Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, has called for a greater appreciation of the opportunities provided in Dominica.
Skerrit, at the launching of a Young Farmers’ Group in Penville last weekend, expressed his concern for the lack of appreciation of the services provided on the island, placing special emphasis on the education system.
“I am concerned that people are taking opportunities for granted in Dominica,” he stated. “And I’m speaking, for example, in education.”
He said he is concerned over the amount of students who are dropping out of school.
“We have set the platform to allow for 100 percent access to college in Dominica. The number stands now at 87 percent of all high school graduates having access to the college because there are entry requirements,” he stated. “All they are required to do is study, and I find these days too many people are not studying hard enough. I am concerned about the dropout rates, I am concerned about people dropping out of school, and not attending school for no reason.”
He referenced the enactment of Universal Secondary Education, achieved in 2005. He said that he made it his “mission” to introduce the idea that no limit be placed on the number of students who had access to higher education.
“When I was appointed at Minister for Education in 2002, we found out that only seven percent of high school graduates went on to college in Dominica,” he noted. “One of my first missions was to get the Cabinet’s approval on the redevelopment of the College system in Dominica. We could not and cannot build a country if we do not have a skilled population. So, education is critical for us.”
“We are committed to this,” Skerrit revealed, after revealing that US$678,000 was paid to a university in the United States.
“We need to take advantage of these opportunities at the first chance that we have, to propel forward,” he urged.
Oh yes, the opportunity to make my children in United States on Dominica’s tax payers money.
How can children sit in schools and learn on an empty stomach?
Children in Dominica schools stay up at night thinking how their parents
are going to pay their mortgage, rent and utilities and buy food.
It is a sad stage in Dominica-children should not have to be burden with that responsibility.
Children in Dominica are sousaying sel while Skerritt two children with is wife are American born with their condo in Manhattan.
However, those who have it the hardest are the ones that give you mepuis for Skerritt.
Miss McKenzie
You must try to keep abreast of the full picture in Dominica. Not sure how you can claim that there are hungry children staying up late at night thinking about how their parents are going to manage their finances when the events of the last three weeks or so paint a different picture. Did you not hear of the large sums of money raised in the twinkling of an eye right here in Dominica, not once but twice in about so many weeks?
So whose children would it be that would be staying up at nights with hungry bellies? You mean the ones whose parents where pledging big monies like it was going out of style?
Try to be consistent please. Dominica is either a desperately poor country or it is not. Make up your mind!
What opportunities are you lamenting Mr. Prime Minister? What about the opportunity to be treated in a state of the art medical facility? You have the former P.M. sleeping in the casualty and here you are talking about more make-belief slight of hand reality. Keep playing your magic trick on the unsuspecting. It continues to flourish, so why you ever stop playing.
It’s good progress when you can only wear designer clothing, and become rich serving poor people.
DNO what’s wrong with my comment? Always when the headlines get cold and stale you put forth my comments. Good
The opportunity to come and beg you and bow down to your corruption
Some of our young people take no interest in school because we want to force all of them to learn to be lawyers and doctors. There should be a technical and vocational high school here. Not all people are born to wear suites and work in a bank. Some are so talented with their hands. The system is only frustrating young people.
All you, all you just keep praying … more madness have to be spoken!!!!
After reading all these comments I give thumbs up to the massive .you people are so right
Fist of all the Universal Secondary Education is a big failure.Dominican primary school students were and is not ready for that , Bring back the Common Entrance and the Junior Secondary Program (JSP) and see the change. I remember when i was in primary school i was looking and studying hard for common entrance because i wanted to attend secondary school , but now all the children saying is , oh i don’t have to study hard , i must go high school. The children cannot cope , so they must drop out .
While I agree with him on the importance of education, there aren’t opportunities for the educated people in Dominica. I love my country but there’s no way after thousands spent and lots of hard work, I’m coming back home with my MBA to be told, “Sorry, you’re overeducated and overqualified”.
To make things worse, Dominica is small and if you work for the gov’t, your job security can depend on which party colors you display.
Skerrit failed Dominica and Dominicans in every ways and means, Skerrit do the last honarable thing and resign
Dominicans it si time to take back your country. It is being run by disillusioned people.
