The Dominica Youth Business Trust will host a cadre of activities in recognition of Global Entrepreneurship Week 2023 in Dominica.
Global Entrepreneurship Week, scheduled to run from November 13 to 19, is a global celebration of entrepreneurship which recognizes the importance of entrepreneurs and their enterprises, to economic advancement and social welfare.
Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture, Youth, Sports and Community Development, Hon. Oscar George, highlighted the theme of Global Entrepreneurship Week 2023.
“The Dominica Youth Business Trust popularly known as the DYBT is the proud host of Global Entrepreneurship Week 2023 in Dominica. This year’s global theme is “Entrepreneurs Thrive Here.” A powerful statement that captures every essence of the transformative journey we are embarking on. This theme is not merely a slogan. It is a guiding principle that echoes the Dominica Labor Party Government to fostering and nurturing an environment where entrepreneur dreams take root and flourish, Minister George stated.”
Dominica Youth Business Trust continues to be a pioneer that drives economic growth and progress by engaging individuals in entrepreneurship training programs. Since its official launch in 2004, the Dominica Youth Business Trust has impacted over 1500 entrepreneurs in Dominica.
Sixty individuals will graduate from the four-week Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) on November 22, 2023.
Coordinator of the Dominica Youth Business Trust, Hon. Phillip Rolle spoke to the success of the last entrepreneurial cohort.
“I would say our last entrepreneurial cohort has been very successful. What we’ve noticed especially with our one month training program is that we were able to take entrepreneurs who had an idea as to what they wanted to do. Still they were very shy as to how they communicated that business idea, with others to a point where from our recently conducted business plan innovation awards, they were able to speak confidently in front of a panel of judges about their business plan and for me I consider that a major success. Because what that means is that they know what they want to do. And because they have done the research which the training would have prompted them to do they are more comfortable in presenting their business ideas. And that is something we see that a lot of entrepreneurs are unable to do. A lot of people don’t like public speaking in general but the fact that you can present your business idea to a panel that means that when you go to a loans officer you can present that same business idea confidently to that loans officer and hopefully get the financing they need,” Hon. Rolle explained.
There have been a number of success stories stemming from beginnings in the Dominica Youth Business Trust Entrepreneurship Development Programme.
“We have been fortunate to have a lot of entrepreneurs who have passed through and have gone on to be extremely successful in their business endeavors. One I can speak to off the top of my head and everybody should be familiar with is “Big G’s Pepper Sauce.” That’s Mr. Grayson John. He is one that actually came through the program and when he started he had another business idea. And in going through the training program he recognized the opportunity to develop this pepper sauce business. And I believe today he’s exporting. We also have Mr. Frankie Phillip of Daily Fresh, another entrepreneur who has passed through the DYBT. I can speak to Mr. Alton Christmas of ‘Christmas Cravings’. You should be familiar with his juices in town he has a few outlets around town. I can speak to Mr. Tevin Benjamin the owner of Mr. King’s punches another local manufacturer,” Hon. Rolle stated.
The events that will form part of Global Entrepreneurship Week include a school outreach across Dominica from November 14 to 16, to foster culture of youth entrepreneurship, an entrepreneurs’ showcase at Castle Bruce youth centre on November 16, and a webinar on cultivating entrepreneurial spirit in education.
Hon. Oscar George expressed commitment to support entrepreneurial growth in Dominica.
“Let me on behalf of the Government of Dominica pledge our continued commitment to the development of micro, small and medium enterprise sectors. We recognize the importance of investing in our young population and we continue to support the work that the DYBT has been mandated to undertake. I am confident that this week will be more than a celebration; it will be a testament of the spirit of innovation, collaboration and determination that defines us as a nation. Lastly, I would like to extend commendations to all the young, innovative and industrious entrepreneurs across Dominica and best wishes to the Dominica Youth Business Trust and its partners in hosting this major event,” Hon. George added.
Eight councilors have been sworn in to serve on the Grandfond Village Council after members of the community convened for the twenty eighth inaugural meeting of the Grand Fond Village Council on November 9, 2023.
Janice Marrifield- Dejean, Kemon Cuffy, Mckhartny Robin, Augustus Lewis, Johanna Lockhart are the elected councilors, while Juanita Lawrence, Jones Eusebe, Teressa Ann Dangleben are the nominated councilors who will serve on the Grand Fond Village Council for the next three years.
Minister for Culture, Youth, Sports and Community Development and Parliamentary Representative for the Grand Fond Constituency, Hon. Gretta Roberts offered her congratulations to the council. She described the 28th inaugural meeting as a significant moment to the development of Grand Fond.
