Whether Storms May Come…
There’s a famous saying by Former Prime Minister Dame Mary Eugenia Charles that following independence from Great Britain in 1978, Dominica faced two major hurricanes – Hurricane Patrick and Hurricane David. Referencing in the former, the terror reigned upon Dominica by then Prime Minister Patrick John who would be overthrown and later imprisoned, her comparison to a natural disaster of epic proportions in August of 1979 indicated the tough roads ahead for the small island developing state. Political independence may have been a ceremonial victory, but the real work of proving economic and cultural autonomy had only just begun.
More than that, Dominica’s test of resilience was had already begun with the aforementioned tumultuous events for the nation. From its involvement in the Grenada Revolution, to the rise and fall of the banana industry, the Economic Citizenship programme, changes in government and the introduction of major cultural events like the World Creole Music Festival, what was next to come for the country would be significant triumphs and challenges, up to this day in our 37th year of Independence.
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