Dominica to Construct New CBI Funded School by January 2022

Strengthening the education infrastructure in the Commonwealth of Dominica has always been a priority for the Government after Hurricane Maria. This feat has been made easier by utilising funds from the countries own Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme.  

Dominica’s continuous commitment to uplift education infrastructure

Last week, the Government held a ceremony to mark the inauguration for the construction of the Mahaut Primary School. Once completed, the school will not only provide the children of the Mahaut community with a new facility to learn and grow, but it will also create long-term jobs for teachers and administrational staff.  

The new Mahaut Primary School is being built at the cost of $7.5 million dollars. It is another indication of the Government’s continued investments in the education sector and the overall development of society and the economy. The end of construction is forecasted for January 2022. 

At the ceremony, Octavia Alfred, the Minister for Education, noted: “This Government continues to invest heavily in the improvement of our school plans to ensure the comfort of students, teachers and administrators. Spaces for teachers and students with proper ventilation, lighting, water, electricity, and internet service all contribute to the creation of a learning environment where students can flourish.” 

The Dominican Government has spent over $26 million to sponsor its youth studying abroad, placed 169 extracurricular tutors for students that need them, and rehabilitated 15 schools damaged by Hurricane Maria in 2017. This has been happening over the past few years, with funding sourced entirely from the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme. According to Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, Dominica’s strategy on CBI funds expenditure focuses on investing in the public sector, including education, youth prospects and skillsets. 

The Caribbean island also launched the Education Mentorship Programme under the long-standing National Employment Programme, sponsored by CBI. This has led to 169 young people being placed in schools across the country to support students that require additional tutoring. With support from the CBI Programme, Dominican youth benefit from the opportunity to get higher education abroad in countries like Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. 

Why invest in Dominica?

Although small and scarcely populated, Dominica’s 72,000 nation benefit from high-quality education, modern healthcare, climate-resilient housing, and visa-free and visa-on-arrival access to over 140 countries and territories. Last month, the Government also announced that the construction of 14 new polyclinics and a state-of-the-art hospital was going ahead as planned. This is part of a broader Housing Revolution programme, funded entirely by foreign investors’ contributions who successfully obtained second citizenship from Dominica. 

The country is well known for making significant investments using funds from the CBI Programme. This is one of the reasons why the CBI Index by FT’s PWM magazine classes Dominica as the best country for citizenship by investment. Applicants can either make a one-off contribution to the Economic Diversification Fund or invest in pre-approved luxury and sustainable hotels and resorts. All must first pass Dominica’s thorough due diligence checks. Citizenship can then be retained for life and passed on to future generations.