Dominica’s Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit and United States Ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Mary Martin Ourisman

The Prime Minister made the remark at a meeting with Ambassador Ourisman on Wednesday, after the US Government official had presented her Letter of Credence to the President of Dominica, Dr Nicholas Liverpool.

In their discussions, Skerrit acknowledged the longstanding relationship between Dominica and the United States but called on the United States Government to increase its presence in the Region.

The Prime Minister also stressed the need for “more frequent dialogue between friends”. In the sphere of education, Skerrit highlighted the significant sums being invested by his Government in the training of Dominican students at universities, especially in the United States.

“We can deepen the relationship in the field of education. The United States should champion that area,” Skerrit said.

The Prime Minister also reiterated his clarion call that the United States should “bring back the Reagan days in the Caribbean”, referring to a period when the United States had a greater presence in the Caribbean through the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) and Dominica benefited from human resource development, military exercises, financial and technical assistance in various areas of economic development.

Skerrit also told the new US Ambassador that the United States should help to finance small community-based projects to complement the work of the Peace Corps volunteers here.

The technical assistance being provided by USAID-Caribbean Open Trade Support Project in support of reforms at the Customs and the National Development Corporation came in for high commendation from the Dominican leader.

The Prime Minister also expressed thanks for the military assistance received from the US Government and pledged that Dominica would continue to cooperate with the United States in the area of regional security and the fight against terrorism.