President of Dominica, Charles Savarin, has told the United Nation’s General Assembly that poverty is down on the island as efforts are being made by the government to meet the world body’s Millennium Develop Goals (MDGs).
Additionally, Savarin said, Dominica has made notable progress in improving access to education, ensuring environmental sustainability and building strong bilateral and multilateral partnerships.
He said while the majority of nations continue “to wait for the promised improvements in their living conditions, notwithstanding Dominica has been able to achieve most of the MDGs…”
“Mr president, our progress in poverty reduction has been noted by the Caribbean Development Bank which stated in its 2010 report on Dominica that, and I quote, ‘the level of poverty in Dominica has fallen from 39 percent in 2003 to 28.8 percent in 2009. Absolute poverty, as measured by the Indigent Rate, has also declined from 10 percent in 2003 to 3.1 percent in 2009,'” the president said.
He stated the island’s achievements in education have surpassed the target set by the MDGs.
“Recognizing the importance of education to our development agenda, Dominica continues to make major investments in improving access to quality education for our people,” the head of state noted. “To date we boast of universal access to education at the early childhood, primary and secondary levels and access to post secondary education is available to all secondary school graduates.”
In terms of environmental sustainability, the president said “Dominica has always been guided by the principles of sustainable use of its natural resources and protection of the physical environment. It is for these reasons that Dominica has been dubbed the Nature Island of the Caribbean. We therefore have much we can share with the UN’s family on the subject of sustainable use of natural resources.”
The president said Dominica is also making headway in generating clean energy.
“In our efforts to protect and ensure environmental sustainability and to rid our island’s reliance of fossil fuels for generating electricity, the government of Dominica has invested, and continues to invest, in renewable energy,” he remarked. “Today about 20 percent of energy needs are met by clean hydro power. Additionally however, the government has been pursuing the development of the country’s geothermal resources. To date the government has invested over US$20-million in its geothermal development efforts. The first production and re-injection wells have been completed and the results of the flow tests indicate that this geothermal reservoir has a capacity to generate sufficient electricity for domestic consumption and also for export to the neighboring French Territories of Martinique and Guadeloupe.”
According to the UN, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight in all, range from cutting extreme poverty rates by half to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education.
All have a target date of 2015 and they form a “blueprint agreed to by all the world’s countries and all the world’s leading development institutions.”
poverty have to be down when he is leaving in a $27 million dollar house
such a lie lie lie do some of te u.n released publified classified articles pertaining to the commonwealth of Dominica
so what hapen between 2009 and 2014
You did not tell them they built you a nice big 27 million dollar house??? You did not tell them where that money could have been spent to reduce the poverty you speak of?
Are you serious? Well you can’t blame him, his time is spent in a $27,000000.00 palace and all his frends are doing great, so poverty must be down in his eyes. I would ask him to take a trip to the financial center on Wednesdays/Thursdays, drive around Dominica, question people and then give a report. I can bet his report will be completely different. I wonder if the president know what it is is to be poor. Dominica might have about 35% poverty right now or slightly higher.
I am independent, I am Dominica(n)
If is only 35% poverty i wounder what yard stick you are using to measure, because in my own judgement it has to be 50% plus.
Aneurism. You have completely lost it. Mid-stage alzeimer’s. You can only remember things when you were growing up. You are blank to the last 13 years. You are overwhelmed by the number of sheets at the palace chambre. 30.000 dollars salary just to spread sheet upon sheet. As you make your bed, so you lie on it, deep sheet, layers upon layers. Sheet for your bed, Spread for your bread.
i love my country and i believe its the best place to live,Mr president. you may be right on the education thing.. but truth is truth, i don’t expect you to bad talk our lovely Dominica…. you spoke based on whats written on paper yet missing up to date data… your speech was to impress the UN.. BUT its not the reality of Dominica.. as a young person i wouldn’t advice anyone to take my word for it but let your eyes collect the up to date data in Dominica and be honest..
He is totally correct…..the real meaning is that poverty is down (there) on the island …widespread….
pzl!!!!!! In June we ended the 2013/2014 fiscal year. He is making his statements based on 5 year old information i.e from since 2009. So what happened from 2009 to at least 2012 if statistics are not available for 2013/2014. What an embarrassment!!!!
