Local Chapter News Updates
New Local Chapter Executive
ROSEAU: 13 Nov 06 - One of Dominica’s premier diaspora groupings, the Dominica Academy of Arts & Sciences (DAAS) has announced a new executive for its local chapter following a meeting of the Steering Committee held on October 31st. The new executive comprises:
- Parry Bellot - Chairman
- Marvlyn Birmingham - Vice-Chairman
- Tom Dorsett - Secretary
- Nick Waldron - Treasurer
- Clayton Shillingford - Ex-Officio (DAAS President)
Among the main objectives of the local chapter is to more effectively facilitate the increasing contribution of the diaspora to Dominica’s development. This contribution was recently recognized by the government with the appointment of a Special Assistant to the Prime Minister to handle diaspora matters exclusively. One of DAAS affiliates, the Dominica-America Relief & Development Association (DARDA) was honoured this year with the presentation of a national award at the Independence celebrations on November 3rd. DAAS is currently facilitating the annual receipt by Dominicans of their “Christmas barrels” from family and friends by assisting a “DIAL-A-BARREL’ programme that seeks to streamline and simplify the export and import procedures.
Perhaps even more significantly, DAAS is planning to augment its longstanding charitable assistance (for example, to the hospital, the State College, the police, etc.), by creating more opportunities for Dominicans overseas to more directly contribute to the economic development of their former and well-loved homeland.