“I stand here today with a deep sense of pride, as we gather to inaugurate our new village council. This occasion marks a significant milestone in the continued journey in our village’s development. I am privileged and humbled to address you as Parliamentary Representative and minister for local government and to express my heartfelt congratulations to all of you. Today we celebrate the formation of an institution that will serve as the voice of the community, the bridge that will connect our community with government and most importantly a catalyst for postitive change,” Minister Roberts stated.
Hon. Roberts advised the new council to remain connected with the community in developing Grand Fond.
“As we embrace this three year journey let me remind you that being a councilor is no easy task, and your responsibilities are waiting. Grand Fond holds dear to the core values of unity, inclusivity and collaboration, pillars upon which it has become the strong resilient village that it is today. Its success lies in the harmonious connection between you and the community, therefore I urge you to foster an environment where every voice is heard. Engage the community, invite us to meetings, listen to our concerns and ensure the decisions you make represent the collective will of the village,” she noted.
Meanwhile, the incoming chairperson of the Grand Fond village council Janice Marrifield-Dejean outlined the aspirations of the village council for the next three years.
“The following are some of the plans that we aspire to accomplish as a team over the next three year term; one… the construction of our new health centre, the lighting of the community with use of solar lighting, further development of our sporting facilities and sporting disciplines, renovation of our community centre to cater for adult education and human resource development. More attention given to family life issues with emphasis on child and social welfare, upgrade and promotion of ecotourism sites with emphasis on the denier falls site and trails and Shimmeh Letang trail; empowerment of the youth to include skills training, entertainment opportunities, small business and cultural development. Finally we aim to work closely with the schools as we seek to see our students succeed and return to the days they were a formidable force in the education system,” Mrs. Marrifield-Dejean stated.
Prime Minister of Dominica, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit encouraged the residents of Grand Fond to remain united in their common purpose of developing Grand Fond and encouraged individuals to view culture as a means for the economic empowerment of their village.
“We will not always agree on what should be done and how it should be done but the most important thing is that we always want the best for Grand Fond. And how do we go about achieving that, and it is important for all of us to put in our little effort towards development of the community. When you hear these young children sing and they will be doing some dancing later for us and more singing. It tells you that the culture we have known Grand Fond for is very strong and alive. I believe that it is time that we start looking at culture as a means of economic empowerment and not just for entertainment,” PM Skerrit stated.
He gave the commitment of the government to the construction of a health center in Grand Fond.
“So we’re committed, pal-rep and councilors and villagers, the next priority is the construction of a health centre and we give the assurance that in 2024, God’s willing we will commence with the construction of the new health centre in Grand Fond,” PM Skerrit added.
The Grand Fond village council was first inaugurated in 1939.
As activities observing Dominica’s 45th anniversary of independence came to a close, the Division of Culture celebrated heritage day 2023 in the village of Woodford Hill.
The event was attended by President of Dominica, Her Excellency, Sylvanie Burton, Prime Minister Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit, and other cabinet members.
The day started with a church service held at the Woodford Hill school grounds followed by an exhibition and cultural gala.
This year Mr. Johnny Skerrit was honored as the cultural gala for his contribution to the promotion and preservation of Dominica’s culture through dance.
“Johnny’s Skerrit legacy is not about dance and music; it’s a story of unwavering dedication, passion and a deep love for his homeland. His life journey stands as an inspiration to future generations, reminding them of the importance of preserving and cherishing their cultural heritage. The Cultural Division and the Independence Committee join with the Heritage Day Committee in congratulating Mr. Johnny Skerrit today November 5th 2023 on being awarded the distinguish title of Cultural Elder 2023. Best wishes to you Mr. Skerrit and may God richly bless you,” Mr Earlson Matthew stated.
Member of Parliament for the Wesley Constituency, Hon. Fidel Grant says heritage day gives residents of his constituency a chance to display their talents and their businesses.
“I believe we met our goal today. We showcased the rich culture of Woodford Hill; we showcased our many talents and the warmth and love that the people of Woodford Hill have to share with Dominica. We also displayed many of the homegrown businesses that you would have seen here today. But it brings me great joy that in a short space of time that a group of young dedicated persons all from the community of Woodford Hill, came together, put all differences aside and we are now here today because of this and we are witnessing the staging of Heritage Day here in Woodford Hill,” Hon. Grant stated.
Minister for Culture, Hon. Gretta Roberts says heritage day is a day to celebrate all that is uniquely Dominica.
“Today we celebrate everything that makes us unique as Dominicans. Our folk songs, dance, storytelling, our local cuisine, arts and craft and dress and importantly the beauty and spirit of our people. Heritage Day is one of the more significant events on our independence calendar because it brings together in one place, on one stage the best of Dominican culture, reminding us of the rich and storied history that has shaped us as a people of strength and dignity,” Minister Roberts stated.
The Minister for Culture encouraged all citizens to embrace their patriotism throughout the year to build a prosperous Dominica.
