Reacting to Wednesday’s protest by some students of the Dominica State College (DSC) against a “smelly” classroom, the college’s president, Dr. Donald Peters, said he has made the conference room in his office available for the students to use until the situation is rectified.
Dr. Peters told reporters that the situation could take up to a week to be resolved.
Earlier Wednesday, several sociology and history students protested against being “forced” to occupy a “smelly” classroom.
[youtube width=”640″ height=”400″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs05_oua67E&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
The room was allotted to the students at the opening of the school year, but to date no student or teacher has been able to stomach the stench long enough to sustain class.
It is being speculated that the decision to execute the protest action was initiated by a teacher on staff.
The students were relocated to another room, but they say the new location was no better as it is located near the toilets.
Classes on the DSC campus were disrupted temporarily as a result of the protest.
See photo gallery below (photos by D.M.)
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the students have their rights you know whether the ppl who run the college board like it or not i would have done the same thing with them and protest. its time for the children to protest cuz these ppl in the college just doing what they want and they are not organized at all. the president a self hiding inside his office doesnt come out at all plenty student or mostly all of them doe even no who is dr. peters but they say what goes around comes around if dem ppl people who run the college doe put them self straight and organize it will get alot worstin the future
@really??????:
really???? yes really. matter of fact the neccessary steps were taken. once by the lecturer and twice by the students and NOTHING WAS DONE. the students were refused from speaking directly to the president, and there was only one way they could have got to the president and it was done. so when you talking know exactly what you saying because to the students that know what lead up to that you sound like a RETARDED FOOL
@Marlon Giraudel: why dont you shut your RASSSSSSSSS
@All my support: anyway member of staff…that’s all you can do pass the blame on to someone else and not see where you can assist in helping the situation, which leads me to think that you are probably one of those staff members up there in the last building, who were informing students that is “those in lower building down there”..that is at fault. Wow..where is your sense of decorum? when you bash your own co-workers and blame them for the inefficiency at the Dominica State College, when it falls on the shoulders of the entire staff…calling your own co-workers names like “sore losers” etc..is not solving the problem only adding to it..
Besides, if you paying any attention to what the students where saying, if you were there at all, you would know that they didn’t want to speak to anybody else but the famous president, who i am assuming didn’t want to grace them with his presence. Can you imagine that? they wanted to speak personally with the president, the man who said he has their best interest at heart, the man they haven’t seen speak to the entire student body since the semester has started.
And you’re right the classroom problems are not new, they have been there for years…question is: What have you done to help solve the ‘classroom problem’? Or are just sitting on your derriere..are you voicing your concerns?
And by the way, stop speaking for the President, if the president thinks that members of staff are ‘lazy’ and ‘bitter’, let him say so and deal with the matter. Don’t air out your personal issues with staff because you find them to be lazy and bitter and say indirectly that those are the views of your president. You aren’t the president, don’t speak for him. Am sure you’re well cushioned in the office where you are, can’t expect anything different.
As a former CDCC student, I can tell you that the toilet has had this odor for years, couldn’t stomach the scent then either, so i can imagine what it smells like now. I do remember this room next to it as a small storeroom for miscellaneous items, can you imagine that’s what the students have for a classroom now?? what is going on up there? why can’t someone say let’s extend the building or build a few small classrooms at the back to accomodate the large amount of student? the best solution that you all could come up with was to convert a storeroom next to a toilet into a classroom…not proper hygiene. FIX IT!!
@Anonymous: but let me tell u we come n meet them so………we are news students and so new monies came in y not fix them toilet…..ny the way i bet u won’t even beable to reach the entrance of that class. come see for urself
@Anonymous: By far the best comment on here regarding this issue. It is truly mindboggling that Dominicans do not know how to use a washroom. They will pee and poop on the floor instead of using the toilet. I just don’t understand it. It really shows our state of mind as a people.
In my opinon I’d think that every institution with more than 10 individuals using a bathroom should have a cleaner/maintainance worker to help maintain a clean and safe environment. “Education is the key to success” so please don’t let petty things like a stinky toiloet/classroom encumber our kids future. Get someone to clean the toilets and the classrooms and fix the toilets if they are clogged. Good-Luck to all the students and teachers and I hope that this matter will be resolved ASAP. Love to all. Happy Thursday and happy learning. :~) :~)
One set
yes that is the state college that they keep boasting about, dominica is one of the best education system in the caribbean and am proud. Dr Peter my suggestion get your faculty together and to resolve this matter as it is of concern to your children.
Tassi Boo (Protestant)
am not a student but i do have a sister attending DSC. i understand your fraustration and wanting the improvement of the facilities i applaud that, but one thing i would love to correct u on is that the student don’t run the school (un ethical) there are different ways in which we can deal with thing, bin blocking the drive way is not one of them. tomorrow you all will be facing the outside world and i don’t think that you want to carry that attitude ok darling. one of my suggestion why not forming a commiette with the students.
@really??????: yes they did…
re clean toilet
stop that noneness ok. and is not just roseau child alone everyone use the toliet
Re clean toilet
Stop that noneness about roseau child that using the toilet so what u say country child dont use the washroom stop that ok everyone use the toilet
@Listen well: while what u are saying may be true to some extent, just imagine this: six toilets per section and at least 500 use it everyday. do the maths
Dr. Peters have nothing to do with the class problem. He is not responsible for assigning classes. He has managers ( registrar, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Student Services) who are responsible for doing this. But being sore losers, they allowed are simple situation to get out of hand.
The classroom problems are not new. They have been around for years and now I am seeing some people with their own selfish agenda fanning a fire to make Dr.Peters look bad. After years of abuse of power, their days at DSC are numbered because Dr. Peters have seen them for the bitter, incompetent and lazy people they are on. As a member of staff, I support you one hundred percent.
Good job sir
I am not saying that the washrooms are not a problem. But, WE must be more responsible and conscientious individuals. You go to some person’s home and you don’t want to use their washrooms, they go to schools its more mess cause they are not accustomed to keeping a toilet clean; they start working and they leave their used sanitary napkins in the wash room or they don’t check back to see if the toilet was flushed properly – manners at home carries abroad.
My daughter is in Grade 1 and she told me, mommy the toilet so nasty, I am not using it. I always teach my daughter to flush after using the toilet. My simple philosophy,, pretend the FBI is after you, don’t leave any evidence in the wash room.
Use the toilets properly and they will be tolerable.
I did not read anything else into that protest than what it was. It was a way of expressing one’s rights and priviledges. For years Domincans have made us get used to the notion of substandard facilities. We have been in classes where there are buckets to catch the water when it rains, broken windows in which the rain comes through, flooded classrooms and unsanitary conditions. In an age where we know the health hazards, I am 100% behind this peaceful fight for their rights.
How many of these students have health insurance? Does the school provide health insurance? Oh, I see. Students have a right to feel safe and be safe at school and safety is not only keeping away criminals. I wonder what would the reaction be if there was asbestos in the school?
To me the most disturbing thaing about this is to see that most young people have inherited a coward gene from their parents. They are afraid. A few will fight for a problem which affects the masses. Did you see the number of students just standing around? They are all afraid. They are afraid of what people will say, they are afraid of what parents will say and they are afraid of their own shadow. Sad, sad, sad!!
It is a situation which affects every individual at this school and for those of you who want to also politicize this, you need to be in school.
@Marlon Giraudel: YOU IDIOT!!!
Big up to the DSC students, you deserve better. After all, you are the future of Dominica. Your protest is healthy and the genesis of a new approach to establishment. Maybe the whiners should take a lesson from you in organized protest.
Employ a cleaner and the toilets will stay in good condition…..
Now this is what I don’t like… I looked at news and heard they call ms. massicot’s name, someone who has been assisting us in this issue for the last few weeks. Our teacher is to blame too? So much crap when she has been using her personal phone in our presence daily trying to get this resolved? The big boys always find a way to push it on other people… this is why we were asking to see the President… but he must be too high to walk down and speak to us.
