China and Venezuela: main donor countries to Dominica

Windsor Park Stadium is funded by the Chinese

China and Venezuela have over the past decade emerged as two of Dominica’s main donor countries.

Earlier this month Dominica News Online looked at the kind of assistance Venezuela has and continues to provide the island through the Roosevelt Skerrit-led Dominica Labour Party administration.

The list included the Petro Caribe contribution, seawall projects (one of which cost $30 million), housing construction through what’s known as the “Housing Revolution”, a $3.9 million police station (Grandbay), sea defence and road works at Melville Hall Airport ($26 million), and water projects.

How does China compare with that?  Morne Daniel-based embassy officials have not given figures in terms of the cost of the projects which China has financed here (whether through loans or grants).

But they have pointed to some of the more significant projects.

“China’s assistance to Dominica is carried out through several means, namely, including complete plant project, aid for disaster relief, economic and technical cooperation program, concessionary loans, training courses and seminars for officials and experts, scholarship for students, etc,” a statement from the embassy states.

Yu Zisen, Press Officer of Chinese Embassy

It says major completed projects include the Windsor Park Stadium, the Roseau to Portsmouth Road Rehabilitation Project – that road’s completion  ceremony is scheduled for April 20, the Newtown Town Primary School, and a Housing Project in the Carib territory.

“Furthermore, from 2005 to 2011, China has donated to Dominica for four times, to help Dominica people with the post-disaster reconstruction and improving disaster-combat capacity,” embassy spokesman Yu Zisen told DNO.

He also referred to “9 phases of Chinese specialists in agriculture, stadium maintenance and medical care has been dispatched to Dominica”.

According to Zisen, 180 Dominican officials and experts have been trained or attended seminars in China sponsored by the Chinese Government.

He also confirmed that more than 100 students have won scholarship provided by the Chinese Government to pursue higher education in Chinese universities, something highlighted by Prime Minister Skerrit at a recent news conference.

Zisen also referred to a “framework agreement on concessionary loans of 40 million US dollars” signed in 2009.

According to the Chinese official, Beijing provides more assistance to Dominica than other friendly countries.

The reaction of citizens here to that assistance is clearly something being monitored by the Chinese Embassy.

“It is unreasonable that a few people have been attacking Chinese government and its assistance to Dominica repeatedly, which quite hurt the feeling of Chinese people,” Zisen told DNO.

The Chinese official says however that he is optimistic that with further exchanges between the two countries, “the overwhelming majority will support China-Dominica friendship firmly”.

Zisen also noted local calls for the government to make public the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Dominica and China signed back in 2004 when the two established diplomatic relations.

”Chinese government has been upholding the principle of non-interference with internal affairs of other nations. We have no comment on Dominican internal affairs. We believe Dominican government and its people are able to handle its own business,” he said on that matter.

Prime Minister Skerrit told reporters recently that Cabinet would consider whether or not to make public, the full contents of the MOU.

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56 Comments

  1. April 14, 2012

    We transit the drugs,for them, and they give us a cut it is not donation its just a cut of the drugs money, thats why they killing the little man planting a little weed,so the coke and crack can be bsat seller,

  2. Eggleston
    April 13, 2012

    I read the first part of the article but this is something I have always been interested in. Not too long ago one of the big shots in government in St Lucia delivered a speech about her curiosity about the Chinese and I agreed with her. She said they are everywhere and she said that by doing all those things, the Chinese expect something in return.
    The way I see it is that these countries like ours are third world countries and we need the infra-structure to develop. I do not mind things like loans and the building of stadiums and airports by the Chinese. The thing is that when the government signs these contracts they must be careful and read the fine print. We should stand our ground and not let the Chinese have the majority of ownership of most of our huge businesses like allowing them to buy a ton of stocks in companies because the person with the most stock, they are the ones in control. This is just one of the examples. Another thing is that allowing the Chinese to buy huge amount of land and bring in stuff duty free to the islands. This is just not good, when you saturate the country like this; there is no room for the local man to make bread.
    We should accept with caution and pay back all what was given to us before. We should also not get too comfortable as islands in receiving aid from China and the US because this will make us become lazy and complacent and not want to come up with new ideas to support ourselves. It’s like a boyfriend giving his girlfriend everything she wants, she never find a job because she will be taken care off. Now when China stops giving we will be in trouble because we have become spoiled.
    In addition, we do not see or hear everything when these deals are taking place, in other words we do not see the “terms “of the agreement. Who knows what the Chinese wants in return. They may want something which might take years to come but in the end it will come and whatever that is might become a problem when it is transferred over to the Chinese.
    In the, my thing is as mentioned before. You can accept the aid and the loans but accept with caution. Watch your back.

