Distinguished International® Hotels, Residences and Resorts announced that it has reached an agreement with the Carib Council to develop the first ever Eco-Lodge Resort and Conference Centre in the Carib Territory of Dominica.

The designated site for this private-public partnership between Distinguished International®, the Carib Council and the Government of Dominica with continuing support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Kalinago people, will be the Carib Model Village next to “Morne Diablotins” National Park and Central Forest Reserve.

The multi-phased project with construction scheduled for 2009, will feature 100 villas, cottages and tree-house suites, a 3000-square feet conference centre, dining facilities, spa services, and river-fed natural pools throughout the site. Solar heating and indigenous building materials will be incorporated into the construction of the resort to provide optimum protection and respect for the territory and its inhabitants.

The resort will be promoted as an upscale luxury eco-adventure/eco-tourism destination; all tours, excursions and activities will be entirely mandated to the local Kalinago people.

In a press conference held in the Carib Territory, United States Ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Her Excellency Mary Martin Ourisman gave her full support to the project, adding “I am confident that this landmark investment will act as a catalyst to bring many more productive new businesses and investments and new economic opportunities to this region here in the Carib Territory.”

“We want an environmentally friendly, economically feasible, fantastic resort with all the required amenities to meet the demands of the high end traveling market today,” explains Danny Hanley, Founder, Investor Relations & Acquisitions for Distinguished International®.

Also in attendance were Senator Louis Patrick Hill, Dr. Charles Corbette, Development Officer, Ministry of Carib Affairs, Carib Chief, Mr. Charles Williams and Mr. Kevin Dangleben, Founding Member, Kalinago Heritage Society.

The Carib Territory is located on the north east coast of Dominica, with a land mass of about 3700 acres and a population of some 3500 persons.

Related Website:distinguishedhotels.com

ROSEAU, Dominica, August 7, 2008 - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned the Dominica government that despite a strong economic recovery from the damage caused by Hurricane Dean, the country’s high external current account deficit poses risks.

At the conclusion of its 2008 Article IV Consultation with Dominica, the Executive Board of the IMF pointed out that “Dominica’s economy has weathered well the effects of Hurricane Dean that struck the country in August last year, causing damage estimated at about 20 per cent of GDP…despite the weakening external environment and the negative effects of rising international commodity prices, given Dominica’s high dependence on imported food and fuel.”

However, the IMF Directors said that “the high external current account deficit poses risks that need to be carefully monitored and accompanied by efforts in the fiscal area”.

The IMF also advised that in the event of a deeper-than-expected global slowdown, the authorities could consider contingent measures, such as a more extended phasing-in of the planned income tax reform while maintaining the integrity of the VAT.

“This would facilitate a return to the medium-term primary surplus target, following a temporary easing of the fiscal stance to accommodate the current commodity price shocks. They also recommended modification of the tax incentive regime and broadening the income tax base to strengthen the tax system,” the IMF said.

According to the IMF, real output growth in Dominica slowed to 1.5 per cent in 2007, after reaching a decade high of four per cent in 2006.

“The economy is expected to grow by 2.5 per cent in 2008, supported by the recovery in agriculture and reconstruction efforts,” the IMF said.

Inflation accelerated to 5.5 per cent in 2007, mainly reflecting international energy and food price increases, and is projected to rise to about 6.5 per cent in 2008.

By Robert Mangelsdorf - Maple Ridge News - July 31, 2008

If you ask her mother, Karina LeBlanc has always had something to prove.

On Sunday, the Maple Ridge goaltender proved she was worthy of starting at the Olympics as she back-stopped the Canadian women’s soccer squad to an 8-0 victory over the Singapore national team in a pre-Olympic international match. It was her first start since breaking her thumb in June, and the 16th international shut-out of her career.

In fact, the 28-year-old former Maple Ridge secondary Rambler has only allowed one goal in her last four international matches, three of them starts. Like many on the Canadian women’s soccer team, she seems to be peaking at the right time, and hopes are high for this Olympics. For LeBlanc, her quick reactions, strength and balance have set her apart, and have taken her to the biggest sporting stage in the world.

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL STORY

To learn more about Karina LeBlanc (Dominican Sports Star and Canada International Goalkeeper) visit: www.karinaleblanc.com

(live-PR.com) - Rosalie Nature Resort, Rosalie Dominica, July 30, 2008 — Norwin A/S with the support of Sustainable Planning and Development successfully installed a Class 1 NORWIN 225 kW wind turbine on a 40 meter mono pole tower in Dominica. The wind turbine is installed at Rosalie Nature Resort Facility where it will offset the high cost of energy from the utility and supply energy to the grid when excess is generated. The wind turbine is expected to generate 586,000kWh of clean energy per year offsetting 160 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year.

About Norwin

Norwin America, LLC (NAL) was founded to promote and implement wind energy in the North America, Latin America and the Caribbean markets. NAL and its parent company Norwin A/S have entered a marketing license agreement regarding exclusive sales, wind farm development, and future production rights of the Norwin turbines for the whole of North American including the Caribbean market with a future option for Latin and South America territory.

Norwin A/S is a wind turbine technology company with a high profile within new technology, research and development; with a strong home base in Denmark able to supply high quality products to specific markets; and with a few selected strong partners located in the global wind centers in China and India. Norwin currently has two (2) lines of wind turbines available to the market, namely, Norwin 47-ASR 750kW and the Norwin 29-Stall-225kW.

