Caricom Lending a Hand

Caricom, led by Chairman Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica, has about 36 medical personnel assisting the relief effort in Haiti at the moment. Caricom has been able to provide people with emergency supplies of water, blankets and other health necessities. In addition, they have performed minor surgeries on patients and assisted in whatever way necessary.

Edwin Carrington, the Secretary General of Caricom said that the Caricom community has decided to focus their attention in the health sector in Haiti. As he said, “The danger of contamination… and diseases like dysentery and cholera… makes health one of the critically needed areas… and we felt that we had some capacity in that area,”

Sending Water to Haiti

The government in Dominica is working on a plan to export drinking water from Dominica to Haiti. At a recent press conference, Disaster Preparedness Minister Charles Savarin made this announcement, with the backing of the Dominica government including Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit and others.

Certainly, everyone agrees that water and medicines are of the utmost importance in Haiti right now. As the Disaster Minister explains,“We have been in touch with Loubiere and Trois Piton water and we will seek to mobile as much as we can from Dominica. We are also seeking to mobilize air transportation to take the water to Haiti today or tomorrow.”

Skerrit Heads to Haiti

Following the tragic earthquake in Haiti, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit from Dominica planned to lead a fact-finding mission to Haiti. Prime Minister Skerrit will be accompanied by Barbados Prime Minister David Thompson, Jamaica Prime Minister Bruce Golding and others.

The regional response group has found four main areas where Haiti can use the most assistance. They need emergency aid, shelter, search and rescue and communication. Jamaica will be the staging point for all regional response and the Bahamas has offered Haiti the use of its embassy since Port-au-Prince was so severely damaged.

Drug Awareness Month 2010

The director and staff of the National Drug Abuse Prevention Unit recently put out a message to all churches in Dominica. Since 1997, Dominica, with Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, has observed Drug Awareness Month in January. This year, the observance is under the theme, “Responsibility is the key to being drug free!”

The National Drug Abuse Prevention Unit works tirelessly to promote programs and activities that encourage resistance to drugs and they encourage society at large to assist in these efforts.

In their letter to churches for January 2010, they said, “Truly, responsibility is the key to being drug free and an essential pillar in character development. We take this opportunity to thank you for your unwavering support over the years and do wish you a bright and prosperous 2010.”

Matthew Walter Says This Term His Last

Re-elected Member of Parliament, Matthew Walter, says that this term will be his last. This term will last from 2010-2015 and Mr. Walter will be continuing working for the Paix Bouche constituency.

Dominica just finished elections, with Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit winning the election again for a third time. Walter has assured his constituents that he won’t leave office without making sure that a number of his projects make it to their completion.

As he says, “I will be working feverishly and vigorously, to ensure that before the five- year term is expired, that most of those projects will be implemented and completed for the Paix Bouche constituency.”