    Eggleston-small but powerfull

  3. April 13, 2012

    there is no free lunch.period.
    all these “gifts” from china and venezuela europe etc. have to be repaid.
    the issue here is honesty is the goverment of dominica honest with it’s people.

  4. Real
    April 12, 2012

    I really wonder which country has saved Dominica`s ecomony in terms of employment and ecominic activities. I think our ecomony is bent on the united states ecomony. For example, the calls centres, the medicals schools, manufactoring and tourism to name a few.

  5. North side Possie
    April 12, 2012

    Rememder culture said’the more victimization on there back the more foolish they become’not that all Dominicans are fools but come next election lets see if they will prove me rigt,,boy they does forget fast especialy when the little hand out comes around ha ha ha

  6. yep
    April 12, 2012

    skerrit saving the international airport for when his rating start decreasing…and i doubt that will happen…when “he makes another mistake” and citizens start to question his honesty…he will give them an international airport to distract them and restore their confidence in him

    • PROF. WIKILEAKS
      April 12, 2012

      Well will never get one then

    • forreal
      April 12, 2012

      and will that be a bad thing?lol you are real joke.

  7. Prophet2
    April 12, 2012

    Dominica has sold It’s Soul to Communists. The time will come when you’ll have to pay the piper.

    Communism = Modern Slavery.

  8. seriously????????
    April 12, 2012

    When are people in Dominica stop looking at all politics and start looking at the big picture..The roads,stadium etc is nice but who are going to enjoy it when the crime rate is increasing dramatically,tourist are scared to visit soon from now and more and more students are graduating from school without work to do..Not to mention prices are skyrocketing and no money to buy…Dominicans need more jobs which will improve their morals and definitely help with all those crime…people are stressed because of money.The international airport will help greatly in that arena…It’s not all about politics and who love who it’s about what is good for our country.

  9. lol
    April 12, 2012

    Why do we think that we give up nothing when the loans come from IMF and World Bank? Are we just plain ignorant or mischievous when it suits us?

  10. Cerberus
    April 12, 2012

    One wonders from what ideological pen this article flowed. Is the omission of the EU as a major donor deliberate or attributable to simple ignorance? Our Govt. itself knows better as testified by the following official statements: “The European Union …has emerged as the world’s largest donor and is also the largest contributor of development assistance to Dominica”. (Govt. press rleasweno. 38 of May, 2009) and subsequently, on the occasion of Europe Day ,Roosevelt Skerrit no less acknowleged the contributions the European Union made over the years.:”For us in Dominica, the European Union has been a most generous development partner. EU development assistance, currently valued at over $300 million has touched every sector in Dominica” (Govt. press release no. 39 of 8 May 2009).
    Why is Europe now written out of the scenario? Have they served their purpose? I pray the present article does not come from an offical Govt. source as, to say the least, it is far from even-handed, bad mannered and not at all diplomatic.

    ADMIN: Is the EU a country? We deliberately wrote “donor countries?”

    • Francisco Telemaque
      April 12, 2012

      According to Zisen, 180 Dominican officials and experts have been trained or attended seminars in China sponsored by the Chinese Government.”

      Such comments concern me!

      Here we find Yu is boasting that 180 people were trained or attend seminars in China, unless these people were trained to understand the Chines language, what they learn in China might be of no benefit to the average Dominican, or for that matter any Dominican at all.

      It is ironic that we are sending our people to train in China, in whatever when the Chines are sending their students here in America to get an Western Education.

      The Collages and Universes around the United States are filled with Chines students.

