Social worker, Francis Joseph, has written to Education Minister, Petter Saint Jean, expressing grave concerns and seeking clarification over what he said is the lack of a functioning Board of Directors at the Dominica State College (DSC).
“It has been brought to my attention, and I seek your clarification that the State College Board of Directors has not been functioning for over a year now which goes in contravention of Section 7 of the 2002 Dominica State College ACT 4…” he wrote.
According to Joseph, the Act makes reference to a number of issues, including the welfare of staff and students, policies for the college, financing for the institution, among others. (See full letter below).
“Mr. Minister, as a past Board Member myself, in absence of a functioning Board for over a year You, the Minister, is hereby obligated to answer to Parliament, the College staff and students, their parents and the public. Why is it that the College has been operating without its principal decision and monitoring body the Board of Directors,” Joseph wrote.
He is wondering who is supervising the President of the College and monitoring decisions as it relates to its finances.
Joseph is also alleging that when he contacted the college on the matter, he was told that there has been no board “for about a year.”
“This is worrying sir and under your watch and principal custodian of the College this is a very poor and alarming situation,” Joseph told Saint Jean.
Francis also raised another issue: “Two weeks ago a letter from the NGO Coalition was sent to the Chairman of the Board of the State College reference to an article in the Sun Newspaper (February 2015) “Pulling for Peters”. The NGO Coalition letter is advising the Board of the proper protocol in reporting these matters and not seen to be publicly protecting a staff member at that level of President where the victim(s) are without a voice. This is not right and must not be allowed to repeat itself.”
Saint Jean told members of the media on Friday that he would address the matter on Monday.
The full letter.
The man is in a position of authority where he can end their future educational aspiration with a stroke of pen if they don’t comply with his advancement. So how can the comment be….. they are of age it does not matter…if this is what he wants do he should step down as head of the institution and if he does not that the reason for the board to take action.
But he has dismantle the board to give him full reign to take advantage of young girls and still be able to keep his job.
It is very clear “LAWIEBAWIE” you don’t have daughters, sisters or nieces going to this institution that why you don’t see the vulnerable position this puts them in.
lol! Why does/did DNO allow the calling (openly ) of the president Pant Man and when my friend crafted it nicely it was deleted/not printed? Quardriple standards DNO no where close to double lol
Where is Sailsbury Farmer on this one when his boy at the DSC is facing the music? He is silent as a lamb.
Although the odds are against you, continue the good fight. Someone must stand up for what is right and just.
I am convinced that mr francis is mostly concerned with sexual abuse and the avenues available to the students if they need to report a matter. I understand your concerns sir.consider the allegations especially the panty man allegation into consideration. but if we look at the bunch of men who run the country, they have no moral and ethical values.
look at those from the north. Have u ever seen them with their wives? what about those who have been accused of sleeping with each other wives? what about those chiefs who broke up peoples families. what about the alleged old men educators who seem to be obsessed with 16- 19 year old girls? what about the report that was made about a certain minister. do we remember who was the spiritual adviser for that labour party until it was revealed of his abuse of a young lady? ministers who it alleged have impregnated youn girls where is the blogger called lawrence Ettiene is he going to defend this?
Birds of a Feather Flock Together?
when Political economists turn legal( more so when they come from the left) close their private practice to serve ……………………………well your contribution Friend of the Nation speaks volumes. What was this left thing all about. Others become Ambassadors work private and plus gov’t and want to be on all boards they can fill, leftist ideology took a back seat just like dat.They will take solace in Karl maex words before politics feed self have a roof even if the Den is now an empty nest. Some kids did not live up to expectation. others No kids at all hence gave up on trying. Loose $$ available due to the aforementioned. So let’s take cruises ,dress nice, eat bad fattening dinners lunches breakslows to break the boredom. Continue to morph by joining the Neo -Labour/DFP colition & fortify the corruption.
Am I surprised at what is revealed ? Not when the country has become Galligan’s Island with a million his wife ,professor, skipper,Galligan,ginger etc.
Stuck on an island with no real leadership; everyone is doing whatever they please and a bunch of Galligan’s like the Simeons,Daniel Carbons, Director of Audit,Kelvar etc
skippers like Tony ,Alick,Ex Priest, Burton
Professors like Pant gift donor, Ambassador Tight Pants
Gingers like Karmala,Francine .
wonder why the island is stuck in reverse gear. Pure corruption.
If you can do it Mr joseph, so can the DSC.
Mano , Please explain this statement……..
Thanks
I am concerned that we have become a Failed State. Where is the voice of the Student Council, the union representing the staff and staff of the college, the National Youth Council, the Dominica Christian Council, the Dominica Association of Evangelical Churches. Is it that they do not see this as a/their problem? Or is that that they simply do not care?
The fact that the Minister of Education has to wait till later to give a response is an indication that he has no clue as to what is happening at this institution. Wake up Mr. Minister.
well is a good thing my children are well read and full of pride, cause Dominica is no place for youngsters as long as these filthy, corrupt, immoral derelicts are in top offices.
they sexually abuse the poor for a few scraps… sorry for these young women
and may god burn allu testicles in the fiery pit
Mr Francis you see the problem is that no matter how much you write or speak up ,the major problem is that Dominicans have vastly accepted the behavior of these men because they love their hand outs and they love their Pm. So they will remain silent even if their daughters are abused through the system because labour giving them bus and lunch money.
