Dominica
ALSO KNOW AS
Nature Island of the Caribbean
LOCATION
The most northerly and largest of the Windward Islands situated between Guadeloupe to the north, and Martinique to the south.
STATUS
Independent Republic – 3 November 1978
HISTORY
Dominica was occupied first by the Amerindians. It was sighted and named by Christopher Columbus in 1493. The island changed hands several times in the 18th century, but it finally became British in 1805. It was joined to the Leeward, then the Windward Island, and achieved separate status in 1960. Dominica became a British Associate State in 1967, and gained independence on November 3, 1978.
MOTTO
After the Good Lord, we Love the Earth
CAPITAL
Roseau
CURRENCY
Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$)
AIRPORT
Canefield and Melville Hall
Country Programme Status
The Dominica CAP was designed to enhance the competitiveness of the SME sector and contribute to the reduction of disparities hindering its participation in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). The CAP has four components:
Support of Small and Medium Sized Enterprise Development
Support of small and medium sized enterprise development through the provision of a concessionary loan of US$4.0 million (EC$10.8 million) to the Dominica Agriculture Industrial Development Bank (AID Bank) for on-lending to SMEs. as well as grant support of US$150,000 (EC$405,000) for staff capacity building.
During 2017, the disbursal of US$4.0 million dollars was achieved. As at December 31, 2017, the AID Bank had approved sub-loans totaling US$2.97 million (EC$8.01 million)which represented 74.0 per cent of the US$4.0 million approved by the CDF.
Hurricane Maria on September 18, 2017 caused extensive damage, estimated at US$0.56 million (EC$1.5 million), to the Roseau Head Office Building, adversely affecting the Bank's operations, which restarted on a reduced scale on October 19, 2017.
The loan portfolio was also seriously impaired because of the scale of destruction experienced by sub-borrowers. The Bank was therefore initially challenged to meet its short-term commitments to the CDF.
The procurement process for the consultancies to address the development of an accounting manual and skills optimisation training in the usage of the SAGE Accounting Software, financed by CDF, was initiated following the first disbursement of the grant. However, this project had not started at the end of 2017.
Support of the Douglas-Charles Airport
Support for the Douglas-Charles Airport in 2015 was provided through a grant of US$0.55 million (EC$1.49 million) to finance critical night landing navigational equipment. Following the passage of Tropical Storm Erika in August 2015, CDF approved a request to revise the original list to prioritise the replacement of damaged equipment. CDF also agreed to reallocate an additional US$150,000 (EC$405,000) of grant resources to the purpose. The replacements were received and successfully installed by October 2016 and commissioning ceremony took place in April 2017. However, the event of September 18, 2017 and the subsequent floods, rendered the equipment useless. CDF was again requested to assist and was determining its final response at the end of 2017 to augment the anticipated replacements from the insurance coverage.
Support for the National Centre for Testing Excellence (NCTE)
Support for the National Centre for Testing Excellence (NCTE) through a concessionary loan of US$0.95 million (EC$2.57 million) was made to finance capacity building and the procurement of testing equipment and chemicals.
The laboratory equipment and chemical reagents were procured. However, structural issues and a defective ventilation system prevented their installation in 2017. Further setback was experienced from the damage to the NCTE complex caused by Hurricane Maria. Renovations were commenced and were ongoing at December 31, 2017. Normal operations were not expected until the building was fit for re-occupation.
Support for the Portsmouth and Roseau Multi-Purpose Pachhouses
Support to the Portsmouth and Roseau Multi-Purpose Packhouses through a combination of a concessionary loan of US$0.78 million (EC$2.1 million) and a grant of US$0.52 million (EC$1.4 million) to the Dominica Export Import Agency (DEXIA). The financial assistance was used to procure sorting and grading equipment as well as management at start-up for Multi-Purpose Packhouses at Portsmouth and Roseau.
Farmex Ltd, a French company, successfully procured and installed equipment at both locations. The President of the Commonwealth of Dominica, His Excellency Sir Charles Savarin, officially opened the packhouses on July 22, 2016. CDF support to management of the pack houses officially ended on December 31, 2017.
During 2017, the Packhouse structures at Roseau and Portsmouth suffered some damage from Hurricane Maria though the agricultural sorting and grading equipment were unaffected. Both facilities functioned as temporary relief storage and distribution points for hurricane relief.
