The spotlight was shone on the new state college buildings being constructed at Stock Farm, when Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit toured the site on Monday morning and gave reporters an update on the proposed new facility.
The new state college headquarters, being built with a $30 million dollar loan from the Chinese government, is expected to be completed by December 2013.
According to Prime Minister Skerrit, the loan was attained on very concessional terms.
Several of the structures are in various stages of construction, while foundation work is still being carried out in other parts of the compound.
“We are building this facility at a time when the world itself has been grappling with the worst economic crisis the world has seen in its existence. The government has taken a deliberate decision to invest in our people,” the prime minister said while touring the site.
“The government is very pleased with the progress and the quality of the work. Clearly the structures are more expansive than one would have imagined based on the drawings and the conceptual designs,” PM Skerrit said.
He indicated that the Chinese contractors were, as the project went along, being asked to do “additional things” and they were responding positively to those requests.
The prime minister said such a facility was long overdue.
“We cannot continue to have our students in our premiere institution in the second decade of 21st century having to receive tuition in these (current) buildings – clearly we have to do better than that,” he said.
The prime minister said this modern state of the art facility would help further the thrust towards the acquisition of universal access to tertiary education “in so far as an associate degree is concerned”.
“We are investing in the young people of this country. And this is a commitment of the government, and is a commitment of the Dominica Labour Party in respect to advancement and investment in our young people,” the prime minister told reporters.
He indicated that the overall loan portfolio under which the state college facility was being built was $40 million, with the prime minister explaining why he found it necessary to acquire that kind of funding from the Chinese government.
The new campus when completed is expected to have “universal access to the internet” to allow students easy access through their laptops and blackberries to carry out needed research.
The new facility is expected to have a computer lab with about a hundred computers, according to the prime minister.
I am happy and all that the government of Dominica are trying their best to improve this nation from all possible angles(so to speak) however i believe that is of utmost importance that when doing something for the very first tiime that it should be done properly. In light of that, i believe that though the construction of a new state college is inevitably a great idea, however the location may not be a suitable one. It would be better to locate the new State college in the Warner area. No not the village per ssay but the area before the village, which is still considered as warner. Reasons being that this area has a lot of governmental lands, flat (though on a hill) and creates a wonderful atmosphere for study. dormitories could be built on campus so as to facilitate students who live in far regions of the island, and for the accomodation of foreign students who may choose to study here. and in thus saying why not introduce the master degree program along with the bacchelors (obviously). This now would encourage local students to study at home thus our currency is not spent abroad. in regards to road access, one leads from jimmit another from pondcasse and finally one could be easily constructed from tarru. In conclusion you have a state of the art college with employed state of the art professors with student locally regionally and internationally attending. this to me equals two words= finical improvement. Just try it and see
@tiny i scroll up and down twice,and cannot believe you did not make a comment,you are so bias toward the prime minister,that you will not give kudos where it is or need to be recognized,anthing to jump on skerrit back,you in that,the last time you said the prime minister behave like a spoilt child who got a toy for the first time,i was like no,you must a fall on your head as baby,is only a crazy person that can make the comments you make,but it is all good if you chose to make a fool of yourself,its on you,the prime minister is not perfect,but he sure is damm well doing the little good,that he can do in his capacity as leader of our country
we also need a loan to develop the city with proper grainage and sidewalks,and give the chinese the project they are committed too worked fast,the’re not like the others currently here,
Working fast does not always mean best. Revisit these sites 5-10 years down the line to judge.
THANK GOD FOR SKERRIT PAPA BONJAIIIIIIIIIIIII
I am one of those Dominicans who have in the past criticized the architectural structures in our country.
For years I complained about people calling themselves building, and house contractors, who seems to have specialized in piling concrete block one on top of each other.
What I have seen in this picture has shed some hope; I am impressed, and hopefully every new home built on the island from here the owner may want to engage professionals to do their work; commencing with the engineer who is drawing the plans, and blueprints.
