Anti-Skerrit and anti-Labour party critics may rant and rave against Chinese assistance to Dominica and an alleged hidden agenda in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) yet to be fully disclosed.
But Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit and his government have this week been at pains to explain to a visiting high level Chinese delegation just how grateful Dominica is for the assistance Beijing continues to deliver to Roseau.
“Your Excellency we want to thank the Government and people of the People’s Republic of China for the tremendous assistance which you have rendered to us over the last eight years”.
“We can speak to a number of projects and programs including short term and long-term training programmes for our young Dominicans,” PM Skerrit said during a special gathering of parliamentarians of the House of Assembly in honor of the visiting Chinese delegation on Tuesday.
The 25-member team led by Chen Changzhi – vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress in Beijing, arrived in Dominica on Monday.
The Prime Minister indicated that Dominica is benefitting from a number of projects being financed by the Government of China through gratuitous aid and concessionary financing.
“These projects include among other things the new Dominica State College, the State House and very critically the construction of thirty new homes for the indigenous community in Dominica, ten of which have been completed so far”.
Prime Minister Skerrit also referred to Chinese funded projects about to be undertaken.
“We look forward with great excitement and anticipation to the commencement of the state of the art hospital and the New Newtown Primary school to be financed by the Chinese Government through gratuitous aid,” he said.
The Dominican leader also reiterated his Government’s support for the One China Principle, thought to be a key component of the MOU governing China/Dominica relations.
The Chinese delegation also helped celebrate on Tuesday, the completion of the main structure building of the Dominica State College Expansion Project.
The project is being funded through a $30 million concessionary loan from the China Export Import Bank (EXIM Bank).
The state of the art education facility, which will consist of five new structures, is now 60 per cent complete, and is expected to be ready by October 2013.
thank u china!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
DOMINICANS! LEARN TO APPRECIATE WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU! DON’T HAND IT OVER TO CHINA
left to you, dominica will always be poor, all developed countries had to get assistance at some point. where do u live? In Dominica? if not, then not even u want to be there and has looked for better pastures. Why can’t the Dominicans in Dominica enjoy development? why maintain the small ppl mentality and remain the same as it was like 50 years ago?
All the ppl who don’t want China help please don’t use anything they gav us.. Don’t pass on the bridge don’t go to the stadium and don’t use the roads.. Just stay TEHBEH AND DONKEY,… Flapping gums online Is so 1999.. Get over it
Thank you very much china for helping my country to develop.. Thank you for the infrastructure and the loans at a reduced cost,thank you for educating hundreds of your young people..the people who criticize have done absolutely nothing for the country many of them don’t even pay taxes why ohh why can people complain when the contribute nothing and there are people who are donating resources to us..of course china has an adgenda but u think theirs is more diabolical than the agence française de développment ?or usaid come on Dominicans open ur eyes
Man sit your “BUT” down.
of course china has an adgenda BUT??
that is all
that is all
that is all
In all this where is the employment for Dominicans, therefor the youth wouldn’t have to resort to dealing drugs and robbery.
Teach the youths to take Agriculture seriously, Dominica’s soil is rich, utilise it.
@morefire: – I have made an interesting observation over the past years which I believe is partly the cause for the lack of employment in Dominica. Our very own people are not motivating themselves to be better, in speech and deportment at the least and this as a result is keeping many of them from gainful employment. I speak from experience, conducting interviews for years, for possible employment. Many employers in Dominica don’t even know where to begin, especially with the young ladies who think life is about dressing, sewing and looking pretty. The Government has a part to play yet, but so are the people.
*sewing should have been “sewo-ing”
the college will help educate the youth, the hotel and hospital will provide jobs. But either way, whats your point, if china never helped would the youth of had jobs, did China prevent them from getting jobs?
