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| Volume No. 1 Issue No. 39 - Sunday March 16, 2003 |
Is the Solution in the Politics?
 by Thomson Fontaine
Without attempting to rigorously examine the reasons for why Dominica�s economy in its current state, I will attempt to discuss ways in which we can successfully pull ourselves out of the quicksand of despair and doom, to a period of growth and development. I will first focus on the political and human side of the issue and in the other essay (The Time is Now), I will look at the economics.
Reorganization of the Political System
The political system as we know it in Dominica has failed to meet the needs of a fledgling nation This remnant of a colonial past, the West Minister type system has been far less than a perfect fit. Our enthusiasm to embrace a system designed for a time and place far removed from our present reality is shocking.
Why should people vote for twenty-one popular candidates to manage the affairs of state? There are twenty-one constituencies with roughly one representative for every 3, 000 people. A well-known gentleman in his village devoid of managerial skills wins an election and is suddenly called upon to devise strategy, develop plans and be the visionary for a particular sector of the economy.
Nothing in his background or training has prepared him for this moment. The only consideration being the ability to win an election. He is suddenly faced with giving direction, taking executive decisions and contributing to the policy direction of Cabinet.
Politics in Dominica is thought to be lowly, demeaning and outright scary. The good, competent people who could function at a Cabinet level are discouraged from participation. Government employees who may be the most qualified candidates cannot participate unless they resign their jobs. The rigors of campaigning, the absence of policy discussions, and the maddening concentration on personal issues (�mepuis politics�), is a sure turn-off to the serious candidate.
Development plans are rooted around five year cycles. Just enough time to fill the potholes, provide part-time labor-intensive jobs to unemployed workers, and campaign for the next election. Losing an election is enough for one party to sabotage every effort of the incumbent for fear of making the government look good and winning the next election.
Political enemies are made, families pitied against each other, and jobs are gained or lost depending on the party for which one voted. The only identity that matters is the color of the party you voted. No one is neutral. In the exercise of one�s patriotic duty one is forced to take sides. Either you are for the government or against.
In the process of revamping the current system to take advantage of the limited talent and resources in the country, I would suggest a system loosely patterned after the United States representative system. Each village or group of villages would elect a candidate from among the competing parties. The leader of the winning party becomes the leader of the country. He/she is then free to choose six additional cabinet ministers. These ministers would be chosen based on their track record, training and experience. For instance a skilled financial planner or economist would become finance minister, a trained diplomat, foreign minister etc.
The elected representatives would constitute the house, which would serve as a check on the powers of the leader of the country and would be directly in touch with the constituents. This system would serve to reduce the size of government. Elected representatives would not expect to hold the esteemed position of ministers even when it is clearly beyond their expertise, thus allowing Cabinet to be run by a core group of trained and committed persons.
Stimulating Private Sector Growth
In my view, the biggest failing within the context of Dominica�s development has been the failure to encourage a vibrant private sector. No government administration has paid enough attention to that sector. As if by divine right, government was supposed to provide the new jobs, often at the expense of private enterprise.
This is made worse by the fact that our very socialization discourages an �entrepreneurial spirit�. One wonders how the future of the country would have been different if training was provided to and the financial means made available for persons to open their own restaurants, manage their own �bed and breakfast�, dry clean services and a multitude of other personal services.
Indeed the success of the new wave of mainly Chinese migrants in these service areas points to a failure on our part to develop an indigenous capacity. How do we explain this seeming success when all along we thought that these entrepreneurial activities would fail?
Students were trained to work within the government sector. Typically one joined the private sector as a last resort. With the exception of well established positions within the telecommunications and public utilities sectors (with their natural limits for growth).
Today, government�s biggest problem is that it has grown too large and is saddled with an unsustainable wage bill. Within government there was a ministry of women affairs long before even a suggestion of an enterprise ministry. This in a country where women have always had the same opportunities as men.
The ministry of trade and industry never functioned as a twin department but rather as the ministry of trade and sometimes industry. The private sector in turn is not set up to absorb persons dropped from the government pay roll.
I would suggest an immediate and complete refocus on the private sector. Start with reviewing and removing the multiplicity of very high taxes and archaic regulations that run counter to a vibrant private sector. When making enquiries into the setting up of a local business, I was informed that from the very first year of operation, the business would need to pay a whooping 30 percent rate of tax on its profits. This coupled with the fact that no upfront concessions would be granted.
What about suggesting that any profit taxes be initially waived for an entrepreneur who could successfully employ five persons within the first year of operations. What about a special fund to assist entrepreneurs with bright, workable ideas but who fail to possess a land title to secure a private commercial loan?
Diaspora Involvement
I have never quite understood why no systematic effort has been made to woo Dominicans residing overseas to be an active part of the development process in Dominica. Thanks to the close to $15 million dollars flowing back into the country from overseas based Dominicans, the country is able to stay afloat in these hard economic times.
Rather than been embraced on their return to Dominica, natural born Dominicans are generally made to feel unwelcome and unwanted in their country. They are viewed with suspicion, and sometimes downright disdain. There are stories of Dominicans trying to retire locally having to turn tails and run because of the hostile reception in Dominica.
Unfortunately, some people feel that to prove yourself a Dominican one should always reside on Island. Time spent away certainly disqualifies anyone from being considered Dominican.
The future of Dominica is inextricably tied to the active involvement and participation of the Dominican Diaspora.
Overseas Dominicans should be encouraged to invest, save, retire, and generally play a more active role in on Island activities.
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