I am very impressed with the State House, it is just beautiful!
And I am not praising the Chines, because we have to pay for their services, nonetheless, at the completion of a project we expect class workmanship, and craftsman ship to be satisfactory, unlike what we may get from a Dominica contractor!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
well my brother in regards to architectural designs the chinese have had a lot of experience in this area, our contractors, though are capable of remarkable outcomes in a finished project, has lacked the experience in creating designs as such. So considering their work as “not class workmanship” from one point of view can be considered as correct however from another angle looking in, we should not debase our very own, rather encourage them to make each construction workpiece that a foreign group does for us a learning experience. what do you think?
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ALL DOMINICANS TO GO UP TO STOCK FARM AND SEE THE BUILDINGS FOR THEMSELVES.
THE PROXIMITY OF THESE BUILDINGS TO EACH OTHER MAKES THIS LOOK MORE LIKE AN EXTENSION OF THE ASTATE PRISON THAN A COLLEGE. IT IS RIDICULOUS
What are you talking about; proximity means distance from something or place, if you were an educated person who attended collage, or a university, you would recognized a university or collage campus when you see one.
In collages many different disciplines are taught, all the classrooms are not stacked side by side, there has to be space for laboratories ect. Be certain of what you are talking about before you run off your mouth critiquing.
When I attended classes, walking from one class to another across campus took me up to 10-16 minuets, on some campus you can rent a bicycle to get around, in the middle of Los Angeles, at UCLA you see students riding bicycles up and down going from class room to another.
What are you talking about, you have imagined something, but you vision is blurred you are unable to see it properly because you do not know.
Let me explain this to you, if you are taking Biology, Chemistry, English Trigonometry, Algebra, these are five different disciplines, which are not taught in the same class room, you may have to go to five different buildings on campus in one day to sit in class.
You do not even know what is going on, do not knock it man, one way or the other Dominica is developing slowly, and let us all learn to appreciate it, what we are getting now is better than we had, architecturally.
If your concern is distance between the structures; perhaps I should remind you that the University Of The West Indies has campuses in Trinidad, Jamaica, and Barbados, if you look carefully in Dominica, I am sure you will see a sign somewhere saying University Of The West Indies.
You could not enroll there however and obtain a four year degree; perhaps this information might enhanced your vision somewhat.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
tHANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING SIR, I AM SO GRETAEFUL TO YOU FOR THIS BIT OF EDUCATION. WE LOVE TO CRTIQUE BECAUSE WE ARE SIMPLY COLOR BLIND. WE DO NOT SUPORT THISGOVERNMENT SO WE CANNOT SAY THATS GOOD WHEN WE HAVE TO SAY IT. THIS IS NOT FOR ROOSEVELT SKERIITT OF VIELLE CASE IT IS FOR OUR CHILDREN PLEASE. WHAT IS THE ISSUE ABOUT. SIMPLE: WE ARE COLOR BLIND!THANKS MR DODS TELEMAQUE.
When is it going to be finished?
READ
You can obviously write but cannot read I don’t know how that is possible.
Hope this means that the students will settle down and take their work seriously. I studied at sixthform when it was in the shack at the back of grammar school and we did well. Hope that the students do not get so comfortable that they forget whey they are at college
But good well done PM I am happy
another thing is that they need to close the road or reroute it or make a way for students to access the new buildings without walking on the road, as its like a highway for busses and cars
Inside out, back to front. The four pillars from the Chinese:
Recreation (stadium)
Transportation (West coast road)
Education
Health (New state of the art hospital)
These priorities seem totally backward.
Oh, and about that Palace we so desperately need. That should only come about after all the other projects are complete and the basic human needs of all Dominicans are met…just sayin’
When Dominicans have nothing we complain and blame the government. When there is development taking place we still complain. What do you guys want?