It seems to me that you all has forget what it means to give may be china is a comunist country but they know the meaning of giving better than we who say we are God fearing.why do u think china has all this money to give to other contries?it is just because they give and expecting nothing in return unlike we dominicans.before we hear the prime minister give some donation to some contry or some charity we quick to say the contry poor we cannot give what we don’t have.If every contry say they don’t have to give how are we going to be.if we had gratidute to the people who give to us may be we would be in a better state than what it is today.
people do not forget give and you will receive God word does not lie.One do not have to be a christian to do such China understand that and we don’t
so the Chinese are assisting exorbitantly in the development of Dominica!! So what? ya’ll rather stay there and see allu tax money go down the drain? i think we as Dominicans complain too much about the progress that the gov. of Dominica is doing.. think practically now… do you think that our country would have rehabilitated roads, and improved airport, a stadium, extension in college and more? seriously? Stop Complaining and start Appreciating what is done.. we are the ones travelling on the road every morning, using the airport and stadium very often. your kids are going to the college.. these developments aren’t PUNISHMENTS! hell if they were they would not have built them in the first place.. thumbs up to the guv. on a good job they’re doing… i wish some Dominicans would sweat for themselves and know the value of things given to them!
you like free lunch??? soon you will be a tenant in your own home… I saw a phrase on the back of a ride somewhere it said. “when you cook. you’ll eat”.
The government needs to show how each of these Chinese projects strengthens Dominica’s ability to grow/stabilize its economy. Many of these building projects (except for the roads) will bring temporary comforts, but how will we maintain them, how will it contribute to lower unemployment, a larger tax base, increased GDP? Do we have any projections that show these “gifts” will contribute positively to our economy in the long run? Ever heard the saying “give a man a fish…?” Well, we are getting an entire day’s catch from China, but once its gone, we would not have learned a thing and be back to starvation!
These “gifts” are all loans, and in shrewd political style, the DLP is preparing its legacy in 2 ways: 1) When it is time to pay back these loans and Dominica gets into another economic crisis, another party may be in power and the financial ruin will then be blamed on them. 2) All the building projects will serve as a reminder of the “glorious DLP days” when we borrowed our way to “prosperity”.
Do not let the gov’t pull the wool over your eyes! If these loans and these projects were so beneficial, Dominica’s employment rate would not be as abysmally high as it stands today. This is all part of China’s growth and stabilization program, a drive to increase employment of its citizens by sending their workers to complete offshore projects. This is a play from the USAID handbook (ironic, isn’t it?!) provide grants and loans that can only be spent employing contractors/products from the US.
But, knowing all of that, what difference will it make? The majority of Dominicans view the country as a lost-cause and are simply biding their time until they escape to greener pastures! PM included!
i have a strong feeling that there is something fishhy with this chinees sudden logve for dominicans, the biger picture is yet to unfold
and u make it sound like it is a bad thing! when your behind cannot carry two blocks to fix the shed u leaving in.. its the leaders for 2moro they eduacating inside that building.. i cant complain.. its good.. i love it..
All this infrastructure means nothing without an international airport, take dem back and give us an international airport.
it seems u need to read over what u said… and find your self at the Dominica state college.. i would say apply next year but it seems that September is calling for your admissions. go and learn.. u dont travel anyways… buy yourself a passport b4 talking about international airport..
you doe even know what you saying
@morihei Ueshiba: Do you know what it takes for a country to sustain and international airport? Do you know what drives airlines to fly into countries with international airports? Are you aware that capacity is key? Perhaps you should so some research on the matter instead of jumping on the band wagon of wanting an international airport.
we finally getting one :D
It seems rather odd that for a story provided by the “Government Information Service (GIS), it starts with a statement, “Anti-Skerrit and anti-Labour party critics may rant and rave against Chinese assistance to Dominica and an alleged hidden agenda in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) yet to be fully disclosed.” One would have thought that the GIS would have uplifted its status above the local partisan politics in addressing this national/international diplomatic relations matter.
GIS is the public relations and information arm of the “Government”. Not the Labour Party. It is financed by the tax payers of the country with the goals of disseminating information on “government” departments, to inform the general public at home and overseas, of “government’s” plans, policies, programmes and activities and to manage the corporate identify and the image of the “government.” of Dominica. Not of Skerrit or the Labour Party- please GIS.
