Dominica’s Prime Minister & Minister of Finance Roosevelt Skerrit has described the launching of the Kalinago Development Fund (KDF) as “a turning point in the development of the Kalinago Territory”. His comments were made at the State House Conference Room on Wednesday, March 9, 2022, where an amount of Eight Hundred and Sixty Thousand Dollars ($860,000.00) was disbursed to the AID Bank to begin capitalizing the Fund for lending to people of Kalinago ancestry at a most concessionary interest rate of two percent (2%). “The monies in the Fund are intended for, but not limited to, residential and commercial development, cultural development, enterprise development, crop production and processing, education, and climate resilience and renewable energy development,” Skerrit said.
“The terms for lending have been developed to ensure that the Kalinago people are able to access the funds with ease and in quick time. As part of the arrangements, borrowers will be granted a grace period of a maximum of six (6) months on the payment of the principal and interest, and the maximum term of the loans shall be up to ten (10) years, exclusive of the grace period. These, I think are very friendly terms and it is my hope that our indigenous people will take full advantage of this opportunity to invest in their personal ventures to add value to their own lives and the community at large.”
He explained that the Kalinago Development Fund is designed to lift “our first people out of economic dependence, increase opportunities for them to build wealth and create avenues for growth in agriculture, enterprise and education,” and will build capacity and ensure that the people of the Kalinago territory can more actively participate in the social and economic life of our country.
“The Kalinago Development Fund he stated holds special significance and is another such measure designed to enhance the lives of the Indigenous people. “It is the result of an election promise made to my dear Kalinago people prior to the 2019 General Elections. That promise was clearly articulated in the Dominica Labour Party’s “Dynamic Dominica” Manifesto, as well as in the 2021/2022 Fiscal Year Budget Address. It acknowledges the need to empower the indigenous people through the provision of financing, technical assistance and training for social and economic projects in a wide range of productive areas,” the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance stated.
He stated that the establishment of “a Kalinago Development Fund (KDF)”, is only the latest effort of his Labour Party government to address the existing socio-economic needs of the Kalinago community. “It builds on our recent interventions in housing, agriculture, small business and craft development, and disaster risk mitigation.”
Skerrit stated that just last month (February), the Government of Dominica launched an over 5 million dollar ‘resilience-building project’ in the Kalinago Territory to boost climate resilience capacity and empower residents to respond to disaster effects. According to him, as part of the project, a multipurpose facility will be constructed to serve as an emergency shelter, and community center for skills training and other educational, cultural, and social activity, and throughout the life of the project, residents of the Kalinago Territory will be gainfully employed and upon its completion, the indigenous people will be assured enhanced safety and security during adverse weather events.
“Construction is progressing on fifty homes in the Kalinago Territory at a cost of $10 million, due for completion by June this year. Under the project, our aim is to reduce risk vulnerability and increase climate resilience in the Kalinago Territory and in the process improve the quality of life of the Kalinago people. This is part of our commitment to building no fewer than 200 homes in the Kalinago Territory to provide residents with safe resilient shelter, a better quality of life, and greater independence,” he remarked. An additional 107 homes have been approved under the Housing Recovery Project, with some at various stages of completion.”
He also stated that in collaboration with the development partner, the UNDP, the government is also seeing new investment in the local agriculture sector where support has been provided to 83 farmers in the Kalinago Territory to build capacity to integrate climate change mitigation into effective farm practice. All these interventions he said are all intended to reduce unemployment, achieve economic stability, and increase the standard of living of all Kalinago people.
“We understand the challenges that communal land ownership poses for the people of the Territory, in terms of their ability to present adequate security to acquire loans for self-advancement. This difficulty to secure loans from traditional financial institutions, like commercial banks and credit unions, is a major obstacle to their social and economic advancement. Such restrictions have, over many years, impeded the progress of the Kalinago people in housing, small business, agriculture, and education. This fund is one step towards helping our Kalinago people overcome this long-standing roadblock,” he said.
“From today, the Kalinago people are being afforded easier access to credit to build resilience, sustain livelihoods, increase earnings and household incomes, and launch financially viable businesses. It guarantees an increase in employment levels due to the focus on enterprise development in the areas of crop production and processing, off-shore fisheries; arts and craft, and ancillary tourism industries. I highlight these because they are the traditional economic activities practiced in the Kalinago territory. Access to funding provides our Kalinago sisters and brothers with renewed impetus to practice their arts and craft skills to generate revenue, and re-establish the territory as a hotspot for visitors, local and foreign, who crave the authentic, indigenous experience”.
He also made it clear that it is his Government’s intention that the fund operates “as a Revolving Fund”, and I give a commitment to place in the budget over the next five years, a yearly amount of one million dollars beginning in 2022/23 budget.
“I am proud and elated that this Government has been able to turn the idea of a Kalinago Development Fund into reality. It is a most emphatic statement of our commitment to the welfare and advancement of the Kalinago People. This Government, like all Governments across the world, has not had an easy time with the COVID-19 pandemic. Revenues are down and expenditures have skyrocketed, but we have not shirked our responsibilities and we have certainly not abandoned our commitment to the people of Dominica. Our job is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of every Dominican citizen. Despite the harsh challenges we face, we remain steadfast in our goals to create a more progressive country, where every citizen can realize their aspirations for successful, rewarding lives,” Skerrit stated.
He said also that the Indigenous People of this country are being handed an additional means to fully participate and that he was “truly excited about the prospects for their development and for the many of who will benefit from this facility.”
Also addressing the function was Parliamentary Representative for the area Cozier Frederick and Kalinago Councilor responsible for Tourism Devon Cuffy.
