Dr. Donald Peters gives advice to graduating DSC students

Peters called for optimism rather than cynicism
Peters called for optimism rather than cynicism

In his charge to the 2014 graduating class of the Dominica State College (DSC), its President Dr. Donald Peters, has called on graduates to use their knowledge to change and improve the country.

Peters told members of the class that they are graduating at a time when the world is just barely getting out of the most severe financial crisis and when Dominica is in need of professionals with new ideas and energy to run the agriculture and tourism industries.

Additionally, he stated, they are graduating “when Caribbean leaders are planning to offer free movement of people across the region, at a time when we need to educate our people to be independent and to take responsibility for their own lives is even more crucial. At a time when the world is facing the devastating disease, Ebola, which threatens our very existence.”

“At a time when some politicians in our country are saying it’s okay to plagiarize. At a time when a college education is getting more expensive,” he continued. “But you are also graduating at a time when the world is at relative peace, the global economy has bounced back, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) a country that we enjoy diplomatic relations with, has now become a world economic power, at a time where in Dominica more young people are employed than any time in the history of the country, at a time when the country now has the resources to take care of its elderly, at a time when the government has decided to provide funding to support a college education for every household in the country.”

He said the times can be challenging and much will be expected of the gradauting students and requested that they shift the paradigm from one of complaining to one of doing.

“You need to guide our people to stop talking about opening businesses without a national plan,” Peters stated. “To stop talking about upgrading agriculture when the current farmers are unable to meet market demands for pepper, cocoa, coffee, dasheen and other crops in the Caribbean region much less for the global market, to stop talking about an international airport when they don’t know how much it costs and when 51 percent of our visitors come from Martinique and Guadeloupe.”

The DSC’s President stated further that it is now time for the graduating students to utilize the scientific and analytical skills learnt to help people understand the issues and to find meaningful solutions to national challenges and to help stamp out ignorance, poverty, climate change and to understand that the key to economic prosperity is through work.

“Do not listen to the cynics who never set foot in a college but are experts on everything and thinks that only a government can develop Dominica,” he stated. “As educated people we should be able to develop our country with our government, not leave it all to elected officials. As an educator I am doing that now and so can you in the future.”

He noted that there should be no room for cynicism in Dominica and there should be optimism since the country “has a lot going for it.”

Some 292 students graduated from the institution last week.

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29 Comments

  1. Real
    October 22, 2014

    You people are so vicious and malicious you cant see anything beyond colors. What a bunch of heaters you are! Even if a another prophet would walk in DA, he would also be attack for breathing. You harbor so much malice, hatred and resentment Mr.. Peters be strong. Mr. Nassif wrote an article whether you agree or not that’s his personal point of view. You attack the man from the time he was in diapers to his days on adult pampers , now you probably put him away.

  2. i must speak
    October 22, 2014

    at the end of the day, people need to sing for their supper…who feels it knows it ok people?

    lmfao :lol:

  3. As it is
    October 22, 2014

    How much those “in high places’ grovel at their age. In almost every institution there are those who will uphold the status quo, and bow to their political affiliates, come hell water. They will try, at every opportunity to defend the indefensible, twist and turn the facts to their own selfish motives.

    The people of Dominica, who yearn for democracy, good governance and Free and Fair elections, are being forced to go into yet another General Election, without Electoral Reforms. without a complete cleaning of the bloated Voters’ List and provision of Voter ID Cards.

    The Electoral Commission, OAS, CARICOM recommended reforms to the Electoral Process. Skerritt’s DLP Govt’ stubbornly refused to facilitate. Now no ID Cards, list still not clean, after all those years of people pleading, begging for reforms, so that elections could be Free and Fair.

    Our students need to be reminded of our democratic principles of Free and Fair Elections, respect for Constitution and Laws and good governance.

    The people of Dominica have been fooled in believing that Multi-purpose ID Cards would be ready. Skerritt’s DLP Govt., the Electoral Commission’s chairman and the Chief elections Officer were not telling us the truth. Because they all boasted that NID cards, instead of Voter ID Cards would be ready. NB, that was not what the Commission requested funds for.

    ……………….

    The stalled case of firebombing of Mano and his wife and the other case re. 42 charges of fraud filed by Mano against another Lawyer. What about those criminal acts?

    Massa Day ain’t done. The students of the College know exactly what is going on. The truth is setting them free from the manipulations, deceit, and incompetence.

  4. maindesk
    October 22, 2014

    This guy should be removed from the DSC but some of the girl students may not be happy with that.

