Prime Minster Roosevelt Skerrit has announced plans to make meaningful changes in the management of schools in Dominica.
Skerrit says the current system makes little allowance for upward mobility and that it is often the case that most teachers leave the job after thirty years in the same position.
 
He says, what the government is proposing is to maintain the one principle per school structure and the creation of two deputy principles with no teaching responsibilities, but rather strictly focused on the welfare of the students, and assisting the principle in the management of the school.

​Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit.

​Accompanied by several members of the PanAm Sports Executive Committee, President of PanAm Sports Neven Ilic recently got to appreciate what it is like to truly live the Pan American Village experience.
 
The PanAm Sports Executive Committee lived an experience never before seen in the Olympic Movement. They spent the night in the Athletes’ Village in aunique demonstration of solidarity with the thousands of athletes who are in Lima, Peru to compete. From meals in the Dining Hall, to testing the equipment in the gymnasium and sleeping in the beds, the executives experienced living the athlete’s life.
 
“We are very happy to have lived this experience. My entire Executive Committee was able to live the experience of staying in this beautiful Pan American Village. Many of them have been Chefs de Mission, others were sleeping in the Village the same way more than 6,700 athletes will during the Games for the first time in their life,” said PanAm Sports President, Neven Ilic.
 
Meanwhile Chef de Mission for Dominica, Brendan Williams, said the athletes have to make some adjustments to the climate. “The accommodation here is well taken care of. I mean we are in their winter season so it’s a little bit chilly. But our athletes are adequately prepared for that in terms of the gear that was provided or sourced by the Dominica Olympic Committee to ensure that our athletes are warm. We purchased heaters because all the rooms at the village do not have heaters. So we purchased small heaters so that at least our athletes can be comfortable at nights when they sleep,” he said.

​UWP St Joseph Constituency Candidate Senator Monelle Williams-JnoBaptiste is urging all men in Dominica, to find better ways to express their frustration, and to embrace the best communication practices.
 
This she says would significantly prevent a lot of senseless killings among people in communities and would also reduce legal issues between residents. Monelle Williams-JnoBaptiste made these statements while speaking on Q95fm Radio on Monday.

​UWP St. Joseph Constituency Candidate, Monelle Williams

​During the Budget Address yesterday, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit finally announced that the Government of Dominica’s plans to decriminalize the use of marijuana.
 
Mr. Skerrit said after speaking with stakeholders and listening to concerns and opinions of the persons on the ground, the government recognized the sensitivity of the subject, took into consideration the global demands and acceptance of medical marijuana, and is therefore bringing to the parliament the legislation for decriminalizing Marijuana.

​He said the Government therefore proposes that the possession of not more than 28.35 grams or one ounce of marijuana be decriminalized.
 
They will also strike out of the records of anyone arrested for possession of one ounce of cannabis, at the time of their arrest.

​Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit

​UWP Candidate for the Vieille Case constituency, Clement ‘Clemo’ Marcellin has expressed the view that we need to develop our communities in Dominica, so that people can take hold of their own lives.
 
Marcellin is of the opinion that the government has to do only the things that the ordinary person cannot do for themselves.
 
When posed with a hypothetical situation about his party doing things contrary to his faith and belief after they have won the election, he said “you have to get to the understanding that you stand on principles.”

​UWP Candidate for the Vieille Case Constituency, Clement ‘Clemo’ Marcellin 

​In the fight against Human Trafficking activities, the IOM is recognizing World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. A statement sent to Q95 News on 30th July 2019, by Communications & Community Engagement Officer, Maxine Alleyne-esprit says, the images are unforgettable.
 
Desperate families in sweltering shipping containers and rickety boats. Bodies washed up on shores and beaches following failed voyages. Human beings scarred and broken from years of abuse and exploitation.
 
Indeed, we are shattered by tales of violence and predation by those willing to exploit the desperate for their own personal gain. Our consciences are shaken with the realization that children are at risk of irreparable damage—even death—simply because their families are trying to improve their futures. But today—this day when we observe World Day Against Trafficking in Persons—is not a day to reflect on what we feel about migrants who are victims of trafficking.
 
Rather it is a warning, that yet another year has passed in which we can remind ourselves that no matter how much good we can do, we still haven’t done enough. It is time to end the trafficking of men, women and children across the globe. IOM works tirelessly with partners in government, civil society and the private sector to sweep away bad practices in international labor recruiting. We fight to declare the rights of migrants who cross borders to do those difficult jobs that go unfilled in many prosperous countries, and see that those rights are protected and defended.
 
