642 persons are now equipped with the means to a more hopeful future having been empowered with a new skill. This as the joint graduation ceremony of the Youth Skills Training Program, and Adult Education Division took place Wednesday. Minister for Youth & Community Development Gretta Roberts said she is proud and gratified to share this moment with the graduates whom she believes are well able to make their way toward success.

Minister for Youth & Community Development Gretta Roberts
 
Meantime, Chief Youth Development Officer, John Roach says the Youth Division continues to place much focus on the 40-year-old Youth Skills Training Program as its flagship program.

Chief Youth Development Officer, John Roach.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit says the funds for Small Island Developing States to deal with social and economic challenges are available in foreign banks and institutions for draw down but the existing structures can be complex and very inefficient. He says this means the assistance received is not always timely, and sufficient in effecting wide ranging positive change. He states the rules were suspended to support Ukraine, but not for Dominica. He was speaking at a coordinating meeting for development partners in Dominica Wednesday.

Meanwhile, UN resident coordinator of Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Didier Trebuc commended the idea to get on the road to resilience. He also commended the drive for renewable energy for Dominica which is a critical element for resilience in SIDs. 

UN resident coordinator of Barbados & the Eastern Caribbean, Didier Trebuc.

​Leader of the United Workers Party, Economist Dr Thomson Fontaine notes the importance of defining the terms relating to crypto currency and emphasizing that it may be difficult even for persons who have been in the sector for years. Fontaine underlines that cryptocurrency is an artificial asset that can be used as a medium of trade and other functions, but there is great concern over the possibilities for fraud and money laundering. Money is controlled and regulated, whereas crypto currencies are decentralized and unregulated, and this is the main distinction between it and conventional money.

In order to ensure that only the sender and the intended receiver can see the data being transmitted, Fontaine contends that cryptography is crucial. He observes that the decentralized and hidden nature of cryptocurrencies makes them dangerous to us.

​Leader of the United Workers Party, Economist Dr Thomson Fontaine 

General Secretary of the Dominica Public Service Union (DPSU), Thomas Letang contends that one must look at themselves, as well as others, and recognize that each and every Dominican must stand up for themselves. He stated that people must quit being selfish and instead stand up for what is right and speak out against what is wrong whenever it occurs in their society.

​Letang said that all he wants to see is that all Dominicans and union members understand that they must stand up, since standing up today also means standing up for future generations.

Thomas Letang, General Secretary of the Dominica Public Service Union (DPSU)…………………..*

In response to the growing negative effects of garbage on human health, the economy, and the environment, the world celebrated the first International Day of Zero waste today, which encouraged everyone to prevent and limit waste while also promoting a cultural change toward a circular economy.
 
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres stated that the waste crisis is weakening the Earth's ability to maintain all kinds of life, adding that waste costs the global economy billions of dollars each year.  He added that humanity is degrading our only habitat by treating it like a garbage dump, and it is time to fight back and wage a three-front war against waste.
 
The International Day of Zero Waste was established through a UN General Assembly resolution that followed other waste resolutions, including the UN Environment Assembly's commitment to advance a global agreement to end plastic pollution on March 2, 2022.
 
It is jointly facilitated by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Human Settlements Programme. (UN-Habitat). The Day encourages all stakeholders, including civil society, corporations, academia, local communities, women, and youth, to participate in activities that promote zero-waste efforts.

​Former Dominican prime minister Edison James observes that DLP regime leader Roosevelt Skerrit has stated that he opposes depriving the populace of their right to vote. James points out that it is the constitution which outlines the steps to register people to vote, which includes being resident in the Commonwealth of Dominica and being at least 18 years old. He further noted that Dominican residency is essential for ensuring this enfranchisement.

​James highlighted the fact that leaving Dominica while still holding the status of citizen disenfranchises oneself and that the domicile requirement should serve as the foundation for enfranchisement. He observed that Sir Denis Byron's original stance that absence of residency would result in removal from the list of registered voters is still valid. However, James believes that SirByron might have gone too far in changing his initial perspective to the point where absence is now being discussed with regard to voting. James makes the point that if one wants to be on the registered voters list, their residency should be what counts, as opposed to their absence from Dominica.

Former Dominican prime minister Edison James.

​Minister of state in the ministry of Public Works, Chekira Lockhart-Hypolite said yesterday during the joint graduation ceremony for the Youth Development Division and the Adult Education Division, that the Technical, Vocational, and Skills Training program was a key component of the policy reset announced by DLP regime leader Roosevelt Skerrit in all significant educational sectors, and that a lot of emphasis needed to be placed on it, since it is critical to the country’s development goals.

She advised graduates of the various programs to act as agents of progressive change and emphasized that the government had made significant investments in their futures as well as other people in their lives.

​Chekira Lockhart-Hypolite, Minister of state in the ministry of Public Works.

General Secretary of the Dominica Public Service Union (DPSU), Thomas Letang contends that all politicians, whether they are prime minister, president, or simply ministers, who come from any country in the Commonwealth and who are in a position of Authority, are there as a result of the struggles, of the individuals, who were in the same position before them. He highlighted a few activities held by former incumbents.

According to Letang, many people now see Israel as a country that values good governance as a result of the protest activities that have been occurring there recently.

Dominica Public Service Union (DPSU) General Secretary, Thomas Letang.

​Earlier this week on March 26, at Fort Shirley, a farewell dinner and awards ceremony marked the formal conclusion of the Portsmouth Association of Yachting Services (PAYS) Dominica Yachting Festival. The PAYS Dominica Yachting Festival was officially launched on March 9, 2023, at the Purple Turtle Beach Club in Portsmouth and ran from March 19 – 26, 2023, with the theme ‘Celebrating Yachties in our Communities’ by attracting and enticing yachties through tours, beach activities, entertainment, community service, and local culinary art.
 
In Partnership between the Portsmouth Association of Yacht Services (PAYS), the Ministry of Tourism and Discover Dominica Authority, the festival was purportedly aimed to increase visitor arrivals, build on Dominica’s competitive advantage as a yachting destination, and generate revenue for PAYS and northern stakeholders. The yachting sector has been identified as a crucial sector in the quest to increase visitor arrivals and position Dominica as the premier eco-tourism destination in the region.
 
Much effort is said to have been given to increase the island’s visibility as a yachting port regionally and internationally, by networking with major industry players at yachting shows and print promotion in recognized yachting magazines. The Ministry of Tourism and the DDA claim to be very excited to partner with PAYS on the PAYS Dominica Yachting Festival as the destination aims to attract 200,000 stay over visitors by 2025. Andrew O'Brien, president of PAYS, expressed delight at the number of yachters who attended the 2023 event.

​Andrew O'Brien, president of PAYS.

​Today has been designated as contribution day to allow students to donate to the Education Trust fund. Willie Fevrier of the ETF is requesting that all students donate at least $1.00 to help their peers at the Secondary schools. He is hoping that the parents will endorse the drive.

​Chairman of the Board of the Trustees of the ETF, Willie Fevrier.