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Roseau, Sept. 08, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Commonwealth of Dominica is a small island located in the Caribbean between Martinique and Guadeloupe. Tourists marvel at the crystal blue ocean views and tropical humid climate, there is an abundance of discovery on the Nature Isle of the Caribbean.

Explore 30 interesting facts about the magical island of Dominica!

Cultural history 

1. Dominica was named by Christopher Columbus 

Prior to Christopher Columbus’ arrival on the island, the Caribbean settlers named it Watikbuli, meaning ‘Tall is her Body’. In 1493, Christopher arrived on the island and named it Domingo, which means Sunday, the day which he discovered the island.

2. Dominica has an interesting motto 

The motto is French, ‘Après le Bon Dieu, c’est la Terre’, translated to English as ‘After God, the Earth’, Dominica eloquently displays its natural beauty.

3. Dominica is a republic in the Commonwealth 

The Nature Isle gained its independence on 3 November 1978 and celebrates this day annually with vibrant national festivities. These include cultural markets, music festivals, and beauty pageants.

4. The National Anthem is titled ‘Isle of Beauty, Isle of Splendour’ 

Dominica’s national anthem was written by Wilfred Oscar Morgan, with the music composed by Lemuel McPherson Christian OBE, after receiving statehood in 1967.

5. Government system 

As a parliamentary democratic republic nation, The Executive branch of government has a President and Prime Minister, whereby nominees are elected in consultation with the opposition leader. The two-party system, with the ruling Dominica Labour Party and the opposition party, the United Worker’s Party.

All Dominican adult citizens may cast their ballots every five years during the government elections.

6. Dominica’s President, His Excellency, the Honourable Charles Savarin 

Elected as Dominica’s eighth president in October 2013, Honourable Charles Savarin is a member of the Dominica Labour Party. He received his nomination from Prime Minister, Honourable Roosevelt Skerrit, who has been the head of government since August 2004. Previously, His Excellency, Honourable Savarin was a teacher, trade unionist, parliamentarian, diplomat, and government minister.

7. English Common Law system 

Dominica’s constitution includes the right to life, personal liberty, and freedom of expression, which follows one-third of the world’s English Common Law. The hierarchy of Dominica’s court starts from the Magistrate Court, High Court, Court of Appeal, and lastly The Court of Appeal the Privy Council.

8. Dominica’s small population of 72,412 

The population of Dominica is currently sitting at 72,414, making it the 11th least-populated nation in the world.

9. The Dominican flag is one of only two national flags with the colour purple 

Out of all the nations in the world, Dominica’s national flag is one of only two national flags to incorporate the colour purple. The other is the Nicaraguan national flag. The Dominican national flag features a Sisserou Parrot that has purple feathers on the underside and the crown.

Geographical landscape 

10. The island is also known as the Nature Isle of the Caribbean 

Dominica’s spectacular natural beauty is oftentimes affectionately known as “The Nature Isle of the Caribbean.” The vast amount of the island is covered in lush forests. Year-round visitors can experience wondrous waterfalls and mud ponds. Indigenous rainforest animals and insects such as parrots, iguanas and rare butterflies make up some of the phenomenal fauna.

11. The national flowers for Dominica 

The Sabinea carinalis, warmly known as the ‘Bwa Kwaib’ or the Carib Wood. Is the indigenous wild xerophytic plant. In bloom, it exhibits bright scarlet flowers from its branches. It is said to represent the longevity of the Dominican youth.

12. The National Bird of Dominica is the Sisserou Parrot 

The national bird of Dominica the Sisserou (Amazona Imperialis), “The Pride of Dominica” is found on the country’s emblems such as the Coat of Arms, the National Flag, the Public Seal, The Mace of the House of Assembly and Dominica’s Honours for Meritorious Service. The imperial parrot is endemic to Dominica’s dense mountainous rainforests. This shy and yet attractive indigenous bird has resided on the island for numerous thousands of years and can live over 70 years of age. The bird is an endangered species and is under preservation.

13. Dominica is the only country in the world where sperm whales reside year-round!  

Sperm whales have called Dominica’s waters their home, and it is extremely likely to spot them swimming in pods, as whales and dolphins live close to shore throughout the year.

