With an aim to improve the social and economic circumstance of the Kalinago people, the Government of Dominica launched a Kalinago Development.
The eight hundred and sixty thousand dollars fund was launched on Wednesday, March 9 2022 and aims at increasing access to credit for the Kalinago people, an obstacle that has hindered their development for years.
The money will be administered by the AID Bank at a two percent interest rate. In order to qualify, applicants must be of Kalinago ancestry; any infrastructure must be built within the Kalinago space and all businesses must be established and registered in Dominica.
The Kalinago Development fund is the culmination of several years of intense work which started from 2005 in the office of the Prime Minister when it was referred to as the Kalinago Development Cooperation.
Minister for Environment, Rural Modernization and Kalinago Upliftment and Member of Parliament for the Salybia Constituency, Hon. Cozier Fredrick stated that he is pleased to be a part of a “very progressive Government that appreciates our struggles and who understands the present situation of the Kalinagos.”
The Parliamentary Representative explained that without land as collateral, access to finance to improve the standard of living in important aspects such as housing, small businesses, agriculture, and education is affected.
Hon. Frederick stated that this Kalinago Development Fund will greatly benefit the Kalinago Territory as it will provide opportunities for growth and improvement of the community.
“This Kalinago Development Fund will help us in many ways. It will improve our standard of living, create and expand local businesses, provide opportunities for young people, strengthen the Kalinago Territory as a tourism destination, encourage local entrepreneurship and more importantly inspire a new generation of Kalinago leadership,” Minister Frederick stated.
The Member of Parliament then called on his people to take advantage of this opportunity to improve their lives and their communities.
“There is very visible development in the Kalinago space, and so friends our Kalinago Development Fund will certainly support more development even after the currently ongoing projects are completed. I call on my people to take this opportunity to develop serious business enterprises. Build business partnerships. Be diligent. Use the finance appropriately. When we do that we will be able to increase our household income, reduce unemployment and reduce dependency levels,” Hon. Frederick added.
Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit stated that the establishment of this fund is just another in a string of investments in the Kalinago Territory.
PM Skerrit noted that this fund will eradicate some of the obstacles residents of the Kalinago Territory face in securing loans.
“This difficulty to secure loans from traditional financial institutions like commercial banks and credit unions is a major obstacle to their social and economic advancement. Such restrictions have over many years impeded the progress of the Kalinagos in housing, small business development agriculture and education. This fund is on step forward in helping our Kalinago brothers and sisters overcome this long standing road block,” PM Skerrit went on to say.
The Prime Minister further noted that this fund will increase economic activity in the Kalinago Territory.
“It guarantees an increase in employment levels due to the focus on enterprise development in the areas of crop production and processing, off shore fisheries, arts and craft and ancillary tourism industries. I highlight these because they are part of the traditional economic activity practiced in the Kalinago Territory. Access to funding provides our Kalinago brothers and sisters with renewed impetus to practice their arts and craft skills to generate revenue and reestablish the Territory as a hotspot for visitors local and foreign who crave the authentic indigenous experience,” PM Skerrit added.