Dominica
Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by Europeans, due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the native Caribs. France ceded possession in 1763 to Great Britain, which made the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after independence, Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and tyrannical administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia Charles, the region’s first female Prime Minister, who remained in office for 15 years.
Education Minister Roosevelt Skerrit was sworn in as Prime Minister two days after the sudden death of the former premier, Pierre Charles, in January 2004. Skerrit, chosen by the Dominica Labor Party to succeed the late leader, pledged to follow a course of inclusive leadership. Skerrit inherited the challenge of boosting Dominica's sluggish economy, which relies heavily on tourism and the export of bananas. Unemployment remains high at an estimated 20%. In November 2004, Dominica suffered an earthquake that damaged buildings in the north of the island. The island also suffered landslides following heavy rains. While there were no casualties, the damage caused hit Dominica’s economy hard, at a time when it was just starting to recover.
Dominica's offshore business sector has made more rapid progress. Its growth created new problems. International organized crime reportedly took advantage of Dominica’s strict banking-secrecy laws and of its "economic citizenship program,” allowing foreigners to buy Dominican passports bearing names which are not necessarily their own. For a time, Dominica was included on a list of countries deemed to be non-cooperative in the fight against money-laundering. The government subsequently tightened up banking rules and set up a financial intelligence unit.
The tourism industry has great potential for Dominica, a mountainous, forest-clad island with a warm year-round tropical climate, national parks, rare indigenous birds and the second-largest boiling lake in the world. Poor infrastructure and the absence of a large airport, however, have impeded the growth of the sector (and the country is also vulnerable to hurricanes). There has been much debate over proposals to build an airport capable of taking large jet aircraft, but there is concern that an increase in tourist arrivals, as well as the promotion of eco-tourism, would damage the island's finely-balanced environment.
There are currently no known threats to visitors or expatriate residents in Dominica, a multiparty, parliamentary democracy and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.
Dominica has a relatively low crime rate for the Caribbean and although it is among the poorest countries in the region, its disparities in wealth are not as marked as in the larger Caribbean islands. Nonetheless, crime is rising, and visitors should take common-sense precautions.
The Dominica Police are the only security force.
