Dominica to implement $65 million World Bank-funded food base restoration programme

Dr. Thomas speaking during a COVID-19 radio discussion

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Reginald Thomas, has announced that the government will be implementing a sixty-five million dollar World Bank-funded programme that is intended to restore Dominica’s food base.

Thomas said during an interview on state-owned DBS Radio, “We brought in well over five million dollars of various inputs that are being distributed and we still have access to it and it would continue to contribute to us restoring and expanding our food base.”

He also mentioned an emergency agriculture programmme that is being discussed with the financiers of the World Bank, information about which, he said, will be shared later with the general public.

“The public will be informed of that new initiative, supporting initiative, as it relates to agriculture, ensuring that there is food for consumption of the general public,” Thomas indicated.

Former IMF Economist, Dr. Thomson Fontaine, recently called on the government and the people of Dominica to place more focus on agriculture.

Fontaine made the call in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic which has increased demand for food worldwide.

He believes that now is the time to go back to agriculture.

“What we need to do is go back to agriculture; go back to using what God has blessed us with in abundance which is our soil and it will be able to work to our advantage,” Dr. Fontaine stated on Q95FM recently.

The former UWP senator also used the opportunity to plead for a return to manufacturing stating, “It is time we get serious about our own survival, it’s time we get serious about manufacturing.”

He is of the view that Dominica should be in a position now where it manufactures hand sanitizers.

“Right now, with this virus, the key ingredient for the washing of the hands is alcohol,” Dr. Fontaine explained. “Imagine if we had our bay oil industry up and running, the kinds of monies that could be made by processing sanitizers using our bay oil industry.”

At present, Dr. Fontaine holds the position of Senior Economic and International Policy Adviser to the government of South Sudan, Africa.

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12 Comments

  1. Which ghost
    April 27, 2020

    Now that’s a lot of millions towards agriculture, 18 mill here, 65 mill there(grant or Loan), a 2nd wave of millions after the initial 18 mill they themselves claimed had huge issues; that’s at least $100 mill being thrown at that cow. I now wonder if it’s the millions or if it’s management and foresight that will fix agriculture doctor, this proves it, even though every doctor becomes a consultant and given a desk job. That doesn’t mean the opposition would do any better with the millions as they are cut from the same cloth. They had their go at it until Bill Clinton sc*ewed it up for all in a most sinister way. But doctor, whichever doctor, no pun intended; that’s a lot of millions thrown at it, so it’s really not the millions but I think good ernest strategy and planning is lacking that’s why we are still at this stage today.

  2. viewsexpressed
    April 27, 2020

    We`re looking forward to this: Let`s hope that immature Skerrit does not have much of a say in this. Skerrit is not at that level to advise, or interfere for personal gains.
    Let our professionals who are paid, are the intellectual and professionals trusted to manage, supervise and implement this project on the behalf of (Not Scarit-it Skerrit), but our professionals who are paid to implement and manage this well deserved programme. Please keep Baby pampers incompetent Scare-it out of it.
    “Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Reginald Thomas, has announced that the government will be implementing a sixty-five million dollar World Bank-funded programme that is intended to “RESTORE” Dominica’s food base.
    Thomas said during an interview on state-owned DBS Radio, “We brought in well over five million dollars of various inputs that are being distributed and we still have access to it and it would continue to contribute to us restoring and expanding our food base…

  3. LifeandDeath
    April 26, 2020

    When it shows that no amount of money can get anything started and sustained, rest assured that Management is the issue.
    Dominica has put trust in that clown prime minister for too long.. Where are we 20 years later? and after spending a mindbending quantum of money..

  4. Stressfree
    April 24, 2020

    Garcon Dr. Reggie go get back our parrots for us –
    When Skerrit and others were yapping about tourism is the backbone of the economy . spending all our passport and parrot money on hotels and not on agricultural projects -and when World Bank gave money for small business including small Agro-processing – people like you sat back and said nothing when Sherrit said he diverted the World Bank monies to build roads in the east instead of putting it into small cottage industries – you and others were moo moo!! guess what now the so called backbone of all you economy, that is tourism, is broken, all off a sudden all you running back to now say agriculture is important and even go as far as to say agriculture and food security is all you main focus. almost saying it is the savior of the economy. Fire burn all you garcon!!

