Chartered Accountant, Kieron Pinard Byrne, has challenged his Lawyers to ask an order for cost from the Privy Council in an ongoing defamation matter.
Pinard-Byrne recently emerged victorious, in a defamation case against then Journalist Lennox Linton via ruling of the London-Based Privy Council.
He told state radio his attorneys have returned to the London-based Privy Council after Linton failed to agree on a cost of order amounting to over $340,000.00.

Owner of Humming Bird Air, Sam Raphael, says Hummingbird Air will soon resume operations in Dominica.
The airline voluntarily suspended its passenger service last November after a landing incident in St. Lucia. The St. Lucia incident and an earlier Barbuda incident were both attributed to pilot error. The airline took the past six months to implement corrective action to improve safety, which included changes of key management personnel and pilot retraining.
Raphael says they will reintroduce cargo and passenger services to Dominica on the May 3rd 2016.

The National Youth Council of Dominica (NYCD) is gearing up to host its first meeting of the 2015-2017 Youth Caucus.
The event is expected to be held on Saturday, April, 30 from 10:00 am at the Windsor Park Sports Stadium conference room.
According to a release, at the first session of the 2015-2017 Youth Caucus, a round table discussion will be hosted in which council representatives are expected to report on activities taking place in their respective districts and inform the Caucus of their respective quarterly work plans.

UWP Senator, Issac Baptiste, laments that Dominica missed an opportunity to modernize Roseau’s road system a few years ago.
He says while the DLP administration was unable to find funding to conduct these necessary projects they somehow found $30 million to erect a “palace”.
Baptiste says while the palace may be a tourist attraction it paints Dominica in a negative light of having a corrupt and greedy government. 

The DLP Government appears to be leaking out hints of its intension to possibly relocate the Douglas-Charles Airport which is currently located in Melville Hall, and which was recently upgraded with over $100 Million; to a safer location? Prime Minister Skerrit gave such a hint this week.
 
Notwithstanding recent huge expenditures on the Melville Hall River, the Melville Hall Airport was flooded by waters from the river in August 2015, during the passage of Tropical Storm Erika, and again in March 2016. All Equipment at the facility were reportedly destroyed, as well as the fencing, runway, taxiway, and apron. Access roads were also damaged.
 
Skerrit said recently, “Clearly, we have to address the issue of the airport and the location of the airport because while we will build the retainer walls, where we will mitigate against any potential hazards, we have to look at a new and safer site for our airport, and this is a firm commitment on the government’s behalf.” The government then said that the airport suffered damages in excess of $41-Million.
 
Meantime, the Prime Minister is also pledging the DLP government’s support for the construction of a long talked-about international airport on the island. However, he now says government is incapable of funding that project by itself.
 
Skerrit also hinted that his government has been exploring different avenues for funding that project. He now says, “And once we are in a position to report to you firmly, then we will report back to you firmly.”
 
However, at a Dominica Labour Party rally, on May 5, 2014, Mr Skerrit announced that his government was actively pursuing several projects including the construction of an international airport through the Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) option, with a team of private developers from China.
The records show that way back in November 2013, it was revealed that government had signed a $300-million deal with Chinese company ASCG for a number of projects in Dominica including “reconstruction of an international airport.”
 
And on Wednesday, December 4, 2013, the Prime Minister reportedly said that Chinese engineers were in Dominica to visit the proposed construction site of an international airport, in Compton Point near Calibishie, and to offer advice to the government. He said the government had already engaged ‘benefactors,’ partners and countries for financing for the project.
 
The records also show that on May 13, 2014, the DLP government announced that Prime Minister Skerrit was heading a three-member delegation to the People’s Republic of China, to advance discussions on the construction of an international airport and other development projects.
 
On June 4, 2014, Mr. Skerrit told reporters that talks on the airport were progressing, and a document will soon be made available to the public concerning details of the project.
 
Dominicans are hopeful that the DLP Government headed by Mr Skerrit will provide a clearer explanation as to the current status of their plans to build an International Airport in Dominica, in view of the fact that government recently spent over $100 Million to upgrade the Douglas-Charles Airport in its current location at Melville Hall; and now says that it plans to relocate that airport to a safer location; while at the same time also saying that it is going ahead with plans to build an International Airport in Dominica.

Waitikubuli Dance Theatre Company is celebrating 45 years of creative dance, with a new dance production called 'Celebrating the dream'.
The show is carded for Friday April 29, 2016 at the Arawak House of Culture, with a repeat performance on Saturday April 30, 2016.
Waitukubuli Dance Theatre Company Director Raymond Lawrence says, the Company will honor Dr. Alwin Bully, for his contribution to the development of arts and culture in Dominica and the region. 

With the global economy still struggling, many countries in the Caribbean are facing a harsher world than they did just a few years ago. The growth outlook is weaker in advanced and emerging economies alike, while the gradual slowdown and rebalancing of economic activity in China is likely to keep commodity prices lower for longer.
In the IMF’s latest Regional Economic Outlook for the Western hemisphere Dominica’s reported projected GDP for 2016 falls at 4.9%, which is said to be higher than 2015’s estimate of -4.3%.
For 2017, the IMF expects the region to bounce back to 1.5% growth, and some suggest that Dominica may show a growth of 3.5%.

Meanwhile, PM Skerrit is now echoing public sentiments that government must improve the level of supervision of public projects.
PM Skerrit said in many instances there are too many delays in completing these projects.
Just this week Government signed 21 contracts to undertake road works across the Island. 

Government last week signed a contract for the supervision of works at the Douglas Charles Airport rehabilitation project.
The contract was signed between the Government and La Robe Creole Ltd.
Chief Technical Officer in the Ministry of Public Works and Ports, Emile Lancelot, said the supervisor consultant will represent the Government on site to ensure that works are done in a timely manner.

Member of the Joint Consultative Committee on the Construction Sector (JCCCS), Stewart Paris, has made clear the position of the committee as it relates to foreign companies being awarded contracts here.
Paris says the organization does not have any problems with foreigners being awarded contracts here however, he calls for equal opportunities for local contractors.
His statement comes after Government allegedly signed an untendered $18.2 million contract with NSG Management and Technical Services Ltd of Barbados, for construction of the Roseau West Bridge project.
Paris said, "We have absolutely no problems with foreign companies doing contracts on the island of Dominica .... We believe that locally, we have the capacity to do that same kind of work, and all we're asking for is to be given an equal opportunity to tender for such projects...".

LIAT has reportedly written a letter of apology to the government of Dominica for their inadequate service in the recent past. According to Prime Minister Skerrit, a Shareholders’ meeting is scheduled to take place as early as next week, to discuss possible resolutions to Dominica’s service issues with LIAT. 
PM Skerrit says he has no wish to engage in a public battle with LIAT, however it was necessary to voice concerns about the poor service which Dominica has been receiving. 

The Prime Minister said LIAT is vital to the Caribbean region’s economic wellbeing, therefore it is important to demand quality service from LIAT.
Earlier this month LIAT Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. David Evans issued his resignation, and Antiguan media speculated this may have been due to Mr Skerrit’s recent letter to the company, seeking resolutions to the unsatisfactory service that was being provided.