“Dominica’s culture and our expression of our traditions are unmatched anywhere else in the region. As a people, we must be very proud of this and do all we can to preserve these valuable features of our nationhood. I believe that it is important to maintain the love for country that we see exhibited every independence season. We must carry this feeling throughout the year because the admiration and commitment to Dominica that is on display every October into November can inspire us to build the prosperous country we are all working towards,” Minister Roberts added.
Prime Minister Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit congratulated the Division of Culture for hosting a successful independence season.
“I really want to say congratulations to all of you for what we have termed to be a very successful and very enjoyable 45th anniversary of our independence. And as has been said there is no other country in the world that celebrates their independence like Dominica. Our entire country is always on showcase with a sense of pride and dignity as a nation,” Prime Minister Skerrit stated.
He says the involvement of the youth means that Dominica’s culture will thrive for generations to come.
“Woodford Hill has always had a very rich culture and promotion of the cultural art from, and so there is no better place in Dominica that we could have hosted Heritage Day other than Woodford Hill. And I must say they have not let us down, they have showed us that this culture is very strong, and we can see it in the young people, we can see it in the senior citizens so it is really obvious that we have many more generations of enjoying our cultural heritage here in Woodford Hill and Dominica by extension,” Prime Minister Skerrit added.
Twenty-four individuals received Meritorious Service Awards during the ceremony to observe Dominica’s 45th anniversary of Independence on November 3rd, 2023.
Businessmen Mr. Karl Nassief, Mr.Daryl Williams, Mr. Edrick Robinson, Mr. Patrick Pemberton and child welfare advocate Mr. Martin Anthony received Dominica’s second highest award, the Sisserou Award of Honor.
Mrs. Cynthia Agnes Joseph(Sports) Mr. Fabierre Adler Hamlet (Electrical Engineering Ms. Gloria Septra Augustus (Social Services) Mr. Yoland Jno, Jules (Public Service), Dr. Orrin Jolly ( Business) Mr.Renneth Alexis (Business) Mr Sun Hoajie (Chinese Agricultural Mission) Mr. Sobers Esprit, (Culture) Mr,Kendell Johnson (Public Service Engineering) Mr Samuel Carrette (Community Development) Mr. Clement Royer( Business), Mr. Maximin Victorine (Construction) Mr.Allan Paul (Economics) Mr.Daniel Langlois( Business), Ms.Lisa White (Culture) and Mr. Asa Edwards(Music) received the Meritorious Service Award.
Ms. Marian George (Tourism) Mr Cecil Joseph (Agriculture) and Mr. Ashton Shillingford(Media) received the Services Medal of Honor.
The awards were presented on Friday , November third, 2023 at the Independence Day Observance ceremony at the Windsor Park Sports Stadium.
The Government of Dominica has issued a tropical storm watch for Dominica.
This as Tropical Storm Tammy has strengthened as it approaches the Lesser Antilles.
At 2:00 PM this afternoon, the center of Tropical Storm Tammy was located near latitude 13.5 North, longitude 56.4 West. Tammy is moving toward the west near 14 mph .
On the forecast track, the center of Tammy will move near or over the Leeward Islands Friday and Saturday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 60 mph (95 km/h) with higher gusts. Gradual strengthening is expected during the next few days, and Tammy is forecast to be at or near hurricane intensity when it moves near the Leeward Islands.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles (205 km) primarily to the east of the center.
Key messages for Tammy
WIND: Tropical storm conditions are expected within the tropical storm warning area beginning Friday. Hurricane conditions are possible in portions of the Leeward Islands Friday night and Saturday. Tropical storm conditions are possible within the tropical storm watch area beginning on Friday.
RAINFALL: Through Sunday, Tammy is expected to produce storm total rainfall of 3 to 6 inches, with maximum amounts of 10 inches, across portions of the northern Windward and Leeward Islands.
Weather update from the Dominica Met Office as of 2:00 pm Thursday October 19 2023
An area of moisture ahead of Tropical Storm Tammy can be expected to result in an increase in cloudiness, scattered showers and possible thunderstorms across the island later today.
At 11am, Tropical Storm Tammy was located about 395 miles east southeast of Dominica and a Tropical Storm Watch remains in place. A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area within 48 hours. Tammy is moving west at about 15 mph with maximum sustained winds near 60mph with higher gusts. On this track, Tammy is expected to approach the area by Friday afternoon into Saturday.
This system has the potential to bring gusty winds, heavy rainfall and flooding to portions of the Lesser Antilles beginning Friday.
A deterioration in sea conditions can also be expected by Tonight and gradually become worse into the weekend and a small craft warning and a high surf advisory is now in place. Residents are advised to make all the necessary preparations to protect life and property and to stay tuned for updated information provided by the Met Office.