DID YOU HAVE ALL THESE BEFORE THE DLP COMMENCED TIES WITH CHINA DID TAIWAN GIVE THEM TO YOU UWP??? JUST ASKING??? SAY THANKS AND SHUT UP THEY ARE BEING DONE NOW.
Very good development but on the other hand, let me ask. How many locals was/are employed on these projects since its a loan from the Chinese? just asking cause i don’t expect Dominica to take such large loans and the majority of persons employed are Chinese. it don’t make sense cause they don’t pay social security, don’t support local and generally don’t contribute to our economy. hmmmmmm! I smell a fish. Where is the multiplier effect and how is it gonna take effect if things are gonna continue the way it does?Locals watching Chinese work and at the end we gonna have to pay back the loan? and where is the employment gonna come from. i guest woman and man have to start making B……………….m!
Putting politics aside, this is very good! It was time that Dominica had an educational structure worth talking about. Hope this will encoourage everyone who are keen in learning to take advantage of it and do something good for themselves.
Education is the key to development and upward mobility. This is the best this Gov could do, provide the place and means by which all Dominicans can have access to higher education.
NEXT TIME I VOTING LABOUR. I THINK HONESTLY THE PM WANTS GOOD FOR THE COUNTRY.
@VIP,
Come one, come all!!
sigh I just hope:
I have enough after bills to afford my children an education there.
that My children will get VALUE for MONEY by the attending that institution.
that Professors will be knowledgeable, accredited and not disgruntled about wage and working conditions.
that this will indeed be the kind of tertiary learning environment that we all are Hoping it to be.
cause we all know in Dominica what looking good on the outside, is not always the same on the inside.
i quite agree with you i hope this institution is fully acredited by now;i finished state college 3 and decided to apply to universities in england to further my studies as there were harldy any jobs ,sad to say that i was told my associates degree is not recognised as the institution on not fully accredited
A waste of 2 plus years);i couldnt even tranfer any credits.and besides where are the jobs?
i quite agree with you i hope this institution is fully acredited by now;i finished state college 3yrs ago and decided to apply to universities in england to further my studies as there were harldy any jobs ,sad to say that i was told my associates degree is not recognised as the institution on not fully accredited A waste of 2 plus years);i couldnt even tranfer any credits.and besides where are the jobs?
DNO,
Please show us more photos and include a plan of what the finish product will look like. Not all of your readers can drive up to Skock Farm to see for ourselves.
*******ECONOMIC BLACKMAIL UNLESS88******
This is a good thing.But let’s not fool ourselves!
As long as we remain with the chinese this loan is not a problem.BUT!! if we ever switch our diplomatic relations to Taiwan then this loan could be a BIG PROBLEM!! See what’s happening to Grenada and their airport??
It’s sad but this enormous loans we are taking; the state house and now the college will render us like economic slaves to the Chinese. It’s almost like an economic blackmail UNLESS we stay with the Chines!!
Please read this article:
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2012/0305/Caribbean-nations-get-caught-in-China-Taiwan-tug-of-war?cmpid=addthis_email#.T1ZTidCWGxY.email
I just want us to have an open mind about this!!
-Thanks
shut up your mouth dont bring politics into this matter and chinese and tiwan loan has nothing to do with this so get lust
its “lost” maybe you should go to the college when it’s finished lool
Chibabe!!
what’s wrong with you? It was a simple article showing the otherside to these loans we are getting ourselves into. Should no one else share their opinion as long as you DON’T like it?
Did you read the link i attached? I guess not!!
-Take care
@ chibabe:written like a typical ignorant. Hope you will sign up for classes at the new college! Get educated fool!
loan.. why u doesn hush ur damn mouth??? stop hate for once and be happy thats omething good is about to be done there
@ real talk: It’s people like you who existed when the populace was asked whether they wanted Barabas or Jesus. You don’t think things through and just swallow like a sea.Even a dog sniffs its food before eating. Real talk my foot! Profanity does not make your talk real at all. Get schooled apply to the college as well.
