Roseau, Dominica – October 5, 2025 — Nearly five years after the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped economies and livelihoods across the Caribbean, Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit is charting a new course for the nation’s recovery.
In a national address on Sunday evening, Skerrit unveiled the “Dominica Resilience and Recovery Plan 2025–2030,” calling it a “people-centred roadmap” designed to heal the wounds left by the pandemic while laying the foundation for a more sustainable economy.
“We’ve come through the storm,” Skerrit told citizens. “Now it’s time to rebuild—smarter, stronger, and more united than ever.”
The plan places strong emphasis on supporting small businesses, expanding digital infrastructure, and revitalizing agriculture and tourism, two pillars of Dominica’s economy hit hardest by the pandemic.
At the heart of the strategy is the government’s pledge to strengthen healthcare, ensuring the island is better prepared for future health crises.
Dr. Irving McIntyre, Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs, said the plan is “not just a recovery effort—it’s a vision for long-term independence and innovation.”
Local entrepreneurs and community leaders have responded positively to the initiative. “This gives hope to families who lost income during the lockdowns,” said Maria Joseph, a small business owner in Roseau. “It feels like the government is finally looking beyond survival to true progress.”
The plan will be debated in Parliament later this month, with implementation expected to begin early next year.
Regional leaders have also praised Dominica’s move. Dr. Didacus Jules, Director General of the OECS, commended the initiative as “a forward-thinking blueprint for small island states.”
“Dominica’s strategy reflects the very essence of Caribbean resilience,” Jules said. “It recognizes that recovery is not simply about returning to normal—but about building a stronger, fairer, and greener future for all.”
For many Dominicans, the message is clear: the country’s next chapter will be defined not by what it lost during the pandemic, but by how it rebuilds.
