In 2002, Dominica was a small Caribbean island nation with a population of over 70,000 people. According to computerannals, it was governed by Prime Minister Pierre Charles and the House of Assembly. The economy was largely based on services, with tourism playing a major role. In addition to services, Dominica had begun to diversify its economy in recent years and had experienced some growth in the agricultural sector. Education was highly valued in Dominica and primary school enrollment had increased significantly since independence in 1978. Healthcare services were provided by both public and private institutions, though access to healthcare remained relatively high due to government subsidies. Despite its progress since 1978, poverty remained an issue for many Dominicans with approximately 25 percent living below the poverty line. Corruption and mismanagement were also an issue as the government struggled to combat these issues with limited resources. Additionally, Dominica faced security threats from neighboring countries such as Haiti; however these threats were largely managed through diplomatic means.

Yearbook 2002

Dominica. The cooperation between Dominica and the eight other member countries of the eastern Caribbean organization OECS became more sealed. In the spring, it was decided that citizens could travel freely within the region, and that a joint passport would be issued from 1 January 2003.

According to Countryaah website, national day of Dominica is every November 3. The country’s economy suffered during the year from the decline in the banana market and in the tourism industry. In order to obtain loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the government had to reduce the deficit in the budget balance and therefore introduced a series of tax increases. This in turn led to conflicts within the government, and a few ministers left their posts during the summer. In late summer, Dominica received IMF loans.

At the beginning of the year, the UN announced that Dominica was among the countries that in 2002 may not vote in the General Assembly because of excessive debts to the World Organization.

At the end of the year, Dominica was removed from the OECD’s list of countries that did not do enough to stop money laundering within the country.

Dominica Country Overview

Visas
Finn does not need a visa for Dominica.

Exit Fee An exit fee of 24USD (or 59XCD) will be charged on departure from Dominica. NOTE! Local authorities may change exit fees without notice.

• According to ABBREVIATIONFINDER.ORG, DMA stands for Dominica.

Insurance
Everyone participating in the trip must have a valid travel insurance that covers medical expenses in the event of illness or other similar need. Please check the validity of your own insurance and the terms and conditions of the insurance cancellation cover.

Please pay attention to the special nature of your trip and check the coverage of the insurance in that respect as well. In many locations, the insurance must also be valid when moving at an altitude of more than 3,000 meters, in which case it also covers mountain sickness.

Many hiking or diving trips require more extensive insurance, which covers, for example, diving or moving on a glacier. Please check the contents of your insurance with your insurance company.

Vaccinations
Please check that the vaccinations according to the national vaccination program are valid and that the hepatitis A vaccination recommended for all travelers is valid. Based on the risk assessment, the vaccines to be considered are hepatitis B and typhoid. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required if arriving from yellow fever risk areas.

Please always check the vaccination requirements at your health center or the vaccination advice of the tourist clinic

The currency of
The East Caribbean Dollar (XCD) is also used as an abbreviation for EC $ – East Caribbean Dollar. It is a good idea to bring US dollars for the trip, which are easily exchanged on site.

Tips
Hotel staff will be left with a $ 1-2 tip for services. In restaurants, a 10-15% tip is left, unless the service fee is included in the invoice price. In a taxi there is a way to drop 10-15%.

Time difference
GMT -5, time difference to Finland -7 hours

Electric current
230 V, 50 Hz. You need an adapter for Finnish devices.

Mobile phones
Please check the coverage of your subscription with your operator. The area code for Dominican is +1 767.

Climate
The island has a tropical climate. Temperatures are almost +30 degrees all year round. The trade winds bring moisture to the island all year round, but the busiest rainy season lasts from June to October, when the hurricane season also prevails. On the windward east coast, it rains 5,000 mm per year, in some places up to 9,000 mm, which is the highest rainfall in the world. On the shelter, rainfall is 1,800 millimeters per year. The driest season is from February to May. The low season from mid-April to October is the cheapest time to travel.

Safety
A relatively safe travel destination, but with normal caution. The most common crimes against tourists are related to pickpocketing in the capital Roseau.

Food & beverage
The Dominica serves Creole cuisine with lots of vegetables and roots, seafood and fish. Tap water is drinkable in most destinations in Dominica and locals drink tap water as is. The drinkability of the water should always be checked with the locals at each destination separately. However, it is possible that a different strain of bacteria may cause stomach upset, so at your own discretion, use and, if necessary, drink industrially bottled or purified / boiled water.