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Volume No. 1 Issue No. 71 - Wednesday October 12, 2005 |
Government of Dominica Signs Memorandum of Understanding with United States Government
 Sean Douglas - Government Press Secretary
Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Planning, National Security and Overseas Nationals, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for the Economic Growth and Competitiveness Program between the Government of Dominica and the Government of the United States of America at a Signing Ceremony last week.
The Signing Ceremony took place at the Financial Centre in Roseau on Friday, October 7th 2005 and was attended by Members of Cabinet, senior officials from the United States Embassy in Barbados, officials from USAID and representatives from the private sector in Dominica.
Under the terms of the MOU, the United States Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), will provide support in the amount of approximately US$2 million to the public and private sectors in Dominica over the next four years.
In his remarks at the ceremony, Prime Minister Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit said the ceremony was an �important day in the relationship between Dominica and the United States.�
Hon. Skerrit also expressed the view that with the signing of the MOU, we would see �a deepening, a strengthening of relations between Dominica and the United States.�
The Prime Minister also welcomed the return of USAID in the Caribbean, adding, �This ceremony is very important as it also brings back the presence of USAID in Dominica� a very physical presence in Dominica.�
The Dominican leader also stated that he hoped that with the signing of this agreement with USAID, President Bush would bring back some of the Reagan days in the Caribbean.
�I am happy to see President Bush is bringing back some of the Reagan days in the Caribbean when we saw tangible things happening from the US Government, tangible things happening for the people of the Caribbean�..�
Addresses at the Signing Ceremony were delivered by Mary Ellen Gilroy, Charge D�Affaires, US Embassy for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean and Karen Turner, Mission Director, USAID/Jamaica- Caribbean Regional Program.
USAID�s assistance to the public sector will help the Government of Dominica to improve the enabling environment for competitive business activity and increased investment, both foreign and domestic, including ensuring attention to appropriate disaster risk reduction measures for both the public and private sectors.
The assistance to the private sector is aimed at stimulating investment and growth in the sectors in which the country can be regionally or globally competitive, promoting �value chain� linkages with neighbouring partners, and facilitating the ability of the sector to take advantage of various trade enhancing measures adopted by the Government.
At the Signing Ceremony, Minister of State in the Prime Minister�s Office, Hon. Rayburn Blackmoore, delivered the welcome remarks while Secretary to the Cabinet, Mr. Felix Gregoire was the Master of Ceremonies. Financial Secretary, Mrs. Rosamund Edwards delivered the vote of thanks.
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