But we are students Dr. Peters.. and all you care about is “STUDENT SUCCESS” well we thought so until today… now we know the truth.
Shame on you all students for messing up the toilets!
Tomorrows lesson, ” HOW TO USE A TOILET”
every thing for Dominicans is a politics all u will live and die in that and it will still be there so y every little thing that happen in the place politics have to fit in ……wii papa .. i agree to the students fight for ur right
Ori don’t come with no “as a student” there…yankee was the first president in 2002 he didn’t last two years. You mean you haven’t completed you associate degree in eight years?????? Really?????? If you are really a student now you would have been in primary school when yankee was up there…I smell a rat!!! An employed rat perhaps.
Thats very impressive students, continue fighting for your rights, after all you are paying your money. I just wish the rest of Dominicans like the civil service, teachers, port workers, consumers against high utility rates etc… would take a leaf from your page and stand up for their rights as well.
@amy: you are so correct
@Anonymous: ,,,,,good vibes well its de pressure in the country students feeling de pinch too..so if nature come around they have to do what has to be done…lol
that will ease de pressure better during the classes….life always require a vent….
we were nt throwing tlk at d president and yes we did try to settle it diplomatically. its because they didnt want to understand our concerns we protested. theres nothing rong with the faculty or anyone else we had one simple problem. the entire school is nt our problem but there are problems in da skool. n 4 dose tlkin bout toilet….if dose from yrs before us didnt break it den we wudnt hve to suffer from it….doh make as if is us dt damage d toilet wen we enter n meet dem in d condition dey in now @#$$$$#$#
seems….like the DR,has started off rather roughly….tell you this guy doesnt stay around too much..remember him and WICB…….time will tell….
@Hire a janitor: is maybe well roseau children that using the toilet so tell THEM to clean it…copawayzon
the significance of the protest was not for publicity. we are not blaming the president for anything we were simply voicing or opinions. students run the school. if students do not comply den there is no school. today we were not only a representation of the sociology class but THE STUDENT BODY. WE HAVE RIGHTS AND IF WE CANNOT SEEK THE PRESIDENT FOR ASSISTANCE DEN WHO CAN WE RELY ON?? thank you to all who supported. it is clear that without affirmative action the college will not take us seriously. NOW THEY WILL. WE NEED BETTER FACILITIES AT THE COLLEGE. this was nt a attack at the president and our lecturer was not the instigator . this was a notice to the entire DSC that students wont settle for less than expected. if this is wat we hve to do to get resolution for our problems then there will be more bins blocking the driveway count on it
thats it pple of tomorrow.. fight for what you want… is time they buck up in that smelling college…!!!! the college needs to come better than that… good initiative… i back you guys
Protest, all by now so i want over thousands of civil servants to help me protest aganist Letang. So long i dere waiting for the 3% to check a scene! I myself tired of waiting.
it was time cchildren protested in that college they do ppl wat they want up there and u just have to take it.
wow, more protest is needed
Too much politics at this college….The entire country is in a mess….!!!!!
In my opinion..yes..the students should know how to take care of the toilets so that they wouldn’t smell bad and get broken..but..OH MY GOD!! It’s not sanitory to have a class room so close to the wash rooms. Are you kidding me? 12 people can barely stay in this tiny room!! The president, by right, should know better!! They think we’re animals..but we’re not!! So I’m happy that they protested..We need a clean and comfortable environment to learn successfully..hmph! We paying tooooo much money up there to be forced into tiny and smelling class rooms!!
but what happen to those UWP people there nuh?…why they like trouble so nuh….
why are they causing all that problems at the college to stifle progress in Dominica?…
lol…wooooye.
is that the state college that they keep boasting about there?….as part of the best education system in the Caribbean?…
Where is Peter Pepper when you need him…..?….lol
Next Level…unblock them people road and take the class how allu get it.