      They get American training, go home and use it in China, they take home technology which are not found in China!

      And if Yu chose to deny that, I would like to refer him to the two engineering students who were killed; gunned down in Los Angeles at approximately 1:00 A.M. Tuesday morning of this very week down the street a few blocks from my house!

      The two graduate students attended USC, which is located walking distance from house.

      In the event this is unbelievable, all Yu has to do is call his Embassy in Los Angeles who will verify that!

      It is okay to pull people off to China, simply to babble and boast, and try to influence people with their ideology.

      What the Chines need to understand is that when diplomatic relations are established and signed by a Dominica government official, that signature by the Prime Minister, or government minister becomes the signature of all the people of Dominica.

      Therefore the contract is not specifically between the individual government minister, thus the boast that most help was given to the Skerrit government is simply baloney, Yu is simply interfering in the political affairs of our country.

      And so I must remind him that we in Dominica exists within a democracy, government comes an go!

      We support an elected government by a majority of people by casting our votes via a ballet box, we get rid of our government when they fail to perform.

      Leadership is not handed down from father to son in Dominica, and that is why any arrangement between any government official, and the Chines government, is between the government of Chinam and the people of Dominica.

      That’s how it works within a democracy, our system is different to the communists system.

      If the Labor Party Looses power tomorrow, the Chines are duty bound to honor any arrangements they previously signed with the former government.

      If you have established diplomatic relations with our government, that does not give the Chines government any right to interfere into our local politics, and that is exactly what Yu has done!

      We need the help, as long as it is going to help improve life in the country, but a constant reminder of what China has don for Dominica is not necessary!

      After all we are not getting it all for free: my final observation, is this; when you import the workers from China to work on the projects that our taxpayers dollar has to pay for your people and government seem to be benefiting more from such arrangements than the people of Dominica.

      That is a fact, so enjoy it, and stop your pandering, and interference into our politics!

      Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque

      • April 13, 2012

        true say my friend true say.

  11. Francisco Telemaque
    April 12, 2012

    You know this is perhaps the shortest comment I will ever write!

    In as much as I must agree that we have received some great assistance, from Venezuela, and China; the sea wall, the stadium and everything else, one of, and perhaps the most important of all is ignored by the government!

    The sea wall when completed prevents the from destroying the road.

    The stadium is for entertainment, one need to have money to enter and enjoy the games!

    A hand full of people will gain short term employment as a result, but one of the most important need in the country everybody seems to be ignoring it!

    So perhaps I the kid from Wesley must approach Chavez, and ask him:

    Do’nde es nuestro Internacional Aeropuerto!

    Do’nde is our International Airport?

    You see the longer we play games about it; it is getting more expensive, even the Chines more than five years ago told the present government that ” the only time Dominica will begin to make some real progress is when the nation builds an International Airport!”

    What is so difficult about that for a government and people to understand, the only reason the government is not tackling the issue is because of their election campaign promise ” we will close down the one that Edison James and the UWP was building!”

    They kept that promises, combined with the help of Gonzales, the Prime Minister of St. Vincent who told them Dominica does not need an International Airport, all that is needed is to refurbish the thing at Melville Hall, and install landing lights and that will meet our needs.

    What we see today is that the man who misguided our government by deliberately giving our government such stupid, and bad advise has himself undertaken the building of an International Airport in his country, it is under construction this very day.

    If the Chines suggest that we build an International Airport, I they are who we should seek the assistance to finance the project, with some assistance from Venezuela, so while we appreciate the small things we obtained from the two countries mentioned, the most significant which we should request is ignored!

    Why?

    All due to an stupid campaign promises that we will close down the International Airport which was already under construction by another government which was elected by a majority of people.

    In another post I mentioned the late Paul Southwell; to those people who has never heard of him, this is a man who was born in the village of Castle Bruce, to Antiguan born parents.

    When Dominica was part of the Leeward islands, he was sent to St. Kitts where he served as a police officer, later he entered politics, and during the West Indies Federation, when Chief Minister Bradshaw went to represent St. Kitts, Nevis, and Anguilla in Trinidad, which was supposed to be the capital of the West Indies Federation, Paul Southwell became Chief Minister of St. Kits.

