P-POD is committed to improving the state of Dominica and presents an economic message that will pave Dominica's future in terms of economic prosperity, social progress, the enhancement of accountability, transparency and credibility.

The People's Party of Dominica (P-POD) presents an economic message which will no doubt, pave Dominica's future in terms of economic prosperity, social progress, and the enhancement of accountability, transparency and credibility. The essence of an economic message is not just to instill hope in the people, but also to serve as a summary of how we intend to build and maintain a vibrant economy. Our plans for economic growth encompass all social strata of Dominicans, local and in the Diaspora. The implementation of our economic agenda will ensure that the average citizen enjoys an uplifting not only in income, but also morally and socially. To the average Dominican family, it will mean more money to put food on the table through, but not limited to, more job availability, higher tax deductions, and employment incentives. To the Dominican youth, it will mean more options for training programs, a very robust job market, and more availability to sources of financial and economic support.

Controlled-for inflation is necessary to stoke a healthy economy. The rate of inflation in Dominica is unhinged from the real economy, artificial more so in nature. The current inflation rate of 1.7 percent imbues perceptions of a healthy economy, but the reality is different. The change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) since the early 1990's measures a stagnant economy, one where the prices in the basket-of-goods were already exorbitant. From the 1990's till current, any minor uptick in price is felt by the consumer because of thinly stretched incomes and a high unemployment rate. While we cannot speculate on what the intrinsic inflation rate is, we can safely say that if were to change the base period of the basket-of-goods to an earlier time, and use only two CPI reference points, the years 1990 and 2005, inflation would be over 100 percent. In keeping in line with the tenets of accountable reporting, we will overhaul and revamp the manner by which GDP and other economic indicators are reported. A healthy rate therefore of 2 to 3 percent per year falls in line with our objective to achieve a 7 and 9 percent economic growth in the first three years and thereafter, respectively.

Labour, as a factor of production, remains negatively exploited. Low pay, victimization, and preferential treatment are some of the factors which contribute to the low quality of labour in Dominica. The current minimum wage rate of EC$4.05 per hour translates into an unending cycle of poverty for those families and individuals struggling to make it on such. One of the first issues that we will tackle, is the hiking of the minimum wage to EC $7.50 per hour. A healthy, basic hourly wage, even within the upper quartile of OECS states, will speak volumes about the treatment of workers in Dominica. A fallacy exists about external investors in manufacturing and off-shore services seeking the lowest wage regions to set up shop. This was more so in the past. Investors have come to realize that employee quality and productivity, and workplace safety and contentment ensure more profitable and sustainable markets than previously utilized modus operandi. We aim to enhance the quality of labour in Dominica by ensuring a more equitable work place. One where labour disputes are more quickly settled under a new system, rather than under current regulations. Incentives will be granted to employers to enhance meritocracy in the workplace.



In perhaps the most radical deviation in regards to policy on controlled substances, we intend to legalize the cultivation of cannabis for medical and industrial purposes. The global cannabis market is expected to grow at a rate of 38 percent between now and 2020, and more countries are expected to embark on partial or full de-legalization of marijuana. According to statistics, if all the US states, Canada, and Europe were to fully legalize the consumption of marijuana for health or recreational purposes, over USD $100 billion in revenues could be easily realized annually. We intend to position ourselves to dominate at least 2.5 percent of the global legal trade in hemp and cannabis-related products. Global legal revenues in 2016 were estimated to be USD $15 billion.

We have pinpointed an area where others have failed, and that area is so critical that we will invest unspeakable amounts just to ensure its sustainability and rewards. That area is marketing. We as a previous British colony enjoyed protective status which in turn fostered an atmosphere of non-competitiveness and lackadaisical attitudes. Not to say that the protection of our bananas was a bad thing, but it stymied our ability to do for ourselves and to fiercely compete on a global scale. With just as much zeal as Dominican passport selling agents pursue passport-buying-potential clients, so too will we expect that of our marketing agents. We will place high emphasis on the ability to secure exclusive rights contracts, lock-in agreements and the maintenance of such.

Our local manufacturers will enjoy massive increases in global market share, thanks to our unique relationship with China. We will seek to establish MOUs with large Chinese manufacturing companies to either outsource some work to local firms in Dominica, or to have local companies share in their export markets. We intend to move away from an aid based relationship to one where mutual understanding encompasses our economic development, increasingly by our own abilities.

We will establish contracts with world renowned and aggressive marketing firms to internationally sell Dominican produce. Such produce may be raw or finished for consumption/enjoyment. One of our goals for small businesses and manufacturers (depending on the business) is to have at least 70 percent of what they produce for the export market. One of the big tasks for our marketing agents is the job of placing Dominican produce on the shelves of every major supermarket in North America, the UK and most of Western Europe.

Other plans to energize the economy include the investment in arts and culture. Dominica as the Nature Isle has a rich heritage and quite a colourful history. More can be done, especially in terms of tourism, in enhancing our culture through increased budget expenditure in that area; the hosting of more heritage-related theatrical events; and the export of culture through say, travelling shows. Dominica is in need of a proper theatre building.

We are not looking at just the material aspects of the economy, but how meaningful will an economic increase impact the lives of Dominicans. At every step in the development process, we will address questions like: 1. Does everyone have the basic needs of society, like water and sanitation which is a mandate on our constitution?; 2. Does everyone have access to affordable medical care and more-than-adequate food supplies?; 3. Does everyone have the basic building blocks for a better contemporary life, which includes information and communication, and access to health and wellness awareness?; 4. Does everyone have the opportunity to improve their lives, through, for example personal rights, personal freedom and choice, tolerance and inclusion, and access to advanced education? While GDP is a general economic benchmark, we will monitor and measure our performance through means like the Social Progress Index - a measurement of the well being of society through variables like social and environmental outcomes.

PPOD is committed to improving the state of Dominica. To do so, our team of progress leaders engage to shape local, global, and industry agendas while upholding the highest standards of governance. Moral and intellectual integrity is at the heart of what we do. The actives that we partake in are shaped by the unique party culture, which asserts, each one of us who makes up this party is accountable to all parts of society. It is our belief, that progress happens when people from diverse backgrounds, with drive, passion and influence, join together to bring about positive change. Therefore, with this zeal and passion for the sustainable development of the Commonwealth of Dominica, we are highly optimistic about the future.

Thank You!

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