Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit met with Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on May 24. The tourism minister is on a tour of the Caribbean and visited Dominica to hold high-level talks. The meeting took place at the Executive Lounge of the Douglas-Charles International Airport. Tourism Minister Al-Khateeb led an eight-member delegation that included the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Chief of Staff, Deputy CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), and Portfolio Manager, Expo 2023. Mr Skerrit welcomed the tourism minister and stated that their talks featured several matters of concern. 

They also shared their dialogues to strengthen their diplomatic ties on infrastructure development. The meeting also discussed the Saudi government’s newly established investment fund focused on the Caribbean, which is known as a significant step towards advancing infrastructure development across the Caribbean region.
 
Mr Skerrit stated that there is a proposal on the table to share knowledge about tourism marketing and development techniques with Dominica's ministry of tourism, with respect to the commitment of Dominica to fight climate change, and maintain a positive global presence in that regard.

Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit.

During the Workers Voice program, President of the UWP, Lennox Linton, stated that in the 2022 sham elections, more than 30,000 individuals in Dominica abstained from voting. Despite this, the leader of the DLP Regime was able to secure the position of prime minister without any issues. However, expressed concern about a public gathering in Roseau that would only involve a few thousand individuals. Linton expressed his pleasure in meeting with a diverse group of individuals from Dominica who shared the common objective of advocating for crucial electoral reform.

Lennox Linton, President of the UWP.

​The National Cooperative Credit Union Ltd (NCCU), a prominent financial institution in Dominica, has recently undergone a rebranding process. The primary objective of this undertaking is to establish a service-oriented environment and engender a new culture that is focused on catering to the needs of existing and potential members. During the launch event held earlier today, Acting CEO of NCCU Ltd, Curth Charles, presented a series of performance highlights of the institution, wherein he emphasized its successful attainment of a net growth of 30 million in the net loans portfolio.

Charles emphasized the importance of recognizing the board of directors and committee members for their voluntary commitment in approving loans on time, devising strategic policies, and adhering to the guidelines of the Cooperative Society's Act and NCCU's by-laws.

Acting CEO of National Cooperative Credit Union Ltd (NCCU),Curth Charles.

​Krishna Robin, the Ministry of Education's Education Officer for Curriculum, Measurement, and Evaluation, highlighted that the number of students has been dropping over the past few years as the annual Grade Six National Assessment (G6NA) was administered yesterday and early today. Schools where there would have typically been more than 100 participants have decreased by about 50%. The school system should be concerned about this downward trend in student enrollment.
 
The reasons behind this decrease are not entirely clear, but it could be due to a variety of factors such as changes in demographics, economic conditions, or shifts in educational preferences. Any initiative to boost student enrolment will ultimately be successful if all parties involved in the educational system—parents, educators, administrators, and policymakers—work together.

Krishna Robin, the Ministry of Education's Education Officer for Curriculum, Measurement, and Evaluation.

​Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit is urging Dominicans to prepare early to strengthen their ability to respond in the event that they are impacted by a major storm. He reminded citizens that it only takes one devastating event to shatter livelihoods and cause major upheaval of lives. The experts have predicted a near normal Atlantic hurricane season with 12 to 17 named storms in 2023. Of those 5 to 9 could become hurricanes, and 4 could become major hurricanes.

​Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit.

Attorney Gabriel Christian says the electoral situation in Dominica is alarming and concerning. He states that it is disheartening to see that investments in the country have not yielded positive results for the people who have put their faith in it.
 
Instead, they have been met with arrests and malicious prosecution, which have only served to erode their basic human rights. He noted that the suppression of freedom of speech is a clear indication that the country is moving towards becoming a one-party state, which is a dangerous path to tread.
 
The culture of fear that has taken root in Dominica must be addressed urgently before it becomes even more entrenched. Christian emphasizes that it is imperative that the people take steps to ensure that their voices are heard, and their rights are protected.

Attorney Gabriel Christian.

UWP Salybia Constituency candidate Annette Sanford opines that the Minister of Health and the DLP regime leader of Dominica often make claims of exceptional health care systems and infrastructure, but in actuality, a proper health care system is deficient in the country. She alluded to a recent occurrence in which nurses opted to step down from their employment duties due to the adverse conditions and circumstances, and the many challenges they encounter.

According to Sanford, the ultimate responsibility for the actions of those in positions of authority lies not with the officials themselves, but with the general population who consistently participate in the democratic process by attending the polls and casting their votes in favor of these officials. She has urged the Dominican people to alter their voting habits, in order to secure higher quality healthcare systems and overall improvements for their respective communities.

​Annette Sanford, a member of the United Workers Party (UWP).

​Dominica Public Service Union (DPSU) General Secretary Thomas Letang contends that the people of Dominica are currently being exploited and have, to some degree, permitted themselves to be used and abused by others. He expressed perplexity at the persistence of certain individuals who refuse to advocate for their rights for reasons of fear or their desire and hope for favours.

Letang opined that expeditious measures are not being implemented to guarantee that the people receive their desired electoral and campaign finance reforms. He noted that the prevalence of animosity in the society has facilitated a phenomenon whereby certain individuals close themselves off to information regarding pressing societal dilemmas.

General Secretary of the Dominica Public Service Union (DPSU), Thomas Letang.

Scott Furssedonn-Wood, High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, has embarked upon a visit to Dominica. He expressed heartfelt delight upon his return to the Nature Isle of the Caribbean. In a Twitter post, he shared magnificent glimpses of Dominica unfolding nature’s grandeur. The island is distinguished as the Nature Isle of the Caribbean for a reason it is home to luxurious forests, abundant water, and millions of fascinating species of wildlife.
 
HC Wood has not visited for the first time in Dominica, as he explored the hidden gem of the Caribbean in earlier 2023, January. At that time, he also lauded the country and experienced its flora and fauna. Along with that, Wood also appreciated the efforts of Dominica in achieving its climate-resilient goals and promoting eco-tourism by adopting sustainable measures. Dominica has been working to conserve its natural assets and reduce its carbon footprint.
 
Those who visit Dominica have widely experienced flora and fauna, which makes it one of the favorable destinations among tourists. The rivers, waterfalls and rainforests of Nature Isle add unique and prominent features to its beauty. Several tourist attractions, such as the Indian River, are known for Boatloads of foreign vacationers cruising the river, dancing, partying, flirting, and really displaying passionate love and appreciation for this island, blistering with natural beauty.
 
Due to its natural beauty and efforts to preserve its assets, Dominica gained several recognitions and accolades in several magazines. CNN Travel also recognized Nature Isle as one of the most beautiful places in the world. 

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit says the government is going to put a more robust and transparent process in place to facilitate the approval of Haitian work permits. In this regard he says a task force will be established as early as next week to review the outstanding applications and address the issue of work permits. He says this also applies to other citizens.

Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit.