DOMINICA: SKERRIT SUPPORTS DOLLAR DIPLOMACY IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 001442

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/19/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID DO XL
SUBJECT: DOMINICA: SKERRIT SUPPORTS DOLLAR DIPLOMACY IN
INDEPENDENCE DAY SPEECH

Classified By: A/DCM Clyde Howard for reason 1.4(d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit thanked
China, Venezuela, and Cuba in his Independence Day speech,
citing specific assistance these countries have recently
provided. Other thanks also went to the European Union,
which has also provided substantial assistance. This speech
is another example that Skerrit approaches foreign policy
with pragmatism, basing Dominica's strongest relationship
with those who promise large and visible donations. END
SUMMARY.

THANKS TO VENEZUELA, CHINA, AND CUBA
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2. (U) The climax of the Independence Day activities was
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit's speech at the National
Parade. In it, Skerrit commented that, due to the generosity
of China, Venezuela, Cuba, CARICOM, and the European Union,
Dominica has greater flexibility in responding to natural
crises, such as Hurricane Dean. He stated that grants from
partners constitute 14 percent of Dominica's GDP.
Specifically, Skerrit cited an ECD 12 million (USD 4.6
million) project Venezuela is funding to erect a sea wall and
construct a reinforced concrete road between Soufriere and
Scotts Head and an EU-funded tourism development program
valued ECD 19 million (USD 7.3 million) over three years. He
also asked the audience to stand and applaud China for the
recently-opened, 8000-seat stadium in which the parade was
taking place, gifted as part of a ECD 300 million (USD 115.4
million) investment package. The one mention of U.S.
involvement was the introduction of a new American Eagle
flight connecting Dominica to Puerto Rico. At the end,
Skerritt added France, Canada, the United States, the United
Kingdom, the Republic of Korea, Japan, the Organization of
Eastern Caribbean States, and the Organization of American
States.

COMMENT
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3. (C) Skerrit's speech perfectly illustrated Dominica's
foreign policy of friendships through dollar diplomacy.
Recent USG assistance, such as the USD 25,000 provided
through the Ambassador's emergency relief fund in the
aftermath of Hurricane Dean and MLO donations of vehicles to
the Dominican police force, seems to have made little
impression compared to multi-million dollar projects by
Venezuela and China. Given the country,s continued reliance
on heavy donor assistance and the devastation caused by Dean
to the Ag sector and much of Dominica,s transportation
infrastructure, this is hardly surprising. Moving forward,
we will be highlighting June Conference Deliverables such as
the upcoming USAID Caribbean Centers of Excellence for
Teacher Training to strengthen relations between the United
States and Dominica.
OURISMAN