, crowds of people receiving blue barrels and mass of people near western union before every xmas, carnival etc
You have written such crap and abstract jargon.You agreed with Sir Dwight Venner that the private sector is a motivator for economic growth and you have not given any reasons as to why the private sector is not able to to fulfill their role as the motivator for economic growth,instead you have blamed the Government listing these four suggestions at the end our your comment as things that should be implemented to stir economic growth, such foolishness. Political rhetoric is not a solution for economic growth.
well yes you are right..transparent public finances, serious measures to attract foreign investment and accountability are foolishness!
You can bring the cow to the water but can you make it drink? Some of us are too busy playing the blame game while many opportunities goes awry. Complain, complain that’s what we do and we feel empowered by it.
Remarkably, but not altogether surprising, the President of the OECS Council quotes the same annual growth factor of 5-7% as Dr. Fontaine to enable the per capita income of the region to grow.
Yet the Dominican Governmnet under Roosevelt Skerrit appears to favor an opposite course. Instead of promoting a strong private sector the Govt. wants to enter the hospitality business (hotels, participation in airlines) and manufacturing (coffee processing and abattoir) for example, regulate the supply of basics such as rice, sugar, flour, fuel, cement following the likes of Venezuela as a model, which clearly does not work.
Unless we follow Dr. Venner’s, Lilian Piper’s and Dr. Fontaine’s advice we may face a devaluation of our E.C.$. and accompanying inflation before too long.
Those holding off-shore foreign currency accounts, preferrably in U.S.$. will suffer little as a consequence. In fact any local debt exposure they have would diminish.
I fully agree with you: the government got it wrong. The areas which need to be liberalized such as hospitality, production – the government compete with the private sector and inevitably private sector unless you are close top the government and form part of local elite family. The areas which need to be developed and well regulated the government is not interested in robust regulation, transparency and further development:
– maritime registry is effectively private corporation and nobody in Dominica has any control or clue what is going on
– offshore companies legislation development stuck in 1997 and regardless the fact that majority of neighbors making serious money in the industry – Dominica doesn’t want to progress
– no legislation to attract international finance professionals (fund managers, trust business, mutual fund administration etc)
– no any reasonable development to implement program to attract IT professionals to Dominica
so after all the areas need to be well regulated and developed in order to get solid cash flow – Dominica does ZERO, in the areas which need to be liberalized and newcomers allowed to enter the market – Dominica is very protective and hostile.
You are not a mzungu nor Mzungu Kichaa the singer; so, if this is your pen name, I am very disappointed for having accorded you a higher level of intelligence.
You go right ahead and follow Thomson Fontaine’s plan and see where it will get you. Surprise, surprise, but did I just recently hear Mr. Fontaine talk in favour of the coffee plant? No ! It must be my ears playing tricks on me.
Eh ben, you hear what you want to hear. Dr. Fontaine spoke in favor of coffee processing. That’s not necessarily the same as the Venezuelan coffee plant. If he spoke of a plant he was speaking of the one with the green leaves!
Dwight Dominica needs a “profit-motivated, wealth-accumulating economy, unlike this begging, handout, toliette giving country. Govt is involved in too many things making Dominica centrally planned with labor and employment laws, & skerrit wealth redistribution initiative with his 15% Vat.
Dwight u need lessons from skerrit in economics cause he is boasting record growth and saying only a Govt can grow an economy that is why he giving us toilettes and red clinic not to mention the Govt employment program.
@Morihei in Dominica everything is Govt, it so bad they giving us toilette now.
Mr venner should also point out that for private sector to grow we also need local consumers. Local consumption can only happen if there is available income. In this current time we seee 15 % vat, no increase in salary for past 30 years cost of leaving increasing by 6% every year, inflation and list goes on. If our government was forward thinking they would prop up banks with all the money they get for low interest loan investment from private sector and make a housing program for employees with steady jobs who can pay back low interests loans from banks. It would be a win win for economy
Instead we see policy where private sector have to compete with gov in hotel industry, meat industry coffee production, God knows who getting the money for building materials for housing revolution. Even after 15% vat PM anounce 165 million owed in taxes.
What we realy need mister Venner is competent caribbean leaders who understand economics and finance on a global scale and how we can encourage investments from nationals so they to can feel ownership of whatever development is taking place. We have a long way to go.