How are all the people who voted for DLP in the last election doing today?
You sent your two kids to be born in the US because you know that Domincia has No opportunites for them. So why are you asking us to make a sacrifice whih you are not willing to do?
So much opportunities and you prefer to, make your children americans Woooooooooooooooow, only in Dominica
The last time we saw a young farmer from Penville in the news, was less than a month ago, and what he was planting in his farm and about to sell was this: https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/crime-court-law/penville-man-arrested-for-suspected-drug-and-fire-arm-possession/
My question is how can we be sure the $200K Skerrit gave the young farmers group from Penville, has nothing to do with weed? These guys are not into farming and those that are involved in farming are not getting any help from the government; how come a young group with nothing to show as farming or farm work, just walk out with $200K from the government? We need to get an investigation into these matters.
Mr Volney, Skerrit does not understand tis language, yo are wasting your time. He has been advised, preached to by the very best of Dominica, look who is around him….a senior council and mydominica.com
Show me your company , tell you who yo are.
Roosevelt Skerrit, I hear you say that you are an English Major, we saw you stand on a platform in Dominica, and threw a graduating hat over your head, in the air, making claims that you graduated somewhere in the United States. However, we checked the Universities you claim to have attended, to see when you graduated, and your GPA; the efforts proved futile, there is no record of you graduating in America. Fact is the gown and cap you displayed can be bought in a swap-meet or on the street corners, in any city America.
No wonder, while you claimed you graduated in English, one of your supporters claimed you graduated with a Ph.D. in psychology. No wonder you are so smart, because you are the only human alive who read for a degree in English, however, graduated with a Ph.D., in psychology!
So this brings me to a very intriguing question, and that is what opportunity in Dominica are you referring to? Since you are Dr. Roosevelt Skerrit, in your English major, can you define…
Dr. Roosevelt Skerrit, in your English major, can you define the term “opportunities’ to me a dunce (who doh can understand English), cause I is patios man eh!
In any event opportunity could simply mean a favorable juncture of circumstances, or having a good chance for advancement or progress. Take the last part of the definition and explain to me who has no concept of the English language, or any form of linguistics, one who is not an English major; how can one advance, or make progress when their only opportunity is to sit and wait on a hand out from you every five years?
The only people in Dominica who are making progress are the drudge dealers, and those selling our national passports, you and members of the government are making progress because every five years they are bought by you and you continue to get a pay cheque at their expense. Where are the job opportunities Skerrit? Where are our industries, and industrial base? I do not think you, exists in reality, somebody…
I do not think you, exists in reality, somebody seems very delusional and it is not the Wesley Kid, it is not I!
Before this Skerrit and this DLP kill Dominica’s economy for passports to Tom Dick and Harriett our schools all had farming projects with our independent field officers working with the schools. Now everything is Skerro and has no idea what he is talking about. Where are the professionals?
Boy how do Dominicans allow Skerrit to just go to a village, and give a so called young farmers group $200K nou? I mean, is this the norm now? Could Skerrit go to any community and give $200K dollars to any group of young people that claim to be young farmers group? I mean, what is the money for? What has the group done so far so we could see if it is worth our money? Boy look corruption in this country!
According to Mighty Lugas, ‘I want to know’ because it is my DAMN business to know what my money is used for, in the name of young farmers group!
How can I be certain that state money was not used to finance the cultivation and shipment of drugs in the name of young farmers group? Why was the minister responsible for Agriculture not present while, Rick who leaves all the way in Mourne Jaune was able to make it? Is Ricky Brumant the potential replacement candidate for the soon to come election? I WANT TO KNOW!
PM. What about the Salisbury farmers. Every rope have an end. Enjoy it while it last. Remember we all have a family to provide for.
The US Dollars were paid for friends of the labour party and indeed the chosen few from the labour party constituencies. ……. It’s a pull string society. …. Is Dominica a country where one is selected on merit or just pure pull string? THAT’S LIFE IN Dominica.
Secondly, does the pm expect hungry and money less students to go on a bus daily with nothing to eat?
