THE COLLECTIVE VISION
On third November 2008, Dominica will celebrate its 30th year as an independent nation. Much has been achieved over this period - much that we can be proud of. For government, this is an opportunity to highlight individual, community and institutional achievement. Importantly, however, it is an opportunity for reflection, renewal and for recommitment to the quest for accelerated progress and development.
From the outset, the Committee appointed by government to oversee coordination of the anniversary insisted that accent must be placed on the Dominican people as central players in the celebrations - no matter where they lived or worked. In fact, this insistence of participation by all is what explains the choice of the theme for the year: Celebrating the journey together. This means that the celebrations are open to all Dominicans - in the rural and urban Dominica as well as Dominicans in the Diaspora - and that all Dominicans and friends of Dominica are invited to come together to celebrate but also to reflect on and take action concerning the challenge of building a better future for the whole.
In keeping with the idea of celebrating thirty years of participation and progress, much attention will be paid to exhibitions and expositions regarding the basis of past progress. Thus, the intention is to highlight the central place of agriculture, agro industries and art and craft in the economy of the island. Additionally, however, the intention is to highlight the fact that services are joining agriculture and agro industries as central elements in the Dominican economy. Consequently, an invitation is being extended to the private sector and institutional partners, to become engaged in showing the way to the future in which knowledge, services as well as information and communication technologies will take their places in an integrated, multi-faceted and diversified economy and society.
The Dominica of which we speak comprises not only persons and institutions but spaces and symbols that label us: the towns, villages, scenic spots, the forests, rivers, gardens that are distinctly Dominican as the Kalinago. The intention therefore is to revisit these symbols of Dominica with a view to ensuring that they too are part of the process of celebration and renewal. Thus, plans for the re-development of the capital city, village centres and the Botanical gardens will be dusted off and an attempt made to subsume them within the framework of the Reunion 2008 activities.
On several occasions, we have used the term 'renewal' to speak to the process of individual, community and institutional assessment that must precede the effort to change direction in the interest of a better Dominica. There is a view, however, that renewal is not sufficiently accurate in terms of the real goal of Reunion 2008. Its proponents suggest that the term 'renaissance' is much closer to the real intention. There is in fact much to recommend use of this term. It suggests: rebirth, revival - a commitment to retrieve those elements of life and culture that have been deliberately or accidentally sidelined. In essence it speaks to a new beginning in self awareness, in national pride, and commitment to action that is intended to promote the national good. This therefore is an invitation to renaissance.