Shaka Zulu the world is reading please stop typing sheet LMAO!!!!
Be honest and fair. The millions of dollars which are owed in taxes are income tax and probably business owners who do not truthfully report their income from purchases, also do not promptly pay their taxes and some who rescind on them.
For further information, all countries have a government. You have one. Canada has three levels, Federal, Provincial and Municipal. Our taxes are high.
Consider in Ontario the Goods and Service Tax – GST which is now called Harmonized Tax – HST is 13 percent. This does not include income tax.. Therefore cease complaining as though D/cans are worst off.
In canada you can buy a decent home and save after 5 year with a decent job. In canada you get at least 3 percent raise on your salary every year. In canada you get quality medical care in state of the art facilities, with top of the line doctors abd pay little Money on health care. One of the reasons for high taxes in ontario is to cover some of their social programs like healthcare for ALL. Quit comparing Dominica to ontario cause you sound as ignorant of the facts in both places.
if you think you are worst off in Canada why don’t you move back home and get a job
To shaka zulu
Wow, it is sad you do not understand the difference between reality and fantasy.This is not about Caribbean leaders understanding economics and finance on a global scale, we as people depend to much on our Governments for our economic survival it is something we are brainwashed in our education system, it should also be the other way around people should start understanding economics banking, money and finance on a global scale by doing so Caribbean leaders would not lead us into poverty and despair thinking we are helpless turning to them for help.
Gary i could not end it better than you did. So you agree Caribbean leaders are leading us to poverty like our dear PM for example, thinking we are helpless. For once i see with you. Some off us make it our responsibility to understand finance and global economics and do well. However for the majority who do not depend on decision makers to make sound economic decision not just for today but future growth. Reality is policy makers/government is the main influence (good or bad) on private sector growth
Gary, people must first help themselves. The people who complain, I wonder how well they excelled in school and in their jobs, if they obtained any.
There are many people of the world, no exception in Canada who are helping themselves. Even children make soft drinks to sell and to also raise funds for non-profit organization to help those who are in need of.
I do not comprehend all that complaining. We in Canada have our obligations to fulfill. We have our expenses. We have to watch our expenses otherwise we could go bankrupt.
Costs for everything increase annually, some, if not during the year. It could be said that nowhere is a bed of roses. We make do with what we have and try to do better and cut costs.
If only those people who say do not compare Ontario – Canada to Dominica would comprehend this. We are not comparing it to D/ca and vice versa. We are informing them that we, too, do not have it easy. In effect no country of the world. D/ca is not alone in this.
We will complain when we have to but not consistently as this, giving flack to the government as if the government fathered and mothered them and neglected them.
Some of us are tired about reading their nonsense and consistent criticisms. It may not be worth- while to even respond to them for these do not want to learn and are beyond learning.
Some of us may not return home to stay. No matter what we are comfortable here. We are citizens. We pay our taxes and we have respect for our government. At least i do. We want to live at peace even though problems exist wherever we may be. With confident we look toward the future, knowing that nothing is temporary and all things are passing.
Do not think for a moment that there are not people in Canada who do not pay their taxes, on time and some who fail to pay them. In time the government goes after them. Those who are employed, their wages will be garnished and those who have property and do not pay and owe the government an exorbitant sum, they could lose their property. The government will seize it and sell it lieu of taxes. First, the government gives them time to make arrangements to pay it.
The government has to be strict at collecting taxes. A country cannot function without nationals paying their fair share of taxes. I reiterate, do not think we do not complain about the high cost of taxes and goods and services. We do. However, there is nothing we can do about it. Taxes of every nature are here to stay and they will increase as the years progress.
Those who own property pay heavy property tax. The more they have the more they pay. The more they work for, the more income tax they pay. It is said, “Taxed to death and after death.” While we are alive, there is more to life than paying taxes. We deserve some sort of enjoyment out of life.
These people must strive to be broadminded and to give compliment where it is due and deserved. It appears they do not know that at all. Something they need to learn. They are too bent on criticisms for every little thing. No matter what the government does, they complain. To us who know better, it is not normal and is downright wicked.
