Health Minister Cassani Laville says considering the urgent need to respond to domestic violence matters, and the possible risk of physical and mental injuries, as well as the possibility of hospitalization, swift response from the police can in some cases prevent the escalation of these incidences and prevent further injury. A new Domestic Violence Act was approved in Parliament on Tuesday supported by both sides.

Health Minister, Cassani Laville
 
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit says the new act is the existing Domestic Violence Act that contains most of the provisions in this current Bill, but the government is seeking to address the observations of the various publics of what can be done to better investigate and report, and to ensure that actions demanded by the court are implemented.

​Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit
 
Opposition Parliamentarian Senator Sean Douglas says he supports the Bill wholeheartedly.

​Opposition Parliamentarian Senator, Sean Douglas 

​Opposition Senator Delbert Paris stated last evening during the Domestic Violence Act debate in Parliament that the passage of the Domestic Violence Act will be a turning point for Dominica, but that more emphasis should be placed on "prevention and rehabilitation in addressing young people." He believes that in order to address these challenges, the underlying causes must be addressed.

​Senator Paris also called for renewed emphasis on vocational skills for young people who are sliding through the academic cracks. He went on to say that these skills will enable individuals to be more productive, thereby lowering the likelihood of crime & especially domestic violence.

​Opposition Senator, Delbert Paris.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has highlighted what he calls advocacy towards the island's children by some well-known names. He stated that Consultant Martin Anthony and Gloria Augustus will be recognized in a special way on 3rd November. His comments came as the 'Status of Children's Bill' was passed in Parliament on Tuesday.

Mr Skerrit says the Status of Children's Act in Dominica aims to establish equal rights for all children regardless of their parent's marital status.

Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit
 
Meantime, Minister of State in the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Social Security with special responsibility for Senior Security and children at risk, Dr Cassandra William said the purpose of the status of Children's Bill is to remove all discriminatory provisions in the laws related to a child born out of wedlock among others. She expounded.

Minister of State in the Ministry of Health, with special responsibility for Senior Security & children at risk, Dr Cassandra Williams
 
Meanwhile, Opposition Senator Delbert Paris has called the Act a timely piece of legislation which looks towards securing the future of Dominica.

​Opposition Senator, Delbert Paris.

​Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Dominica Water and Sewage Company Ltd (DOWASCO), Louis Patrick Hill, told young people at the company's award ceremony on Tuesday morning, that Dominica is blessed with an abundance of clean, flowing water that does not need to be desalinated like in some other Caribbean countries. He called for the protection and conservation of this natural treasure, which would become extinct if it is not protected in the country.

Hill emphasized that the company's weeklong celebration of World Water Day is being undertaken in an effort to educate and sensitize Dominicans, particularly young people, since they have a responsibility to protect this natural resource now and in the future.

​Louis Patrick Hill, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Dominica Water and Sewage Company Ltd (DOWASCO).

The proposed new legislation that will control political parties campaign expenditures was reviewed by Justice Dr. Irving Andre. He observed that it raise a variety of issues that require discussion. He clarified that the reporting period is defined in the proposed legislation as the time frame starting on the first day of the campaign and concluding 181 days after the end of that campaign. which is the day following the declaration that an election will be held; between that day and the time immediately following the elections, a party that is running candidates in more than two constituencies may spend up to $5 million.
 
While this is a significant sum of money, Andre points out that it is vital to keep in mind that campaign materials were all around Dominica the day after the announcement of the last snap general election in 2022. He wonders if possibly one of those preachers who has been reciting the political directorate's praises is actually trying to work a miracle for them.

​According to Justice Andre, the proposed legislation does nothing to remove the lack of spending prior to the campaign reporting period, thus the directorate is still free to spend money on elections arbitrarily prior to announcing the date of the election. He emphasized that this indicated that millions of dollars can be spent prior to the start of the reporting period, as was the case in the last snap general election held in December 2022.

Justice Dr. Irving Andre.

According to Steve Joseph, president of the Dominica Public Service Union (DPSU), Dominica's health care system is currently hemorrhaging rather than just experiencing a brain drain. He emphasized that substantially better treatment is due to the doctors, lab technicians, and nurses. Infrastructure facilitation alone is insufficient. He insists that there needs to be enough employees who are well-trained and available.

Joseph expressed that funds should be allocated for hiring qualified personnel for the healthcare system. They should be able to work joyfully in a setting that supports the people of the nation. He emphasized that the DPSU is a partner, and they are very concerned about the standard of the healthcare that is being offered.

Dominica Public Service Union President (DPSU), Steve Joseph. 

​During her presentation on the Child Maintenance Act in the House of Parliament on Tuesday morning, Opposition Senator Lorraine Henderson-Reid called for the legislation to be examined holistically rather than in isolation.  She advocated for an increase in the maintenance fee, which she claims is insufficient considering the present situation of the economy, the cost of child supplies, medical appointments and other essentials that children need.

Henderson-Reid went on to say that the $75 is insufficient to meet the different expenses, and she questions what contributions the state intends to make to assist parents, which the fees do not cover.

​Opposition Senator, Lorraine Henderson-Reid.

Dominican-born Patricia Scotland KC, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations, has become the first Black woman, as well as the first Caribbean, Dominican, and British person, to receive the University of California (UC) Berkeley's prestigious Global Leadership Award in recognition of her exceptional contributions to improving people's lives through innovation and technology.
 
The award was given to the Commonwealth Secretary-General on April 21, 2023, during the Berkeley Innovation Forum in California. The organizers of the award applauded the Secretary-General's decades-long commitment to fostering an innovation culture throughout her legal and political career, particularly in her current role, adding that her leadership has contributed to the promotion of "innovation and use of technology to expand markets around the world and empower people at the bottom of the pyramid."
 
The award is given to exceptional global leaders that encourage open innovation - a concept that allows for the exchange of ideas across enterprises - in order to effect major change. Secretary-General Patricia Scotland, the first woman to occupy the position, stated in her acceptance address that she is very thrilled to receive the Global Leadership Award from the University of California, Berkeley. She remarked that this honor is all the more meaningful because it falls on the seventh anniversary of my time as Secretary-General.  
 
She stated that her road has been difficult, but she is happy that it has taken her to this point. She says she has been driven by a fierce belief that things could be different, better, fairer, and more equal throughout her life and career, and that by embracing innovation and its transformative potential, everyone can create meaningful change that benefits both individuals and society at large.
 

Parliamentary opposition Senator Delbert Paris, stated during the discussion of an Act pertaining to protection of children, at the Second Seating of the first session of the eleventh Parliament in Dominica, which officially began earlier today, that improving the island's collective action on issues relating to children will require significant private and public sector support from relevant organizations, rather than relying solely on legislation that specifies how children should be treated, or that every child should be treated equally. He believes strict enforcement of the law is imperative.

Paris said Guidance Counselors, Police Officers and Welfare Organizations require much assistance from both the administration and the community, in order to guarantee that the various current social concerns are effectively addressed.

​Opposition Senator, Delbert Paris.

​Justice Dr Irving Andre describes a component of the new legislation being proposed in a consultant’s report,  that will regulate political party campaign spending. Political parties that contest in more than one constituency would be allowed to spend $5 million, within the campaign period, according to Section 64, Paragraph 1 of the report.

In particular, with regards to establishing limits on election expenditure in order to enable the development of a level playing field, Justice Andre notes that this clause involves at least three issues that he deems to be a significant waste of time.

Justice Dr Irving Andre.