Gov’t establishes regional integration task force

 Felix Gregoire is the chair of Dominica's regional integration task force
Felix Gregoire is the chair of Dominica’s regional integration task force

A task force has been created in Dominica as the process of regional integration gains momentum in the Caribbean.

“Given the need to vigorously implement decisions taken by Heads of Government of CARICOM as well as the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), it is necessary to co-ordinate actions to move the process forward,” Felix Gregoire, chairman of the task force, said in a release on Tuesday.

The terms of refrence for the task force is as follows:

1. Develop a working understanding of the Revised Treaty of Basseterre and the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas;
2. Receive decisions taken by the Heads of Government;
3. Assist in the implementation of decisions taken by the Heads of Government and provisions contained in the Revised Treaty of Basseterre and the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas;
4. Assist in the organisation of national consultations in the furtherance of Regional Integration;
5. Develop and implement a national public awareness campaign on regional integration;
6. Facilitate the preparation for Dominica’s participation at Regional and International fora and implementation networks.
7. Identify resources required for the activities to be undertaken;
8. Advise the Government on matters related to Regional Integration.
9. Report to the Regional Integration and Diaspora Unit on achievements and challenges.

In addition to Gregoire as chairman, the rest of the task force are:

-Sonia Akpa – Deputy Chairman
-Director of Trade
-Matthew Leblanc
-Ricky Brumant
-Jahisiah Benoit
-Kelly Ann Williams
-Representative of the Dominica Association of Industry and Commerce
-Dr. Jeffrey Blaize
-Micheal Jones
-Joann Xavier-Cuffy
-John Fontaine

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13 Comments

  1. Frank Talker
    April 16, 2014

    I can hear Asa Banton adding some lyrics to his already popular song, “Task Force”. This time he will sing about a regional integration task force made up of civil servants all below the level of Permanent Secretary and headed by a retired man with no marketable expertise. This time Asa may sing, “Wata task horse!” Lol.. De task horse has one private sector rep; no opposition rep; no civil society rep; no non-state actors rep; no legal minds; no one from academia; no this and no dat. “Wata task horse!” Lol. This horse has no rider who can navigate rough terrain; just a bunch of technicians, some of whom are preparing for retirement. When will our leaders get serious about leading this country? When will their thick skulls permit the entry of sense? When will they learn? As the song goes, “when will they ever learn?”

  2. weh weh weh
    April 16, 2014

    come on guys wth is going on in this country……. all am seeing is conflict of interest. and so all u saying u all creating opportunities for young ppl…… you all must be crazy

    • Dominican
      July 8, 2015

      The same people all the time for different positions. Mrs. Akpa give someone else a chance. my goodness!!!

  3. The Baptiste
    April 16, 2014

    One from ten leaves naught (1-10=0). That was the equation of the West Indies Federation, the first attempt to unify these small Island States. The insularity, and political ego of the political leadership then is no lesser now than then, in fact it is even more marked now, as most of our current leaders see themselves as demi gods anointed to rule over us as if we were their inheritance from their parents.
    Therefore this announcement of yet another committee is just another Aesop Fable, to be taken just as that. Of course, if real integration were to happen it could be beneficial to the people of the region, but how is that going to be achieved when even today we are preventing citizens of neighboring Islands from entering our respective countries to perform, when we consider ourselves as individual islanders, without an identifiable culture, history, and/or heritage?
    How are we going to achieve this unity when the Indian population in Guyana, seem to be of the view that the blacks in Guyana are not equal to them? When the Indians in Trinidad hold the view that they are also superior? How are we to achieve this when even the committees appointed are made of partisan political appointees. How are we to achieve this when the entire Caribbean in in a state of leadership paralysis, when our institutions are been undermined for partisan political reasons? When leaders lack the testicular fortitude to tell each other that they are wrong in their approach to the way in which they treat those who have a different view from their own, that every citizen regardless of political affiliation has a right to freedom of expression, freedom to petition their government, and to protest injustice, to have a justice system free of political influence, and interference, and that each and every citizen has equal rights under the law, and no one is above the law>
    Not until then can any integration, or unity, whether economic or political come about.
    So stop wasting people’s time, energy and effort on these meaningless pronouncements and committees.

  4. FORKIT
    April 16, 2014

    a bunch of lazy labourites…. skerrit, you learning?, the same old job for the boys strategy is destroying YOU.

  5. CYRIL LLONGTING
    April 16, 2014

    A step in the right direction. The bundle of straw cannot be broken, but a single straw can be broken easily! We are one nation in the Caribbean with the same heritage. Anything that moves regional integration forward is good in my opinion (if I am allowed to have an opinion).

  6. circus clown
    April 16, 2014

    I there thinking it was some bad looking soldiers… :mrgreen: :-D :mrgreen: :-D

  7. Top In Mud
    April 16, 2014

    How can you create such a Task Force without the inclusion of an Opposition Representative? Are we serious in this place?

  8. election Is Near
    April 15, 2014

    Jobs for the boys!

  9. Student
    April 15, 2014

    Regional Integration Task Force? That’s the biggest joke of the century. We all know Caricom is going absolutely nowhere, OECS continue to limp along and now we have a “Regional Integration Task Force” to accomplish what ? all these pie in the sky objectives which will never see the light of day. Somebody better come straight to the point and just tell us that Felix Gregoire is getting a hefty monthly salary for doing absolutely nothing, so this is an attempt to justify the position which he now holds. By the way, what is the labour party afraid of? Reparations Committee – All labourites, this amorphous Regional Integration Task Force – All labourites – Is this the way we expect to run a country and get the best results?

  10. JoJo
    April 15, 2014

    Felix Gregoire is also our Ambassador to both the OECS and Caricom. So how come he can be chairman of this task force at the same time? Isn’t that a job that falls under Mr. Skerrit as he is responsible for integration? Isn’t that a conflict of interest? I thought Mr. Gregoire was retired already anyway.

  11. WATCHA MAN
    April 15, 2014

    WAT….

  12. ?
    April 15, 2014

    ?

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