“A budget to enhance the lives of the Kalinago people,” That’s what the Hon. Member of Parliament For The Salybia Constituency, Casius Darroux, is calling the 2015/2016 National Budget.
Included in the over half a billion dollar budget is half a million dollars towards small business development in the Kalinago Territory.
The Hon. MP says this is significant investment in Dominica’s indigenous people.
“It is the first time in the history of the indigenous people of Dominica that we have received this amount for our own development,” he said. “As we all know, in the Kalinago Territory we hold our land in common thus we are not able to approach lending institutions to access financing.”
He added, “We will encourage sustainable and innovative businesses for economic development.”
The Hon. MP highlighted the work of the Labour Party Administration in education.
“Now under this Government, we have free transportation, assistance with uniforms and text books, the School Transfer Grant. Most importantly, I can proudly boast of what the Government has been doing for our Kalinago students attending the Dominica State College.
“We received a $600 transportation fee and it has been Government’s policy to give every Kalinago student attending the DSC a scholarship.”
The total budget allocation for the Kalinago Territory is just over $2m.
He was addressing Parliament on Monday July 27.