GIS Dominica inFocus (video)

Roseau, Dominica – January 31, 2008…… Thousands of Dominicans are now seeing the benefits  of the income tax relief measures promised  by Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit  in his 2007/2008 Budget Address last July with the payment of January salaries by Government.

A taxpayer earning $1500 per month will be $600 a year better off as a result of the income tax adjustment. A person earning $2000 per month will be $720 a year better off, while an individual earning $2500 a month will be $840 a year better off.

A taxpayer earning $3000 per month will be $1260 per year better off while one earning $4000 a month will be $1700 a year better off.

In addition, as a result of the increase in the non-taxable personal allowance, an additional 1,036 persons will no longer pay any income tax. Taking into account those persons who have filed returns with the Inland Revenue Division (IRD), the total number of exempt persons is a minimum of 3,149.

Roseau, Dominica – January 16, 2008……………….. There is a revolution now taking place in the education sector in Dominica. Prime Minister, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit made the announcement at the twenty-fourth inaugural meeting of the Vieille Case Village Council recently.

In his address the Prime Minister impressed upon the parents in the community of the importance of having education as a major priority for their children. Hon. Skerrit, a former College lecturer recalled how many children from Vieille Case did not attend a secondary school back then, “not because we were not bright, not because we did not pass the Common Entrance but because we were engaged in a competitive environment which allowed for only a few of us to have access to a secondary school”.

” Today, from 2005 through the efforts of the Ministry of Education and the Minister and the Government of Dominica, every single child from this village who goes to grade 6 has a space at the Portsmouth Secondary School,” Hon. Skerrit stated.

Roseau, Dominica – January 29, 2008…………. Progress is being reported on the Melville Hall Airport Upgrade Project with arriving passengers now being received at the extension of the terminal building now under construction.

On Monday, January 28, 2008, Minister for Ports, Hon. Charles Savarin invited the media to the Melville Hall Airport to witness for themselves arriving passengers now going through customs and immigration at the extension of the old terminal building. The transfer of operations of customs and immigration took effect on Sunday, January 20, 2008.

Moving customs and immigration to the new section now allows the contractors access to the section previously used to process customs and immigration so as to continue with the renovation programme with the intention of having a single refurbished terminal building upon completion.

Roseau, Dominica – January 24, 2008…………. Former Energy Minister and Minister with responsibility for PetroCaribe affairs, Hon. Reginald Austrie has confirmed that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was conducted with respect to the  construction of the Fuel Storage and Distribution Facility at Jimmit.

The Minister made the disclosure in response to a claim made by the former President of the Waitukubuli Ecological Foundation(WEF), Mr. Bernard Wiltshire that Hon. Reginald Austrie and by extension the Government of Dominica had lied to the people of Dominica and had not conducted an EIA with respect to the construction of the Venezuelan-funded US$20 million facility now nearing completion at Jimmit.

Roseau, Dominica – January 24, 2008……………….. Dominica has received grant financing and technical assistance as well as scholarships valued in excess of $100 million ECD from the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in the last two years.

This information was revealed by Minister for Housing, Lands and Telecommunications,

Hon. Reginald Austrie at a news conference on Tuesday.

The Minister was at the time responding to criticisms levelled at the Venezuelan Government on a local radio station.

Roseau, Dominica – January 23, 2008………………..The official launching of the Children of Itassi Reunion 2008 this Sunday, January 27^th 2008 will include the keynote address by Prime Minister and Parliamentary Representative for the Vieille Case constituency, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit.

The theme for the Children of Itassi Reunion 2008 is Celebrating our local and National leadership.

After the success of the Children of Itassi Reunion 2004,  Children of Itassi Reunion 2008 is being organised and will feature activities running from July 27^th-August 4^th 2008 and October 27th- November 4^th 2008.

Roseau, Dominica – January 17, 2008……………….. Over 900 passengers aboard the MV Norwegian Gem, which made its inaugural call to the Roseau Cruise Ship Berth in Roseau last Saturday, went on organised tours to several of Dominica’s unique attractions.

This was the eleventh inaugural call for the 2007/2008 cruise season.

The Norwegian Gem, which is owned by MV Norwegian Cruise Line, will make one more call to Dominica in the 2007/2008 cruise ship season. The passenger capacity of the 294. 13 liner is 2384.

Roseau, Dominica – January 17, 2008………………..Fully cognizant of the important role the agricultural sector plays in the growth of the national economy and in the sustainable development of the country, Government has reaffirmed  its commitment to the development of that sector with the announcement of  $20 million ECD  in investments  in the short to medium-term.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Hon. Matthew Walter  recently outlined the level of investment currently underway  and  planned investments in the agricultural sector in the medium-term, that is, within the next three years.

Roseau, Dominica – January 16, 2008……………….. Minister for Community Development, Gender Affairs, Culture and Information, Hon. Loreen Bannis-Roberts has said that the Cross-has always been a significant symbol for the Christian world.

The Minister made the statement at the Reunion of the Cross activity at Morne Bruce on Sunday evening. The activity is one of many events planned in commemoration of Reunion Year in recognition of Dominica’s 30^th anniversary of independence.

Speaking at the blessing and rededication of the Cross on Sunday evening, Hon. Bannis Roberts said, ” Christianity and the Cross are very much interconnected”.