  5. October 22, 2014

    We pray over our young people binding and loosing them from the enemy’s hold. We rejoice with you, for this great accomplishment. We declare it is the beginning of new and great things for you.

    We pray the hand of God will lead you and whatever good things you put your hands to you shall prosper, in Jesus’ name. May great doors be opened to you and may you walk through them with Godly wisdom, knowledge and understanding. May you soar like eagles, in Jesus’ name.

    We break every curse spoken against your life and reverse any premature death assigned against your life. May you serve the Lord in all you do, in Jesus’ name.

    http://www.facebook.com/prayerteamdominica

  6. Ras B
    October 22, 2014

    Disappointing!!!!But Dr Peters has always been disappointing! So why is he still the president of the institution of higher learning in our country????

  7. Independent D/can
    October 22, 2014

    I was in the process of making a substantial donation to the college, but after reading this man’s biased political propaganda, I have decided against making the donation.

    How could someone who is responsible for shaping our future leaders, use a graduation speech to display such political bias?

    “Professor?” Whatever your political affiliation, you should not use the graduation forum to spread such political garbage.

  8. Aunty
    October 22, 2014

    Healthy debate.That’s what university is all about!

  9. Looker
    October 22, 2014

    Mwen Hont!!! That man has no shame to stand up as a president of a college and try to talk politics to students. That is so wrong on so many levels I do not know where to begin. He should not preach for the govenment nor for the opposition. Teach the younf people to be independent and objective, do not try to inject your thoughts in their minds.
    This man is clearly making an attemt to preserve his position.
    A man like you with a PHD should be some where doing research, not sanding before students low grading your self with that nonsense. So, So LOW!!! Education is definitely not common sense.

  10. Francisco Telemaque
    October 22, 2014

    “Dominica is in need of professionals with new ideas and energy to run the agriculture and tourism industries. Additionally, he stated, they are graduating “when Caribbean leaders are planning to offer free movement of people across the region, at a time when we need to educate our people to be independent and to take responsibility for their own lives is even more crucial. At a time when the world is facing the devastating disease, Ebola, which threatens our very existence.”(Peters).

    Peters, I found, nor see any relevance in the quote: what difference would it make if people were unable to move freely across the Caribbean even if they had not graduate from DSC. Are you insinuating that because a person graduates from a none accredited junior; two year college in Dominica that will insure travel privilege to the graduating student to other parts of the Caribbean, and the world in General?

    I doubt that. You see, there are two year colleges on basically all of the islands of the Caribbean, in Barbados for example, apart from the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies there are other four year and two year college. In Trinidad, there is St. Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies, in addition to that there are many colleges in Trinidad, of which you perhaps never heard about. If you turn your attention to Jamaica, you will find Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies, again there are other government owned and run colleges on the island, so I see nothing special about DSC, and what privilege it will afford any graduating student out of Dominica.

    “At a time when some politicians in our country are saying it is okay to plagiarize” (Peters). Those are your words, we do not remember any Lennox or any Dominica politicians saying it is okay to plagiarize. If you are referring to Lennox Linton, perhaps you should do some fact check, Lennox may have used words, from a conversation between him and a friend a politician on another island; that is considered intellectual property, and can be repeated by both the people involved in the conversation, in other words there was a “meeting of the mind!”

    Cipher that one out.

    What about the task of getting the DSC accredited; are you capable of accomplishing that?

    Now, if you want to focus on a Dominica politician plagiarizing, perhaps you should focus on your boos, your Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit who we proved plagiarized verbatim, the words of a dead Barbados Prime minister, be careful how you weave your tangled web Peters, because you might be caught into your own web, someone in your position should avoid bringing politics into the class rooms of DSC; because it does not belong to Skerrit or any politician, in Dominica, it actually belongs to the people of Dominica!

    Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque

  11. Duncekyat
    October 21, 2014

    Sing, Peters, sing… supper is on it’s way!

