Dominica’s Kalinago Chief, Garnet Joseph, says what the country’s indigenous people want included in the country’s national budget expected to be presented later this month, are job creating mechanisms.Joseph said agriculture needs a boost and feeder roads within the Kalinago Territory must be addressed.
“We are looking at measures that will create the enabling environment for the residents of the Territory to be able to generate income in order to improve their standard of living. This is one of the things we need. We also want assistance to the farmers because agriculture is one of the ways of life for us,” he said.
He said while government has provided assistance in some areas to the Kalinago people such as housing, they lack the ability to generate their own income.
“Once we are able to generate our own income, we would not be depending on government to pay our houses and attend to our needs,” he said.
According to Joseph, indigenous women also need a boost in order to continue the craft industry.
He said since the demise of the banana industry, the women have used craft to subsidize their income.
The Kalinago Territory is observing its 110th anniversary this year with a week of activities beginning on July 4.
Prime Minister Skerrit recently announced that he would be holding consultations with a number of stakeholders on the island as he prepares to present the 2013-2014 national budget to parliament.
I BACK YOU I WANT A BUDJET WHERE THE YOUTH CAN GET A JOB
I see a lot of “DEGREE” holders in political office just lining their pockets with tax payers money. We still don’t know what makes a great leader. That’s why we are being pulled by the tail.
I blame Mr. Garnet Joseph along with the Kalinago people for what has happened to them over the last thirteen years. The kalinago people are very fortunate to have had a young dynamic politican in the person of Mr. Claudius Sanford and I will add, the young man at the time of the last General Elections had a Bachelor’s Degree. The Kalinago people didnot elect him to represent them in Parliament. Mr. Sanford holds not only a Bachelor’s Degree but also Master’s Degree. I hope the Kalinago people will not deprive themselves of proper representation again.
what does the chief has to do with Mr. Sanford not being elected? Was he the campaign manager? Was he the opposing candidate? DO tell…
The kalinago Chief should make it his business to make sure that the most intelligent and educated person in his community is elected to represent him and his people in the Parliament.Papamet, man or women, wants to compare Mr. Sanford with the present Parliamentary Representative in Kalinago Country. Are you aware, Mr. Sanford was the Deputy Political leader of the UWP, and had the Party won the election,he could become Prime Minister, in the event the Prime Minister could no longer carry out his duties, for instance, because of health reasons.
doc.love you are so true the carib should diffently elect mr.stanford he taught me in college and I must say his a very intelligent man with great ideas on how to develop a nation I hope he wins next time so that he could become leader of uwp and our first kalinago prime minister
DNO admin this commenting thing is a waste of time you are very selective of very openly critical comments against the government. Every post that reflects a deep seated truth is deleted however vacuous comments critical of the government are allowed.
Did they receive one from previous administrations? You talking fouchette.
i want a budget with less taxes. don’t think its fair that the 15 000 who makes up the active working force should be responsible for taking care of a 70 000 population…
Iff you can ring up a billion dollars in dept and still spending on frivolous stuff, like mnuments to yourselves, why job creation? Thihnk about it!
The feeder roads should have probably come first. Isn’t land free in the Territory? So you all have free land, now free house…wow. the rest of Dominica must be wishing they were carib. Well I do hope the feeder roads come so that you all have no excuse, and you all can support yourselves and your family and ….pay your taxes too!
land is not free in the Kalinago territory, it’s family owned, there’s a difference. Know your facts before you comment
What is the issue with the chief speaking for his people. I am so sick and tired of you Dominicans constantly criticizing everything and everyone. It is better to keep silent rather than speaking foolishly. I applaud the kalinago chief for his effort here, whatever he has or has not done in the past has absolutely nothing to do with this article. Some of us need to let people’s words drop and look at ourselves first.
you think skerrit have a money tree shaking man? kalinago get a huge primary school they can’t even full quarter of it,free school bus transportation,you get feeder roads,you get houses what the hell you talking about again? man stop looking for public attention eh…..stupes
so where are the jobs so they can become self emplyed? what are they suppose to do with the dozens with degree who are unemplyed?
What you will hear in the budget address is how great the last financial year was and how Dominica did better than other countries and how we are now sending money to relatives in the US and that the road to the airport will be completed this financial year etc. But haven’t we heard all this before? The budget will have no job creation drive just like the other budgets before.
The Kalinago people can generated the necessary income to sustain themselves, all they need is markets for the products. Those of us who travel abroad have seen the products from Bangladesh and Indonesia selling a Crate and Barrel and other stores. The handcrafted products from the Kalinago Territory are far superior to those products.
hand craft products are not enough…there are many with degrees who needs job….the same way some pal rep create jobs for their sons and daughters why dont they create jobs for us too…are we of less imoportance?
All joke aside, you have to commend the Chief for making this call. More persons in authority, and yes, every Dominican should echo the call for a job-creation budget from the Minister of Finance this time. But it should not stop there (meaning this fiscal year) but this year’s budget presentation must map out a five-year plan for exorcising the ghost of the economic stagnation that has been with us for so long. We should not accept the excuse that all the world is in recession, thus our current condition. Mr. this time must take his two most important task seriously – providing for the security and safety of the citizenry and doing all in his power to create and foster a sustainable economy to give every Dominican a reasonable chance of orchestrating their own prosperity.
