1997 INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATIONS
National Day Speech
DELIVERED
BY
THE HONOURABLE EDISON C. JAMES
PRIME MINISTER
OF
THE COMMONWEALTH OF DOMINICA
AT
THE INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE
WINDSOR PARK
ROSEAU
on
NOVEMBER 3, 1997
1997 INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATIONS
National Day Speech
DELIVERED
BY
THE HONOURABLE EDISON C. JAMES
PRIME MINISTER
OF
THE COMMONWEALTH OF DOMINICA
AT
THE INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE
WINDSOR PARK
ROSEAU
on
NOVEMBER 3, 1997
Your Excellency the President and Mrs. Sorhaindo
Hon. Speaker of the House of Assembly
Hon. Ministers of Government
Hon. Members of Parliament
Past President Sir Clarence Seignoret
Former Prime Ministers
Your Lordship the Bishop of Roseau and Members of the Clergy
Your Lordship Judge Odel Adams
Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Distinguished Guests
Uniformed Groups
Fellow Dominicans
For many years, November 3rd has been a special day for Dominicans. Even before we became independent in 1978, November 3rd and the days preceding it had been a season when Dominicans focused on being Dominican, and in various ways manifested their national pride and their cultural heritage. This is a time when Dominicans residing abroad travel to their homeland to share in the festivities and in the cultural activities. There are many of you visiting Dominicans here today. I welcome you most sincerely. To those Dominicans in the neighbouring islands who are not able to be here, but who are following these proceedings through the medium of radio, we send you our best wishes.
A hearty welcome to all friends of Dominica who have joined us for the celebrations. Some of you came for the World Creole Music Festival where you appreciated the French and Creole side of our heritage. You participated in and witnessed the exuberance and the energy of a people who are able now to express themselves in a way that brings out the experiences of their past history. It is our expectation that as the years go by, we will be able to involve in our Creole Music Festival all those countries of the world with experiences similar to ours.
I wish to repeat that special invitation which I extended last year at this time. In 1999, we will celebrate in a special way the 21st birthday of our nation. This celebration comes by happy coincidence on the eve of the new millennium. I am again making a call for all Dominicans and friends of Dominica to be with us from October 1999 to January 2000, so that together we can celebrate and give thanks to the Almighty for our beautiful country, and for the strength, courage and commitment to continue working for its development. In this regard a Millennium Commission has been established, and its members mandated to prepare for Birthday 21 in 1999, and millennium 2000. Much more will be heard about this over the next several months.
Saturday, November 1st, and Sunday, November 2nd, were National Days of Prayer and Thanksgiving. We thanked the Almighty for the peace and tranquillity of our country and for his guidance and continued protection, especially from natural disasters. We have once more been fortunate in 1997 in that we were spared the fury of the hurricanes. We cannot help at this time but think of our brothers and sisters in Montserrat whose lives have been so devastated by volcanic activity. We have rendered assistance by providing food and other essential supplies to the beleaguered people of Montserrat, and we continue to be on the ready to do anything which is within our power to help them in this crisis.
Fellow Dominicans - The theme of our Independence celebrations in 1995 was "Working for National Development". Last year, 1996, we issued a challenge to all Dominicans to "Serve with Pride and Dignity". This year the call is "Work to Achieve". Service to our country and to each other, and working with each other for our country are key to achieve national development and prosperity.
Much has been written about work. The Holy Bible admonishes us that those who will not work must not eat. That is the clearest statement yet about the importance of work to human development, and, by extension, National development.
We will achieve nothing if we do not actively participate in the work process. It was the English Humorist Jerome K. Jerome who said "I like work; it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours". Fellow Dominicans - We must not only like to see work, we must like to do work. It is through the hard work and sacrifices of our forefathers that we have a country which we can call our own. It is through the hard work and sacrifices of others that we have a democratic country in which one is free to express opinions, by word of mouth, by the pen or otherwise. It is through the hard work of the Government and people that we can make this country prosper.
Fellow Dominicans - I wish to assure you that your Government is at work. We have been at work since you elected us to office on June 12, 1995. Last year I reported to you on what we had achieved, and outlined the action we were taking to achieve even more. I am happy to report that the Constitution Commission of which I spoke last year has been constituted. The Commission will be chaired by Justice Telford Georges, a son of the soil and an eminent jurist. The other members of the Commission are:
I am happy to report that the Petite Savanne/ Delices road is operational and will be officially opened shortly.
I am pleased to report that work is proceeding apace on the Engineering design and detailed feasibility study for the construction of an international airport in the north east. We are profoundly encouraged by the sustained interest shown, and commitment given by organisations and friendly governments to finance the implementation of the project.
I am happy to report that as promised, the Venture Capital Fund has been established at the AID Bank.