So the DSC is a one-man fiefdom then? Wait till Dr. Lim Kok Wing from Malaysia clips his wings when he brings his university to Dominica. No wonder the good Doctor looks so miserable in those photos from Kuala Lumpur.
From Boston to Missippi to NY-upstate to Bermuda- Bahamas to Trinidad to DA the complaints are the same where are you going to next doc? Now we can deduce how our P.M entered University lol now is ay back or what Sr.Counsel told us( tickle us) medard was going to do his PHd at Harvard when rosie brought him in to DLP after being president of young freedom. lol Okay Sr Counsel did you say so April of 2012
just imagine this a guy who cannot make a full sentence as P.M. Peepip minister, Blackmore another one who can hardly say two word properly are all ministers what a joke. These guys English sound foreign.We know two of em have French citizenship. lol
Thank God that people like Francis Joseph still exist in Dominica, there is hope yet! But again my good Sir, you come from a family with a tradition for standing firm, strong and fair for what is right, remembering your dad in particular! Keep on fighting the good fight for the victims; the weak, the oppressed and the voiceless in Dominica!
we know we like it so . No law ,No constitution monkey see monkey do. Day by day Dominica is slipping into lawlessness.
The Minister like all the other Ministers have no control of his ministry, the guy has to await direction from the PM as to what decision to make pertaining to the college, or for that matter anything to do about the Education of the people of Dominica.
The College does not have a FUNCTIONING BOARD OF DIRECTORS, but where was the President of the College? On a My Dominica Trade House mission with the PM.
So was the college running its self while the President of the college was out playing Politics? Since he likes politics so much he should step down as president of the college and go into politics. We should see to that. The next BOARD should recommend that.
Funny you should mention My Dominica trade House. Last trip to Malaysia We see Dr. Peters signing something with a representative of the the Lim Kok Wing University, not Minister, not the P.M. so Dr. Peters must be signing in his own name, presumably on behalf of the State College? Excellency Nanthan standing right behind him, smirking. It was he who signed the MOU with that University on behalf of Government on his previous visit last Oct.
If it involves education in our country why was the Min. of Education not involved or present at least on that first visit in Oct. ?What is that MOU anyway?. What was Dr. Peters committing himself and the College to? Do the citizens of Dominica have to be kept in ignorance as usual?
This government is so dirty ,disgraceful ,shameful ,nasty ,filthy ,foul ,immoral, unethical ,unscrupulous unprincipled, deceitful, fraudulent. Even the college where young people should be protected those man corrupting?what a shame. I wonder what excuse and defense labour of love and The Facts are going to put forward
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Sadly, Dominicans gave these guys a mandate to mismanage. Their behavior is simply shameful and deliberate as part of the corruption embedded in the psyche of these rouges and vagabonds. Like Mr. Joseph, I will continue to pray for my beloved country. I always ask myself, who will guard the guards?
Assertive, NOT Aggressive!
You mean UWI has a gender base and sexual harassment issue and right here at our State College we have a staff that can come in and fix it for UWI. There may be collateral damage like students getting pregnant for trustees and old gentlemen who prefer 26 to 18 year Olds. I guarantee that the DSC consultants cN sweep your problems under the rug. Who knows after that the DSC may just recommend a trip to Malaysia where UWI can pickup $350000 . You Dominica soft like Tony Astaphan.
More of our Dominican people need to stay on top of things in DA and voice their concerns.
That’s what democracy is all about. Uncle Francis can’t be the only one who is concerned about these gross negligence in Dominica.
Shameful how it’s only a handful of people are willing to publicly speak out for what is right.
The citizens need to rally and support these folks in making sure things are done in the best interest of the citizens.
You may not agree with everything they say or how they go about “making noise” to get attention to grave topics but someone has to do it and until others join in “making noise” things will not change.
In the “Pulling for Peters” article, then president of the college said “He [Peters] has been with this young lady for over three years; he has put her interest first and sent her to school to further her education, so what is the issue,” the official asked.”
Dominicans did you all read that?! What excuse can be offered for a lack of INVESTIGATION?! I think every one’s hand is dirty in Dominica for not demanding an investigation, at the very least! I mean the president of the board is openly admitting that this man is sleeping with a student, and nothing happens?
The people of this country are truly being pushed to violence if you ask me. Everyday some evidence of corruption, protection, exploitation is being revealed and so far, only the people of Bawi have proven to be resistant to the BS.
Come on, a 70 year old hard back man and a what? 16-20 year old student? No punishment, no reprimand, instead he is PROTECTED by the board. And now there IS NO BOARD?! This must be…
I am not familiar with the case but the questions to be asked are:, Did he break a law? Was the student below the age of consent? Is it a case of statutory rape or was he having a legal love affair with a legal age adult female student who herself has the right to show affection to whom ever she pleases to? I am just saying that the only time age should be a factor is if one of the parties involved is below the legal age limit for sexual contact.
Please, grow up.