​ECCB Governor Timothy N J Antoine issues a call for fiscal resilience legislation in the Caribbean. He emphasized that given the region’s vulnerability to external shocks, building fiscal resilience is critical to reducing growth volatility. He made those remarks at the recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) 2017 High Level Caribbean Forum in Jamaica.
 
He suggested that fiscal resilience legislation (sometimes referred to as fiscal responsibility legislation) would allow governments to better respond to shocks by empowering them to implement countercyclical fiscal policy in times of economic downturn. He agreed with Bruce Golding, former Prime Minister of Jamaica, that a provision for fiscal responsibility should be placed in the Constitution.
 
However, in the absence of, Constitutional provisions, the Governor noted that “the people are the ultimate custodians of fiscal responsibility legislation”. To that end, he recommended the engagement of social partners to engender broad support for fiscal responsibility legislation reform.
 
The 2017 High Level Caribbean Forum was held on 16th November under the theme: “Unleashing Growth and Strengthening Resilience in the Caribbean”. It focused on the unique issues the Caribbean region is facing, and the opportunities that can be found within, to cope with the changing global landscape. The issues addressed were:

1. The Caribbean Growth Challenge Crime and Youth Unemployment;
2. Fiscal Policy and Political Cycles; and
3. Financial Sector: Stability and Growth Tradeoffs.
 
The Forum concluded with a panel discussion on Challenges and Opportunities in the Caribbean, which examined the findings and some of the key takeaways from the Conference. The panelists were:

-The Most Honorable Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica
-The Honorable Kevin Peter Turnquest, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of The Bahamas

PPOD Leader Sapphire Carrington is not impressed with the program implementation capability ability of Dominica’s current Government, and has described the administration as incompetent.
 
This statement comes on the heels of the recent announcement by the Ministry of Agriculture where the reported stated, 130,000 seedlings were received and planted, to aid in raising the level food security on island post Hurricane Maria.
 
Carrington says the Government’s habit of concentrating power within the country to select individuals, is crippling and destroying the country’s productivity and development.

DFP President Johnson Boston is calling on the DLP Government to review its approach to politics.
 
Boston says the DLP administration does not support the concept of development at a national level, but rather it appears to be only interested in gaining votes by any means, in order to win elections.

​Dominica was impacted significantly by Hurricane Maria, a category 5 storm leaving behind a trail of devastation and over 50,000 people displaced and earlier this month, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit gave the opening address at the Investment Immigration Summit East Asia in Hong Kong.
 
“What we would like to recognize is that, literally days after the hurricane, our citizenship by investment (CBI) programme was back on the road. While we were receiving 200+ miles wind, stakeholders were processing applications because we were able to advance our programme to ensure that we utilize technology to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of our programme,” he noted. 

​Zimbabwe's new President Emmerson Mnangagwa has offered a three-month amnesty for individuals and companies to surrender public funds illegally stashed abroad. In a statement, he said the government will prosecute those who fail to comply when the amnesty ends in February.
 
"Such malpractices constitute a very serious economic crime against the people of Zimbabwe," Mr Mnangagwa said. Since taking office last week, he has pledged to crack down on corruption. 

Dominica Freedom Party Chairman Johnson Boston is encouraging Government to recognize the importance of effective mitigating practices, toward Climate Change, post Hurricane Maria.
 
Boston is also appealing for the complete revitalization of the Public Works Cooperation, as this company should be the first responder to a natural disaster in Dominica.

 
Executive Director of the Dominica Employers Federation (DEF) Achille Joseph is appealing to looters to return the laptops they stole at the Offices of the DEF, post Hurricane Maria on 18th September 2017.
 
Joseph says persons will not be prosecuted if they return the equipment, in good faith. He says the board wants to resume its work, and the files on those laptops are needed to do so immediately.
 
Joseph advised individuals to place the equipment at McMillan Gas Station, if persons do not want to reveal their names or identities.

Executive Director of the Dominica Employers Federation (DEF) Achille Joseph 

Education Ministry PS Chandler Hyacinth announced that registration for the 2018 CSEC Examinations has been extended to facilitate Dominican students.
 
She says registration for the examinations will end January 8, 2018.
 
She is also encouraging all students to continue to work on the school based assessment.

Meantime Hyacinth commended the foreign forces now present on the Island for their assistance towards rehabilitation of schools on the Island.

PS in the Ministry of Education Chandler Hyacinth .

CEO of the Dominica Air & Sea Ports Authority Benoit Bardouille is pleased that electricity has been restored at the Canefield Airport.
 
Bardouille says following Hurricane Maria, the airport continued its operations with the use of a generator.

DASPA CEO Benoit Bardouille

Dominica's Planning Minister Dr Collin McIntyre has come in defence of the Government of Dominica over the attitude of the opposition, in what he alleges to be efforts to malign the office of the Prime Minister and the country he leads.
 
McIntyre has taken a swipe at the Opposition for using "low & dirty politics" to try to sway the minds of the people of Dominica, locally and otherwise, into believing that Prime Minister Skerrit is not working in the best interest of the nation.
 
Mc Intyre claims that the opposition believes in calling all persons living in the Diaspora to come back home, but that some Dominicans abroad don't seem to buy into the opposition's request.
 
He says Dominicans living abroad don't believe that coming home to a Hurricane Ravaged Island is the best thing at this time.
 
Dr McIntyre says the opposition should know better than that.

​McIntyre says the overwhelming support to Dominica from the donor's conference, and having the PM Skerrit sit next to former US President Bill Clinton at such high-level meetings, is a plus for Dominica, and places it on a larger scale in the world.

​And on the issue of the Petro Caribe Agreement between Dominica and Venezuela, with the Spanish speaking country forgiving the debt of Dominica of US$100M, Dr McIntyre says there is much to be grateful for, when a small island like Venezuela could cancel Dominica's debt.

Dominica's Planning Minister Dr Collin McIntyre.