In a pointed address during parliamentary debate over the 2026/2027 national budget this Thursday, Dominica’s Opposition Leader Jesma Paul-Victor has laid out a bold alternative framework for sustainable economic development, arguing that the island nation cannot build a truly dynamic, future-proof economy through government action alone.
According to Paul-Victor, lasting and inclusive economic transformation depends on building robust, collaborative ties between the public sector and a broad cross-section of private stakeholders. While she acknowledged that government holds a critical foundational role in national economic development, she emphasized it cannot act as the sole engine of progress.
“Governments can construct ports. Governments can invest in hospitals and schools. But governments alone cannot create a dynamic economy,” Paul-Victor said in her address to lawmakers.
The opposition leader stressed that long-term shared prosperity requires active engagement and leadership from a diverse group of economic actors, including private investors, local entrepreneurs, domestic manufacturers, smallholder and commercial farmers, innovative technology firms, and the nation’s growing cohort of young professional leaders, all of whom drive new business creation and expansion across the country.
In her view, the core responsibility of the Dominica government is to lay the foundational conditions that allow these private groups to thrive. She outlined that key prerequisites for attracting investment and unlocking widespread economic opportunity include consistent, stable policy frameworks, streamlined and efficient public institutions, modern, reliable critical infrastructure, affordably priced energy for businesses and households, clear and predictable regulatory systems, and expanded access to affordable financing for small and medium enterprises.
Paul-Victor also drew attention to the rapid structural shifts reshaping the global economy today, highlighting the outsized and growing influence of emerging sectors – including artificial intelligence, cross-border digital commerce, renewable energy, and climate change adaptation – that will define future economic opportunity for small island nations like Dominica.
She argued that Dominica cannot afford to only address immediate economic challenges, and must proactively plan to meet the demands of the evolving global economy to remain competitive. “We should become a regional leader in renewable energy, climate resilience, digital government, remote professional services, sustainable tourism, high-value agriculture, creative industries,” she asserted.
A core focus of Paul-Victor’s proposal is centering young Dominicans in long-term economic planning. She emphasized that all current public and private investments must be designed to equip young people with the in-demand skills and accessible opportunities required to compete in a rapidly changing global marketplace.
Beyond centering youth, the opposition leader also called for a reevaluation of how Dominica measures economic success, arguing that traditional indicators such as Gross Domestic Product do not capture the full picture of inclusive growth that improves everyday life.
“Success must also be measured by the number of young people who choose to remain in Dominica because meaningful opportunities exist. The number of small businesses that expand. The number of farmers whose incomes increase. The number of families who become homeowners. The number of graduates who find rewarding employment,” she said.
For Paul-Victor, these on-the-ground outcomes for ordinary citizens are the most meaningful metrics to assess whether an economy is actually delivering improved quality of life across the country.