You mean uwp did not give civil service a raise in during their term in office? Because, as small as it was, I remember DLP giving civil servants a raise. Where did you get your 6% inflation every year, did you just pull it out of thin air? You must be doing Thomson Fontaine’s voodoo economics. I get it, he will make poverty and unemployment disappear like he made DAAS’ land and money disappear. Our government is doing the best they can, they have reduced poverty and unemployment. I guess under Fontaine’s reign we will be the only country in the world with 0% unemployment. He might also pull his disappearing act with half of our nation’s resources.
I meant Dwight Venner
This report just highlights the great problem which faces Dominica. How can the money which is spent by the population be ploughed back into the economy if most Dominicans are spending the money in the many Chinese shops in Roseau.
The Chinese get the money from us and it is sent to help their family back in China. I see nothing wrong with that however there needs to be a balance.
The government needs to help the small local business thrive, so the circulation of money can be injected back into the economy as opposed to being sent to china.
Please, Please, Please PM, I would like to come home to a country that is thriving with everyone living good, the Chinese, the Caribs, the Haitians, The Spanish.
Please listen to Clive Venner and lets work together and help the small businesses. They are the ones who keep the economy going.
Please Please PM. Yes I am begging like you
Trevor what about the rent the pay to prevo cinemall who in return pays a caterer to feed all paros in Roseau each and every sundays without fail??
The Chinese also pay domlec and cable tv and telephone etc etc..
But on another note have you visited St Lucia recently is people like you who claim these countries are way ahead of us with Foreign Direct investments (FDI) where do you believe the profits or cash of these FDI’s goes to??
You need to stop spilling out foolishness!!!
Joe Bloggs statement. That is all I will say about your statement Joe Bloggs. Simple Simple Simple minded..
Another one who is not fair and who does not think striaght.. It looks like the Chinese are there to stay.
If items are less expensive elsewhere, will you not go there to shop? No exception elsewhere.
In Canada we have Dollar Stores; Everything For A Dollar Stores or nearly everything and Dollarama. With the high cost of living, people are looking for bargains and cheaper prices. Ensure what you purchase is usable and does not break down. It is known that local purchases are more expensive.
Consider, visitors to D/ca bring as much as possible for their usage. What can be done about that? Dominicans will survive as they have done in previous years with less.
“If items are less expensive elsewhere, will you not go there to shop? No exception elsewhere.”
You are not looking at any such thing as “cause and effect.” The big advantage the Chines have over the Dominican, is that the Chinese may be in a position to buy their product cheaper from the place of their birth China.
As a result of that they may be able to import larger amounts.
Hence, if I am capable of buying ten thousand pieces of anything; in bulk, and you can only muster enough money to buy five hundred, or a thousand pieces, you will be disadvantage, because the manufactures will sell to you the person buying less, at a higher cost price than to the person buying in larger quintiles.
It is like this; if you bought ten thousand cups, and the CIF value turns out to seventy-five cents per cup, and I bought five hundred cups, and the CIF value is one dollar and ten cents each, by the time I pay duty, on my amount, then my mark-up it would almost impossible for me to compete with the person who imported the larger amount.
And that is the problem in Dominica, regarding Dominican born business people and the Chines. From the time you were born, and you discover local Dominicans investing “shop.” Selling bread, sugar, rice white and cooking oil, and everything else. Can you honestly count on one hand how many of our people manage to get rich as a shop keeper?
I do not know of any, and the reason is that they claim they are buying wholesale from the merchants like J. Astaphan & Co, and others, then they, becomes the retailer. No matter what the mark-up on the retail product, that shop-keeper might be lucky to break even. That is why, the importer (Wholesaler) always get rich at the expense of the retailer.
If the locals could trust each other they combine resources and import in bulk the same as the Chinese, that may be a way to level the playing field. The Syrians practiced that method in Dominica at one time, I found out they did the same thing on the island of Antigua.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Canada standard of living his 100 times greater than Dominica stop comparing apples with oranges it is misleading
What about the Dominicans in the diaspora who work and send their money back to DA? What is good for one is good for the other.
“We have not developed a private sector which has been given the chance to move out of a certain zone because the system has been skewed towards importation for distribution and a few commodity exports.”
