THE ILLEGAL GUN trade, the state of the economy and damage to Dominica by Tropical Storm Erika were the main focus of this morning’s address by Prime Minister Freundel Stuart during the Annual Conference of the Democratic Labour Party.
He said his administration is concerned about crime and intends to take action to deal with the scourge.
However, he said families, communities and schools must also step up.
“We all have a role to play in defending our families and communities from the erosion of values that results in the kind of wanton behaviour that threatens all we have worked so hard to create over the years,” he said in his address at the George Street Auditorium that was filled to capacity.
On the state of the economy, the leader commended his team of ministers and officials for their work.
He made particular mention of Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Chris Sinckler, thanking him for “the calm, the courage, and the conviction”, which he brought in the discharge of his responsibilities.
As it relates to Dominica, which is struggling to come to grips with the devastation caused by the weather system, the prime minister said Barbados is awaiting official word on the needs of the Windward Island.
Stuart, the chairman of CARICOM, used the opportunity to call for the international community to rethink using gross domestic product to determine the middle income status of CARICOM states.
He said the situation in Dominica shows that this is not fair since the GDP of countries in the region can be easily wiped out by natural disasters. (WILLCOMM)
