The three-year programme will provide technical expertise in environmental management and promote Dominica through an international network of environmentally responsive travel companies. The aim is for the development of sustainable long-term tourism projects. Meanwhile, the island s hotel capacity continues to expand. Several new hotels and expansions of existing facilities are planned, to raise visitor numbers to 148,000 by 2004, with investments from Canada, Sweden and other foreign sources. In Phase Two of the Roseau Seawall and Bay Front Development Project, a dedicated cruise ship berth was finished in 1995, which has further increased passenger numbers.
Construction is also under way to strengthen sea defences north and south of Roseau.
The US State Department expressed concern about money laundering and Canada arrested a group of Chinese-Dominicans on suspicion of running a smuggling operation. The mining industry also became a controversial issue in 1996, when the House of Assembly passed a bill vesting all mineral rights in the government, whether on public or privately owned land. Soon afterwards, BHP Minerals International of Australia, began drilling in northeast Dominica to establish the extent of copper deposits there. The Dominica Conservation Association demanded an environmental impact study before any commercial mining took place and effectively halted proceedings. In 1997 the first offshore banks were registered in a bid to increase fee income from abroad.