My hope is that the Commonwealth of Dominica, the nature island of the world, the island which was awarded the title of most ethical village in the world to visit was represented at that meeting, listened, and heard the words in the quote above. If we heard it, I hope they were able to interpret the spoken words correctly.
Dominica, especially of all the Caribbean islands is reluctant to develop the private sector of our country. The politicians who runs Dominica are all oblivious to what is going on in the world; they are contented to crawl on their belly picking up scraps, and crumbs, that falls from the table of even countries which in appearance need as much help as our nation, and more. Here we see on DNO, Dominica receives X amount of fertilizer from Morocco! Soon some Dominica politician is going to commence babbling about Bananas, and agriculture: I do not know of any nation in this universe which successfully survived on an agricultural based economy.
The Soviet Union could not survive on agriculture, as a result the Soviet Union failed, and all the members, which were held in bondage to agriculture broke away from Russia. China also abandoned agriculture, and got caught up with the industrial age!
If we take a good look at Trinidad & Tobago, and Barbados, we will find that their industries, are basically what keeps their economy alive; oil is not the only thing they export. Dominica, however, prefers to borrow. We borrow to pay civil servants, build roads, and even to sponsor the construction of pit holes making sure our feces is secured. Whereas it might be difficult to attract the industrialists into the country; our people must be encouraged to think in terms of industrialization.
Rather than everyone wants to own a candy store, and some so called supermarket, why not invest in a business of manufacturing; home appliances, such as refrigerators, Air conditioners, and things of such nature, Electronics; manufacturing of Radio, Television, Computers, and anything that human utilizes in the home, apparels; sell to the entire Caribbean, and find markets in the rest of the world. Right now if we decide to plant sugar cane, and produce rum from it, and export that would yell more money than the export of Bananas! we see all kinds of Rum from the Caribbean here, and in Europe, and Canada too. The only way we will survive this is when we have something to trade, export and sell outside of Dominica.
You know we like to talk about Dominica, has established diplomatic relations with this and that country; what are we benefiting from this so called diplomatic relationships? Nada; nothing except talking crap! Russia wanted Vanuatu the smallest nation on earth to establish diplomatic relation with them and recognized one of the nations they Kidnapped from Georgia, for that relationship to be established, they paid the small nation of Vanuatu $30, 000,000.00 (thirty million dollars). Now here is the joke, as soon as the prime minister who established that diplomatic tie with Russia, lost power, the new Prime Minister, or president rescinded, the agreement.
We do not want to talk about which nation China paid sixty million dollars in order to establish diplomatic relationship with China, so that they can side with them against Twain. Could it be that the fertilizer we got from Morocco is payment for our diplomatic relationship with them?
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
who cares if China wants Taiwan or Russia wants parts of Georgia… are the people on the opposing side paying us anything or helping us develop? There’s a time to be right and a time to be wrong i’ll be wrong any day for 60 million dollars! the amount of wrong the other countries have committed in terms of wars, colonization, pollution, IMF etc BOK!
In any event you still did not get the concept, it is one thing to read, it something else to understand what we read. Now since I discovered that you misunderstood what I meant, I guess I’ll have to break it down into kindergarten terms for you to understand.
So, here we go: Small countries such as Vanuatu benefits by receiving millions of dollars to sign diplomatic papers with those who wish to associate with them for whatever reason. That is term; “quid pro quo”. If you do not know what is meant by quid pro quo, it simple means; something for something in return. Doing a favor for something in return.
Unfortunately, our government leaps around the world and return claiming we have diplomatic relationship, with even Mexico. They claim we have Embassy in Tijuana a boarder town of Mexico, next to San Diego California, which a is approximately one hundred fifty miles from Los Angles, there are people in Tijuana (TJ) still sleeping on dirt floors, the main activity in TJ is the drug Cartels transporting cocaine, and marijuana into the United States.
So what is the purpose of a Dominica embassy in Tijuana Mexico, when to my knowledge there are no Dominicans residing in Tijuana, except, if the story is true some so called Dominica ambassador might be resident there. So, what sort of help can we get from Mexico, when they cannot take care of themselves, Mexico is yet one of the poorest nation on earth, though the richest man in the World is an Mexican!
My question to you is simply this, how many millions of dollars have you heard any country we have established diplomatic relationship has given to us for keeps, if that ever happened, the millions might be in the pocket of some Dominica politician.