Photo via norwinamerica.com

According to the article, the joint agreement was signed by Dominica’s permanent representative for the UN, Crispin S. Gregoire, and the Dominican Republic Mission’s Businesses attache Enriquillo A. Rosario.Dominican Republic Foreign Minister Carlos Morales witnessed the signing, said the Chancellery’s press office.

ROSEAU, Dominica: The Attorney General of Dominica, Francine Baron-Royer, has challenged the Leader of the Opposition, Earl Williams, to point out clearly “what is the conflict of interest” with respect to the Prime Minister’s nominee of a former Secretary to the Cabinet to serve as Chairman of the Integrity Commission.

The Integrity in Public Office Act No 6 of 2003 provides for the establishment of an Integrity Commission.

In his 2008/2009 Budget Address, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit announced the government’s desire to have the Integrity Commission in place and operational by September 1, 2008, subject to the appointments of seven persons by the President to that body.

In her contribution to the debate on the 2008/2009 Budget, the Attorney General flatly rejected the statement by Earl Williams that the nominee for the position as chairman of the commission, who retired from the Public Service in 2003, cannot serve as Chairman because of a “conflict of interest”.

“What is the conflict of interest that the Honourable Leader of the Opposition speaks to? Madam Speaker the fact that in 2003 the nominee was a civil servant in no way disqualifies him from being appointed as Chairman of the Commission.”

Baron-Royer then quoted a section of the Integrity in Public Office Act to reinforce her point.

“A person shall not be qualified to be appointed as a member of the commission if that person has at any time during three years immediately preceding the date of appointment been a public officer. I repeat Madam Speaker, three years preceding the date of appointment.

Unless I am not able to count properly, if the nominee left the civil service in 2003, five years ago, and is to be appointed in September, 2008, where does the conflict arise? Now the Honourable member of the La Plaine constituency is asking me when the Act was passed…. The Act says three years immediately preceding the date of appointment of the individual. The conflict of interest, Madam Speaker, does not exist; it is a fundamental or deliberate misunderstanding of what the law is.

The Attorney General also asked whether the Opposition really wanted the Integrity in Public Office ACT to come into effect.

“What is the strategy of the Opposition? Does the Opposition intend to frustrate the appointment of persons to the commission so they can say, come September, 2008, you see I told you the Prime Minister was faking you. Is that is their strategy, Madam Speaker?”

With the Integrity Commission set to become fully operational by September 1, 2008, the Attorney General challenged members of the Opposition who have accused the Government of corruption to come forward and present their case to the Commission.

“The opportunity has come now for the Opposition to put their money where their mouth is. They say they have evidence of corruption, well come September, they will have the opportunity to prove to this country that there is corruption. And I wish to let the members of the Opposition know that the IPO provides that persons who make false or malicious allegations will be penalised and subject to be fined. And I hope, Madam Speaker that this time no one will be calling on members of the public to help pay those fines.”

The Integrity Commission will comprise seven persons. The Chairman will be appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister. Two persons will appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister and two persons will be appointed by the President on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition.

A chartered or certified accountant will be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Institute of Chartered Accountants or like body. An attorney-at-law will be appointed by the President on the advice of the Bar Association.

In her contribution to the budget debate, Baron-Royer also gave notice to the Leader of the Opposition, Attorney -At-Law, Earl Williams, of her Government’s intention to bring into law the Legal Profession Act.

“And Madam Speaker as we speak on integrity and accountability, I want to inform the Honourable Leader of the Opposition that he can rest assured that the Legal Profession Act is coming. We expect to receive the comments from the Dominica Bar Association on the bill very soon and we should be in a position to table the Legal Profession bill before this Parliament later this year.

“Soon Madam Speaker those in the profession who take clients funds and cannot account for them will be subject to the full force of the law. Those who are corrupt will be weeded out so that the good name of the profession can be maintained.”

On July 25, Shermanie Harry from the Caribbean island of Dominica will be among the first batch of foreign Olympic volunteers to start work in Beijing. “I’m very glad to be a volunteer at the Games, as it will help me make many new friends,” the 22-year-old from Roseau, the island’s capital, said Wednesday.

Over the past two years as a student at Beijing’s Capital University of Economics and Business, Harry has learned to speak fluent Putonghua. “The Olympics is not about just one country. Chinese people should also do something to help,” she said in Putonghua at a swearing-in ceremony for the volunteers.

Huang Keying, deputy director of the Beijing Olympic Spectator Call Center, said: “About 20 foreign volunteers will start work at the center on July 25.”

Most of them have studied in China, he said.

Volkan Gurcan, from Istanbul in Turkey, said: “I will be the only person answering people’s questions in Turkish.”

Gurcan said he took the Chinese name huoshan, as it means “volcano”, just as his given name does in Turkish.

“The Beijing Olympics is a dream for all Chinese people, and although I’m a foreigner, I wanted to share that dream, so I choose to be a volunteer,” the 25-year-old international trade student at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, said.

“I love Beijing. After the Games, I will continue to study here,” he said.

Most of the overseas volunteers arrived in Beijing last month. They will help out at the Main Press Center, the International Broadcast Center and competition venues. Their responsibilities will include collecting quotes from athletes and officials and writing press releases.[Chinadaily.com.cn]