14. The Island is home to the Giant Ditch Frog known as the “mountain chicken” 

Dominicans refer to the frog as the “mountain chicken” due to its legs imitating drumsticks. The frog used to be a delicacy as a national dish and is now under conservation to preserve the species.

15. Home to the Caribbean’s first long-distance hiking trail 

The Waitukubuli National Trail (WNT) is the first long-distance hiking trail in the Caribbean. It is estimated to be 183 km long and is split into 14 sections. The trail was built between 2007 and 2012, the route crosses through Dominica and traverses some of the country’s most spectacular terrain. It will take a minimum of two weeks to complete the hiking trail.

16. Dominica is home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site 

The Morne Trois Pitons National Park is the exclusive Heritage Site in Dominica and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. This national park is situated in the southern half of the island and contains many of Dominica’s most spectacular attractions including the Titou Gorge, Boeri, Freshwater Lakes, the Boiling Lake, and the Middleham Falls. The Morne Trois Pitons National Park covers roughly 9 per cent of Dominica’s land area.

17. Dominica has practised herbal medicine for centuries 

The original inhabitants of the island, the Caribs, and later Africans, brought with them thorough knowledge of plants and herbs. This knowledge has been passed down through generations and many herbs like Moringa, Basil and Dandelion are still used today for medicinal purposes, usually referred to as “bush medicine.”

Economic features of Dominica 

18. Dominica’s main industries 

The country’s main industries are agriculture, tourism and manufacturing. Over 20 per cent of the island’s land is arable and under cultivation, with bananas traditionally serving as Dominica’s largest export. Although Dominica has recently increased the production of other fruits, as well as vegetables and coffee beans.

Dominica’s tourism sector continues to steadily grow, with the alluring nature attracting an estimated 200,000 holidaymakers annually. The island’s manufacturing industry primarily depends on raw materials from the agricultural sector, where in-demand exports include coconut soap, ceramics and shoes.

19. Dominica’s official currency is the East Caribbean Dollar (XCD) 

Dominica introduced the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (ECD) currency in 1965, which is used in another seven countries in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

Foreign currencies including the euro and dollar are also accepted as tender. It is also pegged to the US dollar at a rate of US$1 to ECD (East Caribbean Dollar) $2.70. As Dominica is a member of the Commonwealth, all banknotes and coins feature an image of King Charles III.

20. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Dominica  

The World Bank recorded the island’s GDP had an outstanding US$612,048,148 in financial year 2022.

21. Investors can acquire Citizenship of Dominica by Investment 

Investors in Dominica tend to seek citizenship through investment opportunities around the country. When visitors officially become Dominican citizens, they can develop businesses, work, relocate and extend their citizenship to their family members.

Dominica’s CBI Programme received first in the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) initiative for six consecutive years by the CBI Index.

22. English is Dominica’s official language 

English is universally spoken in Dominica and UK English spelling is used. Dominican Creole (an Antillean Creole derived from French), and French Patois are spoken amongst the locals. This is because of the long history of French migration to the island as well as Dominica’s location between two French-speaking countries; Martinique and Guadeloupe.

23. Christian religious practices 

Christianity is the most common religion in Dominica, practised by over 90 per cent of the population. However, religious freedom is enshrined in the Constitution of Dominica so inhabitants can follow alternative faiths if they so choose, such as Rastafarianism.

24. Cricket is the most popular sport in Dominica 

Many Dominican cricketers play for the West Indies cricket team internationally. Shane Shillingford and Adam Sanford are two of the most notable cricketers from Dominica.

25. The capital city of Dominica is Roseau 

The largest city in Dominica it is located on the Southwest coast of the country and is surrounded by the Caribbean Sea, the Morne Bruce Hill and the Roseau River. Filled with lively markets, 18th-century French architecture and famous landmarks like the Roseau Cathedral and the Morne Bruce Cross.

26. The Main Airport is Douglas-Charles Airport 

Formerly known as Melville Hall Airport, Douglas–Charles Airport is Dominica’s largest of the country’s two airports. Douglas–Charles Airport operates both passenger and cargo planes to other destinations in the Eastern Caribbean region.