Generally, the statements of welcome, gratitude and good wishes of the PM to the Chinese were in accordance with expected protocol and diplomatically responsibility. However, the PM certainly has political guts without the accompanying moral fiber to make mention of the MOU in his remarks. This is a document that has been hidden away from the people of Dominica since 1994. We have accepted the invitation to the Chinese all you can eat dinner, we have been given the piecemeal menu, we have ordered, some of us have feasted and enjoyed the meal, while others have been requesting more information on the cost of the feast, the quality and calorie count of the items served, evidence of the health certificate and food handlers permit of the cooks and the long term health effects of the rapid consumption of this low quality food etc.- All this information which is contained in the MOU signed with the government of China.
While we give thanks and praise to the Chinese government for its assistance, scholarships, road rehabilitation and other construction projects, Dominicans (red, blue or green) cannot be satisfied with the scant information that has been provided to date with regard to this important document. We must hold the Labour administration to account and to make full disclosure with regard to the circumstances surrounding the diplomatic switch in March 2004 when we recognized the PRC in exchange for a large aid package of approximately US $117 million over a six year period- including a $6 million in immediate budget support for the year 2004 and other secret funding for election campaigning etc.
Indeed, when all the euphoria and excitement generated by the visit of the Chinese officials come to an end, the PM must come clean with the people and the people must continue to demand the bill for the feast (according to 1979). Dominicans must appreciate that democracy is about the people and not about what the government does.
ADMIN: Please note story provided by GIS is inaccurate. It was the information provided.
LOL admin allu have joke to wi……LOLOLOL information provided by? so who was the author?
What a ridiculuos way to start an article!
from the way things looked, THIS VISIT WAS A RATHER LONELY ONE!!!
THE BOTTOM LINE IS: CHINESE ARE INVADING OUR COUNTRY AND DOMINICANS DON’T LIKE IT!
SO NO MATTER HOW MUCH CONCRETE YOU PUT DOWN WE WILL NOT BE BOUGHT!!!!
Yea, Chinese giving you all free road free stadium and free college and then just saying, “No problem dominica we hending home now nice meeting you, we love giving out money to strangers randomly for nothing.”
while we need to commend the Dominica China Relations, i am disappointed that the Skerrit led administration is allowing opportunities to pass it by. It is now twelve years of Labour party the government found able friends like China and Venezuela and to date there is not one single economic project that will assist Dominica to earn much needed foreign echange for the country, rather its strategy is to impose V A T on the poor people of this country, even looking to increaase the V A T so that it can find funds to run state affears, but little do he know, no employment, no cash flow, less vat collected.
This short sighted game must come to an end.
We are however most greatful to China for assisting Dominica & Dominicans in these hard economic times and i would urge, what ever government sits in office we should continue that relationship just that we need to be transparent.
A 25 member team led by the Vice Chair of the Standing Committee……pinch me nuh……that was a political gathering. This coming just days before the Budget? Oh please……call me a fool and beat me under my foot with a hot iron.
These guys came here to give technical advice and to help our poor leader craft a budget to their favor. Increase in VAT wont touch them. only de Dominican people responsible for that.
At the present I think we have more loans with China than even the Caribbean Development Bank or the Inter-American Development Bank.
This DLP agenda led by Mr. Skerrit will cost us Dominicans our toenails and every strand of hair on our heads for years to come. It feels like we are being forced to take out loans from China to pay back for their “help”.
When i see Chinese workers with their weed wackers cutting grass on our roads i am reminded of how many months our own Dominicans have not been paid for the same work. because the guys go on national radio to complain about it u take the work and give it to de Chinese. Are they being paid or is that part of the maintenance component of the contract for the west coast road. The project has been handed over for a while now they still working.
u want me to give u a list of competent unemployed Dominicans whose children would shout hooray that their daddy finally back at work?
You are one of those who want the country to remain with nothing. One of those who think poverty and poor conditions is acceptable if you don’t owe.
If you know economics and the Money market, inflation, present and future values of cash flows, etc… you would not be so scared of loans.
How many people do you have employed ? employee some people and then talk. Where is the private sector? You all calling on Govt for everything?
Car em. Many dominicans need to become entrepreneurs and take responsibility for yourself and stop depending on govt or another.
None sense..
Tell Dominicans to change their lazy working attitudes and they will be prosperous. No body has to like this post but that’s a reality. Too many lazy workers in this country. Kudos to the hard working population. I am sorry the strain is on you.
