The President of Dominica, His Excellency Charles Savarin spent most of Thursday January 28th, at two west coast schools on behalf of his President’s Charities Foundation.
The Foundation raises funds for charitable organisations and makes a round of donations every year at Christmas time.
This past Christmas, funds were raised as usual but this time with special emphasis on those affected by Tropical Storm Erika especially two schools affected by the devastating storm: the Coulibistrie and Colihaut Primary Schools.
The Foundation raised EC $80,000 towards that goal.
Currently students of those schools are attending classes at the Salisbury Primary School on a shift system with the students of that school.
The President was accompanied by his wife, officials of the Ministry of Education including Permanent Secretary, Marcella Powell and AID Bank’s General Manager, Julius Corbette.
The AID Bank was a contributor to the Foundation’s Erika Relief Fund and in December presented a second check on behalf of the Republic Bank of Trinidad.
Thursday’s visit was a needs assessment tour of the primary schools.
Hon Parliamentary Representative, Hector John accompanied the President on the visit to the Coulibistrie Primary School.
In Colihaut, Hon Parliamentary Representative, Catherine Daniel spoke with GIS News.
“On behalf of the people of the Colihaut community, I am very thankful for that [visit]. We looked at the school grounds, river damage to the school and the other affected areas which affect classes at the Colihaut School. We visited the school as well…and there is a lot to be done.”
She hopes that this firsthand experience indicates to the Foundation the full extent of damage.
I just want to say thank you very much…We are hoping that after this visit, we will see tangible results,” she said.
If all goes well, students may be resettled at their own school after Easter.
“One of the main requirements for the children to return to school is the toilet facilities. If the toilet facilities are put in place the other things can come in after, but that is one of the urgent needs of the school. I hope that the Ministry of Education brings home the urgency of the situation.”
Hon Daniel hopes work can begin in less than two weeks.
Correction””””Currently students of those schools are attending classes at the Salisbury Primary School on a shift”
… No Colihaut children is currently attending school in Dublanc on a shift..
Please assess the needs of the BELLES PRIMARY SCHOOL!!!! It is in the woods but the children deserve a comfortable school tooooooo!!!!!
A January 20th 2016 news release quoted education minister peter st. Jean saying that an assessment had been completed but had not yet reached his desk.
Assessment were being conducted by engineer Vivian trotter.
Is de president carrying his own separate assessment?
I notice that there was nothing mentioned about the minister of works or an engineer or technician doing the walk thru.
No technicians or engineers present at the assessment.
Bogus.
De president is now proving the incapacity of ian as minister of works and skerrit as finance minister.
Singlehandedly, de president is making school reconstruction his focus of attention.
What is ian doing?