Acting Minister made the statement at the 12th Inaugural Meeting of the Boetica Village Council
Roseau, Dominica – December 1, 2008……. Acting Minister for Community Development, Culture, Gender Affairs and Information, Hon. Urban Baron has underlined the importance of village councils to the development of rural communities in Dominica.
Hon. Baron, who was speaking of behalf of the Minister for Community Development, Hon. Loreen Bannis-Roberts who was out of State on official business, made the remark at the Twelfth Inaugural Meeting of the Boetica Village Council in Boetica last week.
“Village Councils have done a lot for Dominica. Village Councils have changed and improved the lives of the rural people. I think that without village councils being established many years ago, a lot of our villages, a lot of our communities would have been way behind in terms of our development,” Hon. Baron said.
In his address the Minister also told the villagers that in order to continue to move forward with the development of their community, “all villagers must be on board”. He stated further that “it is not the work of the eight councillors” and called for the participation and involvement of the entire community. The Parliamentary Representative for Petite Savanne called on the residents of Boetica to advise where possible, give off their time and energy and pledged Government’s support to the new Council.
Hon. Baron also praised the work of Chairman of the Boetica Village Council, Mr. Philip Guiste, who also served as Chairman during the last three year term of office.
At the 12th Inaugural Meeting, eight councillors took their oath of office. Acting Minister for Community Development, Hon. Urban Baron did the Presentation of Credentials. The five elected
councillors are Angelina Daniel, Francis Emmanuel, Philip Guite, Benedict Joseph and Sandra Joseph. The three nominated councillors are Ambrose Joseph, Flavia Languedoc and Marona Languedoc.
Also in attendance at the 12th Inaugural Meeting were the then Acting President of Dominica, Dr. Philip Griffin and Mrs. Griffin, the then Acting Prime Minister, Hon. Reginald Austrie, Minister for Economic Development and Urban Renewal, Hon. Julius Timothy, Parliamentary Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Hon. Petter St. Jean, Acting Local Government Commissioner, Mrs. Claudine Roberts Mrs. Marcella Augustine, District Development Officer/South East, Justice of the Peace, Mr. Villeneuve St. Ville and members of the Boetica Cultural Group.
Local Government was introduced in Dominica one hundred and twelve (112) years ago as part of a system of political decentralization used by the British to administer the island.