What about the completion of the Dominica Grammar School , which is one of the four pilliar project which was talked about during the first year of the signing of the MOU.I understood that the chinese was to build a auditorium which would housed the 1000 students and teachers of the School. The Government must complete the Dominica Grammar School ,so that the School can provided the much needed Vocational Skills so our country can move on to the next level
While i’m indeed very grateful for all the assistance given to Dominica by the Chinese govt. I can’t help but think that there is an alterior motive behind all this. For instance, why are
they helping everyone else and not their own people?
Why is there still so much wide spread poverty in China? I’ve always been taught that charity begins at home.
My belief is that China is trying to suck it to America. They are capitalizing on the fact that America is at it’s lowest at this point. So they are playing the role of father giver so every one will be indebted to them and will dare not stand against if or when the need arise.
Inspite of all the talk, Dominica you are seriously in NEED of funding to NATIONALIZE Domlec and invest in HYDRO. Sseriously!! Sseriously!!
WOW ! BEAT ME , PINCH ME ! …Great Stuff ! Now children go to school and make your parents and yourself proud ! Very condusive for learning !!!!!
IS HE GONE YET?
WHAT IS CHINA REALLY UP TO IN OUR COUNTRY
“Anti-Skerrit and anti-Labour party critics may rant and rave against Chinese assistance to Dominica and an alleged hidden agenda in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) yet to be fully disclosed”.
This introduction is the pits! Is this GIS or the Labour Party rag sheet?
dno i clicked on that post just to get a closer look at that pic on the main page.boy was i dissapointed when it didnt show up.psh!
I would like to thanks the chines, for all given, we are desperatly in need of a new hospital in the capital, and a new prison, a rehab, center, and a senior community center .
Thanks d.n.o for allowing this formate.
A native son from the south.
Although the questions about the exact content of the MOU betweeen the People’s Republic of China and Dominica persist, we are grateful nonethless for their assistance to Dominica.
I doubt many of us could have imagined this amount of progress in Dominica some ten years ago.
The much anticipated “State of the art hospital” will be a much welcomed addition to Dominica’s overall growth and development and progress as a nation on the move.
I am still holding out hope for major improvments to our airport with the capability of seeing larger airlines landing in Dominica.
what …………………. I seeing there on DNO. The first paragraph alone just upset me. I not reading more.
There will be a queen show in China this month, Miss Virgin Island America is taking part is Miss Dominica taking part. Someone should inquire about it so Our Queen can go compete. I am sure China will pay her way, because of our relationship with China.
we love u china thank u all dominican in new york and dominca and all over thank u china
It wasn’t a GIFT, THERE IS A LOAN THAT HAS TO BE PAID BACK TO THE CHINA GOVERNMENT. IT IS NOT A DAMN GIFT.
GR8
A VERY HEARTY Thanks to the Chinese people, No doubt you were of great assistance to my country. but now tell us what you want in return….As you may well be aware of our Caribbean history it is instinctively ancestral our tendency to be cautious of strangers bearing gifts…. though you may be sincere in your desire to give assistance to developing nations, you must consider how we were duped by the likes of Columbus, a lesson which is reinforced in our secondary education. please allow is not to bite more than we can chew and consume to allow us to preserve that which our ancestors (Congoree, Bala and Jaco among others) fought with life an limb to protect for us, their future generations…IT IS WITH TREMENDOUS GRATITUDE THAT I SAY THANK YOU TO THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA, AND REQUEST NOW THAT THE BILL BE PRESENTED..
the GIS shows no impartiality in its reporting…
but what more can we expect from a political machine. a name when deserved, that’s why I listen elsewhere for non stereotypical information.
SMH GIS uses the label anti this and that very liberally…. nice to see…
It’s called GIS(GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICE).
what’s wrong with being SHREWD DNO???? Im sure you are SHREWD in conducting your business as small as it is….so what’s wrong with the people know what the bill looks like????????? boy I just don’t understand my people eh, it’s good to be grateful, but not so much that we forget to ask the hard questions…. would’t you agree admin??????
Thank you China for your generous gift and goodwill to Dominica. You have proven to be a good friend indeed.
So were the British colonisers… exploiters all.