27. Dominica is on a quest to be the world’s first climate-resilient nation 

The Government of Dominica has called on investors around the world to assist in the development of sustainable and robust industries and infrastructure. This is an exclusive opportunity to implement the latest technologies and developmental approaches. Dominica aims to be at the forefront of tackling climate change challenges.

28. Unique rivers for each day of the year

Apart from breathtaking beaches and volcanoes, Dominica has over 365 rivers! While some are cool and clear, others are cloudy and fast. All the rivers are surrounded by exotic plants and flowers. The Indian River is the widest on the island, and many visitors choose this river to explore the rivers for the first time.

29. There are nine active volcanoes in Dominica  

Dominica has the highest concentration of volcanoes in the world, with approximately nine active volcanoes. Eruptions are very rare, and the last volcanic eruption was in 1997 and the one before that was in 1880.

The highest mountain and volcano are Morne Diablotins, and it is a magical sight. Adventurists can take a six-hour hike to reach the top where neighbouring islands, Martinique and Guadeloupe can be seen from the top.

30. Many of Dominica’s beaches are covered in black sand 

The volcanoes in Dominica influence the colour of beautiful black-sand beaches. Some of the most famous black sand beaches in Dominica include the Number One Beach, Mero Beach, and Rosalie Bay Beach.

Secretary of Dominica Citizenship by Investment Programme
Commonwealth of Dominica
001 (767) 266 3919
info@cbiu.gov.dm

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8919129

Introducing the “Accelerate” agent incentive program, breaking down growth barriers through accelerated revenue share opportunities

“In the lifespan of an agent, a critical component of long-term success is the ability to build for their retirement, so we launched Accelerate to help catalyze their potential earnings and create momentum in the first year and build for their future,” said Glenn Sanford, Founder and CEO of eXp Realty. “We continue to be relentlessly focused on delivering a model that puts agents first. I couldn’t be more proud of what we have created, especially for those looking to build long-term wealth, with our revenue share and equity programs for agents, as well as a favorable cap and split model.”

Accelerate, which is available in all 24 countries where eXp Realty operates, applies to agents who joined on or after March 1, 2023. The program automatically opens revenue share tiers 2 and 3 for 12 months beginning Sept. 7, 2023, creating the opportunity to have 10 front line qualifying agents (FLQA) immediately. This can open up the eXponential components of eXp’s revenue share program in that first year. After the 12-month period, standard revenue share criteria will apply.

“Accelerate was designed to reduce barriers and incentivize agents to grow their organizations,” said Michael Valdes, Chief Growth Officer, eXp Realty. “It enables them to focus on selling and growing their businesses while earning the maximum potential revenue share for tiers two and three for the first year. Our aligned compensation model, where agents are rewarded for both production and contributions to eXp’s growth, brings more value than ever before.”

This launch comes on the heels of the company’s June announcement that, for the first time, was refining revenue share criteria for its agents, reducing the current FLQA tier 7 threshold from 40 to 30 FLQA. As part of its efforts to continually enhance its model, the company also launched Boost, a program designed to financially incentivize qualifying independent teams and brokerages to join eXp Realty.

Revenue share is just one part of eXp Realty’s aligned compensation model, which also includes competitive commissions and stock equity programs designed to enable its agents to build for their future.

About eXp World Holdings, Inc.

eXp World Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPI) is the holding company for eXp Realty^®, Virbela and SUCCESS^® Enterprises.

eXp Realty is the largest independent real estate company in the world with more than 88,000 agents in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, India, Mexico, Portugal, France, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Italy, Hong Kong, Colombia, Spain, Israel, Panama, Germany, Dominican Republic, Greece, New Zealand, Chile, Poland and Dubai and continues to scale internationally. As a publicly traded company, eXp World Holdings provides real estate professionals the unique opportunity to earn equity awards for production goals and contributions to overall company growth. eXp World Holdings and its businesses offer a full suite of brokerage and real estate tech solutions, including its innovative residential and commercial brokerage model, professional services, collaborative tools and personal development. The cloud-based brokerage is powered by Virbela, an immersive 3D platform that is deeply social and collaborative, enabling agents to be more connected and productive. SUCCESS^® Enterprises, anchored by SUCCESS^® magazine and its related media properties, was established in 1897 and is a leading personal and professional development brand and publication.

