Tourism Minister Denise Charles says Dominica anticipates approximately 222 cruise calls for this season; what she calls a promising increase from the 190 calls for the 2022/2023 cruise season. She says this growth translates to welcoming 363,063 cruise passengers, a notable rise from the previous season's 246,257 passengers.

She says visitors can look forward to an enhanced shopping experience at the Bayfront, which will now showcase 42 uniformly designed cathedral tents.

Tourism Minister Denise Charles.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit says the government of Dominica has redefined its policy on agriculture and food production as part of the national reset, which he says is necessary to push Dominica to greater levels of production. He said currently agriculture in Dominica contributes approximately EC $230 Million to the economy based on figures from the ECCB.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit.
 
Meantime Trade Minister Vince Henderson says a few weeks ago DEXIA together with the Ministry of Agriculture embarked on a mission to assess the traditional markets, and to look for opportunities for new ones. He claims that it was discovered that the Dominican agricultural product is still the preferred choice among consumers in the Caribbean.

Trade Minister Vince Henderson.

Leroy "Wadix" Charles, Cadance Lypso stalwart and cultural advocate has expressed dissatisfaction that the 2023 World Creole Music Festival (WCMF) fell far short of embracing the “Legacy" theme, as the curtain closed on the event on Sunday. He believes the festival failed to live up to its theme of "Embracing Legacy" by leaving out well-deserving avant-garde musicians.
 
He stated that a festival that aspired to embrace and honor the creole culture did not include certain deserving individuals, despite the fact that they had made substantial contributions to the authenticity of the World Creole Music Festival.

​Cultural Stalwart, Leroy "Wadix" Charles.

Director General of the OECS Commission, Dr. Didacus Jules says as the area becomes more connected into the digital world, data usage that benefits people justly and fairly become increasingly important. He went on to say that several OECS member states had conveyed the regional plan for the development of a statistics, data governance council.

Dr. Didacus Jules, Director General of the OECS Commission.

Dominica joined 120 countries at the United Nations General Assembly in supporting a resolution calling for an immediate, durable, and sustained humanitarian truce between Israeli forces and Hamas militants in Gaza. The resolution condemns all acts of violence against Palestinian and Israeli civilians, including acts of terror, indiscriminate attacks, provocation, incitement, and destruction.
 
It was adopted after a rejected amendment by Canada, which called for an unequivocal condemnation of the October 7 "terrorist attack" by Hamas. The resolution calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all civilians being illegally held captive and calls for supplies to enter the Gaza Strip. It also calls on Israel to cancel its demand for Palestinians in the north of Gaza to relocate to the south and emphasizes the need for all parties to exercise maximum restraint.
 
The resolution reaffirms that a just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only be achieved through peaceful means, based on relevant United Nations resolutions, international law, and the two-state solution. The resolution is non-binding and carries no legal weight, but it provides an idea of the rest of the world's thoughts on the ongoing conflict. 

Environmental Health Officer, Calma Louis touts the importance of consumer awareness of food safety. She is of the view that while the environmental health department is educating vendors on safe food handling practices, consumers have a crucial role to play. They can ensure their own safety by checking for product quality and asking vendors about proper handling procedures, thereby reducing spoilage risks in the food supply chain.

​Environmental Health Officer, Calma Louis. 

President of the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM), WashBourne Cuffy, holds the opinion that the integrity of the country's public accountability is being significantly undermined. As a result, it is imperative that substantial efforts are made to address this issue. Moreover, he asserted that additional civil society groups, such as CCM, NJAM, and numerous others, need to be created to actively engage in discussions pertaining to public accountability. He emphasized that public accountability must be upheld to a higher standard with a view to rectifying the various accountability deficiencies within the nation.

Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM)President WashBourne Cuffy. 

Cultural stalwart Leroy 'Wadix' Charles posited that the 2023 WCMF demonstrated a sense of shame in the failure to fully embrace the Creole culture, despite the prevailing notion that it constitutes an integral component of the Dominican identity. This was evidenced by the decision to include Creole performances during the opening rather than at a later stage in the event. Charles further highlighted the departure from traditional African color schemes in the attire, prompting inquiry into the fate of the African element within the country's Creole identity.

Charles articulated his discontent and disapproval of the unfortunate circumstance that the festival did not receive an official inauguration in the French regions of Martinique and Guadeloupe, notwithstanding the fact that these nations constitute the festival's most substantial supporters and participants.

Cultural stalwart Leroy 'Wadix' Charles

Social Scientist Simeon Joseph emphasizes the need for Dominicans to become more aware and active in their society. He metaphorically questioned whether a spell has been cast on them, obscuring their vision and understanding. Joseph calls for citizens to awaken from their current state and take a more active role in their communities.

The influence of certain individuals seems to blind Dominicans to the shifting circumstances around them. Joseph suggests that this phenomenon might be linked to a particular aura or charisma. He urges citizens to break free from this influence and regain their role in shaping their own future.

Social Scientist, Simeon Joseph. 

President of the United Workers Party, Lennox Linton, criticizes the lack of transparency in the Citizenship by Investment program and questions the allocation of the revenues associated with it. He highlighted the recent revelations by international journalists about discrepancies in program revenues and emphasized the need for accountability. Linton advocated for transparency in the Citizenship by Investment program to prevent corruption and misuse of funds. He urged the DLP government to promptly address these concerns, as the international community is now shining a very bright spotlight on Dominica’s CBI program.

Linton noted the names of applicants have not been published in The Gazette for several years, contrary to the law of the land. He highlighted a significant increase in citizenship purchases during the past several years, underscoring the need for greater oversight and accountability in the program.

UWP President Lennox Linton.