This also raises the question of how updated is the information in the statistics department. I mean that kind of information should have come from there…
As the ‘powers that be’ at the Caribbean Development Bank as to where they obtain their information/statistics with respect to poverty IN Dominica. These figures are “Cooked-Up” then given to reflect a reduction. There is NO WAY ON EARTH that poverty has decreased in Dominica. The ONLY way is if the 10.2% and 6.9% decrease is as a result of those people DYING from the same poverty they were reduced to.
i do agree with Savarin that Dominica (The Nature Isle) should serve as a model to other countries in the area of environmental sustainability. This is largely due to the landscape and not any one government. Personally, i don’t remember Dominica having any significant policy changes in this area. As for Mr Savarin comments about ‘POVERTY’, (2003 – 2009) show me the most recent numbers.
Obviously Savarin doesn’t really LIVE in DA to make a comment like that. Then again, the U.N. is one big lie so they are all in good company.
no comment …he isn’t my president . you cannot have a man like that as president…stuepes…next article…moving on
true (y)
Please mr. President, how do you rhyme that with the fact that every wednesday there are increased numbers of people coming direct to the Govt. office of the Prime Minister to beg for assistance? That simply does not add up with your speech in New York.
Invite the people you addressed to come and visit Dominica and let them explore Roseau unaccompanied, to find out for themselves. Today the poverty in our capital is not only visible, you can feel and smell it. Yes, the smell of poverty!
.
Is there anything positive happing in Dominica! It’s amazing to see how low you people will stoop. In your own world you have failed to look at the facts. Not killing the messenger, but analyzing the message. Your hatred for the PM is like a disease. That is the reason why some of you cannot make no headway. People, I am presently living under the US flag and the conditions are deplorable. The roads and infrastructure are beyond belief, the health care system and economy are atrocious. Go beyond your comfort zone in Dominica to see how hard other people have it. I have a good government job, yet I am living from payday to payday. Yes, Dominica has made lots and lots of progress in education and on trying to bring down the poverty level. Well said Mr. President.
HAters,
you will only speak that way because you are not living in dominica-,
you have no idea ,what we face in dominica,
saverin is talking about himself and the ministers ,no wonder they use that slang , I AN DOMINICA,so when they tell you dominica is doing fine ,they are refering to themselves,while we the cetzens catching hells,
they came with nothing ,now they are multi millionare, the met us with somthing ,now we have nothing , we are begging ,
so i you want to know ,you should come to dominica and swe for yourself,and stop listening to these pirates
Money does not grow on trees. Every country has its problems and all sorts of them. They also have poverty.
Money does not grow on trees. People have monthly obligations to meet. Some people in the US and other progressive countries have one, two and three jobs to make ends meet. Then the more money they work for, the more taxes they pay which will cause them to think, is it worth working at more than one job.
Unless you reside abroad you will never know the situation. Dominicans should be satisfied with what they have and can get, some without working for it.
I would think that poverty has decreased in D/ca in comparison to those days. Some people who did not get a penny from the government in those days now get some dollars for their livelihood. Why do you people not see that poverty in Dominica has decreased and the country has progressed from those bygone years?
In response to Haters comment.
Dear Hater,
In response to your comment,I really cannot see how you can compare the US(biggest economy in the Galaxy) to Dominica. It seems life has not been fair to you or you have not taken advantage of the opportunities that present themselves in the US.
If you are living from pay check to pay check then surely you have choices in America but none of that in Dominica.
What I am trying to say is stop moaning about your situation in America and do something about it, Secondly if you think that Dominicans are swimming in milk and Honey then why don’t you drop your dead end government job, denounce the Obama administration for impoverishing you and join the Dominicans so you too can swim in Milk and Honey.
I suspect that you Mr Hater wont take up my offer. You wont put your money where your mouth is so I urge you to be more sensible with your flippant and ignorant comments.
well said “really”…hit the comment on its head….
You did not comprehend what Hater tried to relay to you and other readers. The person was not moaning about his/her situation. A point was made that poverty in Dominica has decreased.