This is s damn shame. I can not believe in order for a president of a learning institution to hear out his students they have to protest. He was too busy in his AC to hear what his students had to say. They went to him to explain the conditions they had to stomach in that class. Instead of listening to them he sent them away. That is utterly ridiculous and we paying school fees. What the hell we paying school fees for? To provide AC for all you office and money in all you pockets? College is not cheap and the students rights must be respected. Those students did right what they did. Let that be an example that college students had enough and will not tolerate any more non sense from DSC. The board of directors not ashamed? Students had to take this to the public in order to be heard? That was one issue addressed what about all the others not dealt with? Well they were heard and I hope improvements will be made as soon as possible because this is unacceptable. Thank you students for proving that we have rights and are not afraid to abuse them.
Imagine us as student, in these kind off environment. its like we are on our own. our voices not heard because all you grown folks do is condem us. Here it is for your self instead dey go abicherie just a simple protest. nobody die not even da worthless mindless president. Mr should be fired on the spot. how can you be a president and these things are going on in your college and you do nothing but sit in your a/c office. It has to come to da college being exposed.
habit at home carry abroad ,if something is someone own they take care of it when it is not there own they dont care what happens to it..we as a people must learn to care for something even if it is not our own
ahha! sey sa ki next level la uncle skerrro? moun ni pu pon vieux vap en un class? wehh wehh wehh!
neways! it was time pa god 2 stand up 2 dat! dat is nonsense! cuz i know i wudnt stay in dat class dis is ludacris!
reall vybz happen up dr matt in d afternoon, marpin n sat. all dat was missin was gis. da was gudd i jus feel dey need a better strategy! nxt time allu ready call meh! cuz 4 sure I IN DAT!
Now That’s up to having to seek ur education and can’t even enter a class room
them little nasties that smelling
\
Now war start at DSC. Peters say he want them out so they making children try to embarass the man with protest. Eh beh look it. Power struggle continues.
Students protest and stand up for ur right! Also protest against the state college students who disrespected the college uniform by openly performing blow job in the Botanical Gardens last week. SHAME on you guys!!
@SAD HEART: Well all u people not easy – the leaders enjoy everybody s** with them nuh – why should they be bogged down with bus fares. If someone has a genuine need fine but people enjoy themselves then tax payers have to pay for it.
That could have been handled easily. Did the students make representation to administration before the protest? Seems like we think all problems can be solved with protest action in Dominica and the young people are modeling what the latest trends.
Dominica State College is a damn big shame!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This place is rife with political muppets who know how to get the extra gas milage from the public’s purse. Too many issues. Growing pains you may say, but a fish rots from the top the head! I don’t understand so many negatives coming from an institution of learning. Now what learning, they have SQUARE PROFESSORS IN ROUND HOLES just cashing big checks monthly.Alot of lip service my so called learned men, and just wasting poor country students time and money.
I’m not playing the blame game but the students needs to realize that they are the ones using the toilets. If the public had access to it then that would be a different story. Students please use the toilets as you would use yours at home and then the problem would be solved. Clean up your mess instead of having the mentality that someone will do it for you.
what is wrong with our people the student talking about a smelling toilet and here it is someone is saying when he or she use to go there it was the same thing and they made it through, well let me say time has change and if a president can get 27 million dallors house then the college can get a face lift including fixing the toilets so student protest until you all get what you guys wants am so proud of you guys let the ball roll protest has to start from somewhere i hope others can follow enough is enough
lol lol i had my Literature class there we called it the “Chamber of Secrets” lol
What teacher, they don’t think we have noses and any commons sense man. If THE BODYGUARD OF A SECRETARY HAS ALLOWED US TO AT LEAST PRESENT OUR CASE TO THE PRESIDENT, WHO SAYS THAT “THE STUDENTS ARE ONE OF THE BEST THINGS HE MET AT THE DSC”, that would have never happened, instead she was rude and inappropriate, she needs a lesson in human relations.
this would have been a good time for the President to show his face instead of driving up and down in the gold pathfinder, and show us that he was interested in us, instead he DISSED us.
