Government Information Service

by Emmanuel H. Joseph
Goverment Information Service

Over the weekend of the 9th – 12th October, 2009, a consular office was formally opened in Guadeloupe to cater to the needs of Dominicans residing in Guadeloupe. Dominica’s Honorary Consul to Guadeloupe, Monsieur and Madame Alexis Cherdieu has been offering Dominicans consular services from their home since 1991.

According to Hon Minister for Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Labour, Vince Henderson, the office was supposed to be opened at the beginning of the year but had to be postponed because of the forty-four (44) day strike which affected Guadeloupe earlier this year. He further stated that the office will provide several services to Dominicans living in Guadeloupe.

“...Where Dominicans would be able to be serviced, that is to say, receive services that would normally be provided by a Consular Office: passports, birth certificates, death certificates and basically functions that the State would normally do and as already is being done by our Honorary Consul, Monsieur and Madame Alexis Cherdieu.”

The Hon. Minister stated further that part of the reasons in opening the office was to ensure that an environment was created where the Government could facilitate Dominicans living in Guadeloupe and French St. Marten, because, over the past years they have had to go over to the private residence of Monsieur and Madame Alexis Cherdieu to get those services done. Now, with an office space and staff, Government will be able to provide better quality services in a more pleasant environment for Dominicans living in the aforementioned territories.

The Office will also serve as a meeting place for the Dominica Guadeloupe Association.

In an interview with the Government Information Service, the Hon. Minister stated that there are over six thousand (6 000) registered Dominicans in Guadeloupe and Government officials took the opportunity while on that trip to Guadeloupe to meet with those Dominicans to hear from them and update them on progress in Dominica.

“We know that from the last count of those who are documented, we have over six thousand (6000) Dominicans, say ten thousand (10 000) if you include French St. Marten who reside in the territories. Therefore, it is not only important to provide services for those persons, but to meet and interact with them to tell them about the plans and programmes of the Government of Dominica and to hear from them: their own concerns, their dreams and aspirations, their suggestions and questions that they may have. This is in keeping with Government’s policy where we always interact with the public as in is being done here at our town hall meetings.”

Among the concerns raised at the meeting visa issues dominated the discussions. According to the Foreign Affairs Minister, the main sector affected is those that need to stay with relatives for a period shorter than fifteen (15) days.

“The Dominicans there indicated clearly that some mayors are very uncooperative. It has created a problem for them to get their families who want to visit. It does not pose a problem for persons who wish to do business or persons who wish to stay at a hotel, but those who want to visit their relatives for fifteen (15) days or less. It has been proven to be very difficult since in order to do that, they must get a certificate from the mayor’s office to give them the authority to let the person come to visit and that has been very slow.”

The Minister went on to say that they had discussions with the Préfet where different options were explored in order to devise ways to improve and remedy the situation. He further stated that the matter will receive high priority at the upcoming Franco Dominica Security Committee meeting on the 28th of October, 2009. At that meeting, the France Ambassador to Dominica will be in attendance and it is hoped that a new arrangement or at least, a new approach to improving the situation can be sought to improving that situation that many Dominicans have been complaining about over the past few years since the programme was started.