    He immediately went on a quest to build an International Airport in St. Kitts, even Old man Bird of Antigua discouraged him from building it; that was in 1962, he did not allow the skeptic and their dome and gloom to discourage his efforts.

    As a result of his vision ,there is an International Airport operating in St. Kitts in the twenty-first century!

    Thanks to Dominica born Paul Southwell!

    The construction of an International Airport in Dominica will serve a better purpose than the sea wall the stadium, and all the other gifts to the island combined; because it will create more permanent employment to the nation people in general.

    Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque

  12. North side Possie
    April 12, 2012

    Thanks China for all the help but I have to warn my people that one of China’s main reson for being in Dominica was to show Tiwan that they are the bigger boss and that they will minimize their influence globerly,2nd remember China iconomy is based solly on export that means they belive in brining money in their economy not import like how Dominica is doing sending money out every day,so do expect to see Dominica products on China shelf anytime soon but they have already saturate our markets with their products,remember China looks at the horizon not at their toes like Dominicans.Still with all due respect China is doing what China have to do is up to us now to manage that relationship.

  13. Kubulian
    April 12, 2012

    Yes sah !
    ASSISTANCE FROM COMMUNIST DICTATORSHIPS, where Human rights, free speeches, opposition rights, … mean noting !

  14. Ghetto gyal
    April 12, 2012

    alas we clearly doh know what we want in dis place nuh boy. next ting I hear d state palace is malice then they asking chinese to give us an airport all u want everything but all u still chatting negative ALL U TOO GREEDY Dominica is rolling thank u China man thanks Venezuela man please come again.

    • Ghetto gyal
      April 12, 2012

      God Bless u Skerrit I voting u again More for my lovely Dominica. God Bless.

      • Anonymous
        April 12, 2012

        Ghetto gyal, that’s why all you volehing cheese and fruit cake by save-alot

  15. Nac Vibes
    April 12, 2012

    Is so when the europeans arrived in Afrika some of the african leaders were glad for the few trinkits they gave and befor you know millions of us lost our freedom.All we want to know is what we are giving in return befor it’s too late, like it was for our for -fathers.
    You think these people really see us as their equals?

  16. fat
    April 12, 2012

    DNO give us a list of what the USA has givin us in the last 50 years.

    • Blue ray
      April 12, 2012

      Thats our problem right here,spend too much time discussing handouts.Where is our industrious spirit? Not saying we should not get or take donations, but should not be or appear to be our main source of survival or substanabilty.And a famous saying “Nothing in Life is Free”,so the Donations we get are normally for our vote in return or some other benifit.

    • Observer
      April 12, 2012

      The good old USA provided employment and education to thousands of dominicans, as a result many of us are able to assist our famalies back home, stop begging for handouts, instead, let us find ways to help ourselves.

  17. Jbfox
    April 12, 2012

    Many of the people who are against china and Venezuela assisting Dominica of them one thing which country will they turn to for help,not America,or England.Could we have done all that is been done.

  18. warma
    April 12, 2012

    at the risk of sounding like i’m paying lip service to what may be the contents of the MOU between Dominica and China, which i am not, I will ask – how is it that these people speculating about a nefarious relationship between the 2 countries never ask the same between Dominica and European/North American countries that give to us, albeit in smaller amounts? Why the concentration on one and not the other? I sense a bit of hypocrisy? What do they think – that there’s no quid pro quo?

    I will remind those who incessantly pontificate in this forum about the nobleness of American and British giving, that it was the Americans who sabotaged our banana industry, and promptly did nothing to assist us in the fallout. A vacuum was left, and China and Venezuela have stepped in to fill that void. Former Premier Leblanc, ironically another leader like the PM from the fine village of Vielle Case, was quoted as saying that Dominicans have “memwa poul” – he was right. The Americans are the ones responsible for decimating our economy – President Clinton sued the Europeans about the banana regime that was in place that held our economy together, saying that it hurt the American economy. BUT, America does not produce bananas, so how was it hurting the American economy. The truth was that large American companies were financing Clinton and despite all our protests and how how it would affect us drastically, he didn’t care one bit, and the result was our economy went into serious decline. Domnichen ni memwa poul.

