Dominica: Tourism Minister Denise Charles’ extraordinary efforts to boost the sector

Dominica: We all work for achieving happiness and peace, but in the busy schedules and stubborn pandemic, we became confined in the lockdown. We want liberation from this jailed pandemic, and Tourism Minister Denise Charles’s WIN programme opened an arch that can reconstruct lives.

The walls of the houses are the borders between people and their peace. In order to eradicate those limitations, The Commonwealth of Dominica’s Tourism Minister Denise Charles launched the Work in Nature (WIN) Visa that allows visitors to relocate to Dominica for a term of up to 18 months and work remotely in the natural beauty of the Island.

Tourism Minister Denise Charles stated that “WIN presents every visitor another opportunity to attract new residents to our nation and have a significant economic influence. But for this programme to be successful, everyone from the Immigration Officer to the taxi drivers, cashiers or servers at restaurants have to play their role to make our friends (visitors) feel welcome and part of our dynamic community.”

WIN allows people to work from home for their respective companies like in their home countries, but what changes are the atmosphere and liberty. Dominica offers beautiful places like people can go for a hike to Boiling Lake, rowing up to the Indian River, encountering the mountains, getting to know all the 365 rivers in Dominica are some of the adventures individual will observe.

Why Work In Nature Programme?

As per Tourism Minister Denise Charles, the objective is to connect infinite people with nature and breathe in the fresh air that is currently unattainable in the home-countries of the candidates.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, staying socially distant is important to prevent the spread of the virus; working from home can bring about additional health concerns. Recent research has found out that 41.2% of at-home workers reported low back pain, and 23.5% experienced neck pain.

Moreover, people have been diagnosed with a 63% more depression rate and stress. Loneliness and isolation rates have been upsurged due to repeated lockdowns and no travel to distinctive places. Anxiety, stress and mental pressure have been inculcated in the individuals, which automatically increasing death rates among the population worldwide.

On the other hand, working remotely is a major concern over health, but it also adds an urge to go outside and experience exposure to nature. The United States Vice President Kamla Harris, New Zealand President Jacinda Ardern, has stated that in lockdown, domestic violence against women has been increased. The reason behind this spike in domestic violence is because of pressure inbuilt between the partners as of being in the home for so long.

Humans are social animals, and they need nature and diversity in order to live. Additionally, it will help families to spend their time in the tropical environment. It is fundamentally a vacation programme but with an occupation. Children are also allowed to come to Dominica under WIN Programme.

Families and people are inspired to apply for the WIN visa with Dominica, allowing a family bundle programme that assists children in attending school in the nation. To apply, candidates must make a non-refundable application fee of $100 while the permit itself is $800 for singles and $1,200 for families. 

According to Denise Charles, the island’s Tourism Minister, “This is one of the initiatives that will help boost Dominica’s tourism sector in our phased tourism restoration approach while implementing a safe environment for individuals to work remotely in a tropical climate.”

Features of Dominica which make it the best destination for WIN

Caribbean’s most dynamic island Dominica is the best destination to initiate this programme. As of advanced health care system that provides proper attention to the individuals. 

Four hospitals of Dominica has been administrated under WIN, that is Dominica-China Friendship Hospital – Central Hospital(Goodwill), Marigot Hospital, Marigot – North-East(Marigot), Reginal Armour Hospital – North(Portsmouth) and The Justin Fadipe Medical Centre – Private Hospital(Cuba Road, Mero).

Recently, Prime Minister of Dominica, Dr Roosevelt Skerrit, initiated the Safe in Nature programme to boost tourism in Dominica. This programme reassures the safe travelling in the nation. Its features will be applied in WIN too. It includes-As security is the priority, The primary protocols of COVID-19 (like wearing masks, social-distancing, sanitisers) must have ensued.

Then COVID-19 point percent will execute an operation on the ground; property managers will treat the guest and make sure they have tested for PCR test.

Additionally, Property managers would be keeping an eye on all the activities occurring onsite and offsite, that managers are entirely responsible for all the preservation of the regulations.

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