But still it is not enough. We need to go after the traffickers, too. And we must hold the governments of IOM’s member states accountable when they fail to protect the traffickers’ victims. Migration is increasingly seen as an option to escape conflict, instability, food insecurity, natural disasters and climate change, and we know that with large-scale movements of people, the opportunities for criminal elements to rise and then expand to take advantage of those on the move increase.
 
Nonetheless, this knowledge has not yet resulted in sufficient action to arrest either the drivers of unsafe migration or to address the protection and assistance needs of migrants.

​The Government of Dominica now says it is seeking to introduce the use of electrical vehicles in Dominica. These statements were made by the Prime minister Skerrit at Tuesdays sitting of Parliament for the 2019-2020 budget address.
 
He said the present administration is seeking to cut down the level of carbon emissions from vehicles in Dominica, in its effort to become the world’s first climate resilient nation.
 
He says the government is encouraging persons to use electric vehicles, and effective October 1st 2019, there will be no VAT or Duty to pay when importing any electric vehicles into Dominica.

​He then went on to share some statistical data on the present carbon emissions and said that there will be new opportunities for persons to provide services in that field.

​Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit

​Dominica secured the first win of the WISG on the opening day of competition with a comfortable 59 – 36 victory over St Lucia in Girls Basketball.
 
Aliyah Prince shot a game-high 23 points as host country, Dominica, defeated St Lucia 59-36 in the Girls Basketball.
 
Prince was well supported by Unique Powell with 17 points. Scoring for St. Lucia; were Janel Mathurin and Megan Neston with 11 points each.
 
In another match, Grenada defeated St. Vincent & the Grenadines 56-23. Chantelle Bartholomew 25 points and Carlene Alexander 8 points for Grenada.
 
For St Vincent & the Grenadines (SVG), Angelika John finished with 7 points, Makeisha Lavia 4, and Jada Peters 3 points…..*END*
 
Although affected by bad weather over the weekend, the Interschools games got on the way with games in basketball, netball, and volleyball.
 
Dominica won their girls basketball game against St Lucia, boys’ volleyball against Grenada, and netball against St Vincent. Grenada won St Vincent in their girls’ basketball match, while St. Lucia beat St. Vincent in boys Volleyball, and St Lucia beat Grenada in netball.
 
Games will continue at the Benjamin’s Park in Portsmouth. 

​The Sports Division has rescheduled the Track & Field event of the 2019 Windward Islands Schools Games (WISG) to August 1, from 10 am at the Windsor Park Sports Stadium, following heavy rains on 28th July.
 
The track & field event was originally scheduled for Sunday 28th July, but was called off due to heavy rains, as a result of a tropical wave which passed over Dominica.
 
Student athletes representing Grenada, S. Lucia, St Vincent and host country Dominica will participate in Thursday’s activities.
 
The students are currently on island participating in basketball, football, netball and volleyball.
 
Grenada won the Track and field when the games were held in St. Lucia last year.

​Assistant Commissioner Richmond Valentine has revealed that police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the alleged stabbing death of 27-year-old Avandale Baptiste Junior of Mero, which took place at about 9 am on Monday July 29, 2019 and one man is in Police custody in connection with the incident. Valentine said Baptiste was close to his vehicle which was parked on the Mero Village road at the time of the incident, when his cousin Javeed Shillingford approached him & allegedly stabbed him.
 
He said Baptiste was transported to the Accident & Emergency Department of the Princess Margaret Hospital where he succumbed to his injury and was pronounced dead by doctors on duty. The body was transported to Gentle Rest funeral home, and Javeed Shillingford remains in custody as investigations continue into the matter.
 
UWP St Joseph Constituency Candidate Monelle Williams-JnoBaptiste commented on the occurrence, saying everyone is in shock, there was no encounter or fight or argument. Just one young man stabbed, staggering, with blood running out of his body. It was not in response to anything that we know of. Nobody saw it coming and I cannot say what went through the other person’s head to initiate such an action.
 
Williams is disturbed by the apparent senseless killing of the young man.
 
Details are sketchy surrounding the contention that may have caused the stabbing incident, however Q95 news will provide an official report on the matter as soon as it is made available by the Dominica Police Force.
 
Williams was speaking on Q95 FM on Monday.

​UWP Candidate for the St. Joseph Constituency, Monelle Williams