    A similar case exists today with Britain – our attempts to develop an economy promoting the beauty of the country, its ecology, etc, is now in serious jeopardy because of the APD tax the British government is imposing on travelers to the Caribbean, and we are protesting because of the debilitating effects it will have on the economies of the region, including ours – and the British don’t care. Domnichen ni memwa poul.

    These are the same 2 countries that have essentially stranded at the altar, but some think they’re the perfect fit for us, completely ignorant of the fact that the void that they left and continue to leave, is filled by the Chinese and the Venezuelans. Exile One has a song and the most significant line in the chorus is — “don’t bite the hand that feeds you, you ain’t no crab”

    We have quite a few crabs in our midst.

    • fat
      April 12, 2012

      You right on it.Great one.

    • Nac Vibes
      April 12, 2012

      I do not recall any specific signing of MOU with any of the two major countries you mentioned.

      All we want to know is what is in it for China, I fail to believe it’s just for us saying one china.

      all i can see is we are more dependent on china and one day it may come back to bite us in a big way

      Every citizen has a right to ask of it’s government and get the truth.

      • warma
        April 12, 2012

        I agree, and I too would like to know the contents of that MOU. I am not the least diminishing the importance of knowing what’s in it, I am simply curious as to why there seems a decidedly anti-China, anti-Venezuela bent to the language many use; it appears to go further than just the usual political discourse, with insidious connotations.

        You say that we are more dependent on China – if you trace our history, you will see we have always leaned heavily on some external power, and that is undoubtedly tied to the fact that we are not self-sufficient. UNTIL we get to that point, we will continue to lean on someone’s shoulders. That is inescapable and to pretend otherwise is an exercise in self-defeatism. Furthermore, in this globalized environment, I suggest to you we are all leaning on each other. You think the Americans are not leaning on China too? With all that chest-thumping that goes on in American political circles, railing against the Chinese, that’s just propaganda for the ignorant masses who truly have no clue how dependent they are on the Chinese. The Chinese are the largest holders of US Treasury bonds – if they decide to cash them in, you have any idea what effect that would have on the American AND global economy? In case you don’t know and for those who don’t, to simplify how this works – the American government needs money to finance its operations, it can’t just print more money and put in circulation because that will devalue its currency, so it issued Treasury bonds and sell them to whomever will buy them – the bonds have a maturity date and a fixed percentage as interest. It’s essentially like a loan, and China is the bank, so if the bank decide they want their money back, you’re going to have to find it one way or the other. You can sell more bonds, but since its on the open market and you appear desperate for cash so as not to default, whomever you want to sell those new bonds to are in a position to demand and extract a higher interest rate from you. You see how this works?

    • Ghetto gyal
      April 12, 2012

      you can write a whole bible if you want dat u vex about all de good tings u see happening in Dominica DONE BY ROOSEVELT LED HAHAHAHAHA!! take dat DA moving and all u cyan stop dat.

      • warma
        April 12, 2012

        I think you need to read again because you are misinterpreting what i was saying. Nowhere did I dispute the progress in DA. You’re ignorance is showing.

      • Anonymous
        April 12, 2012

        D/A moving and all you do even know where it going, smh.

    • April 12, 2012

      So you think so little of your people that they should go thru life on hand outs and not able to provide for themselves what type of system that would be you and all the others talk about the crime on the Island dont you believe if their were jobs maybe some sort of plant or factory where they could get jobs it’s possible we wouldnt have so much crime why dont ask your PM why dont he try to get the hand outs where the people can get jobs that would be much better than the large buildings where D’icans still cant get jobs as they could, let me tell you D’icans are not in a good position where the people who gives D’icans their money turn around and send their own people to do the job the money go’s back to their countries but we still have to pay back the money they give us what is that so give me a brake with your comments but of cause when one have a job they take care of their family they feel good with themselve but when one gets hand out all the time they will never want to do anything else why when their is someone who is giving them I do believe that those in high positions are the one”s keeping their own people down they dont respect them also they take them for granted.I ask my people to wake up and have pride in themselves again keep praying for things on the Island to change and for your survival.
      Comments like yours will not stop those who can see and think for themselves why dont you try to put POLITICAL PARTIES aside and think about what is lacking and how you can make a positive contribution.

