By Malaika Laurent
Caribbean Net News Dominica Correspondent
Email: malaika@caribbeannetnews.com
ROSEAU, Dominica: Two new entities will replace Dominica's National Development Corporation, which is set for closure after legislation is passed in parliament on April 2.
Over 30 employees will receive redundancy payments and gratuities, and are eligible to re-apply for new positions at the two new institutions: ‘Discover Dominica’, which will serve as a Tourism Board, and ‘Invest Dominica’, which will function as an Investment Promotion Agency.
Tourism Minister Yvor Nassief says that this move is necessary and he is not unnerved by the decision to close the development corporation.
“I have sleepless nights when things are not working well because it bothers my conscience that we have an entity or we have policies which are not functioning and doing more harm than good.
“I don’t lose sleep over the NDC. There’s been so many consultancies done, talking about the need to reform the NDC going back many years ...it’s all there in black and white.
“What I say is, the jobs at NDC are secondary to the jobs that can be created in the country. It’s good that they have their jobs but if it cannot lead to job growth in a meaningful way then something is wrong.
Nassief explained that the NDC has not been performing the mandate which it was set up to do.
He says the two separate institutions will focus specifically on defined areas and a Director of Tourism and Director of Industry will serve as the direct link between the bodies and a Board of Directors.
The Dominica Festivals Commission, a subsidiary of the NDC, will not be affected by the re-structure exercise.
“There’s a separate policy being developed for the DFC and that has not gone to Cabinet yet so it’s early to talk about that. The DFC will still exist,” he said. |