Have you ever thought of that?
The Chines spends money in Dominica building even toilets I suppose, however, we are obligated to repay some loan, Venezuela is like a monkey on our backs. When the last Dominica slave was set free, we would return to bondage in a new form of slavery, which is economic slavery, hence we are now slaves to the China, and Venezuelan government.
Remember I did not trouble you eh, “don’t start any, there wont be any!”
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
You want to be wrong any day for 60 million dollars but you don’t want to be wrong for the 10 containers of Moroccan fertilizer. Don’t you realize it is the same people who worked on getting the 60 million dollars are the same people who negotiated the 10 containers of fertilizer? Like you whistling on one side of your mouth while you bawling on the other side. Come on take what you get fertilizer or money. Once is laba that do it is good.
@ UDOHREADYET u are the kind of people who follow skerrit u feel u have some entitlement in this world, no one has to give you anything to develop your country, U SIMPLY HAVE TO WORK HARD!
@Francisco Telemaque
Telemaque there is nothing wrong with FIG! lol I see your point but as usual it doesn’t go far enough you only tend to see the periphery of things. Once you are an educated person no man can take away your knowledge. If a man has the opportunity to be educated in Cuba, Mexico or anywhere else without the assumption of extreme debt then it’s a blessing. In Canada and the US a Masters education cost at minimum $50,000 to $100,000 in a two year program depending on the school… just like the undergraduate program is at minimum $40,000 to 160,000 or more, at the end of attaining those two degrees you’re over $100,000 in debt plus interest… so the educated in the US and Canada start off jobless and in Debt. I personally know allot of educated derelicts in the US. At least in Cuba, Mexico, Venezuela you attain the knowledge but are not burdened by debt and more than likely the government has a position however small but it’s a start in order for you to attain the experience to backup your education. Plus if you eating FIG every day and not KFC then you good! I’ve studied in both countries Dominica and the US and the education I received in DGS (never missed a day) back in the day was at College level in the US. School in the US is easy, yet 40% of the kids I went to college with dropped out… the universities make learning easier and easier every year (but students are lazier and lazier) because they want to keep you there so you can pay them $$$$$$$$$. The third world educational institutions are there not for $$ but to educate.
Once you have an education… no matter where you get it even if it started in someone’s backyard, or by the river on a stone, or sitting on a rock under a tree, or walking miles to school every day or selling food in Roseau market to pay for your school clothes; nobody can take what you learned from you whether they recognize your degree or not!! Time for some tonton FIG!
To Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
If you could believe that Mexico is one of the poorest Countries in the world that says a lot about your knowledge and understanding.Do you know Mexico is has the 14th largest economy in the world, now as why there is a disparity it all has to do with it’s Politics and how the wealth of that country is distributed.Again you have written so much foolishness which has compounded your ignorance, pretty sad for someone who thinks he is educated, oh, by the way specialized knowledge is not all it’s limited.
BTW Patrick John try to sell Portsmouth to the KKK. i rather Skerrit take money from china to buy our vote than we sell our country to the enemy for $$
But boy what is wrong with KKK. W have band of that name and we are proud of that. What silly bugger decide that name nuh? Nobody read history then when KKK hang black people from trees.
Lilian Piper is Dominican and was representing DAIC in that forum so you Francisco is really and truly out of touch so i suggest you shut it!!!!! SMFH
Joe, please inform yourself before you speak. Lilian Piper not speaking for the DAIC again. She was replaced by Robbie Tonge last month.
@Telemaque… tank you so much for explaining squid coco for me. I eat allot of Fig so you must expect my head to be hard. Now in response to your comments… since we cannot sell fig anymore (America took that from us, remember Clinton) then we must sell passports and our political alliances, that’s governance. About Mexico , Mexico provides scholarships to Dominican students to sturdy there and attain Masters level education and a cost of next to nothing (Mexico also has strong ties with Venezuela and Cuba) they also assisted Fidel Castro in his revolution, that is where he trained and also left from to start the Cuban revolution. About Venezuela, meme baggaille, when Simon bolivar was defeated by South American colonizers, injured, and penniless the only country that took him in and gave him assistance was Haiti (a creole country), they provided him with weapons, soldiers, money and nursed him back to health, gave him ships which he used to return with troops to south America which lead to the independence of many South American countries including Venezuela. The Western ties you talk about are superficial… the ties we have with Cuba (sent troops to Angola to fight South African troops and to help ANC), Mexico, Venezuela, Libya ( provided funding and support to Mandela/ANC directly during apartheid) and the like are historical, cultural, geographic and political. So if China offers money to get votes from us yes we must take it because the US which was supposed to be our ally took the one crop that was making money from us FIG. So my friend you know the old saying ‘actions speak louder than words’ well these are countries who actively supported black liberation with not only their money but their lives. You need to dig deeper in history to understand where we came from, where we are and hopefully headed. I going n eat my fig now… sorry to disturb you.