WHAT A WAY TO TREAT US!!!!!!!!!!!!! the best things he met. maybe he wants us the students to go also
is dat…protest self…. how de hell allu can put a class by the toilet……..
@divine: i mean come on they in there airconditioned room wat they kno
imagine…they say they have a new president …….. and as a student i’ve never see what the man look like….our first president may in soul rest in peace….the man interacted with every student…dat one they calling peters….you can only see a shade of him through his darkers in his brand new jeep…doe worry time must tell.
Whilst I agree that the toilets may be smelly and the stench is unbearable, I would like to implore the students to take care of what you have. Think of the person who has to do the dirty job of sanitizing and cleaning the washrooms. Too many times the attitude is if I do not dirty it the cleaner does not have a job. I have heard persons say thing like that. Put yourselves in the Janitors shoes and do unto others as you would like them to do unto you. When you use the washroom, do not destroy and vandalise. After use leave the washrooms as though you are the next person in line to use the washroom. This is for every user of the washrooms. Do not litter and throw away toilet paper and glasses and cups just anywhere. I am sure there are bins so use them appropriately. If each person uses the washroom the way it is supposed to be used and dispose their trash in an orderly manner, then the Janitors will be able to do a very good job of sanitizing and cleaning and I am sure the toilet will not be smelly and stenchy. Would you like persons to use your washroom home and come to some of the messes you do once it is not your own and the Janitors will clean after you. I am sure you will answer no.
I call on the DSC authorities to repair the washrooms as soon as possible, since we have to start somewhere and I am appealing to those who do use the washrooms improperly to desist from doing so and to do unto others as we would like others to do to you.
Again I call on the Students to dispose of gabbage in a proper manner. Use the bins provided by the school and the vendors. Do not throw the styrofoam glasses and plastic bottles etc from the buses windows when you are en route to and from the Dominca State College. Do you see how untidy and unsightly the road side looks whith all that gabbage thrown out of the windows of movig vehicles. The Student body please look at this. The littering of the school yard although bins are provided should be addressed. Take pride in the surroundings of the State College.
Watcher is watching and I pray that this littering will stop and the message will be brought home to your communities.
the students have der rights and they exicuted it well … they did well in gettin their message across, but it shouldnt always have to reach that stage b4 the appropriate athorities take action …
ps they should also protest about some of the ridiculous fees up there
BY THE WAY THE LABASS IS ALSO A PROBLEM, THEY NEED TO LOOK INTO THAT- THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO MOVE THE LABAS
What is the man talking about? WHAT TEACHER?what does he think we the students don’t have a mind of our own. Let me tell you if it was not for the RUDE INSENSITIVE BODYGARD OF A SECRETARY who refused to allow us to speak to the President who says that students are his priority the protest would never have happened. The Prime Minister Mr Skerritt is more accessible than the man who REFUSED to come to speak with us.
What a way to treat the “best thing he met at the DSC” tell Dr.Peters wheel and come again, and by the way the conference room where he is putting us has no board for the teachers to use and the smell of the food that has been warmed in the microwave as i understand the so called conference room is also the lunch room was nauseating the last time we had a class there.
FIX THE ROOM FIX THE AC UNIT SI WE CAN HAVE REGULAR CLASSES, AFTER ALL WE ARE PAYING STUDENTS
JR
lol thats why I will never go to DSC, what a pathetic excuse for a college. Start doing your college degrees online.. or get a student loan and student visa to study in the US or europe, its worth it unlike going to DSC
Next Level…
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
@Anonymous: eh eh yes the cause
Is a plan…ask which teacher initiated the protest and the real reason why…that school have too much politics. Something must give!