    • neutral
      April 12, 2012

      I would shake your big toe meeson. The article about the dangers of coconut oil originated from USA. Then their soy oil come up. Later article about the bay oil causing cancer came from England. What are we to do to survive? Sell drugs. These are the things we grow. Wonder what these countries will attack next? PM GO TO WHO WILL HELP YOU. IS WHO IN THE KITCHEN FEELING THE HEAT. ESPECIALLY TO PAY SALARIES MONTH END.

  19. ?????
    April 12, 2012

    We need to develop a culture of creating hard working and industrious people. It is so sad that the unsuspecting people among us are believing that China and Venezuela are building our nation,while infact they are destroying it with the help of poor leadership.
    Instead of the culture of hard work, the government is begging, so therefore the people are also begging,even worse they resort to criminal activities when they can’t get. The two nations have added more people to the poverty line. Our skyline is improving, but the poor and indigent are also increasing.Massive unemployment among the youth,a lazy society is created,and the madness governance continues.POOR AND WEAK LEADERSHIP ALL ROUND!

    • calibishie
      April 12, 2012

      I agree to a good portion of what you said, I just don’t hear you giving a solution or a better alternative to the challenges we face. We are quick to critisize but we are often the ones that never makes a contribution. I think sometimes silence would be more appropriate.

  20. Deleoncourt
    April 12, 2012

    Congratulations captain obvious…..

  21. Trouble Intended
    April 12, 2012

    Improving the infrastructure is important as that lays the ground work for entrepreneurs and the private sector. The Chinese are very much aware of that. If they help us to build roads, bridges, hospitals and so on, the entrepreneurial spirit in the populace will eventually kick in and opportunities will be created. The questions then become, “What will the population look like? Who has that entrepreneurial spirit? Are we able to live happily with an influx of other cultures?”

    Here is an example: Now you have a road and a lot of vehicles are passing by, what are you going to do to make them stop and buy what you selling? You know if you can’t come up with something, someone from China will be happy to do that. So instead of crying about what China and Venezuela giving, you should be looking at how you going to compete with them. The MOU is what it is, but you can bet the Chinese government is creating opportunities for DOMINICANS, to include CHINESE DOMINICANS. So I am suggesting that we get out multicultural heads together, accept the support that we are getting and make the best of it.

    • Trouble Intended
      April 12, 2012

      should read, “our multicultural heads” and not out multicultural heads. sorry

    • PROF. WIKILEAKS
      April 12, 2012

      Good one

    • Peeping Tom
      April 12, 2012

      Well-said.

    • Anthony P. Ismael
      April 14, 2012

      This is one of the better responses that I’ve read on DNO. While I was at D.G.S. It was a widely held view that Dominica needed at least 110-120 people to compete with its neighbors. We are terribly under-populated, our rugged terrain notwithstanding.
      Direct foreign investment is anohter area lacking in Dominica. This is where an influx of industrious Chinese citizens with capital to invest, can be of great assistance to our economy.
      Furthermore, the nation cannot and will not move forward without updated infrastructure, to support free movement of persons from one part of the island to the next.
      The British left us with a “Plantation-Style Development Model” where Roseau was the center of everything, while the rest of the island was left without passable roads and basic infrastructure for decades. E.O. Liblanc gave us the West Coast Road connecting the towns of Portsmouth and Roseau and villages in between. It took some sixty-two years before the nation was made aware of the correlation between good roads, bridges and its continued development.
      While the most recent upgrades are tremendous, much more is still required.

  22. Satelite
    April 12, 2012

    Thank you China and Venezuela, caused without you, we would not be where we are, without a sports stadium, without proper roads, without an improved airport, without Petro Caraibe; to name a few. Every country somewhere reaches out to another in times of need and so we are thankful.

    No man is an island, and no island has ever stand on its own.