@ Get real… are you any better?? u need keep replying to comments!! comment for your own damn self!! shate…
Gee the alternative is for you to fund it.
YOU ARE SO RIGHT MR GEE.
I WISH THESE WORSHIPPERS WOULD SEE THE LIGHT
Then DA will be in the same boat with US.
DNO could you please post some photos of the works thus far or a rendition of the project
All politics aside, this would have to be counted as one of the most significant undertakings of this government. Any government, no matter in which part of the world, no matter their economic fortunes, would celebrate this most esteemed of accomplishments.
One solid advice for government would be to seriously consider designing curricula to encompass training in the trades and other types of vocations.
We must not only train our people in the traditional theories and thoughts, however important. Our current state of affairs is crying out for workers with the skills and training to enter the workforce already equipped for immediate employment and/or for createing their own successful business enterprises.
Great comments!!
Let’s continue watchin
$30 million dollar loan from the Chinese government, loan for state palace, loan for road works around Dominica.. Thomas Jefferson said,”We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between economy and liberty or profusion and servitude. If we run into such debt, as that we must be taxed in our meat and in our drink, in our necessaries and our comforts, in our labors and our amusements, for our calling and our creeds… we will have no time to think, no means of calling our miss-managers to account but be glad to obtain subsistence by hiring ourselves to rivet their chains on the necks of our fellow-sufferers…
And this is the tendency of all human governments.
A departure from principle in one instance becomes a precedent for another … till the bulk of society is reduced to be mere automatons of misery…
And the fore-horse of this frightful team is public debt. Taxation follows that, and in its train wretchedness and oppression.”
Government leaders the world over would be wise if they could follow President Jefferson’s counsel relative to the nation’s national debt.
Having inherited a US national debt of $83 million, “most of which had been contracted to fund the revolutionary war, Jefferson was able to begin retiring the principal. Despite the unexpected expenditure of $15 million for the purchase of Louisiana, he … reduced the [debt] principal by $37 million, leaving [a national debt of $57 million when he left office].”
Granted, Jefferson was solid on his efforts to steadily reduce US national debt in his time in office.
Questions arise, however, when we seek to proffer our arguments without taking into full account the emerging and existing threats and commitments of present-day government.
Juxtaposed the preceding with the lack of naturally occurring wealth (think minerals, oil, natural trading partners, a frontier attitude), and the long-standing failure of the powers that were to help unleash Dominicans’ collective ingenuity for creating wealth.
You begin to understand why we still have to beg, borrow and sometimes steal from the next generation to satisfy our cravings today.
Considering all that government today is required to do (including the development of the well-fare state), and you learn that we are where we are because we never had it as good as President Jefferson did.
And neither will we.
they forget to take one more loan… to buy a padlock without key and just lock up that mouth of urs… d bull that coming out from it smelling like negativity… stop it
Why must your words of advice or opinion include such verbal abuse and indignation (its in a dictionary. Must you insult and attempt to bring one down to advance your petty views..I can’t consider them nothing but petty since you must continue use of profanity and abusive slurs.Your like a drunk belligerent sailor! Step away from the bottle of ‘haterade’.
Hate them, but give to them fellas THEY WORKING.
Chinese building it, not Dominicans & u saying they working, Garcon u Wicked
all the materials for the construction are bought from local comapnies i know for a fact that RDR INC supplies all the block sand and stone so even if there are not many local workers locals benefit otherwise lighten up ppl
This is a good investment. I hope that the potential students who are going to enjoy this facility and take care of it. This is a plus for the state college and it is up to the general public and the students and faculty to take care of it.
Now that we have this facility, i hope this means that the curriculum can be revised and the level of education will increase in standard, so students can comfortably transfer their credits to a university of their choice.
Thank you Mr. Prime Minister. This is a plus for the people of Dominica