The Housing Resilience and Financing Symposium will take place from March 13th to 14th, 2024, at the Goodwill Parish Hall in Roseau, Dominica. This strategic initiative aims to engage critical stakeholders from the housing, disaster risk management, climate resilience, and financing sectors to address challenges and foster collaboration in enhancing housing resilience. The symposium, envisioned as a platform to foster collaboration and synergy, and share experiences, will focus on three specific objectives: 1. Enhancing Resilience: Through the exchange of knowledge and information gained from the implementation of housing reconstruction projects and resilience trainings. 2. Fostering Partnerships: By spearheading collaborative initiatives between the public and private sectors. 3. Developing a Roadmap for Investments: In disaster risk and climate resilience finance within the housing sector. The event will cover various topics including housing resilience challenges and opportunities, regulations for resilience, and financing mechanisms for climate-resilient projects in the housing sector. It will involve the participation of stakeholders from public institutions, housing developers, financial institutions, international organizations, businesses engaged in resilience interventions for the housing sector, and academia. The symposium is expected to yield several outcomes, including enhanced resilience awareness among public institutions, strengthened partnerships between the public and private sectors, and the development of a roadmap for disaster resilience investments in the housing sector. The tentative agenda for the two-day event includes technical presentations, roundtable discussions, and an exhibit showcasing innovations, services, and products related to housing sector resilience. The symposium promises to be an insightful and collaborative event aimed at advancing housing resilience in Dominica and beyond. -Ends-

At the closing ceremony for the Climate Resilience Execution Agency for Dominica (CREAD) at the state house on Tuesday, CEO Francine Baron expressed appreciation for the agency's contribution to Dominica's resilience initiatives. Ms. Baron underscored that CREAD's accomplishments were a result of collaboration with government ministries, departments, and agencies, emphasizing that CREAD's work aligned with and strengthened the government's overarching vision. Ms. Baron also pointed out that CREAD's primary focus was on the six result areas specified in the CRRP, along with the key initiatives outlined therein. These initiatives were crafted to support Dominica in reaching the 20 identified climate resilience targets.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit commended the leadership of Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali and Venezuela's President Nicholas Maduro for their efforts to resolve a longstanding dispute, emphasizing their role in preserving peace in the Caribbean region. Skerrit expressed his continued confidence in the leadership of both President Ali and President Maduro. Concurrently, he called on member states to support the Bridgetown Initiative, which seeks significant reforms in the operations of international financial institutions, as advocated by CELAC.

CARICOM Chairman Dr. Irfaan Ali released a statement on behalf of the community, addressing the unfolding situation in Haiti. He emphasized CARICOM's focused attention on recent developments in the country. Dr. Ali highlighted that CARICOM's expanded Bureau has been engaged in discussions with Prime Minister Ariel Henry, stakeholders within Haiti, and international partners to tackle the various challenges that persistently threaten lives and livelihoods.

The President of the United Workers Party (UWP), Lennox Linton, claims that within a 7-year period, 40,273 individuals acquired passports through Dominica's CBI Program. Linton raised concerns about the allocation of the $9.1 billion CBI revenue, alleging that only $2.7 billion made its way to the island's Treasury. He called on Prime Minister Skerrit to provide clarification on the whereabouts of the unaccounted funds. Linton stressed the European Union's emphasis on directing all proceeds from Dominica's CBI Program into the national treasury, citing the EU's worries and suspicions about the complete deposition of program funds into the treasury.

Delegates from 21 civil society organizations (CSOs) across nine Caribbean nations gathered in Suriname to tackle pressing issues related to migration and climate change. Engaging in grassroots advocacy, they shared knowledge and experiences, absorbed insights from technical presentations, and put forth proposed actions to strengthen community resilience. In the workshop, Eduard Michel, a participant, highlighted the value of learning from other countries facing similar challenges. He underscored the significance of creativity and adapting international standards to local contexts when addressing these issues.