For more information, visit https://expworldholdings.com. 

Safe Harbor Statement

The statements contained herein may include statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements that are based on management’s current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligation to revise or update them. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in forward-looking statements include changes in business or other market conditions; the difficulty of keeping expense growth at modest levels while increasing revenues; and other risks detailed from time to time in the company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including but not limited to the most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Media Relations Contact:

eXp World Holdings, Inc.

mediarelations@expworldholdings.com

Investor Relations Contact:

Denise Garcia

investors@expworldholdings.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/04ad7948-9819-48ea-92e3-6e0804785bab

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8918619

Net Promoter® System creator and one of the world’s leading experts on customer and employee loyalty brings unparalleled knowledge of employee and customer satisfaction

“We are honored to welcome Fred Reichheld to our Board of Directors,” said Glenn Sanford, Founder, CEO and Chairman of eXp World Holdings. “For companies that value customer and employee satisfaction and loyalty, as we do, the holy grail is the Net Promoter System. Conducting regular NPS surveys with our agents and staff since 2016 is core to delivering on our agent-centric mission, and Fred shared his wisdom with our team at this year’s Shareholder Summit. I am thrilled to have him on our Board of Directors and look forward to working even more closely together.”

In addition to creating the NPS system, Reichheld is a sought-after speaker and best-selling author. His most recent book, “Winning on Purpose: The Unbeatable Strategy of Loving Customers,” explains how NPS helps companies become truly customer-centric, experiencing profitable growth through systematically converting more customers into promoters and fewer into detractors. He is currently a Bain & Company Fellow and founder of their Loyalty practice. He graduated with honors both from Harvard College (B.A., 1974) and Harvard Business School (M.B.A., 1978).

Concurrent with Reichheld’s appointment, Sir Darren Jacklin will step down but continue to serve on the eXp Realty Canada Board of Directors. Following these changes, the eXp World Holdings board will comprise seven directors, four of whom are independent. Jacklin served on the eXp World Holdings Board of Directors for nearly 10 years.

“Darren has been an integral part of this company, and we are fortunate to have his continued insight and leadership on the eXp Canada Board of Directors,” said Sanford. “I would like to personally thank him for all his many contributions over the years. His experience traveling to four continents and over 50 countries mentoring entrepreneurs and business owners on specific and measurable strategies designed to build their success was a great asset to us. eXp Canada will greatly benefit from his experience and wisdom.”

About eXp World Holdings, Inc.

eXp World Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPI) is the holding company for eXp Realty®, Virbela and SUCCESS^® Enterprises.

eXp Realty is the largest independent real estate company in the world with more than 88,000 agents in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, India, Mexico, Portugal, France, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Italy, Hong Kong, Colombia, Spain, Israel, Panama, Germany, Dominican Republic, Greece, New Zealand, Chile, Poland and Dubai and continues to scale internationally. As a publicly traded company, eXp World Holdings provides real estate professionals the unique opportunity to earn equity awards for production goals and contributions to overall company growth. eXp World Holdings and its businesses offer a full suite of brokerage and real estate tech solutions, including its innovative residential and commercial brokerage model, professional services, collaborative tools and personal development. The cloud-based brokerage is powered by Virbela, an immersive 3D platform that is deeply social and collaborative, enabling agents to be more connected and productive. SUCCESS^® Enterprises, anchored by SUCCESS^® magazine and its related media properties, was established in 1897 and is a leading personal and professional development brand and publication.

For more information, visit https://expworldholdings.com. 

Safe Harbor Statement

The statements contained herein may include statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements that are based on management’s current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligation to revise or update them. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in forward-looking statements include changes in business or other market conditions; the difficulty of keeping expense growth at modest levels while increasing revenues; and other risks detailed from time to time in the company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including but not limited to the most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Media Relations Contact:

eXp World Holdings, Inc.

mediarelations@expworldholdings.com

Investor Relations Contact:

Denise Garcia

investors@expworldholdings.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/097fbd03-129c-44d0-bb81-073f4d26b3a7

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8917806

ATLANTA, Sept. 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In a significant collaboration, Matmerize, Inc., a materials AI innovator, and Resonac Corporation have formed a strategic partnership aimed at revolutionizing the landscape of 6G technology. Building on the strong collaborative foundation, Resonac will leverage the power of Matmerize’s PolymRize AI software technology to accelerate the development of exceptional high-performance neat and composite materials for 6G technology and beyond.

