Participants of a major Development Partners Conference taking place in Dominica on Monday, November 16, have been urged to come on board to assist the island in its quest to rebuild after the passage of Tropical Storm Erika.
That’s the call from Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit as he delivered an address at the beginning of the conference the Fort Young Hotel.
“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, it is my hope that as we go through the day’s agenda that we will find many points of convergence of interests leading to firm undertakings towards the rebuilding of Dominica,” he said. “We are seeking your support in our endeavor to rebuild Dominica. The investors required are not limited to the replacement of physical infrastructure. Technical assistance will be necessary to support the works to be undertaken.”
Skerrit remarked that in about four years the expected transformation of Dominica is going to be amazing and investors will be satisfied.
“We want in four years’ time when you return to this island that you will be amazed by the transformation that would have taken place and be satisfied with the soundness of your investment and contribution to the cause,” the Prime Minister told attendees. “Our lives and livelihood have been reordered and we are now back to the drawing board and we need the assistance of friendly governments, institutions and individuals as we put together a development and reconstruction plan hence the convening of this development partner’s conference.”
Financial Secretary, Rosamund Edwards, said the objectives of the conference are twofold.
“In the first instance, it is to share with you in a formal setting the results of the social and economic impact assessment which was conducted by a team from the World Bank,” she explained. “In the second it is to point to the critical investments that are necessary and to engage you the regional and international community with a view to determining the level of assistance that you are able to provide to support our recovery and reconstruction process.”
The conference is expected to end at 1:00 pm.
A presentation of the damage to the country caused by the storm, a presentation of the Social Assessment and Resettlement Issues report by the United Nations, and an assessment report by the World Bank are scheduled to be part of the day’s proceedings.
In addition, those in attendance will be presented with the Government’s plan for financing of projects, a “Discussion on recovery strategy, including sectoral strategies” and a statement by Development Partners.
The government has reported that EC$1.2-billion is needed to bring the country back on track after Erika.
Hurricane David was worse than Tropical Storm Erika, skerrit need to resign.
My church has raised some money for Dominica but with all what am hearing am so afraid it end up in the wrong hands, Can anyone let me know where I should send it so it will go directly to the fixing of Dominica or people who need it the most.
When are we gonna start doing for ourselves, grow the agriculture sector, for Christ sake
I think i recognise some of the people who showed up for dat.
the electoral office commissioner
the chief of police
chief of port
the inspector who swept money outside
A ambassador
parry
cucum
mammie
simeon
nanthan
mommar gaddafi
chavez
king of morocco
seeko
easy – door
labor commissioner
a senior council and mc- intyre
a man who does defraud banks
cacadore
cocroach
mosquito
de ole speaker
and de president
You forgot Timothy Cornwall, who promised a big donation if we make him our Ambassador for Qatar when he gets out of prison.
Given the calibre of the meeting, it would have been fitting to see the presence of Dominica’s International Efforts Relief Coordinator, Baroness Patricia Scotland, and hear of her progress thus far.
But i dont see corallo, zampolli, lapseng . olympic ski couple, CIT airline reps, Bit Coin reps, my dominica trade house reps and range developments reps there. Where is Mr. WU?
Your sarcasm and questions display an imaginatively bankrupt mind, very sad what partisan politics can do to the mind.
Skerrit has a new African name. Kwame Bwamwe.
I wonder if any sane individual, or group of people would at this time considers giving money to Skerrit in the hope of that money going to the rebuilding of Dominica?
This man told the world that all the money received in donations thus far only amounts to sixteen ($16,000,000.00) million dollars, only a fool would believe that. What is more ironic, he has not disclosed if he was quoting United States Currency, or East Caribbean Currency.
One should be cautioned: If you are going to give money to do anything in the country, it will be a good idea to know on that money will be spent, and ensure that you have people from your organization to supervised the spending of your money; if don\’t more than half your contributions will go in the pockets of the Dominica politicians!