The Rotary Club of Dominica has shared the exciting news! The 9th National Secondary Schools Literacy Quiz Competition is scheduled for March 8th to 15th, 2024. This year's theme,"Building Strong Communities through Literacy," underscores our commitment to promoting literacy among our youth. The competition aims to engage students in Rotary International's global literacy initiatives, fostering critical thinking, reinforcing learning, and promoting the culture of reading. The semi-finals will take place on the following dates and at the following locations: Friday, March 8th, 2024, at the Convent High School. Participating schools:  Convent High School  Castle Bruce Secondary School  St. Martin Secondary School Tuesday, March 12th, 2024, at the St. Mary Academy Participating schools.  St. Mary Academy  Orion Academy  Pierre Charles Secondary Friday, March 15th, 2024, at the Dominica Association of Persons with Disabilities (DAPD Inc.) Conference room Participating schools:  Northeast Comprehensive  Dominica Community High School  Dominica Grammar School ​ The Grand Finals will be on March 22nd, 2024, at the Prevost Cinemall Ballroom. All competitions will commence promptly at 2:00 pm

Friday during the National Math Power Competition, Assistant Chief Education Officer Robert Guiste emphasized mathematics' paramount importance, asserting it as a universal language surpassing English. Guiste highlighted how math aids scientists in exploring the universe and assists economies in financial navigation. He urged teachers, parents, and students to embrace mathematics, emphasizing its enduring significance. also encouraged educators to integrate math into daily activities and commended the National Bank of Dominica for their ongoing sponsorship of the Math Power Competition.

Magistrate Gloria Augustus offered her viewpoint on poverty, stating her belief that specific individuals have the capability to elevate themselves beyond the poverty line. She emphasized that this potential relies on both external support from the community and an individual's internal determination to realize their full potential and overcome the challenges of poverty. Magistrate Augustus underscored the essential role that community support and social connections play in empowering individuals to surpass poverty.

The Ministry of Sports congratulates Ms. Thea Lafond on securing Dominica’s first World Athletics gold medal at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland on Sunday March 3rd, 2024. Ms. Lafond recorded an impressive 15.01 meters in the second round of the Women’s Triple Jump final. The World Athletics Indoor Championship is a biennial indoor track and field competition that serves as the global championship for the sport. Dominica secured its first World Athletics Championships medal back in 1995, and Ms. Lafond’s success means that Dominica has its second medal at this prestigious competition. The Ministry of Sports recognizes and celebrates this tremendous accomplishment by Thea Lafond on the global stage. She continues to promote the name and flag of our proud sporting nation internationally. Congratulations to Thea, her family and her entire support staff. We wish her all the best in her sporting journey, particularly as she prepares to make us proud in the upcoming 2024 Olympic Games. -End-

Minister for the Americas, Caribbean and Overseas Territories, David Rutley, represented the UK at the 46th CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting. At the event, he announced £190,000 of UK funding to help CARICOM countries manage their oceans sustainably. The funding will be used to create a unified action plan that will allow Caribbean countries to benefit economically from their ocean resources in an environmentally friendly manner. Minister for the Americas, Caribbean and UK Overseas Territories, David Rutley said: “The UK and CARICOM members are building on our modern partnership and we are committed to working together to protect our natural environment. Our new funding will help CARICOM states create and implement plans to conserve their unique marine environments for future generations while also helping to boost their economies. This is part of our wider partnership, which supports regional security, deepening trade and building resilient economies. Our collaboration will continue ahead of the UN’s Small Island Developing States summit in May.” The new UK funding comes ahead of the UN’s Small Island Developing States (SIDS) summit in May, where the international community will meet to discuss the impact of climate change on SIDS. The UK will also provide additional funding to CARICOM to help the organisation launch an action plan at the summit on the sustainable use of natural resources. The UK is the one of the largest bilateral donors to the Caribbean, an area of the world particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and has provided £400 million for development programmes in the region since 2016. These include £26 million for a climate-resilient highway in Belize, as well as almost £20million to help Eastern Caribbean countries build their renewable energy capacity. The UK is already leading marine conservation efforts in the Caribbean, with three Overseas Territories (Cayman Islands, Turks & Caicos Islands and Anguilla) members of our flagship Blue Belt programme. Established in 2016 and covering 10 OTs, Blue Belt is the largest marine conservation network in the world -covering 1% of the planet’s oceans from the Southern to the Pacific. ENDS