COMMONWEALTH OF DOMINICA Fourth Medium-Term Growth and Social Protection Strategy (GSPS) 2014 – 2018 “Towards Economic Transformation: A Pathway to Sustainable Development” Fourth Medium-Term Growth and Social Protection Strategy (GSPS) 2014 – 2018 “Towards Economic Transformation: A Pathway to Sustainable Development” CONTENTS PREFACE .................................................................................................................................................... iv 1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Purpose and Scope of the GSPS ........................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Dominica’s Medium-term Challenges ................................................................................................ 3 1.3 Dominica’s Quest for Growth ............................................................................................................. 4 2 POVERTY REDUCTION AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT ............................................................ 5 2.1 Millennium Development Goals ......................................................................................................... 6 2.2 The Institutional Framework: Social Protection Systems in Dominica ......................................... 8 3 PRIORITY POVERTY REDUCTION ACTIONS ................................................................................. 9 3.1 Poverty Reduction Policies and Programmes .................................................................................... 9 3.2 Health .................................................................................................................................................... 11 3.3 Education................................................................................................................................................ 12 3.4 Social Safety Net .................................................................................................................................... 12 3.5 Housing and Sanitation......................................................................................................................... 12 3.6 Special Focus Areas ............................................................................................................................... 12 3.7 National Employment Programme..................................................................................................... 13 3.8 The Kalinago Territory......................................................................................................................... 14 3.9 Maintenance of Social Programmes ................................................................................................... 15 4 TOWARDS CONTINUED INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT ............................................ 15 4.1 Road Transportation ............................................................................................................................. 16 4.2 Sea Transportation................................................................................................................................. 17 4.3 Air Transportation ................................................................................................................................. 18 4.4 Energy .................................................................................................................................................... 19 4.5 Information and Communications Technology ................................................................................ 20 4.6 Water and Sanitation ............................................................................................................................. 22 5 AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES .................................................................................. 23 5.1 National Adaptation Strategy............................................................................................................... 26 5.2 National Agricultural Policy Framework document ......................................................................... 26 5.3 Forestry ................................................................................................................................................... 28 5.4 Fisheries .................................................................................................................................................. 29 6 TOURISM .................................................................................................................................................... 31 6.1 The Policy Objective ............................................................................................................................. 31 6.2 Challenges Facing the Sector ............................................................................................................... 32 6.3 Roseau Development Area................................................................................................................... 33 6.4 Other Tourism-related Development Proposals ............................................................................... 33 6.5 Community Tourism Policy ................................................................................................................. 43 Growth and Social Protection Strategy: 2014 - 2018 i 6.6 Attracting Tourism Investment ........................................................................................................... 36 6.7 Residence Tourism ................................................................................................................................ 37 6.8 Destination and Product Promotion .................................................................................................. 37 6.9 Upgrading Service Skills and Standards ............................................................................................. 38 7 MANUFACTURING / AGRO-INDUSTRY AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ........................ 38 7.1 Business Development ......................................................................................................................... 39 8 HOUSING, LAND USE AND CONSTRUCTION................................................................................ 41 8.1 Land Use Planning ................................................................................................................................ 44 8.2 Construction........................................................................................................................................... 44 9 IMPROVING EXPORT COMPETITIVENESS ..................................................................................... 45 9.1 Towards Enhanced Competitiveness and Productivity .................................................................... 45 9.2 Competiveness in the context of Foreign Policy and Trade Policy................................................ 46 9.2.1 OECS and CSME .................................................................................................................... 46 9.2.2 The EU-ACP Economic Partnership Agreement ............................................................... 47 9.2.3 Other Trade and multilateral arrangements ......................................................................... 47 9.3 Renewed Effort at Increasing Investment ......................................................................................... 48 10 KEY CROSS-CUTTING SECTORS .......................................................................................................... 49 10.1 Developing and Preserving our Human Resources.......................................................................... 50 10.1.1 Education .................................................................................................................................. 50 10.1.2 Health ........................................................................................................................................ 52 10.2 Gender, Culture, Youth and Sports .................................................................................................... 55 10.2.1 Gender ....................................................................................................................................... 55 10.2.2 Culture ....................................................................................................................................... 56 10.2.3 Youth Empowerment.............................................................................................................. 56 10.2.4 Sports ......................................................................................................................................... 57 10.3 Environmental and Vulnerability Management................................................................................. 58 10.3.1 Towards a Green Economy .................................................................................................... 60 10.4 National Security.................................................................................................................................... 61 10.4.1 Penal Reform ............................................................................................................................ 63 10.5