I am pleased to inform you that on Friday last week we concluded an agreement with the Kuwaiti Fund for Arab Economic Development in the sum of EC$12 million towards the construction of the Greater Roseau Water and Sewerage Project, a project which involves sanitation control measures and improvement of drinking water supply and distribution network including road restoration works. The total project cost is in the region of EC$46 million. The CDB, CIDA and the Government of Dominica will be the other financiers. Work will begin in the New Year.
I am happy to report that we are now effecting our plans to provide improved facilities at several of the major tourist sites, and that fees in the sum of approximately $350,000 have already been collected in the five months from June to October 1997.
Fellow Dominicans - your Government is at work. We are at work in the field of housing. Five million dollars EC is being made available to the Government Housing Loans Board to provide financing at concessionary interest rates to public and police officers. A further EC$5 million will be used to provide for the construction of housing for low and middle income earners in different parts of the country.
We are at work in the field of Education. Construction work has started on the Castle Bruce Secondary School, and the same will happen in Grand Bay very early in the New Year.
The number of scholarships to University has been significantly increased, the top student of the Clifton Dupigny Technical College now receives a scholarship to University, and expenditure on training and human resource development has moved from EC$800,000 in 1994 to EC$2.2 million at this time.
A record number of primary school students has been admitted in secondary schools this year, and we anticipate that by the year 2000 there will be no need for a Common Entrance Exam, and that all students who successfully complete the primary school programme will gain admission to secondary school.
Cuban scholarships, which were always available to Dominica through official channels over the past 15 years, but rejected on spurious grounds, are now accepted, and there are some 100 students currently studying in Cuba in a variety of fields including engineering, medicine and architecture.
With effect from the 1997/98 academic year, 90 students from needy families attending primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities will be able to continue and complete their education with funds for the purchase of books, uniforms and transportation through a scholarship programme between ourselves and the Government of the Republic of China on Taiwan.
The introduction of the Education Bill and its passage into law represents an important milestone in the development of Education in this country. The 1949 Education Act which was replaced was clearly obsolete. We are pleased that, in spite of earlier indications to the contrary, all of us were able to accept the Bill as a workable one through which we can all achieve our goals. I take this opportunity to thank the religious communities and other groups and individuals who have contributed so much to the advancement of education in our country.
In the field of Foreign Affairs, we continue to maintain good and close relations with all Commonwealth countries, with the United States, Cuba and other countries of our hemisphere, countries in Europe, the Republic of China, Japan and other friendly states interested in our development. We continue to play our role in major international, regional and extra-regional fora. Only last week I returned from participating in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Edinburgh, and the Honourable Norris Charles, Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Marketing is now heading our delegation at the first ever ACP Summit in Gabon.
At the Commonwealth Heads Meeting, two very welcome decisions were taken, which will redound to the interest of small vulnerable island states like ours. The meeting agreed to "initiate action in the international community to strengthen disaster relief response and mechanisms for the provision of urgent and adequate assistance to small states that suffer the effects of natural disasters which are increasing in frequency and magnitude".
The meeting further agreed to establish a Trade and Investment Access Facility under the Commonwealth umbrella to assist developing countries with the process of adjusting to, and taking advantage of, the opportunities of globalisation. The new facility will provide technical assistance to help countries identify and manage the potential economic and social impacts of trade in goods and services and investment liberalisation; identify new sources of revenue and market opportunities; and help countries fulfil World Trade Organisation requirements.
With effect from October 1st, we created a single Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Marketing, and we have no doubt that this will greatly assist us in deriving maximum benefits in our relations with other countries and regional and international organisations. We also intend to pay increased attention to the interest of our nationals who live overseas.
We consider it to be in our best interest to strengthen our participation and involvement in the fora of La Francophonie, particularly in light of the significant number of our people who live or do business in our neighbouring French territories.
Fellow Dominicans - it was Marie Curie, Nobel Prize winner who said "one never notices what has been done; one can only see what remains to be done". This government is fully aware of the wisdom and full meaning of this statement, and so my government is not daunted that some may not notice what has been done over the past two and a half years.
Fellow Dominicans - It is a fundamental doctrine of our system of Government and Public Administration that no political party or government can bind its successor to the policies that the Government of the day has formulated and pursued. The democratic formula requires that governments in succession must remain free to modify, change or jettison the policies, programmes and relationships that its predecessor in office constructed or pursued, or on the other hand, to accept and go along with the implementation of the said policies, programmes and relationships.
Whichever way one goes is the result of a conscious decision of the government of the day. The parochial public comments and statements therefore, that this Government is pursuing pipeline projects must be seen in that context. The projects that are being implemented by this Government, the policies that are being pursued by this Government are being so undertaken because this Government is satisfied, after the most careful analysis that their implementation is in Dominica's best interest. Whether the projects were in the file before June 1995 or before May 1980 is NOT material.
This Government will not act for praise. But this Government's will to act will not be frozen by unfair criticisms from political opponents.
