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Dominica Through
History.
Dominica was the last
of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by
Europeans, due chiefly to the fierce
resistance of the native Caribs.
France ceded possession to Great
Britain in 1763, which made the
island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two
years after independence,
Dominica's fortunes improved when a
corrupt and tyrannical administration
was replaced by that of Mary
Eugenia CHARLES, the first female
prime minister in the Caribbean, who
remained in office for 15 years.
Some 3,000 Carib Indians still living
on Dominica are the only
pre- Columbian population remaining in
the eastern Caribbean.
Dominica is the most
mountainous
island in the Caribbean. The
land
rises
in places straight from the sea, towering to high peaks.
This rugged landscape is softened somewhat by the
luxuriant forests that coat the
hills and give
the island its distinctive verdant beauty.
After nearly 3,000 years of human
habitation, Dominica, known to many as "the Nature
Island of the Caribbean," is one of the few places where
untouched primary tropical forests can still be found.
More than
in
most islands, this rugged terrain has guided the course
of Dominica's history. The steep mountains and deep
valleys provided the early Carib Indians with a natural
fortress against European colonizers, making Dominica
one of the last islands to
be
fully colonized. These same features later provided a
safe haven
for escaped slaves. Since then,
the struggle between man and mountain has significantly
affected the direction and pace of Dominica's
development by determining the location and cost of
roads, farms, and buildings.
The
island's first settlers were the Arawaks, an Indian
people from the Orinoco region of South America, who
arrived in Dominica and the neighboring islands of
Martinique and Guadaloupe about 1,000 years B.C. (see
The Pre-European Population, ch. 1). These first known
settlers lived peacefully until they were almost
completely decimated by the more aggressive Carib
Indians, who arrived in Dominica in 900 A.D.. In the
late 1980s, there were no known living descendants of
the Arawaks in Dominica, but the Carib population
numbered about 1,500.
Some
593 years after the Caribs settled in Dominica,
Christopher Columbus first sighted the island on his
second voyage to the New World. Unaware that the Caribs
had already named the island Waitukubuli ("Tall is her
body"), Columbus renamed it Dominica, after the Spanish
word for Sunday, the day of his arrival, November 3,
1493.
For the next 200 years, no European power was able
to conquer Dominica. The determined and often
violent resistance of the island's Carib inhabitants was a
major deterrent to colonization. As the Spanish empire grew
in the 1500s, Dominica became increasingly important
but only as a point for collecting wood and water.
The island's resources were abundant, but attacking
Caribs put the mariners at great risk. Only in the year
1627 when the French standard was raised did a European
power the island as an occupied possession. Fifty years
later, following repeated hostilities between the French
and English over the island's ownership, a treaty was
signed between the two countries declaring Dominica a
neutral territory to "be inhabited by the savages to who
[sic] it has been left . . . ."
The Dominican economy depends on
agriculture, primarily bananas, and
remains highly vulnerable to climatic
conditions and international
economic developments. Hurricane
Luis devastated the country's banana
crop in 1995 after tropical storms
wiped out a quarter of the 1994 crop.
The economy subsequently has
been fueled by increases in
construction, soap production, and
tourist arrivals. Development of the
tourism industry remains difficult
however, because of the rugged
coastline, lack of beaches, and the
absence of an international airport.
Economic growth is sluggish, and
unemployment is greater than 20%.
The government has been attempting
to develop an offshore financial
sector in order to diversify the
island's production
base.
Dominica Economic
Citizenship Program. Background and Legal
Considerations.
Several independent nations have
adopted
programs which allow the acquisition
of citizenship against a direct
contribution to the state as a means
of development of the country.
Of those currently available, the Economic Citizenship
Programme of Dominica is one of the most
attractive programmes. This
programme has operated successfully since
1991, and it is based on a solid legal
foundation in the Constitution of Dominica.
A limited quota of applications has been set
by the Government.
The
legal regime governing the Economic Citizenship Programme is
contained in Section 101 of the Constitution and Section
8 of the Citizenship Act, Chapter 1:10 of the Revised
Laws of Dominica. The terms and conditions governing the
Economic Citizenship Programme are contained in the
Policy Guidelines.
Dual Citizenship is permitted and there
is no residence requirement. It is necessary to visit
Dominica once to attend the interview with the Prime
Minister in order to get your second passport. But if
you want you can live in Dominica for the rest of your
life.
Requirements.
An application will result
in citizenship for one family (applicant, spouse and
two unmarried dependant children). In addition to
standard documentary requirements (passports, birth and
marriage certificates, police clearance, etc.) it is
necessary that the applicant makes a contribution to the
economy of Dominica, which takes the form of a
non-refundable payment.
Procedure.
We will prepare and
lodge your application with the Government. After approval (normally 2 to
3 weeks) we arrange for you to take your Oath of
Citizenship before senior Government officials. Due to a
change of procedures in early 2002 it is unfortunately no
longer possible to take this oath at a Consular office,
and all applicants are required to visit Dominica to attend
an interview before becoming citizens. Citizens of
Dominica are allowed to hold dual citizenship, and the
acquisition of citizenship is not reported to the
authorities of other countries.
The Commonwealth of
Dominica.
Dominica is often called The
Nature Island of the Caribbean; it is a small, beautiful
island state located in the Eastern Caribbean between
the French Islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe.
Dominica is independent since 1978, English- speaking and
member of the British Commonwealth. It enjoys a
Westminster- style parliamentary government, free
elections and peaceful transfer of power. There is a
strong currency and almost no crime. Unlike some other
states offering economic citizenship, Dominica has a
good reputation.
Benefits.
As a citizen of Dominica you can
live and work in Dominica at any time, and as
Commonwealth citizen you will enjoy special rights and
privileges in the United Kingdom. You are not liable to
taxation in Dominica on any income earned outside of
Dominica. Most importantly, you will be able to travel
on your Dominica passport without visa to more than 90
countries, including the United Kingdom, Switzerland,
Sweden, Hong Kong, and many
others.
Cost and
Payment.
For an individual (who
can include spouse and up to two dependent children
under the age of 18) a direct, one-time contribution of
US$150,000 has to be paid to the Dominica Government. An
additional legal fees of US $15,000 is required, US$
25,000 per child is required for each child under 25
years old. Under the the single option, a single
applicant pays US$ 75,000.
Performance
Guarantee.
Great care has been taken to
provide the best possible safeguards for persons
entering the programme. Prior to taking on any
mandate, a written agreement is made between with
applicant defining the responsibilities of both
parties.
As we handle all applications
ourselves and do not use any intermediaries, our clients
can rely on us for utmost confidentiality and
efficiency.
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