“If you were to ask me whether the country was in safe hands, I can tell you that the country is in exceptionally safe hands.”
Words spoken by Honourable Prime Minister Skerrit as he assured the nation of his Government’s obligation to properly manage Dominica’s resources.
At the orientation ceremony of the Dominica Employment and Small Business Support Agency’s Apprenticeship Programme last week, Prime Minister Skerrit revealed that, “although the effects of the global financial crisis are being felt locally, economies which are much larger than Dominica’s are struggling with worse conditions.”
“In Spain the unemployment rate among young people is as high as 26%; in the United States unemployment hovers around 8%. There are people walking on the streets in the United States with PHD’s and Master Degrees and first degrees who are unemployed,” he stated.
The Prime Minister indicated, “We in Dominica have not escaped the effects of the global crisis.” However, he said, “We have to appreciate that this Government is doing all of these things in a time when the entire world is grappling with serious challenges.”
He attributed the significantly reduced negative impact of the world’s financial situation on Dominica to his Government’s fiscal prudence.
“Luckily for us in Dominica, this Government, over an extended period of time, has been managing the finances of the state in a responsible manner. We have been responsive to the needs of our people but at the same time we have been responsible with the management of these resources,” the Prime Minister declared.
Honourable Skerrit also credits his Government’s ‘Friend To All’ foreign policy for the island’s remarkable performance during these difficulties. A policy, he says, which is based heavily on good will.
“We have been able to forge extraordinary relationships in so far as our foreign policy is concerned. We have friends, not withstanding the challenges confronting the world, who we can call [when] we need assistance for any matter and who because of the extraordinary friendship, will say to us ‘yes we will assist’.”
Dominica’s leader also revealed that in early June an agreement will be signed to disburse five million dollars to the National Development Foundation of Dominica to facilitate further small business development on the island.
According to the nation’s leader, these instances should demonstrate to the Dominican public that the Labour-Party Government can be trusted to manage the affairs of the country.