During the past year we have received the results of a survey on the state of poverty in our country. Not all persons were pleased with the report, especially some people of villages which were declared the poorest. Let me say that poverty can be overcome, but as everything else it will be achieved through hard work by all. Government is taking steps to implement the recommendations of the report with a view to alleviating poverty.
Fellow Dominicans, there are those who by their actions could make us even poorer. The principal industry of our country received a serious blow earlier this year by the success of the challenge mounted against it by the United States and four Latin American countries. While we regard this action as unjust, we cannot allow it to set us back. We have to fight to find ways to keep our industry alive. Much hard work has gone into the banana business, and much has been gained from it. Our country has been built by it. I call upon banana farmers not to give up, but to continue producing the kind of fruit that will be acceptable in the market place. We still have friends who will not allow us to be impoverished. We thank the British consumer, including our Caribbean people, for their continued commitment to buy our bananas. We welcome the fact that the UK Supermarket chains are seeking to deepen their business relationship with our producers. We thank all those European countries which continue to support our cause, and in a special way we thank the United Kingdom Government for its decision to grant us debt relief.
We have brought our 'banana' case to the attention of several international organisations including the United nations, and we are hoping that even at this late stage, those who are subjecting our region to this form of Economic Terrorism will think again.
Fellow Dominicans, permit me to comment on a few lines of our National anthem, an anthem which speaks in descriptive and glowing terms of the beauty and other attributes of our island home. Twice the anthem mentions gifts so rich and rare which can be found in our country. Two of these gifts are the land "Apres Bondie", and our people. Let us love that land and preserve it for future generations. Let us strive to keep our country beautiful, and our people strong and healthy. We have just implemented the litter act. We trust that all citizens will strive to keep our country clean and pristine. There should be no need to exact punishments on people for matters of litter. We should have sufficient pride in ourselves and our country to keep it the way it should be. None of us should be a litter bug.
Of our people we have the youth, the future of this country. The massive gathering of young people in Grand Bay last week, the enthusiasm and pride with which they participated in the youth rally gives hope for the future. We are totally committed to holding these rallies all around the country.
I congratulate the two young persons who represented Dominica in the Commonwealth Youth Conference in Edinburgh. I had the opportunity to meet with them there. They did us proud. Government's active participation in the resuscitation of the National Youth Council, our increased expenditure on education and training, and our significant contributions to sports and sporting activities reflect our deep understanding of the role of our young people in the future of our country.
Then there is the first peoples of our nation, the caribs. We are just as anxious as the people of the Carib Territory to see active work begin on the Water Supply Project, the Carib Village and other identified programmes. An aide memoire has been signed with the Caribbean Development Bank for the implementation of a multi-project in the territory. In the meantime we will begin work on the water supply project.
The United Nations' Decade of the World's indigenous people must mean more than just a declaration, and we have already given notice to the United Nations Secretary General in this regard. As we work to advance the cause of the Carib people, let us strive to maintain the peaceful coexistence which now prevails between the caribs and the rest of the nation, and refrain from the divisive postures of a would-be leader.
Our anthem also invites us to "toil with hearts and hands and voices", so that we can prosper. "Toil" means hard and serious work. We are invited to work, work hard, and work seriously. Work to make the country prosper. Work does not mean just having a job. The work of which I speak has no place for the jerkers and the shirkers, people who find ways and means to stay away from work on the flimsiest of excuses. And here I must once again appeal to the medical practitioners in our country that they should not assist those jerkers and shirkers who practice their art under the cover of a medical certificate.
The time has come when all the social partners should confer on the matter of the Attitude to work, and devise an Action Plan to tackle the problem. Globalisation and Trade liberalisation leave us with no choice. I will seek to convene such a meeting within the next few weeks.
Earlier this year a Commission of Inquiry was instituted to look into the conduct and running of the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Service. Government has received the report of the Commission, and is studying the recommendations made by the Commissioners.
Fellow Dominicans - two years ago I assured you that your Government was in charge. The distorted form of that assurance captured the headlines and topped the calypso chart. Last year, I urged all Dominicans to attend Church or a place of worship and hearken to the word of the Almighty. No one seems to have heard me on that occasion. I repeat that call now, since it is through the Almighty, and not through the obeah man that we must draw our strength to work hard and to achieve.
Permit me to thank all the people who have contributed to the development of this country over the years. I thank those who have given us good advice and those who have constructively criticised us. Those critics and criticisms which are steeped in anger, hate, bitterness and a craving for lost power we have ignored, and will continue to ignore.
Fellow Dominicans - the country is ours to build, it is ours to develop. We must understand that it is only we ourselves who can build and develop it, and we can only achieve success by working hard. Your government is working. Work along with it. We do not have to wait until the National Day of Service tomorrow. We must resolve to start now.
On behalf of my government, my wife, my family and myself, I wish one and all a happy 19th anniversary of independence.
I thank you, and may God bless you richly.