In reality, Dominica is no worse than before and no worse than those other countries.
People in those countries do not get free housing. If housing is government subsidized, they have to pay a certain percentage of their government benefit income.
Those nationals who complain and criticize because they do not support DLP and what they state should appreciate what they have, lest it be taken away from them. Then they will really have something to gripe about.
The comments were not flippant and ignorant as you perceive them to be. It all depends on your mentality. It is narrow-mindedness and lack of understanding of what was stated why you made such comment.s.
u must be living above your means then……..
Let’do a test Haters. Ask Dominicans living here if they would like to swap with you and go and live in the U.S.A? Go on, you would be surprised how many would jump at the opportunity and then you must ask yourself why? Is it because they hate Skerrit or because they have no jobs or income and see little future in improving their conditions in this island where mr. Savarin claims poverty has come down. Go on, ask the question
How can poverty be down when social assistance is on the increase? Housing assistance, health assistance, toilet assistance, education assistance.
They get all sorts of assistance. How fortunate they are and some still do not appreciate it.
Do you not know the difference? Poverty is down because they get all these amenities, financial and others that they did not receive previously and never hoped they ever would. It helps them live a relatively comfortable life, to also eat better and healthier and to rise above the poverty level. If this is not decreased poverty, what is?
Charles Saverin you were probably laughed at when you made your presentation. You referenced a 2009 report which is five years old. The parameters have all gotten worse. Our leaders are letting us down in all spheres of life. Oh no!!
Sad day for the history of the LABOUR PARTY
The Ayatollah has emerged talking to the world ..BY MERELY WEARING A RED T SHIRT –and on the platforms but not singing ‘we shall not be moved”—and discarding the GREEN TSHIRTS which he and Mona Piper and BOSTON OF FREEDOM PARTY laboured on every FRIDAY barbq CHICKEN BY THE ROADSIDE OF ROSEAU FOR YEARS .
This UN appearance is a deliberate move to place him in the limelight at the UN and to force his emergence on the people of Dominica !and INDEED EVERY TRUE BLOOD LABOURITE !
What bold face disrespect to the men and women of labour who suffered the terror of the manipulation of the CSA IN DISMANTLING LABOUR FROM LEBLANC JOHN TO OJ for the FREEDOM PARTY which he in turn has become a traitor !!
From Micheal Douglas to DUBOIS ,MARTIN LESLIE OF THE NORTH TO EUSTACE FRANCIS AND HUGH WHITE AND ROMANUS BANNIS George karam DECEASED TURNING IN THEIR GRAVES and FLOSSIE JOSEPH and BOYSIE THOMAS SON AND FORMER PRESIDENT ZOUNDS COOLS LARTIGUE AND LARTUIGUE BROTHERS WHO WERE STONED BY THE MACHINATIONS OF THIS MAN and upon whose shoulders ROOSEVELT SKERRITT has arrived !
MAY THEY REST IN PEACE
Clearly Skerritt is totally unaware of the history of the party he now leads ….
Shame! blooody shame !
WHAT??????? Mr.President??????? way papa, that is not true, more people are begging now…no jobs, things tight, tight tight……tell the truth….
ah when u got a $30,000.00 salary you can say that
That is per month you know, not counting all the tax free perks such as BMW with chauffeur, free luxury accommodation, no utility bills and so on. Yes mr. Presiden for you poverty really has gone down.
Stop with your lies please. Chupes
When u living in a state palace everywhere feels like luxury!
Home is where the heart is, whether one resides in a palace, a large, medium and small house and no matter what type of furnishings and lifestyle. Everyone can be happy in their personal accommodations.
Appears to me that Mr. President walks around Roseau with his eyes closed and earplugs on!!
What, what. Mr. Savarin walking around Roseau? You must be joking. That is way below his dignity now. No surprise he’s out of touch.
” Charles Savarin, has told the United Nation’s General Assembly that poverty is down on the island…” Mr. Savarin, I can understand why you think poverty is down,
1. When you fall sick you can get immediate ambulance service to fly you out of Dominica for help; while the majority of us have to pray that we don’t die in a hospital that has no paracetamol.