  5. viewsexpressed
    April 24, 2020

    Great suggestions from our distinguished Dominican professionals. We are hoping that this clown Skerrit is able to read, comprehend this message and able to implement, which we doubt fully. That is not Skerrit thinking. His thoughts are on the next trip overseas with our money and return empty handed talking Bull …..
    Former IMF Economist, Dr. Thomson Fontaine, recently called on the government and the people of Dominica to place more focus on agriculture. Fontaine made the call in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic which has increased demand for food worldwide. He believes that now is the time to go back to agriculture.
    “What we need to do is go back to agriculture; go back to using what God has blessed us with in Dominica. This is what we need and this is what failed Skerrit is unable to guide us, unable to lead and guide us and unable to see this bigger picture of socio-economic development. Skerrit is a political comedian. He is the only one who laughs at his fake jokes…

    • CHILDISH
      April 25, 2020

      Where as I agree that the suggestions from the PS are sound, by the same token Reggie has been PS for agriculture, under whose management we saw the alleged disappearance of our national bird without much explanation. Secondly as PS, he has sat there and said nothing while millions of our passport dollars from CBI, and other sources are still being directed to building hotels, tourism they claimed is the main stay of the economy; while agriculture took second or no place; Reggie has been PS when funds from the World Bank intended to jump start small business including Agro-business was diverted into road construction in the east , he was also PS when the World Bank funds intended to help small farmers some (18 million), was allegedly poorly and scandalously managed. If these projects were managed properly Reggie and others like him would not now appear to be fighting to bring back agriculture. Tourism they said is everyone’s business , agriculture apparently was not until now

  6. Annon
    April 23, 2020

    Everything seems to be wishful thinking. What if?? All the ‘what if’s went away long time ago. They were there and they all went away. When people have nothing to eat, you better think agriculture. This is the only thing that should have been number 1 all along. The World Bank owns you. The never ending story of bankruptcy by the bankers that has gone on for hundreds of years all over the world.

  7. Crown Stress
    April 23, 2020

    When are they going to open the borders to at least let Dominicans stuck abroad to enter. People have their farm, animals, and business to come take care of. If people have to go in quarantine when they come then so be it.
    All you say everything under control and doing better than other islands. All you have how much test kits. What is it now? A joke that man.
    All don’t know hurricane season coming man.

    • Stressfree
      April 24, 2020

      crown stress even if we open up our boarders we do not have a national airline nor a national ferry SERVICE so who we opening up too when liat, seaborne, winair, carib antilles , the ferry and all others shut down. ALL YOU find all you making sense / OPEN UP TO WHAT BRO. jUST JUST LIKE WHEN SKERRIT SAY FROM MIDNIGHT HE CLOSING THE BOARDERS WHEN ALL THE AIR AND SEA TRANSPORT SERVICES serving dominica HAD ALREADY SHUT DOWN ON US. All you just like to sound intelligent 111111111

    • CHILDISH
      April 25, 2020

      Crown Stress you really serious man? but open up to who and to what? we do not have a national airline nor do we have a national ferry service , so tell me when we open up which airlines are going to fly in and which ferry is going to come, when all the commercial transportation systems are under lock down? Further more why would we want to expose our population to added risk by opening up our borders? I feel for those of us who have family and friends out there who are either trapped, stuck or stranded however opening up our boarders at this time is not the best advice. There are other ways and means of getting our citizens who are stranded out there and wanting to come home to come into Dominica. It will however take some management planning, logistics, negotiations and organization to achieve this goal.

      • Crown Stress
        April 27, 2020

        All that fancy talk, but can you read? You didn’t understand what I write? Childish.

        • CHILDISH
          April 27, 2020

          I understood what you wrote not necessarily what you say you write ;suffice it to say I was merely saying opening our boarders at this time was not the best way to go. in other words there are other ways to get get our students home other than opening up our boarders , and that is the difference ; so i hope you understand

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