Most of these students miss school because there parents are broke
Mr pm, are you for real? Do you really know how hard life is for the same poor people who voted for uuuuiiiiii
Why can’t you and your ministers take a salary cut and give some money to the poor constituents and education trust fund or an NGO
It’s very hard to listen to the pm talking bout grabing the opportunities. …easier said than done.
The pm need to ask himself bout all the drop puts and evils confronting the Younger generation. ……
Shooting blanks thats what this government is all about
Skerrit my boy your empire is crumbling,so sad that even your so called ministers want to step away from you.
Mr. PM you well late in this regard. Not today I hearing Patrick, Randy, Mr. Louis, Matt and others on Q95 lamenting the need for a focused, strategic approach in Agriculture. Thompson Fontaine and the UWP begged, cried, screamed that we need to make agriculture a priority but you and you gang laughed and scuffed at them even referring to them as lazy and trouble makers . You called yourself a pumpkin farmer but yet not one of you so called pumpkins has made it to market.
A country that cannot feed its people is doomed. Excess agricultural products needs processing facilities and markets so we can gain foreign capital. That little piece-meal approach in your constituency is nothing but placating and handing away tax payers hard earned money to your supporters. That money could have yielded immediate results had it been spent on the Salisbury road while minimizing tension with farmers of the area. Shame on you sir, shame on you and Ricky the stooge.
Always Assertive!
For one reason or the other I sort of agree with you in a way, except you need to realize the “Banana Industry” is never going to return to where it was in the 1960/70’s due to the market in Europe over which no one in Dominica have any control.
And you should be weary of anyone who states otherwise!
The Banana producers in South America has the same problems. I do agree with you that some of our agricultural products should be processed and marketed internationally. We should encourage manufacturing industries to produce products for export.
At this time there has to be an alternative. We have to be careful not to try to hold on to the past, because it is proved that an all dependency on agriculture economy could produce a doomed State; that was proved within the former Soviet block. The former Soviet Union based their economy on Agriculture to the very day communism died; since then Russia has turn to an industrial economy, and has produced more millionaires in a short…
The biggest issue is that we concentrate a lot on foreign exchange. I believe agro processing should be in place so that we can provide food for ourselves firstly, that the moneys can circulate within our country, that our Children would know how to plant and provide for themselves, that we would not have all these high prices in food. Pushing for self sustainability is best right now where all economies are not doing well and Food and necessities prices are high. Out of this it is almost automatic that we get outside sale for our products with good marketing. But a lot fail to see the bigger picture and is blinded by color…..almost like flies to a light bulb. My two-cents might not count……But…
Mr. Prime Minister that is what happens when people don’t earn opportunities. I worked to take a student loan so while getting my degree I took it seriously; because I was the one facing the bank. When students who are not mature are just handed handed opportunities and often so because they are in one way or another associated with the labour party, that is what you expect. They know that they really have nothing to lose because they have invested little to nothing in this opportunities you speak of. The precedence has been set and people now feel entitled to these opportunities. Time and again people cry down the government for not doing this and that. We live in a government-dependent society. Make people work for the things they want and need and see how they appreciate it.
True but Dominican youth have a learning curb that needs to be identified… When I attended public schooling on the island a lot of the students were just not interested.
so you spent your time to veye who like what and who intrested in what… check yourself and be hornest with yourself.
everybody have an intrest in something
The one providing the opportunities should not be blamed for the beneficiaries inability to appreciate those opportunities. I know many people who have received ‘opportunities’ from the government. Many have done well with those opportunities, others have completely squandered it. In every case the situation was pretty much the same, the only variable was the person.
Oh please. You a selling my birth land and we suppose to be appreciated? Am I hearing properly the same man that state that putting money into agriculture is like putting money into a well? 15 yrs and no agriculture? Y now? Dicey where u
You do know that the OPPOSITION also intends to continue selling passports right?
Only this time and AGAIN…RE-ENGINEERED like Eddo did when he took over from the DFP reign.
