​From 12:00 PM today Thursday, August 31, 2017, a high pressure system established itself across the region. Low level clouds moving westward could result in occasional cloudiness and a few showers across parts of the island chain during the next 12 hours. Meanwhile, a westward moving tropical wave located just east of the Lesser Antilles is expected to approach the area by tomorrow, Friday.
 
Tropical Storm Irma was upgraded to hurricane status at 11 am today. The system is located over the eastern Atlantic about 1825 miles east of the Lesser Antilles and moving west North West near 10mph with maximum sustained winds near 100 mph. The center of the system is projected to move just northeast of the area by Tuesday into Wednesday of next week.
 
Dominicans are advised to monitor the progress of this system, and to make all necessary preparations as feeder bands from Irma and rough seas could affect the island. Slight to moderate seas are expected during the next 24 to 48 hours with waves peaking near 5.0 feet. 

​Freelance Journalist Carlisle Jno Baptiste has reported on the results of the  Pointe Mitchel Village council elections, which was held on Wednesday 30th August 2017.
 
Jno Baptiste wished all the members the best in their new duties. Erika Louis Jules topped the poles with 227 votes , john Blanchard received 197 votes, Melvina Boyer with 195 votes, Hasselt Williams 190 votes and Sonia Felix 182 votes, these numbers however are subject to change as these are the preliminary results.

​Meanwhile, One of the elected candidates of the Point Michel Village Council Elections Melvina Boyer spoke to Q95FM today Thursday.
 
She is excited to have been elected, and pledged her support to help the village council executive rebuild the community’s infrastructure, and its community spirit. The Elections were held Wednesday 30th August 2017.

​Digicel is contributing $100,000 in cash and $150,000 in kind to partner with the Discover Dominica Authority (DDA), for the 2017 World Creole Music Festival (WCMF). The partnership was officially signed on Thursday 30th August 2017 at Digicel’s Cooperate Office on Bath Road.
 
Chief Executive Officer Nikima Royer Jno Baptiste, said Digicel’s contribution to the festival manifests its commitment to supporting the people of Dominica. She said, “For over a decade now, we have shown our commitment to Dominica and the things that play a role in our island’s development ……. supporting the World Creole Music Festival incessantly is about staying true to our commitment to developing our people and culture ….”.
 
She noted that as part of the partnership, digital technology will be made available to the media, Dominica Festivals Committee, and other important participants in the festival. She added, “With our digital technology, patrons will get basked in festival related activities utilizing our Play Go streaming services. During the three nights of pulsating rhythm we will see to it that the data needs of the DFC and DDA teams, media personnel and guests or patrons are met”.
 
The 20th edition of Dominica’s World Creole Music Festival is carded for October 27-29 at the Windsor Park Sports Stadium in Roseau, Dominica.
 
A line-up of top local, regional, and international acts covering a diverse range of creole music from the infectious Bouyon to the sweet sensation of Soca and Calypso, Reggae, Afro-funk, Haitian Kompas to the vibrating sounds of Cadence-lypso and Zouk awaits patrons. On this year’s exciting line-up are Machel Montano, Kalash, Mavado, Yemi Alade, Bunji Garlin & Fay-Ann Lyons, Sweet Micky, Kai, Etana, Romain Virgo, Klass, Marcé & Tumpak, Asa Bantan, Triple Kay International, Mizik à Nou All Stars, Breve, Swingin’ Stars, and the Zouk All Stars featuring Jean Marc Ferdinand, Orlane, Francky Vincent, and Stéphane Ravor.
 
Official sponsors of this year’s World Creole Music Festival include: Caribbean Broadcast Network, Caribbean Media Corporation, DBS Radio, DEPEX, Dominica News Online, Kairi FM, LIAT, PJD2, Q95FM, The Wave, Ticketpal, Trend Media (LOOP), Variety Radio and Vibes Radio/DA Vibes. 

​A two-floor concrete building was affected by a fire Wednesday night in the Palm Grove area.
Staff of the Roseau Fire Station responded to a structural fire about 6:58pm
According to PRO of the Dominica Fire & Ambulance Services Wayne Letang, no injuries were reported.

​PRO of the Dominica Fire & Ambulance Services Wayne Letang

​Internet experts from around the world will be in Georgetown in October for Internet Week Guyana, a high-level technology conference focused on national and regional development issues.

Hosted by the Guyana ministry of public telecommunications, the meeting is jointly organized by the Latin America and Caribbean Internet Addresses Registry (LACNIC), the Caribbean Network Operators Group (CaribNOG), the Internet Society (ISOC), the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU).

“Internet Week Guyana will draw on the expertise of global Internet organizations, to address local and regional Internet development issues,” said Kevon Swift, head of strategic relations and integration at LACNIC, an organization that distributes and manages Internet number resources in the Caribbean and Latin America.

The five-day event starts on October 9 with an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Awareness Day which will introduce topics to be covered more in-depth during the week.

On October 10, ISOC and ICANN will jointly lead an Internet Governance Day, focused on the establishment of Guyana’s national Internet Governance Forum, or IGF.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has reiterated her intention to contest the next election in 2022, brushing off stern warnings by her fellow members of parliament that her leadership is in doubt.
 
Conservative Party MPs publicly voiced their discontent with May on Thursday morning after the Prime Minister overnight dismissed a report saying she would step down in 2019 after Brexit. She also confirmed the 2022 election was in her sights.
 
May doubled down on her stance Thursday when asked by a reporter to respond to the MPs' comments.
 

This week, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit announced that he would soon visit Dominicans living in Houston, Texas, with a view to providing some form of assistance to them.
 
Houston was ravaged by Tropical Storm Harvey over the past few days. Member of Dominica’s Electoral Commission, Wayne James says, the Prime Minister appears to be using this catastrophic situation to play on the psychology and the vulnerable hearts of the Dominicans who were affected by the storm.
 
Dominica’s General Elections are constitutionally due in 2018, and Shillingford says the Prime Minister is trying to score political points.

Since the inception of the Dominica Labor Party into government in the year 2000, the Dominica Freedom Party and the United Workers Party have expressed a sharp decline in the maintenance and implementation of effective social programs across the island. Many Dominicans fear that morality has also decreased among the various leaders in society.
 
Dominica Freedom Party Leader and Economist Kent Vital is calling on Dominicans and its leaders specifically the government, to embrace the spirit of cohesiveness and transparency. Vital also stressed that apart from government putting policies in place for implementation of social programs, he says Dominican must embrace the significance of maintaining a positive attitude toward life. Vital spoke to Q95 news in an exclusive interview earlier this week.

Meanwhile, Vital says the party will seek to make the Citizenship by Investment Program more noble.
 
Vital was speaking at the party's press conference at the Garraway Hotel on Tuesday. He says Dominica's current CBI Program has tarnished the country's reputation.

Meantime, Vital called on citizens to preserve Dominica's democratic traditions.

Political leader of the Dominica Freedom Party Kent Vital

Chief Elections Officer Steven LaRocque says the commission is ready to embark on the enrolment confirmation process, to prepare for the issuance of the national ID Cards.

He says on completion of the enrolment confirmation exercise, a new updated electors list will be updated and printed for scrutiny.

​Chief Elections Officer Steven LaRocque.

Education Minister Petter St Jean says there has been an increase in the number of youth taking advantage of opportunities to study out of state, over the last two years.
 
He claims that individuals visiting Dominica would be surprised at the accomplishments in Dominica's Education Sector.

Minister for Education Petter St Jean.