Prominent Caribbean Journalist Julian Rogers states the conferring of honorary Doctorates does not indicate that one has completed a field of study that qualifies for a PhD. He went on to say it is unfair to the public and to the honoree to refer to them as a Doctor unless circumstances indicate otherwise.

While Rogers believes that these decisions are often made by editors and managers of media outlets, and he called for Political leaders to put an end to the custom of referring to themselves as Doctors, when in reality the title is honorary.

Advanced planning and preparation is key towards combating the Avian Influenza. That’s according to the Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture IICA Technical Specialist in Dominica Kent Coipel.
This as several poultry farmers across the island are being trained on how to identify treat and prevent Avian Influenza from affecting the country’s poultry industry.
Although Dominica does not have any cases of the disease, pre-emptive action is being taken in the event it is affected.
And Coipel says the associated economic consequences of an outbreak of avian influenza in the Caribbean could be serious.

IICA Technical Specialist in Dominica Kent Coipel
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Avian Influenza is an infectious viral disease of birds which often causes no apparent signs of illness.
It can sometimes spread to domestic poultry, turkey, ducks and animals such as pigs and horses and cause large scale outbreaks of serious disease.
The CARIBVET Avian Influenza national bio-security workshop is being hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock Development Unit in Collaboration with the Dominica Poultry Association, the Food & Poultry Organization and CARIBVET.

Leader of the United Workers Party, Lennox Linton encourages all Dominicans to attend and participate in a town hall meeting carded for March 3rd 2016, in the community of Mahaut.
 
Linton says this meeting will discuss electoral reform for Dominica. The Opposition Leader noted that the current approach being taken by the DLP government as regards proposed amendments to existing electoral laws is counterproductive and wrong.
 
Linton says an accurate list of electors and ID cards for voting is fundamental for proper elections. Additionally, he says in order to get the voters list cleaned up, there must be re-registration of eligible voters.

Tourism Minister Robert Tonge is sending out a strong appeal for there to be greater participation in carnival activities. The Minister says greater participation makes for a more financially rewarding season.
Tonge made these remarks during the Carnival Prize Giving ceremony last Wednesday.

​Tourism Minister Robert Tonge

Government has approved 4.6million dollars for rehabilitation works in the communities of Delices and Boetica. That’s according to Member of Parliament for La Plaine Petter St Jean.
St Jean made the announcement at a Press Conference Friday morning. He also announced that EC$40,000 was made available for the construction of a bypass road in the Victoria end of Delices. Meantime, St Jean says there are other rehabilitation projects underway in his constituency. One of them is a link road to the tune of $80,000.

Dominica’s Ambassador to the United Nations Vince Henderson says no other leader has achieved what Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has in relations to Dominica’s development. This follows his recent receipt of an Honorary Doctorate in Literature from the Lovely Professional University in Punjab India.

Dominica’s Ambassador to the United Nations Vince Henderson
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Meantime, Dominica’s Liaison & Diaspora Affairs Representative in the US Virgin Islands, Loreen Bannis-Roberts, has added her own commendations to Prime Minster Roosevelt Skerrit. She says the Prime Minister is a leader of great vision.

Dominica’s Liaison & Diaspora Affairs Representative in the United States Virgin Islands Loreen Bannis-Roberts

As the fight against Zika continues here, the Ministry of Health is the recipient of 150 mosquito bed nets donated by the West Dominica Children's Federation.
 
Coordinator of the Federation, Beverly Baron, said the nets valued at EC$5,000 will assist the Ministry in its fight against the dreaded virus.
 
According to Baron, the nets were originally intended as a post Erika activity in the affected communities.

Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Helen Royer, says this donation is indeed timely, as bed nets were part of their action plan.

Officer in Charge of Child Fund Caribbean, Gelina Fountain expresses full confidence in the Child assault Programme (CAP), and contends that it has saved thousands of lives.
 
Fountain noted that CAP caters for the child, teacher and parent, and added that the implementation of the programme in six primary schools in Dominica, is a good start.

Seven individuals are now better equipped in the area of boat building after completing a three-month fibre glass boat and icebox building project at Layou. This forms part of Government's National Employment Program (NEP).
 
NEP field officer, Lazare Charles, told the Government Information Service, the interns started with no prior knowledge in the field of fibre glass, and are now specialising in different areas of the module.

​Opposition Leader Lennox Linton is concerned that the DLP is trying to weaken the electoral legislation rather than reform and strengthen it.  Often referred to as a toothless tiger, Linton contends the IPO should also be given the legislative teeth it needs to do the people’s work.
 
He continues to describe the amendments to the electoral law as sinister, and says the opposition will fight so that these amendments are not passed in the parliament in Dominica.