    • dissident
      April 12, 2012

      Correction, it is a cricket stadium. No other sporting activities take place there. In my estimate, since I work in the field, there is no way that the rehabilitation of the west coast road cost $100 million. Impossible. I should know. If u worked at the airport u would have ur reservations about the work that was done there and the stated cost. Petro Caraibes is a Chavez party institution designed to encourage his blind support for his policies. That company has brought nothing new to Dominica.
      What do we trade with China or Venezuela? Can u find any Dominican product on a store shelf in China or Venezuela? I notice we sellin chinese and venezuelan stuff. So we doh like ourselves then. That is why we always fighting with one another. We fight against our self and our children’s future. China and venezuela is not our future. They don’t act like it.

      However, it would not surprise me to know that the water that the chinese are producing/bottling here IS available in China. I wish I could be proven wrong on this one.

      • PROF. WIKILEAKS
        April 12, 2012

        Please a few more complains to your list and this will satisfy your fancy.

        BTW, Dominica at its present juncture in the world economic malaise would never qualify for a loan to resurface a road of that magitude.

        So sometime, we have to be grateful for the little that other countries tax payers monies are used in Dominica.

        Alas my people.

      • Anonymous
        April 12, 2012

        It is very easy to criticize and make such negative comments. As you said, you are in the field, what kind of suggestions or contribution have you made? What is the alternative that you have proposed. Why don’t you look at things for what is it. It does not matter what the Gov’t does, there are always going to be NAH sayers.

      • calibishie
        April 12, 2012

        Boy, we are good at critisizing but I will ask, what kind of contribution or sensible alternative can we provide to the challenges that Dominica faces? Stop being so negative and appreciate the good deeds. Dominica minus China equals not much.

      • Trouble Intended
        April 12, 2012

        Your last statement speaks volumes. Dominica’s water MIGHT be sold in China. Why don’t you find out how that is happening or whether it can actually happen and get yourself a piece of the action? Do you know how many people live in China? Do you recognize the market? Opportunities are crashing on our doors, almost breaking them down and all we can do is cry like babies.

        If we don’t get in the competitive mode, we will continue to be without many of the norms of other countries while we depend on government to create everything for us, and we all know, that there is only so much any government can do.

  23. calibishie
    April 12, 2012

    China has proven itself to be a friend. A friend in need is a friend indeed. Alot of other countries are providing lip service but China to stepping up to the plate.

    • GOM
      April 12, 2012

      They are stepping up to your plate, because you seem to be one of the lazy heads out there, depending on hand outs and on stretching your hands, to say ‘Thank You Sir/Madam’. Have you ever thought of this begging business that this government has plunged the country into? Have you asked yourself what are we producing? What are we exporting? Why there are so many people unemployed on island? Why the crime rate is escalating? GUESS YOU ARE TOO LAZY TO DO SUCH.
      We need to inculcate into our people the virtues of hard work,and relax on this dependency syndrome that lazy people like you are seeing as the way out for Dominica. We will pay for it down the road.

      • calibishie
        April 13, 2012

        You seem to be short sighted and weak on your arguement. Can you name me one developing country that has not been assisted by another? Yes, Dominicans need not be lazy but without outside assistance, how can an island of 79k people, with no viable source develope by itself? (Even the Americans are receiving help from the Chinese) It has not happened in the past, why do you think that it can happen now? All the larger islands, with a higher population and more abundance of resources are receiving help. You need to take a more objective view at things.

    • cnn
      April 14, 2012

      asK YOURSELF WHAT DOES DOMINICA HAVE TO GIVE BACK TO CHINA.

  24. linky
    April 12, 2012

    ma lass tan sa every day come with the same thing china and venuzuela; tha alone.

  25. Anonymous
    April 12, 2012

    China and Venezuela are making financial love contributions to Dominica but what is Dominica giving or has given up? A relationship cannot be about giving only? MOU, MOU

    VOICE

    • Anonymous
      April 12, 2012

      Why do we tend to focus on the negative and not the positive. It is called intelligent self interest.

      • Malgraysa
        April 13, 2012

        Never heard it called that before anonymous but very clever. Prostitution = “intelligent self interest”.

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