You people just crazy and misguided about this selling passport thing. If he wrong tell Linton he wrong, tell eddo they were wrong, tell DFP they too were wrong.
why chastise Skerrit and support Linton who is going to do the very same thing when /if you place him in power
well lets pray that when Linton takes over thee moneys from these passport will be seen on the ground….that every Dominican will benefit some how
The investments in the young farmers are appreciated but looking at the state college is a different animal all together. There needs to be a drive in moving forward and an appreciation after graduating from college. Most students should be able to see where their degree will take them while other should see where their new found skills could help them invest. The youth are not seeing where they could be in the next 5-10 years after graduating. Jobs are hard to come about, investments in the private sector is stagnant and youths are becoming less interested. The environment for investment in Dominica needs to change and with that many programs through the state college can be used to motivate students.
Also with the appreciation for the investment in farming, we can see as a country that we need to keep our agricultural industry afloat but what crop will help Dominica. Disease after disease is affecting what we have thus, I think is time we look into planting marijuana. We should not
He does have a point here.
What opportunities? Skeritt beginning to sound fuu. What he should be lamenting is the lack of opportunities available to the peasants in Dominica. Opportunities on the island are next to none existent. Skerrit should leave his throne and go and work D soil. Let him get a taste of what a difficult life is. Just want to pull on your high horse and dish out orders. Mr. must be checking like is everybody that have aspirations of being a farmer. Mr. sick. A mad man that running D country
And does Skerrit think about those persons who are miss-placed don’t he know how difficult life is for them instead he come running his mouth about opportunities in what age and time is he living, the man don’t like Dominicans to archive they have to come to him for bread but one day he will pay for the inJustice to the people of God.
Opportunities to come beg you!!!!!
that is your record sir.
imagine you making a connection with de past when you were just a junior minister. From 2004 to 2016 is your record as Prime Minister of Dominica and you should take responsibility for it.
Your record at de head of administration is passports and villas now you moving to hotel development.
you came in as junior education minister and then de youngest PM now you looking back and watching de youths and how far you’ve come……..but nuff people left behind not just de young students sir.
Really now you realize you could have done a lot better than you did to give you that History book record of great achievement.
Red clinic and NEP program doesn’t seem to is not aimed at social development!!!!!
De Chavista model is not for Dominica.
i hope you didn’t throw away de drawing board in Malaysia or Macau somewhere.
Find some way to redeem yourself!!
This man must be losing his mind….Opportunities for passport sellers yes….For the ordinary man,the opportunities are at the Red Clinic…..Bad Leadership.
When all cat and dog can enter DSC, what motivation is there for them to complete high school? Mr. Skerrit, you yourself are responsible for this. So now I am asking you, please take action!
Is the State College a safe environment. I heard the NGO Coalition wrote the Minister of Education re issues od child abuse etc etc… has this been investigated.
Why are there drop puts, complaints, students dancing with sugar daddies at Fort Yong , bending down low openly and bravely with no respect.
I think Skerrit has lost focus on the true social ills in Dominica but rather they after Lennox and the people of Dominica who is asking for accounatability
Dude that is for the Ministry of Education and\or the police to deal with (if the student is underage/ or its a crime for social interaction between consenting adults).
You people expect everything from the ONE man, yet when he TRIES to get involved in the things you complain about, you SHOUT “he thinks Dominica belongs to him”.
We really do not know what we want here. Complain that we spend too much money on foreign education. Yet you do not want to go to the state college.
They are droping out of school because they dont have jobs to maintain their buss fee.. And food….. Some of them cannot buy the books….. !! U not providing no job for people qnd u talking bout droping out garcon!! Stupes
yet they have $1500 cell phones which always have credit, newest and latest clothes and shoes ( which are way too expensive) and you talk about $$$$ for books and bus?
You people are too wicked and make an excuse for and about anything if you can use it to hit on the Government.
Skerit, will you please learn grammer?
When referring to animal,people, place or thing,you don’t say “amount”,you say “many”
Amount is for money.
I guess you are the reason why we have so MANNY dropouts.
Go back to elementary school, you little boy.
And you need to go back to elementary school for spelling! It’s grammar my dear, not grammer! And it’s many, not manny.
Mr Skerrit, young students are not all suited for academics. The missing link is in technical training. Just my viewpoint.
You are commended for your initiative with the Penville young farmers. A good place to put our tax dollars. Now, if every school had an agricultural program, our investment in young people would really bear fruit.