Criminologist and professor of sociology Dr Peter St Jean wants the communities in Dominica to be the first globally to implement national peaceology initiatives. He defines peaceology as the science and practice of making peace profitable.

​Dr St. Jean briefly explains the idea of depositing peace to gain a profit.

​Criminologist and professor of sociology,Dr. Peter St. Jean.

​Financial Consultant, Louis Robinson takes issue with the hypocrisy of some Dominican Leaders who cry for parliamentary oversight, yet still, when elected to the public office, fail to fill the position of Ombudsman.
 
An Ombudsman or Parliamentary Commissioner is an official appointed to investigate complaints against companies, organizations, &especially persons in public office.
 
The idea of this Parliamentary position was birthed by Former Opposition Leader and Former Prime Minister Eugenia Charles, though it was never implemented by her administration, and her successors to date, although Prime Minister Edison James did establish a Review Commission to make recommendations on Constitutional reforms which would have included a Parliamentary Commissioner or Ombudsman, but his administration was removed from office before any such recommendations could have been implemented.

​Financial Consultant, Louis Robinson.

​Registered CBI Agent and Hotelier Sam Raphael has sought to deny claims that ‘not enough opportunities for financing have been provided to Entrepreneurs in Dominica, for the past 15 years.’
 
Speaking to Q95fm Radio recently, Raphael claimed that the Government of Dominica has been creating opportunities through the country’s banks, however, he says ‘for some reason’ entrepreneurs never seem to be able to meet the criteria outlined for receiving these funds, provided through Government’s Special facility programs.

​Registered CBI Agent and Hotelier, Sam Raphael.

​Criminologist Dr Peter St Jean says he endorses the idea of police, community, family and faith-based reform, but insists that community policing is not the vehicle to promote a more peaceful Dominica.
 
He says what was found over the past three decades in implementing community policing, is that the phrase causes confusion.
 
He says because it ends with "policing", community members think it is a policing strategy exclusively. He explained further, as he spoke on a local radio program this week.

​St Jean says a similar program was tried in the Grandbay community some years ago, nut did not go without its fair share of challenges.

​Criminologist Peter St Jean.

Tourism Minister Denise Charles says ongoing works on the VIP Lounge at the Douglas Charles Airport are progressing well, & government has catered for every aspect of the project 

Tourism Minister Denise Charles
 
Meantime, Chief Executive Officer of the Dominica Air & Sea Port Authority Benoit Bardouille says the project is valued at about EC$1.6Million, & DASPA will ensure that all amenities required will be available.

​CEO of the Dominica Air & Sea Port Authority Benoit Bardouille.

Former Leader of the Dominica Freedom Party Kent Vital says notwithstanding his resignation from the DFP, that does not mean he has completely moved away from politics.Vital says he will seek to engage with all political parties, and added that his reason being, to attempt to get them to do things that are necessary for the improvement of governance in Dominica, even if it means on a unified stance.

​Former Leader of the Dominica Freedom Party Kent Vital.

Retired Banana Sector Stakeholder and Farmer, Celia Pearly King, labels the Skerrit-led DLP Administration’s Approach to its Proposed International Airport as a ‘Confused Boy project’.
 
Ms King references one of the most recent statements of Prime Minister Skerrit, who announced that his government was now going to conduct Geotechnical tests after he had already began acquiring land in Wesley.

King also questions the level of reasoning of members of the DLP Administration, saying that she is baffled by the fact that the current government willfully chose to opt-out of using the Edison James Administration’s internationally approved Airport site, where all necessary studies were done and completed - to start from scratch – with obviously no real plan for the Multimillion-dollar project.

​Retired Banana Farmer, Celia Pearly King.

The Newtown Association of Yacht Security and Services (NAYSS) is moving forward with new ideas to revive the yachting industry of Newtown and Loubiere, says Delius Douglas, PRO of NAYSS.
 
Speaking at an information gathering meeting on Tuesday, Douglas said the intention is to work with the community in this endeavor.

​Delius Douglas, PRO of NAYSS.

Referencing the recent increase in The Pensionable Age and the Contribution Rate, President of the Dominica Council on Ageing (DCOA), Mrs. Ophelia Olivace Marie, told Q95 news on January 28, 2021, she supports the move of the DSS in implementing these increases.
 
On December 15, 2020, Members of the public was reminded that, in keeping with the provisions of Social Security Amendment Act 2 of 2012 and Social Security (Amendment) Regulations—S.R.O.’s 4, 7 and 8 of 2012—the following changes took effect as of 1st January 2021: 
 
The Pensionable Age—i.e. the age at which an insured person who has satisfied the prescribed contributions conditions is entitled to receive age benefit—was increased from 64 ½ years (i.e. 64 years and 6 months) to 65 years.
 
Notwithstanding the above-stated increase, an insured person who has satisfied the necessary contribution requirements for receipt of an age benefit may, at any time after attaining the age of sixty (60) years, opt to claim for the payment of a reduced age benefit.
 
Regarding the Increase in the Contribution Rate, the contribution rate in respect of Employees, Self-employed persons and Voluntary Contributors increased from a ¼ % (0.25%). numerical Examples of the New rate are as follows:
 
Category of Contributor    
Old Rate (Applicable during 2020)
New Rate (Applicable during 2021)

Employees
6.00%
6.25%

Self-employed Persons
12.25%
12.50%

Voluntary Contributors
10.90%
11.15%

 
Mrs. Marie adds that these measures ensure that DSS is able to effectively continue its existing mandate to the General Public.

​President of the Dominica Council on Ageing (DCOA), Mrs. Ophelia Olivace Marie

​The Cabinet of the DLP Administration has approved the appointment of Wayne Benjamin “Mr Benji N20” as Cultural Ambassador of the Commonwealth of Dominica, effective February 1, 2021.
 
The announcement was made by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Business and Diaspora Relations, Edward Registe, following Tuesday’s cabinet meeting.Registe briefly mentioned the traits of a cultural ambassador.

​Outlining the reasons why Benjamin was selected to be a cultural ambassador, Registe said “cultural representation at this level holds tremendous opportunities for Dominica as a tourism and cultural destination”.

According to Registe, a cultural ambassador could also assist in mobilizing resources to assist in Dominica’s development. He congratulates Wayne Benjamin and looks forward to his representation.

​Minister of State in Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Business and Diaspora Relations, Edward Registe.