In this days of modern communication, when world leaders are aware as regards what happening in each others countries, especially like Dominica which experienced one of the most major disasters in modern times, Skeritt really expects any donor who is serious, will give generous financial aid to Dominica. Many countries who made urgent efforts to assist, for instance with food, are hearing their efforts are being dumped, due to bad management. All parliamentarians were brought together to get the country moving, they are hearing this action has failed. Seven top ranking Dominicans were put together to assist Government, the committee appears to have disappeared. The Prime Minister left the country on two international trips in an effort to get financial assistance, since his return, no significant announcement has been made in terms of his success. The donors are not fools, they see a country that is disorganized, a country that is divided, a country with no leader.
Our motto is apt – Après Bondieu c’est later ( after God the land ). But our land will never be healed and reconstructed unless, according to God we humble ourselves, pray, repent and turn away from our wicked ways. Only then will he hear us and heal our land. It is unprecedented in our history for a leader to use state resources as a party campaign tool and to give handouts to party supporters and then have the arrogance to refer to it as ” my generosity” or even for a leader to make it his/her business to find out about people’s politics ere to obtaining relief supplies donated by their fellow nationals. The reconstruction effort should be part of a process of meaningful political and personal change. And the people must be healed before the land can be healed and reconstructed. For starters, all the Cochonie allegedly planted in the land by those guardeurs for politicians to win their seats should be removed forthwith.
Dominica will not get monies from them donors, as this Regime is too Corrupt
after 15 years of labour rule does Dominica produce a lime squash for sale to anyone?
these are the issues the world is aware of, they have noticed his bad governance of the island..selling passports won’t crunch it for Dominica..
Dominica just got a failure marking on the global scene from a reputable agency..that shows how dismal Dominica is…those folks share notes and cables..to each other.
The issue of the UN scandal and the Chinese guy will deter the effort of Dominica.
Plus the Prime Minister in his utterance is too childish and will never know how to be a statesman of class and integrity!!
What we need is another Eugenia Charles, if she was pm, America would be on our shores already with new bridges and better roads at little cost, this shows skerrit is only good at selling passports, Erika happend on August 27th, up to now i have to cross de gorge in boetica and i voted St.jean.
Yes the same way she failed to get an International Airport built, after her unfailing support of America’s invasion of Grenada. She was to busy basking in the limelight to worry about Dominica’s needs.
@ know it all rest assured Eugenia would never sign any document with no Lap Seng in Macau or kick Taiwan for communists china or join morroco for money, at least she gave us some pride, she could have done just like skerro but she had some principles, today our passport is being sold as the cheapest in the world, and all these flag waving monkeys smiling during independence. Dominicans fail Dominica.
Who are ‘The Participants’, does anyone know?
A top list of distinguish local and international dignitaries will be there: Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Scooby Doo, Dopey and Grumpy, Freddy Krueger, Darth Vader, Mr James “007”Bond, Denny Shillingford, Caittyn “bruce” Jenner LT. Col Ewart “headace”Layne, Monica Lewinsky, And due to technical difficulty and prior commitments, the following will speak via video conference: Joanne “Assata Shakur” Chesimard, Earl “Seko” Grant, Allen Standford, Bernie Madoff, John Ashe, Ng Lap “MR Woo” Seng, Illich “Carlos The Jackal” Sanchez, Manuel Noriega, Fidel Castro, O.J “orange Juice” Simpson. Vybz “The portland Boss” Kartel. and a special Tribute to Comrade “Comandante Chavez, “Baby Doc” Duvalier, Che Guevera, and Marice”Bish” Bishop
I can’t listen to Skerrit anymore, nothing but BS. I wonder if he actually believes all the nonsense he is talking.
Skerrit goodluck,this is going to hunt you,for all our lack of tranparency to the poor people and the total disrespect towards Lennox. .your doomed Skerrit.
Yes please give us your money. We need it more than ever!!! We need MONEY!!!!!! Lots and lots and lots and lots of MONEY!!!!
Ain’t G helped you personally but can’t do anything for you physically or mentally.