Dominica

Dominica CSI

Introduction

In 2001, CARICOM Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) agreed that each CARICOM member country should establish a National Coalition of Service Industries to serve as a focal point for the services sector and function as a lobbying institution with the aim of providing CARICOM, the government and negotiators with general and sectoral positions for trade in services. Subsequently, the Dominica Coalition of Service Industries (DCSI) was launched in January 2009 with the support of the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica and incorporated as a non‐profit organization in August 2009 under the Dominica Companies Act of 1994.

The DCSI as key player in the national development process is expected to bring members of the service industry and various service associations under one umbrella organization, and assist them in becoming better organized for the purpose of taking advantage of services development and export opportunities that exist regionally and internationally.

Vision

The vision of the DCSI is to become the premiere non‐governmental umbrella body incorporated to safeguard the interest, foster the growth and sustainability of service organizations in the Commonwealth of Dominica.

Mission

The mission of the DCSI is to provide advocacy services on behalf of its members while continually providing learning opportunities for the development of the human resources of our member. This capacity building initiative will be performed in order to prepare our Dominica services sector for the dynamic nature of the business world by fostering of new relationships locally, regionally and internationally and by bench‐marking and emulating the best practices in the service industries in the micro and macro environments.

Strategic Goals and Objectives

1. Increase Dominica’s export of services within the CSME and between CSME and third world countries by way of promoting the further development and competitiveness of firms locally, regionally and internationally and encouraging the formation of strategic alliances with regional and extra‐regional counterparts
2. Identify and provide service providers with knowledge of export opportunities and provide assistance to members in accessing the foreign markets by organizing and hosting Trade Mission and Exhibitions
3. Represent the interest of the services sector by advocating and lobbying Government as well as providing technical and other inputs into the trade in services negotiations on behalf of service providers and promoting fair multi‐lateral rules for trade in services by means of Mutual Recognition Agreements
4. Establish standards of regional and international best practice for services professionals as well as ensuring and encouraging that the highest industry standards are met by all members
5. Assist non‐organized service providers in establishing professional associations and strengthen existing services organizations
6. Educate service providers of relevant aspects of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, the CARIFORUM‐EC Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and World Trade Organization’s (WTO) General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), CARICOM‐Canada Negotiations and other trade agreements and developments that can affect trade in services

Representation

The sectors and subsectors identified for development by the DCSI are detailed in the following table:

Executive Body

The current DCSI Board of Directors, which was re‐elected in December 2009, is made up of the following members:

President ‐ Mr. Orlando Richards (Accounting)

Vice President ‐ Mrs. Cornelia Williams (Management Consultants)

Treasurer/Public Relations Officer ‐ Mr. Daryl Bobb (Cultural Industries) 3

Secretary ‐ Ms. Rose‐Anne Charles (Legal Profession)

Secretariat

The Secretariat of the Dominica Coalition of Service Industries which is located at the Financial Centre, Kennedy Avenue, Roseau became fully staffed in August 2011. The Secretariat is currently in the Project phase to commence the implementation of the mandate of the Dominica Coalition of Service Industries. The Project is being implemented under the direction of the Ministry of Employment, Trade, Industry and Diaspora Affairs with oversight by a Project Steering committee.

Activities under this phase will be conducted under an initial two year period with the financial assistance of the Caribbean Aid for Trade and Regional Integration Trust Fund (CARTFund), administered by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), financed by the UK Department for International Development, DFID and the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica.

The Secretariat is currently staffed by three persons:

Mr. Lester Riviere: Executive Director

Mrs. Tanya Chase‐Henry: Executive Assistant

Ms. Hilda Kelshall: Accounting & Administrative Officer

Activities

The Secretariat in its drive to fulfill the mandate of the Dominica Coalition of Service Industries will engage in the following activities in its Project phase:

1. Promotion, sensitization and training programs to equip and certify service providers in exporting services programs for exposure to world class industry standards
2. Membership mobilization and association development initiatives
3. Provision of an information management system as well as the development and dissemination of trade in services and market intelligence information.
4. Representation at national, regional and international fora on trade in services