“Mexico provides scholarships to Dominican students to sturdy there and attain Masters level education and a cost of next to nothing (Mexico also has strong ties with Venezuela and Cuba) they also assisted Fidel Castro in his revolution, that is where he trained and also left from”
You know everything that shines, or as we say in Dominica “glitters” is not goal. You send a Dominican to study in Mexico, Morocco, Venezuela, and these such countries, their masters, degree, and PhD’s are not accepted in the modern world, such as Canada, the United States, and most places in Europe, England for certain.
So what’s the point. For your information, Mexicans walk over the boarder, into the United States, they are educated in their country, it matters not what degree they holds, if it was not earned in an educational institution here it is not recognized. So all of our Dominicans student going into every dark connor of the world, even China, their degrees can only serve them in Dominica, and what can they do with it, except plant green fig!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
Our people would be much better off if they were given the opportunity to study, in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, chances are if they could cannot make it in Dominica, perhaps they could return to the develop places where they were educated and find a job.
Let me tell you; you may have seen me respond to Dr. Sam, and as recently to a discussion regarding Glaucoma, I can respond to such because I have a medical background, even if I do not have a degree in medicine, nevertheless when I was even in premed school, there were people from Iran, Mexico, and elsewhere who practiced medicine in their respective, who’s medical degree could not serve them any purpose here.
In other for them to practice here there had to go through the whole process again, so eventually you will find some of our people coming out here with degrees even from China, that will be rendered useless, besides the Chines comes here to study, sponsored by their government. When someone leaves Dominica, and go to Morocco, and Mexico, and Cuba to study is basically a waste of time!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
To Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
I read every comment you have wrote on here and I really appreciate your thorough explanations. Some Dominicans need to be spoon fed when it comes to how things are done on an international and regional market and you doing just that.
Thanks
Why do you write such crap without getting your facts correct or reasons why certain countries do things. You are so brainwashed, the sad part you do not even know it, very sad.One of the signs of you being brainwashed is your statement quote “Our people would be much better off if they were given the opportunity to study, in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom” that is the sadness I’m talking about another sad statement made by you quote” When someone leaves Dominica, and go to Morocco, and Mexico, and Cuba to study is basically a waste of time!” wow why would you believe such thing.How do you arrive at such a foolish and ignorant belief thinking it is true,wake up Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque.
To UDOHREADYET
I love your response to Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque. He is so brainwashed he does not know it.
well that came from the horses mouth…. our private sector is strong with chinese who undervalue their goods and export to china our money..
Some high repute private sector people now a days renting their own property to Chinese!!! That is not just in black and white alone for all to see
So what, these people have a right to rent to whoever can pay. If our own want to rent that property nobody is stopping them. Just pay.
This is done in every part of the world. Dominicans work overseas and send some money home to the banks. How much of it is kept in the countries they reside in? How much do they invest in that country?
The government must ensure that the Chinese business owners pay their fair share of taxes. You must find out if any invest in Dominica.
But what is mister’s real role nuh? To me all he doing is having a yearly teleconference telling us about the EC dollar, and now and then releasing stories like this that a student can tell thats what happening. SMH.
Please don’t exhibit your ignorance brother. Even I understand that Dr. Venner is saying that if we don’t take action soon our E.C.Dollar. will soon be worth . Amen.
I am sorry to tell you every country has that problem, depreciation of the dollar. It goes up and down like a yoyo.
Ever hear the Stock Exchange news? Countries have to do their best to preserve the value that it either remains as is or increases. In this competitive age and strange economical times, I would think it is difficult to maintain.