Education Minister Octavia Alfred has announced that the government will continue to provide psychosocial help to the staff and students of the Warner Primary School following the abduction of Kernisha Etienne, a student of that learning institution.
“The Ministry of Education will continue to provide psychosocial help to the staff and students and parents of the Warner Primary School and to the members of the community at large,” Alfred said over the weekend. “We have been working with the parents and students from Wednesday morning.”
According to her, officers of the Ministry of Education were at the school and will continue to provide counseling, “and to answer the questions of our students at that school as they too are very confused with what is happening to their friend Kernisha.”
Alfred said the Ministry of Education continues to encourage all schools on the island to ensure that the Health and Family Life Education (HFLE) program at the schools is alive and vibrant.
“We also encourage any H.F.L.E teachers or any school counselors who would like to join the team to be in Warner because people are asking questions,” Alfred encouraged. “People have a level of anxiety and it’s up to us now to contribute to bringing them to a level of calmness.”
She thanked all those who have stopped their daily routine and have joined to help to bring Kernisha home.
Meanwhile, Principal of the Warner Primary School Ericson Bertrand who spoke to the media said it has been a very sorrowful time for the students and teachers of the institution.
“The most we are doing now is watching, waiting and praying and believing God for a miracle and to have our daughter back [with] us at school,” he stated. “We just can’t function as in normal time.”
He explained that because of the situation many students have not been able to report to school.
“Children show their grief in different ways, teachers show their grief in different ways, but everybody has been sorrowing,” Bertrand remarked. “It has been a very grievous time for us.”
Bertrand added, “We are hoping that God turns around that situation.”
Before posting BS on DNO we should do some investigation.The UWP destroyed the police force.The kidnapping was done in the Mahaut district.The kidnapper lives in the St.Joseph district.The commissioner of police,Mr Daniel Carbon said the kidnapper had been terrorising the community of Bells for two weeks.This could never happen when Insp.Joshua James whit the likes of Gabriel Butcher St.Jean,Edincort St.Valle.Jefferson Shipley,Erie MILITY and Francis Henry were stationed at the St.Joseph Police station.These guys mostly acted on their own, lead by Joshua James,with Gabriel St.Jean 2nd in command.On very few occasions did they need the support of SSU,and they knew every inch of their district including the bush.In 1983 all these guys went to Grenada as members of the CPF.In 1984 on their return from Grenada,they were trained by the 82nd Airborne 7th Special Forces Group ,from Fort Bragg North Carolina,USA.A large # of police officers were trained as both police and soldiers From CID.
The Minister should be aware that the best “– help to the staff and students —” is to find and bring Kermisha home safe and sound. So, all efforts should be focused on doing so. The issues facing the staff and students can then be dealt with.
Bwa- Banday,stop that BS.When the fight was on in the 70s where was Wayne James,Ferrol and Hypolite?Here is the problem.In 1983 a few police officers went to Grenada as members of the CPF during the invasion of the island by the US.In 1984 after the 1983 contingent returned to Dominica,the 82 Airborne division 7th Special Forces from Fort Bragg,North Carolina USA,came to Dominica and trained the police officers.They were trained in Jungle survival.map reading and the use of military weapons such as the M60,M16,45 cal.pistol and grenades.Some police officers on their own trained themselves to use the AK 47.Of those fighters the last remaining is Philsbert Bertrand.The problem is the police high command and government,never decided to continue to train police,not even in basic battle skills.Very important is the ghost walk and the Leopard crawl.Evans John,Nicholas George,Cyprian Defoe,Gabriel St.Jean,Robertson Laurent,Kelvin Albert,Patrickson Albert,Philsbert Bertrand are a few.
Only God was able to keep this child alive.
Victory! Victory!
She was right under our nose all along but voodoo blocked the eyes of the officers. That voodoo spell is now broken and they will see clearly where they are today. They’re not far at all.
@MeAlone, l cannot believe in this day and age people still talking about that Voodoo crap nonsense.
I was wondering if that was going on….
Hopefully the so called initiative of the ministries of Education and Health are what is being touted and not just blah blah for political expediency.
However, the child is still in the company of a mad man as qualified by his parents even if they claim the child will be ok. I am one of those who would like to take comfort in that but if mister could harshay his blood related uncle is not a non blood relative he will not hurt. So I keep praying.
In the meantime, I am appealing to the minister of national security and commissioner to do what one person has already suggested; Call back former officers of the real SSU who hunted down man like Bobo, Pocosion, Mal etc relentlessly in the jungles. In particular men like Insp. Gabriel “Butcher” St. Jean, ASP. Ferrol, Supt. Nicolas George, Sgt. Wayne James, Const. Hypolite and Dan Robin aka. Hero. Deputize and let them loose in the bush. Money should not be an issue to pay them if needed. We need our girl back now!
If you speak to Mr Evans John,Mr Philsbert Alfred,Mr Gabriel St.jean,and Mr Robertson Laurent .They will all tell you the police are untrained,and from the beginning the operation was a SNAFU.Any hostage or kidnapping situation is the duty of the police or army.and not the public A missing person report is different and may include the public.At one time there were police officers trained as soldiers,people like Evans John,Gabriel St.Jean,Philsbert Bertrand,Kelvin Albert,Cyprian Defoe,Liston GAS Dyer,Cletus Seaman and Philsbert Alfred,to name a few.One of the courses they did was map reading and jungle survival.Since these guys left the government and the high command of the police refuse to train officers.When the UWP won the 1995 their main aim was to politicize the force.The DLP continued on the same track except that they did not openly victimize police officers like UWP did.There was a police- army in the police force,today we have a bunch of rum drinking pizza eating police,SHAME
My heart goes out to the Principal, students and parents of the Warner Primary School and by extension the entire village; it’s very disheartening what everyone has to go through at this time. Stay focused and don’t allow distractors to impair your faith in the safe return of this child. One advise to the talk show hosts on our radio stations; end all discussion about Kernisha; the “commess” coming out of the mouths of Dominicans is more poisonous, destructive and harmful than the abductor himself.
The efforts by the Ministry of Education are appropriate and commendable. The teachers and students of this particular school are in need of this specific intervention.
While some local people, organizations and institutions are trying to help, others are subtly trying to take advantage of this unfortunate incident.
Listening to one radio station this morning, the host of the morning talk-show is using excerpts from a taped interview he had with the parents of the kidnapper, as a teaser, to use on his afternoon show to heighten ratings. How many others have realised this? Abominable, and should be roundly condemed.
This is my honest take on unfortunate happening of exploiting suffering as this one. God frowns on people who prey on others’ misfortune.