Prospects for Zero Poverty Growth Through Tourism: Lessons from Dominica Presentation by Atherton E. Martin Executive Director, The Development Institute (TDI) Ltd. Delivered at the First Annual Eco Fest of Dominica Rosalie Eco Resort May 4th 2009

1
Prospects for Zero Poverty Growth Through
Tourism Lessons from DominicaPresentation by
Atherton E. MartinExecutive Director, The
Development Institute (TDI) Ltd. Delivered at
theFirst Annual Eco Fest of DominicaRosalie
Eco ResortMay 4th 2009
2
POVERTY!!!!!IS HELL !!!!!! (The Mighty Shadow)

• Dominicas Poverty Assessment Report for 2003
  revealed 29 of households below poverty line!
• 40 of the population is living in
  poverty!(Poverty Assessment 2008)
• The demise of the banana industry has created
  large pockets of rural poverty in formerly
  self-sufficient communities (IDP Report 2003)

3
DEFEATING POVERTY, A CATALYST FOR SHAPING THE
EPA!!!

• Poverty will increase until the economy recovers
  and starts creating jobs GSPS,p.16
• Poverty reduction over the long term requires
  the creation of sustainable employment and income
  earning opportunities for all Dominicans
  GSPS,p.16
• Attaining growth largely means creating jobs that
  will activate the unemployed in the rural areas
  where poverty is most pronounced GSPS,p.3

4
Even after we chose sustainable development and
livelihoods (Agenda 21 BPoA PRGS IDP GSPS
Tourism 2010)

• We engage in the popular pastime of development
  through modernization that depends on external
  ideas and resources while ignoring our own

5
TOURISM has replaced AGRICULTURE as the new kid
on the block .

• What does Agriculture have to teach tourism about
  survival and growth in a small island economy?

6
Who made the choice for TOURISM?Policymaker
s (A Tourism Policy in 2006)Foresters (National
Parks Legislation in 1975 World Heritage Site in
1998)Writers (historians, journalists, travel
writers)Donors (USAID, World Bank no hope for
tourism, the EU-ETDP) Consultants (of all
kinds)The Market (global versus
local/regional)Others (moviemakers
Disney)All of the aboveNone of the above
7
What were the factors considered?

• Death of agriculture
• Protected forest with wildlife, rivers, lakes,
  falls, fumaroles,
• Challenging topography
• The last home of the first peoples

8
What were the guidelines?

• effective management of natural and cultural
  resources?
• the community and other stewards to be involved
  in planning and management?
• bring economic benefit to all?
• be sustainable (household, enterprise,
  community, nation, Region)?
• leave the community and the natural assets in a
  better condition than we found them?

9
Guidelines .?

• Deepen linkages but minimize leakage?
• Manage the natural assets as well as the built
  and cultural assets?
• Attend to social/econ./ecol. bottom lines?
• Insist on participation?
• Carrying Capacity of people, land?
• Plan, act, monitor, review, evaluate, plan,
  act, monitor, etc.

10
Guidelines ..

• Craft an investment strategy for tourism that
  Greens the economy (Construction of a Killing
  Facility (for) Children across the street from
  the largest fresh fruit market in the country
  does not meet this criterion.)
• Train and re-train officials in ALL sectors to
  design, build and manage a green economy

11
The Challenge Can Tourism trigger the transition
to a green economy? Can any one sector be
charged with managing such issues as

• Greening policymaking and planning
• Greening technology
• Greening Research, Education, Recreation
• Greening Hiking, River bathing, Rafting ,
  Snorkeling, Diving
• Greening Arts, entertainment, history, living
  styles, culinary styles, hospitality,
  spirituality
• Greening Agriculture, Architecture

12
Lessons from Agriculture

• 1. Protecting natural resources (Forest Reserves
  and National Parks)
• 2. Building dedicated and visionary institutions
  (forest service)
• 3. Establishing national policy
• 4. Maintaining local small scale agriculture
  (organics)
• 5. Encouraging small, locally-owned support
  services
• 6. Providing appropriate financing for local
  investors
• 7. Capitalizing on the strengths of other sectors
  
• 8. Developing products using inputs from other
  sectors (heritage tourism, culinary, farming,
  arts, etc.)

13
Lessons from Agriculture

• 9. Integrating communities and their values and
  concerns in the planning, marketing and
  management (Giraudel-Eggleston Community Gardens
  and Culinary Tours)
• 10. Improving infrastructure (access,
  transportation, water, waste, safety, disaster
  response, etc.) (?)
• 12. Fostering regional and international
  partnerships that maintain the integrity of the
  local product brand (health, wellness, soft
  adventure, conservation of biodiversity,
  heritage, local ownership and management (?)
• 13. Reducing dependence on external aid for the
  expertise, finance and technology needed to
  sustain the product (?)
• 14. Deliberately training and re-training a cadre
  of persons needed to maintain and enhance the
  product IN ALL SECTORS (?)

14
In the end the issue boils down to one of
vision, conviction and even faith in our common
destiny William Demas, 1987 in, Seize the
Time Towards OECS Political Union
15

• Four lessons
• All systems are Complex
• Remain curious
• Maintain contact
• 4. Insist on character

16
Change the Pace .
17
(No Transcript)
18
(No Transcript)
19
(No Transcript)
20
We all want zero poverty but still have a problem
agreeing on how we Get there.We all want to go
to HEAVEN but who is ready to die to get there?
Yet, We pray the path every day

• Our Father who is in Heaven Accept our limits
• hallowed be they name Respect
• thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven
  Confidence
• give us .. our daily bread Meet basic needs of
  all
• as we forgive those .. A Caring Community
• lead us not into temptation Good Governance
• deliver us from evil Safety (crime, drugs, HIV,
  corruption, )
• amen Reward good Performance

21
(No Transcript)
22
If we had to do it all over again, What would
our motto be? Apres Bondie cest ?????????????