Month: January 2008

PRIME MINISTER SKERRIT REPORTS ON MAJOR DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES IN FIRST PRESS CONFERENCE OF 2008

pm_skerrit_at_first_press_con_jan_2008.jpgRoseau, Dominica – January 18, 2008…………. Dominica’s Prime Minster, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit has reported on his success in securing grant financing of US$15 million (approximately $40 million ECD) from the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for the construction of a new headquarters to house the OECS Secretariat.

 

The Dominican Leader, who is also Chairman of the OECS Authority, made the announcement at his first press conference for the New Year, 2008 held at the Financial Centre recently.

 

According to Hon. Skerrit, he was given the mandate by his OECS colleague Heads to engage friendly governments and organisations with a view to raising the required financing to build a new headquarters for the OECS Secretariat in Castries, St. Lucia.

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THOUSANDS BENEFIT AS INCOME TAX RELIEF MEASURES TAKE EFFECT

Roseau, Dominica – January 31, 2008…… Thousands of addresses_nation_nov_3_2007.jpgDominicans are now seeing the benefits  of the income tax relief measures promised  by Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit  in his 2007/2008 Budget Address last July with the payment of January salaries by Government.

 

A taxpayer earning $1500 per month will be $600 a year better off as a result of the income tax adjustment. A person earning $2000 per month will be $720 a year better off, while an individual earning $2500 a month will be $840 a year better off.

 

A taxpayer earning $3000 per month will be $1260 per year better off while one earning $4000 a month will be $1700 a year better off.

 

In addition, as a result of the increase in the non-taxable personal allowance, an additional 1,036 persons will no longer pay any income tax. Taking into account those persons who have filed returns with the Inland Revenue Division (IRD), the total number of exempt persons is a minimum of 3,149.

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THERE IS A REVOLUTION IN EDUCATION IN DOMINICA SAYS PRIME MINISTER HON. ROOSEVELT SKERRIT

skerrit_at_vieille_case_village_council_inauguration_2008.jpgRoseau, Dominica – January 16, 2008……………….. There is a revolution now taking place in the education sector in Dominica. Prime Minister, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit made the announcement at the twenty-fourth inaugural meeting of the Vieille Case Village Council recently.

 

In his address the Prime Minister impressed upon the parents in the community of the importance of having education as a major priority for their children. Hon. Skerrit, a former College lecturer recalled how many children from Vieille Case did not attend a secondary school back then, “not because we were not bright, not because we did not pass the Common Entrance but because we were engaged in a competitive environment which allowed for only a few of us to have access to a secondary school”.

 

” Today, from 2005 through the efforts of the Ministry of Education and the Minister and the Government of Dominica, every single child from this village who goes to grade 6 has a space at the Portsmouth Secondary School,” Hon. Skerrit stated.

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PORTS MINISTER SAVARIN REPORTS PROGRESS AT MELVILLE HALL AIRPORT AS

passengers_at_extension_of_terminal_building_jan_2008.jpgRoseau, Dominica – January 29, 2008…………. Progress is being reported on the Melville Hall Airport Upgrade Project with arriving passengers now being received at the extension of the terminal building now under construction.

 

On Monday, January 28, 2008, Minister for Ports, Hon. Charles Savarin invited the media to the Melville Hall Airport to witness for themselves arriving passengers now going through customs and immigration at the extension of the old terminal building. The transfer of operations of customs and immigration took effect on Sunday, January 20, 2008.

 

Moving customs and immigration to the new section now allows the contractors access to the section previously used to process customs and immigration so as to continue with the renovation programme with the intention of having a single refurbished terminal building upon completion.

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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT WAS DONE WITH RESPECT TO FUEL STORAGE FACILITY AT JIMMIT

Roseau, Dominica – January 24, 2008…………. Former Energy Minister and hon_austrie_on_mv_freewinds_nov_2007.jpgMinister with responsibility for PetroCaribe affairs, Hon. Reginald Austrie has confirmed that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was conducted with respect to the  construction of the Fuel Storage and Distribution Facility at Jimmit.

 

The Minister made the disclosure in response to a claim made by the former President of the Waitukubuli Ecological Foundation(WEF), Mr. Bernard Wiltshire that Hon. Reginald Austrie and by extension the Government of Dominica had lied to the people of Dominica and had not conducted an EIA with respect to the construction of the Venezuelan-funded US$20 million facility now nearing completion at Jimmit.

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DOMINICA RECEIVED IN EXCESS OF $100 MILLION FROM VENEZUELA IN THE LAST TWO YEARS

reginald_austrie_oct3_2007_signing_of_contracts.jpgRoseau, Dominica – January 24, 2008……………….. Dominica has received grant financing and technical assistance as well as scholarships valued in excess of $100 million ECD from the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in the last two years.

 

This information was revealed by Minister for Housing, Lands and Telecommunications,

Hon. Reginald Austrie at a news conference on Tuesday.

 

The Minister was at the time responding to criticisms levelled at the Venezuelan Government on a local radio station.

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PM SKERRIT TO ADDRESS OFFICIAL LAUNCHING CEREMONY OF CHILDREN OF ITASSI REUNION 2008

prime_minister_skerrit_at_vieille_case_village_council_inauguration_jan_2008.jpgRoseau, Dominica – January 23, 2008………………..The official launching of the Children of Itassi Reunion 2008 this Sunday, January 27th 2008 will include the keynote address by Prime Minister and Parliamentary Representative for the Vieille Case constituency, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit.

 

The theme for the Children of Itassi Reunion 2008 is Celebrating our local and National leadership.

 

After the success of the Children of Itassi Reunion 2004,  Children of Itassi Reunion 2008 is being organised and will feature activities running from July 27th-August 4th 2008 and October 27th- November 4th 2008.

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OVER 900 CRUISE PASSENGERS GO ON TOURS AS MV NORWEGIAN GEM MAKES INAUGURAL CALL TO DOMINICA

Roseau, Dominica – January 17, 2008……………….. Over 900 passengers aboard norwegian_gem_from_morne_bruce.jpgthe MV Norwegian Gem, which made its inaugural call to the Roseau Cruise Ship Berth in Roseau last Saturday, went on organised tours to several of Dominica’s unique attractions.

 

This was the eleventh inaugural call for the 2007/2008 cruise season.

 

The Norwegian Gem, which is owned by MV Norwegian Cruise Line, will make one more call to Dominica in the 2007/2008 cruise ship season. The passenger capacity of the 294. 13 liner is 2384.

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$20 MILLION INVESTMENTS IN AGRICULTURAL SECTOR IN THE SHORT TO MEDIUM-TERM

Roseau, Dominica – January 17, 2008………………..Fully cognizant of the minister_with_calibishie_farmer_deles_warrington.jpgimportant role the agricultural sector plays in the growth of the national economy and in the sustainable development of the country, Government has reaffirmed  its commitment to the development of that sector with the announcement of  $20 million ECD  in investments  in the short to medium-term.

 

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Hon. Matthew Walter  recently outlined the level of investment currently underway  and  planned investments in the agricultural sector in the medium-term, that is, within the next three years.

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