But anyway any protest to protect rights is a good thing yeah
Most people don’t even know what our protest was about. And a teacher was not the one who initiated the protest.
protest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! alu do right dey 2 impossible up dr if is not labass is d toilet KEEP UD D GOOD WORK
well well well … what a shame
you mean it had to come to this …. the smell seems to have been around for some time
good to go students … let your parents and we adults know that WE CAN PROTEST FOR OUR RIGHTS
NEXT IS THE CIVIL SERVANTS???????????
ALL YOU GET THE 3% ALREADY NUH?????????
this place has always been smellin ….since i was in there in ’02….n they hv yet to do anything about…i believe this area was suppose to be a store room of some sort n instead they use it for classroom…they tink is so things a gwan in d bloodclat place…protest…keep it up….
dont blame no teacher
protest for your rights
Ya the next level,and the Government want to spend $27 Million to build a state House.Give me a break…
HMMMMMMMMMMMMM WHAT ARE OUR LEADERS GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS?????????????
LET’S LOOK AND SEE.
THE LEADERS HAVE BACKED OUT ON PAYING THE KIDS BUS FARE, SO LETS SEE WHAT’S TAKING PLACE NOW?
We have rights the president does what needs to be done to facilitate us and our needs but a few administrators keep making our demands non processed so infact they causing this
hey dats gud keep it goin i knew hw it was i went der n it was a total distraction cld focus on the main subject.i always focus on dat stinky smell tank you 2 u proteters 4 gettin it out nw.>>>>>>>
hmm..children aren’t paying their parents hundreds of dollars in school fees to be placed in a classroom by the toilet.
As a former student i know that, that room was kept as a storeroom right next to the washroom. Who in their right minds are going to stay in a classroom next to toilets that smell. I think the students have a right to protest especially since I was told by one of them myself that they attempted to speak to the president himself more than once, and was turned away by his “bodyguard” secretary. And then he the president will come back and say and i quote from previous interviews given by the president, “these are my students…” “this is my school…” . Yet majority of these same students have never seen or heard from Mr. President. Most don’t even know what he looks like, and he has never held an assembly with the students.
At least when Mr. Hubert Charles was there, if persons can recall, he at times met with the students or spoke to the entire students body on issues and problems concerning school, student council and college incidents that occur on campus.
It just seems that the students’ welfare and well being do not seem important to the president and staff members, and are viewed as irritant pests that it is easy to give ‘yes’ response because yes is peace.
It is unfortunate that this had to happen; however students are human beings with intelligence and hopefully are smart enough not to be bamboozled by persons who think they are better than them, meaning president and staff.
huray my fellow students! am so proud of you guys and there ae many more to come. let the college think we playing. its time we take control. that college think they can do us what they want!!!!
I always thought this room by the toilets was a storeroom, until recently i found out it was a classroom. The college should know about better than that to put a classroom by a toilet that is always smelling…. I believe the cleaners are not doing a proper job….. SHAME on DSC….. This is unacceptable.
The students should protest about the smell coming from Labas…… This is unhygienic…. This is what Dominicans have to do nowadays PROTEST for their rights and don’t take no for an answer…
The toilets didn’t break themself, the students would most likely be the ones who did. All through my school life its the same thing I encountered. Dirty broken toilets at CHS, dirty broken toilets at CDCC. My whole school life I never use those toilets. How are they getting broken? What is Dominicans problem why they cannot use a toilet properly. Give them a new one they break it in no time. Go to a public one, footprints on the seat, pee everywhere. Then you all wonder why the toilets are broken?? Head of the College has to fix them, but give Dominicans a lesson in using a toilet first. Or maybe that should start from primary school. Don’t just fix the symptoms, fix the cause!
ewwwww maybe Dr donald peters should relocate his office there for the rest of the week
If the toilets are nasty and smelling bad then I believe the students should keep it clean. They are the ones who uses it. And I guess there’s no janitor at the school so one or two persons needs to be hired. Good job oportunity.
How shameful…
I remember that class. Never attended a class there. I can imagine the stench. The toilets were always gross! Yuck!
Toliet? lol…allu should be protesting for better education, lesser school fees. lol…