Questions on Expatriation to Dominica

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Invest Dominica is a good place to start - it has lots of useful information for setting up a business.investdominica.dm
For land, the price varies depending on where you want to buy - caribbeanlandandproperty.com and specify Dominica, will give you a good idea - also Safehaven, and Century 21 and Island Guests and Blue Sky Realtors.
Roseau is the capital so a good place to open a business of course - however depending on what the business is.  A LOT of people are setting up cottages and doing the ECO holiday rentals thing lately so there is a lot of competition in that area.  In fact one is currently going to go up for sale on EBAY!  You might want to have a look at it - Rainforest Retreat and it is on with Island Guests too.
The Caribbean Land & Property website gives you lots of useful information as to costs as does the Safehaven site.
Good luck!

John C. wrote:

Ammakoala wrote:

I am sorry I am a new participant in this forum ...

Hello Amma,

You don't have to be sorry ...

Why did you choose Dominica???

Would you consider other islands? 

I chose Dominica for several reasons: government policy about environment, absence of mass tourism, healthy food, nature and rasta way of life, friendliness also.
But I am afraid this will change within 5 to 10 years (might be less) when I read there are more and more 'eco-tourism' oriented projects, plans to build a new airport or new harbour to welcome more and more tourists. I will not be suprised if, in the near future, they decide to destroy some part of the wonderful forest in order to build a motorway. I would not like this island become like Guadeloupe or Martinique: just a tourist attraction where Dominicans will not own the land and the forests of their ancestors, where the dominant culture will be driven by Coca Cola and other trusts.
I am afraid Dominica is losing its mind...

Well, the result of the above thoughts is I have stopped searching a land in Dominica. I do not want to participate in the disaster.

Dear Ammakoala

I sincerely appreciate your feelings about not wanting to participate in what could be the disaster of ruining what is special about Dominica. Let me suggest, though, a twist on the issue. Becoming part of Dominica, with the views you hold, could be a benefit to this very special place. Dominica needs more people believe in the need to help it stay special. Becoming part of Dominica could help others who have the same views resist its destruction. We need more of us. I had very similar thoughts before deciding to buy a home, but also realized it just might be a place that could survive the destruction seen in so much of the rest of the planet. It is an interesting dilemma. I once had a biology instructor point out a similar issue: Those who believe in zero population growth should have a lot of kids to expand the belief into the next generation. It is an odd seeming thought, but makes a good point. We need to help make things happen.

Kindest regards

Dan Jordan

drdanj wrote:

Dear Ammakoala

I sincerely appreciate your feelings about not wanting to participate in what could be the disaster of ruining what is special about Dominica. Let me suggest, though, a twist on the issue. Becoming part of Dominica, with the views you hold, could be a benefit to this very special place. Dominica needs more people believe in the need to help it stay special. Becoming part of Dominica could help others who have the same views resist its destruction. We need more of us. I had very similar thoughts before deciding to buy a home, but also realized it just might be a place that could survive the destruction seen in so much of the rest of the planet. It is an interesting dilemma. I once had a biology instructor point out a similar issue: Those who believe in zero population growth should have a lot of kids to expand the belief into the next generation. It is an odd seeming thought, but makes a good point. We need to help make things happen.

Kindest regards

Dan Jordan

Thanks Dan for all these positive thoughts but I still think Dominica should stay in the hands of Dominicans. Owning a business in Dominica or buying a land in Dominica would give me the feeling of stealing a piece of paradise to Dominicans and their children. I also think the considerations we share should come from the Dominicans themselves. I know I might seem pessimistic or idealist to you but I am really reluctant, knowing the situation, to be involved in what looks to me as a future disaster...