Dominicans, like the Egyptians today, MUST demand nothing less. Enough talk. Lets see some deliberate, innovative and bold action re the Dominican economy. Anything short of the approach we espouse herein and we will actively agitate and campaign for changing the government come the next election cycle.
when someone says something addressing the government(Mr. pm) for Dominica,why SO MANY OF YOU GETTING MAD, HIS ADVISERS DON’T KNOW IT ALL SO people are just making them aware.
well chief as a part kalinago I am disappointed in you and most of your predecessors! You need to trap into the NGO that are favorable to the indigenous population and boost your own community economy and you as chief must insist that these funds are not at the discretion of the government to channel wherever they want. It must be disbursed with all the rigorous check and balances by the disbursing institution for the sole benefit of the territory to create jobs. The funds must not be subject to the fees of unnecessary consultants who are expensive and solely utilized to channel necessary funds in a legal manner to facilitate corrupt practices and nepotism, victimization of individuals within the institution of state
the chief only look out for his personal peeps
I want the chief to tell me what is stopping the Kalinagoes from doing their farming? The craft ladies sell their craft, at a premium price why is it that the government must assist them again with what??
Can the chief explain to me the role of central government please…
how often do they sell craft? and if ten of them selling craft what about the others? what are you stu***? craft alone cannot sustain the territory….what you should be echoeing is that of the CC we need jobs….
Its Very easy for people to come on DNO and point out everything that this chief is apparently doing wrong. However, we as a people never appreciate and recognize them as our true native first nation people, and this is exactly what they are. The shame is on the Government of Dominica for not embracing and supporting them financially or other wise. They are some of the last Caribs in existence and we as a country should be very proud of that.
I have an idea…Why don’t you take the lead and do something about it instead of calling on the Government to do it? We don’t have to rely on gov’t all the time you know, we too can play a huge part in developing our country, one step at a time.
if you want the Kalinago people to stop depending on Government one of the best thing to do is to allow the people to have their land registered, so they can go ahead to get financial assistance to develop themselves and children…so they could break that cycle of poverty and dependency!!! THAT IS THE ONLY SOLUTION TO HAVING A BRIGHTER AND BETTER FUTURE THE OURSELVES AND FUTURE.
u go chief .represent for your people. Europe /England should provide
grants/aid for your people since they were the ones who place your tribe in this difficult terrain.
very interesting argument! England / Europe or anybody else do not owe to this island anything…Dominica is independent and its Dominica government responsibility to make sure that Kalinago people have equal rights and opportunities…
I Vex I not even commenting!!!
Allyou too Sort no wonder!!!
Chief, I thought you were not there! By the way Chief, I hear the Red House has to set you up before the elections.Is it true that those fellers have to finish your house for you in an under the table deal?
Please tell us Chief. Remember the elections are getting close.
there is no biz like hoe biz!!!
How are the Kalinago to generate their own income, when the Government keep borrowing? Kalinago will have to do the same. I don’t see how they as a small group of people can generate their own income without Governmental assistance and participation. They may have to secede from the Dominica Government.
….because the laws don’t allow it….the carib act is needs to be updated to allow greater autonomy. But there are people who will ensure that it never happens because it is convenient to them…
Well they can start by creating jobs for kalinago people…..like the ten to fifteen who are there with degrees and unemployed!!
Honorable chief I am very disappointed in you. over the years you have done nothing. you are a big disaster that we have never seen before. Tell us where the five pc went to. ans. They are in your charge, where is the fm station? Ans the equipment was sold to a third party. who represented us at the international conference on the right of us? You gave the right to the guy from st. Vincent ( the so called representative of WIPO) speak like a man and give us the reason why you can’t face the people. I will have more question for the chief to answer . good luck next term
Instead of going to the Kalinago Council office and pose your questions to the Chief, you rather look for an opportunity such as ths to hide behind the name “zouk” and shoot your questions. tsk tsk tsk
I have been to the council meeting to vent my frustration and give my view point but they shut my moth saying that I can’t contribute. the chief from that moment became my enemy because he knows that ‘m always speaking out on his wrong doings.
You wanted one of those five pc and didnt get man?
The man asking for assistance for jobs for people like you. You will get your own pc. Dont worry
You did not express your disappointment in the performance of the Chief and Council from 2004 -2009 when the development of the Territory stood still. Now things moving again your are disappointed and the Chief is now your enemy. You need to start focusing you attention on the development that is taking place in the Territory and stop displaying your ignorance. The Chief is relentless in his pursuit for a better quality of life for his people but his biggest challenge is folks like you who can only stand aside and criticize. Do you how much there is to be done at the office?. The Clerk and Chief are overwhelmed.
Think of how you can help instead of running your mouth as many others are doing.
Be strong Chief Joseph
Mr. kalinago Chief,you never received a budget for job creation in the last thirteen years,what makes you believe it will be any different in this budget.Good luck, Sir.
Did they receive one from previous administrations? You talking fouchette.
its time more of our community leaders speak up, too many people are silent.