In January 2023, Resonac Corporation announced plans to develop new semiconductor materials for 6G, the next-generation telecommunication system standard following 5G. With 6G set to be 100 times faster than 5G, new semiconductor materials are needed to substantially reduce the transmission loss associated with the increased communication speed. To meet this requirement, Resonac will identify optimal materials with the required characteristics through computational and Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods in a collaborative venture with Matmerize, Inc. Where manual testing using traditional techniques would demand three months to assess a single materials combination, Matmerize’s AI software, PolymRize, reduces the time required to a single day and can evaluate up to 90 combinations within the same three-month span. The result promises to be a fusion of materials engineering and artificial intelligence, poised to redefine the development of 6G technology.

PolymRize harnesses Matmerize’s proprietary data or client-specific data to construct predictive models. Once built, these models rapidly predict the properties of novel, yet-to-be-synthesized polymers, composites, and formulations, complete with their associated uncertainties. The software employs automated and generative design tools to recommend ideal candidates that meet property requirements for subsequent rounds of physical experimentation. PolymRize thus accelerates the journey towards target materials, drastically reducing both time and costs. Moreover, it introduces a framework for data management and organization, and has emerged as a dependable digital aide for chemists and process engineers.

In a pilot initiative, Resonac evaluated Matmerize’s capabilities. Predictive models were constructed using PolymRize and 3^rd party software for key material properties relevant to 6G technology. Properties included bandgap, dielectric constant, refractive index, glass transition temperature, and coefficient of linear expansion. The performance of PolymRize^TM and third-party models were assessed by making property predictions for identical unseen test cases. PolymRize^TM predictions consistently out-performed third-party models in speed and accuracy (see figure showing Performance of models).

A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on the image or link below:

“Collaborating with Resonac on the development of 6G technology is a remarkable opportunity for Matmerize,” said Rampi Ramprasad, Co-Founder and CEO of Matmerize. “Aligned with Resonac’s vision to revolutionize next-generation technologies and powered by Matmerize’s commitment to advance AI algorithms, architectures, and virtual materials design capabilities, we are poised to usher in a new era of accelerated intelligent materials design”.

For more information on the innovative PolymRize^TM platform please visit: https://www.matmerize.com/polymrize

For Resonac’s announcement of development of new semiconductor materials for 6G
https://www.resonac.com/news/2023/03/13/2391.html

About Matmerize:

Matmerize, a recent spin-out from the Georgia Institute of Technology, is at the forefront of pioneering solutions that bridge the gap between AI and materials engineering. Matmerize’s PolymRize^TM platform utilizes virtual screening and AI algorithms to identify the most optimal materials, enabling technologists to focus their experimental efforts on the most promising options, thus significantly accelerating the materials engineering process. PolymRize^TM represents a paradigm shift in industry, propelling clients ahead of the competition and driving innovation at an unprecedented pace.

About Resonac:
The Resonac Group is a new company established as a result of the integration of the Showa Denko Group and the Showa Denko Materials Group (former Hitachi Chemical Group) in January 2023. The Group’s annual sales of semiconductor and electronic materials amount to about 400 billion yen, accounting for about 30% of the Group’s annual net sales. The Group especially has global top share of semiconductor materials for packaging process. The integration of the two companies has enabled the Resonac Group to design functions of materials as well as to develop them in-house, going all the way back to raw materials. The new trade name “RESONAC” was created as a combination of two English words, namely, the word of “RESONATE” and “C” as the first letter of CHEMISTRY. The Resonac Group will make the most of its co-creative platform, and accelerate technological innovation with semiconductor manufacturers, material manufacturers, and equipment manufacturers inside and outside Japan.

For details, please refer to our website: Resonac Holdings Corporation: https://www.resonac.com/

Contact: 
Matmerize, Inc.
https://www.matmerize.com
E: info@matmerize.com
Y: Watch Matmerize Videos on YouTube
L: Follow our LinkedIn Page

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8917638