The Massacre Primary School has registered a first as, on October 23rd. 2011, at the Mahaut Catholic Chapel, ten of its students were invested as scouts under the Dominica Scout Association’s initiative to establish a Scout Troop in every Primary School on the island.
In an impressive ceremony conducted by Assistant Chief Commissioner in charge of protocol, Mr. Davidson John, who also holds the position of Commissioner for the Western District, the boys were inducted into the Worldwide Brotherhood of Scouting, the largest youth organization girding the planet. The Eucharistic Celebration underpinning the ceremony was sung by Reverend Father Franklyn Cuffy who is also the Group Scout Leader of the troop.
The new scouts were addressed by their school Principal Mrs. Cynthia Morvan who was delighted that the boys of the school would be engaged in the programme of activities that Scouting offered. “I have always been very concerned that the boys were being left behind. The girls always seemed to be doing better, and when Mr. Liverpool came to my school with his scouting programme, I embraced it,” the educator enthused.
The Chief Scout Commissioner J.M. Bonti Liverpool also addressed the newly invested scouts. Typical of the driving leadership style he brings to the Scout movement the Scout boss informed the boys that they were now members of an international institution comprising 31 million boys and girls in 161 countries.
He did not mince his words: “Notwithstanding the fun component that makes up fifty percent of the scout programme we offer, the other fifty is made up of hard responsibility and iron discipline. In the society we now live, we the scouts are at the tip of the spear. We take the first hit when the growing culture of pants below buttocks, drugs on school campuses, knives and scissors in school bags and the cavalier use of indecent language attack our status quo to wreak its damage on our youth. You are being trained to be the buffer, to stand in the breach, between deviance and decency. You are scouts. Your duty to God and country stands paramount. You are patriots of the first water.”
President of the National Scout Council, Mr. Anthony Commodore while not being able to be at the investiture ceremony sent his compliments to the new members. He also asked that his deepest gratitude be conveyed to the following: Dr. N.J.O. Liverpool, Chief Scout and President of the Commonwealth of Dominica; Sir Brian G.K. and Lady Brenda Alleyne; Mr. Kertiste Augustus and the Waterfront and Allied Workers Union; Mr. Rawlins Jemmott and the National Workers Union; Dr. Damien Dublin, Reverend Father Clement S. Jolly, the parents of the scouts and the Principal and Staff of the Massacre/Canefield Primary School, all of whom contributed tremendously to the success of the scout investiture ceremony.
CAN ANYONE PLEASE PROVIDE ME WITH SOME INFORMATION REGARDING THIS VERY INTERESTING AND WORTH WHILE ORGANISATION!!!
INFO LIKE: HOW LONG HAS SCOUTS BEEN OPERATING IN DOMINICA?
HOW MANY SCOUTS CURRENTLY IN DOMINICA?
WHO WERE THE FIRST LEADERS etc.?
Congrats to The Chief Scout Commissioner J.M. Bonti Liverpool….very good work Sir…keep it up bro.
I so happy for the Massacre Canfield Primary School because I like to boast because I in that school.Suckers.
me too
Driving leadership indeed. Bonti Liverpool has not changed. In 1988, almost single handed, he drove the 5th Caribbean Cuboree to a whopping success when the Association was on the verge of appealing to overseas for help. He was B.B. Williams deputy when Dominica got a citation at the 9th Caribbean Jamboree. In these times now, it seems like Bonti is the barometer for Scouting in Dominica on a national level. When he left to check on his drugs and alcohol problem, all troops died except St. Alphonsus and one or two others. Now he is back there are more than ten troops, and I am sure the troop in every Primary Schhol idea is his. Bonti Liverpool is a natural born leader.
Way to go Massacre. I remember the days when now Police Insp. Weeks, Fire Officer Irvin George, Former Police Officers Carlton Dangleben, Michael Hilton, Jefferson Joseph, Elice Maroni and current Police Cpl. Albert George served as leaders within the First Massacre Scout Troop. Those were the days when descipline reined and the yellow scarf with red edges were the pride and joy of villagers. Others like Garne Dangleben, David Jeremy, Rubber Nose, Stevo and Bernard Daniel and Albert Ulysses stand out in my mind.
As an outsider (my mother wanted me to be in seventh days adventist youth movement) I looked on in awe as the young men literally transformed from deviancy to productive youths. Back then most of the older boys were also members of the Massacre Progressive Youth Group and yes Massacre was the place to raise your kids
Our cemetary and rivers were cleaned, our church was cleaned, the elders were visited and help on a regular basis and checkhall estate frequently became a noisy camping ground with all the scratcha-matcher-whats the matter you could have heard. Christmas concerts by the troop was a must.
We will always be grateful to former Scout Commissioners Rawle Hector and Edward Henderson and school teacher Mr. Steven Ocho Joseph who played a vital role back then. Ohhh those were the days. In closing let me congratulate the young men of the troop and remind them of their duty to god, country and community. Those before you left a lasting impression on the community and we look forward to embracing you in the same manner. God’s blessings.
Dear Writer, thanks for the above information. We are delighted to learn of the First Massacre Scout Movement. We will be approaching all the Men named in the aboved and I am sure they will be willing to give us all the asistance they can to “Save Our Boys”. We are very proud of their progress on their Life Journies, and I have no doubt they will continue to be an insipration for the Scout Movement not only in the Massacre/Canefield School, but also in Dominica and beyond. The Parish Priest.
“A mind is a terrible think to waste.” May God bless all the volunteers who are helping to guide the mind of the youth of the land.
One love to all Dominicans!