Breaking the Economic Stranglehold - Part IV

In the last article we began discussing the risks to the strategy that relates to efforts to break the economic stranglehold that the ruling regime has on the people. Will the ruling regime try to get in the way of people-centred and people-lead progress?

In surveying that question, we have so far noted that while the ruling regime will undoubtedly try to ascribe to themselves the lion's share of the benefits of the International airport, if they do really construct it, that project can provide a solid basis to attract investments into Dominica, especially tourism investments.

We noted that what we the people have to do is to take development into our own hands to ensure that we benefit significantly from the construction of an international airport. The thing that we must do differently from the ruling regime is that our efforts must be extended to empower all our people in a way that contributes significantly to making our people financially strong and independent.

Importantly we noted that even if the corrupt ruling regime decides not to build the airport fearing that it would contribute to making the people independent, or if they can't build the airport due to the impact of their bad governance, there are still avenues that we the people can pursue to attract hotel investments. We are simply going to have to be very creative.

As for that matter, I have already started discussions with a number current and emerging entrepreneurs with promising business ventures in the tourism, agriculture and manufacturing sectors. These discussions will be deepened in the coming six months. Moreover, I have already contacted and started discussions with investment banks and promoters. In analysing business prospects, we will look at all the realities including air access, export opportunities, shipping connections, the ease of doing business and organization. We will look at the opportunities Dominica can exploit related to its unique attributes and other competitive advantages that can be developed and the strategies that can be employed to overcome related constraints.

To be sure, even after we would have weighed all the pure business realities, some investors are not going to want to invest in Dominica due to the notoriety of the current ruling regime. In fact, I have already experienced that sentiment in a past attempt to secure investment funding for a colleague. Sadly, over the last 10 to 20 years, our country has been placed at a huge disadvantage in attracting investments due to the notoriety of the regime. This really means that we the people would have to work much harder than would otherwise be necessary to find the right investors and/or the right projects that will interest investors. But I am up to the task.

Beyond the foreign investors, we will be making an appeal to Dominicans who live abroad to invest in their homeland. Many of you will understand the need to invest in Dominica in spite of the current awful administration of the ruling regime. Your investment will help liberate the people from economic suppression and in so doing contribute to restoring democracy and freedom to our isle of beauty and splendour. We will soon approach you with an appropriate institutional framework that would contribute to making you comfortable in investing in Dominica.

I am very encouraged that there are a group of emerging Dominican entrepreneurs and thinkers at home and abroad that want to see our country saved and who understand the need to bring economic liberty to the people. I am sure that there are many others that I have not yet spoken to, whose thinking aligns with ours. Those that I have spoken to understand the need for making an extraordinary effort and that is exactly what we are going to do! That kind of effort is expected to perk the interest of the savvy foreign investors that we will be approaching.

We will clearly position ourselves to deal with any lawful efforts that the evil ruling regime may mount to counter our strategy to economically empower the people. But nothing will deter us! We expect that the people of Dominica will clearly see the difference between a government that seeks to bribe the people and the efforts of those of us who will be championing the cause of economic dignity of the people. In the end, I believe that the people, including the current Labour Party supporters will choose dignity, prosperity and independence over shame, disdain, exploitation and dependence.

Any attempt to stop people-centred and people-led progress will be futile if we set our sights on doing good and being the light to the nation.

My fellow Dominicans, I tell you – the darkness will not be able to overcome the light! When they realize that they can't beat us, they will want to do what we do! If they do that, and if they do it well, then everyone wins!

Kent Vital, Economist