Dr. David Lloyd reveals the major findings from CAN’s Cocoa Project announces that Dominicans through its, Cocoa Project has experienced an increase in capacity of skilled persons, for the country’s growing Cocoa Industry. Dr. Lloyd says over 180 persons were trained including farmers and extension staff of Agriculture, (25% of them were women). Dr. Lloyd says Cocoa grafting and Micro Propagation of bananas and plantains also targeting Farmers and Extension staff were additional objectives completed. He reveals that Minch flies are the animals which assist with pollination of the Cocoa plants, however, he recommends that Cocoa farmers invest into rearing bees and harvesting honey as an additional source of income from their farm. Executive member of Caribbean Agriculture Network, Dr, Dave Lloyd.
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CEO of Digicel Dominica, Ms Nikima Royer-Jno Baptiste says throughout the past 15 years, Digicel has grown from strength to strength. Digicel celebrated its 15th anniversary, Wednesday, and some of the achievements she is most proud of as leader, include upgrading its technology 2G - LTE on the mobile side of the business, and on the fixed services side of the business, it would be the first to introduce Digital TV and High-Speed internet to Dominica. Meanwhile, Jno-Baptiste says after Hurricane Maria, they moved both mobile and fixed services network to LTE, as well as to fibre, and then it also partnered with the government of Dominica. She added that during COVID, the company embraced becoming a digital operator, and launched new prime bundles. Digicel's CEO, Nikima Royer-Jno Baptiste
The National Bank of Dominica is eyeing profits of up to $12Million this year. Ag Chief Financial Officer, Estee Joseph says if one looks at financial performance from 2019-2021, NBD has shown improved performance. She says in 2019, the bank reported a little over $13M in profits for that year, with operational profits, that would be profits before taxation, and impairment of $33M. She was speaking on the Hot Seat Program on Q95, on Wednesday. Ag Chief Financial Officer at the NBD, Estee Joseph Meantime, Executive Marketing Manager, Susan Piper has called for Dominicans to invest in the NBD and have dividend income through its Rights Share Issue. NBD's Executive Marketing Manager, Susan Piper
The Office of Disaster Management through its resource mobilization efforts has secured a donation of a Field Medical Hospital from the US Government, under the Humanitarian Assistance Program of the US Southern Command. This was facilitated through the Military Liaison Officer of the US Embassy for Barbados, and the Eastern Caribbean. Program Officer at the Office of Disaster Management, Mandela Christian, says that facility is valued at US $640,000. He says the training which is being provided in light of this new field medical hospital is very much aligned with the efforts of the Office of Disaster Management, to mainstream comprehensive disaster management into the key sectors, with the aim of building resilience and disaster management capacity among the sectors. Program Officer at the Office of Disaster Management, Mandela Christian
The Ministry of the Blue & Green Economy, Agriculture & National Food Security's Banana and Plantain Unit continues to ensure that Black Sigatoka and other diseases affecting the crop are closely monitored on over 70 farms across the island. The Ministry says ensuring food security which includes the availability of quality food at affordable prices remains in the forefront for these two-priority crops.
The end of the dry season (January-May) necessitates changing in the chemical composition of the spraying for disease management, but most importantly farmers are adopting the cultural practices recommended by the Unit. The Ministry says it continues to urge farmers to comply with these recommendations by cleaning drains, weeding & de-leafing of dead and dying leaves and for those who engage in spraying the USE of personal protective gear at all times. Farmers who are not knowledgeable are asked to make contact with their extension officers or monitoring officers for a field visit. Banana & Plantain Unit Coordinator Carol Severin-Abraham provides a mid-year update on the Black Sigatoka. Education Minister Octavia Alfred is encouraging students to make use of the extra time allotted to them to prepare for exams scheduled for June 28, 2021, and advises that the extension could be used by students to better organize their SBA’s. She said this extension affects Dominica and the region. Alfred expressed confidence in Dominica’s School’s performance expectations this year. Minister for education, Octavia Alfred
2018 Calypso Monarch and Reigning Virtual Calypso Monarch Darryl Bobb, says he is pleased with the feedback of the media houses and the citizens of Dominica (young and middle aged) who are expressing increased interest in Calypso music, the messages it portrays and the growing number of Calypso Shows taking place throughout the year. Bobb told Q95 news Thursday that DCA envisages that the public brings the recognition and love for Calypso music well beyond Calypso Day. 2018 Calypso Monarch and Reigning Virtual Calypso Monarch Darryl Bobb
UWP 2019 Candidate in the Laplaine Constituency Francisca Joseph, says a UWP government will “Tackle present-day corruption and restore trust between the citizens and the various Government departments here.” Joseph adds that top on the agenda for a UWP administration, is to give the youth the economic space to grow, significantly develop Dominica’s economic pillars, including the Agriculture sector as well as improve the social safety network while assuring there are programs to support the elderly and the poor. UWP 2019 LaPlaine Constituency Candidate, Francisca Joseph
Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Development Foundation of Dominica (NDFD) Nicholas Bruno, expressed his satisfaction with the level of preparation done so far for the staging of the first Green Innovations Summit next week, starting from June 1st. Bruno says he made that assessment after meeting with the NDFD Executive Director, Business & Entrepreneurial Development Manager, and overall Event Coordinator, at the NDFD head office earlier this week. He also applauded the program design and activities developed by the organizing team for the summit. Fifteen participants were selected last week out of all entries received for the competition to proceed to the Idea Lab section of the summit on June 1st where these participants get the chance to polish their ideas after listening to a panel discussion from experts of the environmental areas whose problems they intend to tackle. The fifteen participants of the Idea Lab are then expected to present their ideas to a group of judges at the end of the day. Only ten participants will be moving on to the formal three-day Green Innovations Summit where they will get to acquire multiple high-level training on the different areas of business development and interact with their mentors who were carefully chosen by the NDFD to guide them as they further develop their business plans. The mentors are also tasked to help them prepare for a final pitch that will determine the winners on the last day of the event. NDFD’s chairman also articulated his contentment with the trainers and mentors selected for the summit and voiced out his thanks to all of these trainers and mentors, together with the panelists, who have committed their support to the summit. The first Green Innovations Summit is part of the Green Program launched by the NDFD last March. It is an open competition and capacity-building event which is geared towards assisting aspiring Green entrepreneurs develop environment-friendly business ideas, learn the most important aspects of effectively running a business, and acquire the most effective techniques in pitching their business ideas to potential investors. The Green Innovations Summit runs on June 3rd, 4th & 5th this year. June 5th is also World Environment Day. The first Green Innovations Summit is being organized by the NDFD, in partnership with the Dominica Youth Business Trust and the National Youth Council of Dominica. The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Development Foundation of Dominica (NDFD) Nicholas Bruno
Photo: DA Vibes GEF Small Grant program representative Ms Agnes Esprit expressed thanks and appreciation to the members of the Caribbean Agriculture Network, for successfully completing the first to sixth phase of the CAN Cocoa Project. Ms. Agnes Esprit was speaking at the Handing over and Cocoa Project Accountability ceremony of the Caribbean Agriculture Network (CAN), which was held at the Forestry division’s Waitukubuli National Trail Facility in Pond Casse, on Wednesday. She says they will soon be implementing the seventh phase of the CAN Cocoa Project, and a concept paper has been submitted to an agency to provide approval for a Microsoft based research program, which will assist with data collection, research and database creation for various sectors of the Agriculture industry. GEF Small Grant Program representative, Ms. Agnes Esprit.
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