  12. Doc. Love
    October 21, 2014

    All those beautiful speeches and advise does not put food on the student’s table. Why doesn’t he advise Skeritt as to how to create jobs for those students. :mrgreen:

  13. Views Expressed
    October 21, 2014

    This statement by Dr.Peters is for the Skerrit lead incompetent leaders
    PLEASE READ CAREFULLY…….HOW NOT TO RUN A COUNTRY
    “The DSC’s President stated further that it is now time for the graduating students to utilize the scientific and analytical skills learnt to help people understand the issues and to find meaningful solutions to national challenges and to help stamp out ignorance, poverty, climate change and to understand that the key to economic prosperity is through work”

    I HOPE THIS IS HELPFUL IN THE ANALYSIS OF THE LACK OF EDUCATION AND DEVELOP PLAN AND STRATEGIC PLAN OF THIS DUMB LABOUR PARTY GOVDERNMENT AND THEIR INCOMPETENT SO CALLEDF DOCTORS ALL OVER DOMINICAACTING AS PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS…SHAME ON ALL YOU

  14. truth
    October 21, 2014

    President Dr. Peters I am very disappointed in your address to graduating students, you should leave this for politicians. As a parent this is disrespectful to our children and to us, if you had this to say you should take it to the political platform next time respect yourself and let the politicians do their work .

  15. October 21, 2014

    Look story jumping out about those who live in glass houses.

  16. Oh No
    October 21, 2014

    Dr. Peters please make a professional effort to be non-political at such functions which is an educational activity.

  17. Forever Amber
    October 21, 2014

    A most depressing speech coming from the President of a College to its graduating students. If I were a student, I would be tempted to leave the hall.

    There was absolutely nothing to encourage or motivate the students. In fact, the speech was nothing more than a political apology for the failing DLP Government.

    • are you for real
      October 21, 2014

      I was tempted but it would have reflected bad on my faculty.

  18. Xcuse me!
    October 21, 2014

    Mr. is a doctor? The man foolish and blind. I can challenge every point he made but because of time I just want to highlight one.
    ” To stop talking about an international airport when they don’t know how much it costs and when 51 percent of our visitors come from Martinique and Guadeloupe.” According to the educator we should not think of an international airport because 51% of our visitors come from Matinique and Guadeloupe? Mr. Peters, in the 70’s 80% Windward Island cricketers came from Dominica; today we hardly have 25%. What if islands like SLU,GND and STV had given up and did nothing to develop their local cricket? That’s backward thinking sir! Furthermore, your disclosure is further proof that Skerrit will not build international airport.

  19. Khann
    October 21, 2014

    Is this man a labourite?

    I am curious as his comment “some politicians in our country are saying it is ok to plagiarise”. This is a crap speech. The graduates should tell him Where to shove his biased spiel.

    This man should be kicked out as he appears to be ultra bias. What a nerd!

    • aha
      October 21, 2014

      he is one of skerrit’s advisers

    • October 22, 2014

      Came from a DFP background like Skrit-According to groovy bat’s name for Medard.

  20. Kristina
    October 21, 2014

    ‘At a time when some politicians in our country are saying it’s okay to plagiarize’. Peters cannot be respected or considered as a serious academician.

  21. Avogadro
    October 21, 2014

    “To stop talking about upgrading agriculture when the current farmers are unable to meet market demands for pepper, cocoa, coffee, dasheen and other crops in the Caribbean region much less for the global market”

    So He saying we shouldnt upgrade agriculture to meet the demands… wdma is wrong with Mr!
    8-O

  22. shaka zulu
    October 21, 2014

    As a professor you should understand in society there is room for every opinion and point of view and although some of your advice is great it is politically bias. Dr. Your role is to educate, not to spread political agenda nor propaganda. You are part of the problem.

  23. Anonymous
    October 21, 2014

    that was a good reading mr peter as an educator please educate them when people thinking like the government has to do all for the development of this country.

    • Andy
      October 22, 2014

      Although Dr. Peter political affiliation is well known, hence he being the president of DSC, students and Dominica by extension should expect a much better speech to college graduates. It is appalling that the president of the college would use a gradution ceremony as a political platform. A graduation ceremony should be above political partisanship. Mr. President if you wanted to interject politics in your speech, it should have been one of a global overview.
      One can understand if your speech was more focused on adomonishing the graduating students to use their acquired knowledge to move the country forward. They should have been encoraged to aspire to serve their country at all levels including the political level.
      It is misleading to say to a graduating class that they are graduating at a time where there are more young people employed in the history of Dominica. Mr. President this is the most inaccurate statement you could have made as an educator. I am certain that your graduating students are worried where they will find employment. In conclusion, if your are referring to the National Employment Program as the source of the jobs you alluded to, you would well know that this is ecoonimic suicide, since there is no return on this investment, and this is not sustainable employment.

  24. Anonymous
    October 21, 2014

    And there I thought he was speaking to a graduating class!!

    This speech belongs on a DLP political platform.

  25. PaBoo
    October 21, 2014

    For an educator you dont have to be singing this way

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