There will soon be a review of Dominica’s guidelines and protocols in respect to Covid-19.
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit made the announcement during a live interview on Kairi FM’s Next Level Show over the weekend.
“This week we will be reviewing the guidelines and the protocols and the SRO in respect to Covid-19 and to see in the current situation, taking into consideration all of the variables what additional measures we can take to further allow increase activities, for example more people allowed to attend church,” the prime minister said.
He pointed out that reviews are done from time-to-time to assess the situation and to take prudent and responsible decisions, noting that there has to be a very intelligent and responsible balance in managing the spread of the virus and also ensuring that people can earn their daily bread, “because that is also very important.”
Skerrit cited situations in which some people are paying rent for their businesses and have to remain closed.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister said government has contracted US$10 million from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) fund to go towards Covid-19.
He did not provide any additional details about the arrangement with the OPEC Fund for International Development but said the money will be used to pay for additional supplies, medication and staff in the fight against Covid-19.
“Because I want to ensure as the leader of the country that we have sufficient testing kits, we have sufficient PPE’s, sufficient medication,” Skerrit stated. “We can hire additional staff as we have done to help manage the situation…So we need to ensure that we have the resources to provide those things for our citizens.”
He thanked those who have been “speaking, advocating, encouraging, persuading, educating and informing” people on the need to get vaccinated.
The money needs to be watched like a hawk to ensure that it does not get diverted to the personal overseas bank accounts of certain politicians, they know who the usual suspects are. Large sums of money has a habit of walking away and depositing itself in unintended bank accounts.
Is it me or some people do not understand statements. The money is coming from OPEC and the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is not a member of OPEC.
@ More money, I know something about the USA and their skills in fishing. When they know they have a fish, especially a big fish they usually give that fish a lot of food and a lot of leverage , so that fish will think all is well and will bring itself on the US boat without anyone firing one shut! So mark my words that $10 M dollars is nothing more than a last straw to a drowning huge fish
If this financial transaction comes to fruition it will disappear like vapour in thin air. No details about time and under what conditions this ten million gift; loan; grant will be received. The sad thing is that the lazy, slothful, timid media dear not ask. They just run with the headline.
This announcement is most likely a psychological ploy by the habitual liar to enthrall his gullible, unthinking followers and silence his critics that the overly extravagant excursion was money well spent. That is not even remote!y truthful.
What you guys stand for,The PM goes out of the Country and comes back with a commitment of financial Aid to help the Country, you write such nonsensical innuendos. The PM leaves the Country to seek aid from potential sources, you complain about him leaving the Country again making foolish assumptions. I wonder If The PM stayed in Dominica and never venture out to seek financial aid, wonder what you guys would say. Your worthless complaints and accusations are not helping the strategy or agenda you want to see, you would be better off being a fiction writer.
So Gary, you know how I dum, how I fool and don’t know anything; and that is why I’m asking you tell me what is the difference in looking for “aid ” from donors, and being able to get foring investors to come into Dominica and invest into some manufacturing industry, in order to create employment for maybe your son or daughter
What do you anticipate will happen with that aid donated money when it gets into the corrupted hands of doctor Punjab Roosevelt Skerrit?
Would you not prefer to hear Roosevelt introduced two or three foreign investors into the country than taking about aid?
That is the same as give a fish, I eat for one day.
What happens all the other days after that?
How many investors has Roosevelt brought to Dominica since he has served Dominica and been screwing up the country since.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque dum and foolish are not words I would use to describe you. It’s just your ego and partisan political beliefs, they seem to override your rational thinking. Aid from donors or concessionary loans are quick fix, and it helps the Country, the donors are using their humanitarian gesture. Seeking foreign investment for manufacturing or Service industry is complicated and has no humanitarian gesture, it’s about returns from investment. Dominica needs to have the logistics, infrastructure and the competitive advantage to convince the investor he is making the right choice. Yes, foreign investment is the preferred, it’s sustainable, and it trickles down to the economy.
In my opinion, Dominica should focus on Cottage industries with Castor oil , Bay leaf, Spices and Honey Production. We should take a look at India, but again this does not always have to be the Government initiative to start and do such things.
SO GARY, it would appear to me as if you much prefer humanitarian hangouts which are not sustainable source of revenue, than investing in business investments in the country.
Humanitarian hangout is simply another way of begging!
It’s similarly to sit on a street corner holding a cup out hoping someone will have mercy on you and drop a few pennies in your cup.
That is a sad way for a person to exist never mind a country.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque why are you misrepresenting what I have written, in regard to your question, it is unfortunate you did not take your time to understand my response to your question.
But long I don’t hear China give Dominica a penny to help fight Covid. Yes I know they gave vaccines and Covid test kits but the US also gave. So why the US still giving dry cash but china not giving un patat to Skerrit? Maybe their intelligence in DA told them Not to trust Alibaba with money?
Because China noticed that Dominica with this PM is a bottomless money pit. I suspect they told him they expect to see more in return from Dominica before they pay more. I have always cautioned Dominica, there is nothing like a FREE lunch.
Is the US$10 million contracted as a loan or a grant. I suspect it will be a loan. Not once this PM can make a clear and concise statement when it comes to money. Everything has be shrouded in a cloud of smoke. I wonder why. I also wonder f DA will ever be able to pay back it’s international debts. Our CBI money just disappears but if we are are short of cash… we go to the international community. Skerrit knows that there is nothing like a free lunch. But he doesn’t care, when they demand their money back he will already be lying on a beach thinking what to buy next from our billions!!
The C B I money is in the personal treasury “bank” of yours truly the self appointed minister of finance. How is it that someone is PM and also minister of finance. Something does not compute with that seems shady right there. The people have a right to know where their money is going and to who. When Dominica goes down yours truly will flee like most despots with all the money in his personal bank account in Florida.
Mr. PM, it is time to set a date to fully open up the country. No business or individual should have to be inconvenienced because some folks decided against taking the vaccine. This virus is not going away anytime soon therefore we can’t remain semi closed forever.
$10,000,000.00??? Oh papa….heh…That’s more that enough for the labor party to win ten more elections. I’m sorry my fellow DWP, it looks like my vote for you will be in vain. Ehh behh papa. Look salt to suck. I believe that the “developed” countries love to support dictators in order to keep an entire country and people down. Those of you who are much smarter and I am will agree if you pay close attention to the causes and plights of the undeveloped counties. The Holy Bible predicts that scenario, where, in the latter days, men will call evil, good; and call good, evil. So therefore, because of such predictions, they will support the wicked and punish the righteous or the good.
It’s clear that on this overseas trip, those men around liar Skerit must be saying to themselves how silly this man is..I wonder if the buffoon even knows a thing about those next to him. Reminds me of his trip to Macau with Lapsing, Ash, Lorenzo, and company!!! What an embarrassment!! If he is on island, did he make a public statement on the low grade de- recognised university? While trying to reduce covid restrictions, both you, liar Skerrit, and you highly irresponsible ministers, (misleaders) should be closely supervised by ALL Dominicans to guard against another major covid outbreak by disobeying protocols, and the public should agitate for you all arrest in cases when it occurs! You all misleaders must be law abiding too!!