2. A $27 Million Palace was built for you while the majority of us have to fight the banks to keep our 2 X 4
3. You have a fix salary of over $30k dollars a month while the vast majority of us are NOT employed
4. Apart from your monthly salary, you are getting extra bonuses and advances to be where you are at the UN telling lies, while the majority of us do not know where our next meal is coming from.
Dominica is divided in two worlds. 1.The world of Skerrit and his cabal. They seem to have more than enough of everything they need and very few of them belong to that world. 2. The world of true Dominica. That’s where the majority of us are and we have to beg our way to life as those greedy and corrupt government ministers have enriched themselves so the rest of us could survive on their crumbs. Savarin should have told the UN that his address was based on “The world of Skerrit and his cabal” as it is the clear truth that any visitor cannot miss.
$30-000 a month..plus he not paying utility or transportation…so what mr doing with all that money or better question where is all that money coming from
poverty down for him,his familly,skerite his son, wife and familly, crazy , skerit good friends , those the singing for supper, lawrance and them, the astaphans and them, his cronies, dirty advisors, charley kong , and his speach writers,, somd of those police nad them that soporting him, and the rest of those zzombies that not seeing that they not going anywhere in life.
If you’re reading this and you sincerely believe poverty is decreasing…”up vote” this comment but if you dont think so “down vote” this
OMG Savrin! Poverty down in Dominica? Since when? You mean to tell me because you were placed in a $27 million mansion with a $30K monthly salary, you take it to mean poverty is down in Dominica? Well for the rest of us, by this I mean the other 95% of us will tell you that poverty has never been that high in Dominica before. How could poverty be down when over 70% of high school/grads CANNOT find a job? How could poverty be down when the rest of us have to go to the red clinic every Wednesday and Thursday to beg our way to a $20.00? How could poverty be down when we have to depend on government to build house and toilet for us? Only in the UN you can make this lie because we in Dominica know better.
Way papa…….Mr savarin…ah ah ah you are a wicked and malicious person to utter such lies. God and time will tell.
“Poverty is down in Dominica.” Is that really a true statement by the President? Just asking.
Sometimes I get the impression that the love for the young dimpled man is no longer. A honorable place of justice,dignity like the United Nations, is not the forum for scandals, inappropriate statements and innuendoes. Regardless to what political party you support, the news report coming from Caribbean News Now is disastrous to the country. The President, in my opinion has blundered. What is his motive for telling the world that Dominica with a population of approximately 70,000, has approximately 25,000 people unemployed. Is it a case, no more love for the young man or an embarrassment of his Government.
What do we hope to accomplish by having our president address the UN? This just seems to me as a colossal waste of money, particularly for a poor country.
That money could have been better spent buying some Band-Aids for the hospital.
All that is part of politics. Representation, public relations, networking. Some of these courtesies seem useless but they are done for a reason. That’s what the president does. He’s not a minister or the prime minister. The president is supposed to make the country look good. He’s a figurehead at most and from this office position his reach is limited.
That’s what’s wrong with the world. Certain people living in fantasyland rather than the reality that the rest of the less privileged people are forced to face.
Ou mahtee..
Still got too many people beggin’ for a dollar.
poverty must be down when the masses are forced to come to the Financial Ctr on Wednesdays to beg for money!!
Cuba said no to a Lab producing Che & Chavez Perfumes.
Will Dominica say yes and make a SKERRO line too?
Everybody have Perfumes these days why not!
Who knows! It might be so successful in DA Linton ,Dr.Fontaine, Dr.Vince, one called the Baroness, Sr. Whatever perfumes, President’s DA, Concum, even a International Nanny perfume could be on the Market Ambassador’s Perfume the best Radio CEO perfume coming to a store ,somewhere near you soon for Creole and Independence season.
Maybe for you and the circles you move in poverty is down President Savarin but I meet and speak to ordinary people in Dominica every day. I see how they try to survive and pay their bills, make ends meet. I am no fancy economist or politician but the real facts as I find them on the ground tell me that the majority of people in Dominica are poor and are struggling. You can make any representation in New York you want but in truth that is how I find things for real. Maybe you have lost touch Mr. Savarin with the people you used to represent?
ou pas las marti