The Caribbean diving destination, which has made its move ahead of this month's International Whaling Conference in Santiago, Chile, has been among developing nations accused of voting with Japan for a resumption of international whaling in return for financial investment.
Japan has built two fisheries in Dominica and, last year, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit reiterated Dominica's support for Japan after receiving pledges for further aid, including a new fish-processing centre.
But, speaking on radio on June 8, Skerrit announced that the country is to abstain from voting in Santiago, thus ending a run of support for Japan stretching back eight years. The decision had been made, said Skerrit, 'in the best interest of Dominica'.
Dominica's interests include tourism, and environmentalists have said that the shift on whaling could boost the reputation of the former British colony, dubbed Nature Island by its tourism promoters.
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