The United Workers Party (UWP), one of the major political actors in Dominica, has revealed a new targeted initiative aimed at addressing the rising economic challenges facing the island nation’s youth population: a upcoming Youth Symposium set to launch in the coming weeks. The official announcement came from UWP Political Leader Dr. Thomson Fontaine during a recently held press briefing, where he emphasized the party’s long-standing dedication to two core policy priorities: youth empowerment and structural economic reform.
Dr. Fontaine framed the upcoming symposium as more than just a discussion event; it will act as an accessible, structured platform for open engagement between the party and young Dominican citizens. Attendees will gain access to targeted resources, professional development tools, and clear pathways to formal employment, designed to connect young job seekers with viable work opportunities across the island. This youth-focused effort sits at the heart of the UWP’s broader governing plan, encapsulated in its signature policy framework, the “10 pillars to shared prosperity.” This comprehensive roadmap is built around four central goals: delivering robust, inclusive economic growth, generating sustainable new jobs, lifting young Dominicans out of widespread economic hardship, and guaranteeing fair living wages for all working citizens across the country.
Beyond youth-focused programming, Dr. Fontaine outlined a slate of sweeping economic policy changes the party would advance if given the opportunity to govern. Among the key proposals are a full overhaul and simplification of Dominica’s current tax code, the full elimination of the controversial $10,000 environmental tax, a mandatory increase to the national minimum wage to no less than $12 per hour, and targeted negotiations for national debt relief to ease the burden of Dominica’s quickly growing national debt load. In a move to prioritize local workers, Dr. Fontaine also made a formal pledge that the party would prioritize domestic employment, requiring that Dominican truckers, skilled tradespeople, and other local workers receive first consideration for all construction and development projects carried out within the country’s borders.
In closing remarks at the press conference, Dr. Fontaine reaffirmed that the UWP’s entire governing vision is centered on three interconnected outcomes: expanding opportunity for the nation’s young people, strengthening the domestic workforce, and driving long-term, sustainable economic growth that benefits all citizens. “Above all we will provide opportunities to our young people to put them to work and keep them here in Dominica to help us in the vision of developing this country,” he said.