Universal access to pre-school education has been guaranteed in the small fishing communities of Dublanc and Bioche.
For years some residents in that twin community have had difficulty in meeting the school fees of their children to attend pre-school.
Teachers who work at the Dublanc/Bioche pre-school, after a month of teaching, would sometimes go home at the end of the month without a salary because of non- payment of school fees.
However, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has announced that the salary of the two devoted individuals who teach at that school, has been guaranteed and will be paid in full by the Government of Dominica.
On Monday afternoon, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit made a cheque payment to the school which will guarantee the salary of Ursula Peter and her assistant, Candia Casimir, for the months of October, November and December 2013.
“I am very happy to be here this afternoon to make a very simple but far reaching contribution to the children of Bioche and Dublanc, they are our future and education is very important,” he said.
“At this stage it is important that every child attends pre-school. I know sometimes it’s difficult for some parents to find the financial resources to keep up with the payments,” he noted.
“We are presenting the salaries for the months of October, November and December. Once you have given us the bank account number for the school, then the salary will be transferred the first week of every term to your account.” assured Prime Minister Skerrit.
The Government of Dominica has embarked on a major programme to address access to pre-school education across Dominica and as such has been giving direct contributions to various pre-schools in an attempt to defray the cost to parents.
In some communities, where there were no pre-schools, the Government of Dominica has established pre-schools in those communities.
On Monday Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit also gave a new refrigerator to the school compliments the Prime Minister’s office.
School principal Ursula Peter expressed her delight at such a donation, citing it as a necessity.
“We had a refrigerator for over the past 13 years and it was the parents of the pre-school who raised funds and we took it on a hire purchase at Burtons, it was going bad and you know now early childhood education is not like before, we have to ensure that we have everything nice and clean for the children,” said Peter.
“I would hate for the Education Officer, Miss Vida George, to come into my school kitchen and see I have a fridge that is not working for me to put yoghurts. Sometimes, the children from Bioche have their food, and I have to freeze it for them. I just want to say a big thank you Prime Minister for your kind gesture and may God continue to bless you,” she said.
The Prime Minister has also promised to equip the Dublanc/Bioche pre- school with adequate furniture ‘as soon as possible.’
“I have taken it on me for us to provide you with all the necessary resources you need in this school. I recognized that last time I was here you also need some furniture and we shall procure additional furniture and learning material for the school,” the Prime Minister said.
Mr. Skerrit also told teaching assistant at the pre- school, Candia Casimir, that she will be provided with a scholarship to begin her formal training in Early Childhood Education at The Dominica State College in 2014.
“We shall provide the assistant with a scholarship to attend the Dominica State College in January because she is very keen on Early Childhood Education. The new policy of the Government is that you have to get trained so she will be an assistant until she goes to the College and we can recruit somebody to hold on for her and when she complete her studies she will return as a full time teacher and we will also pay her salary,” he said.
With guaranteed salary for teachers and a soon-to-be well furnished environment for learning, the Prime Minister advised parents who have not yet enrolled their children at the Dublanc/Bioche pre-school to do so.
The school which has served the communities of Dublanc and Bioche for several years has a current enrolment of eighteen students.
This song which says I see politicians spend millions and still lose the election will soon become a reality whenever the next election comes around. Mr. Skerrit needs to understand that this recent spending craze that he is on will do little to secure his reelection legacy this time around.
This tactic worked in previous elections but the people have gotten smart. They are aware that this money comes from somewhere and has to be paid back some day from state revenue so in other words it’s the people’s money, therefore the people will accept all that is afforded them but come election day we will be voting them out amass for this recklessness and juvenile disposition in government administration.
You can fool some of the people some time, just some time Mr. Prime minister. When the Lord rejects a king from being leader or from continuing in leadership, no amount of posturing or spending can get him reelected. The signs are everywhere and the writing is on the wall. The DLP will not have another term in office for a long time after this one, mark my words.
Time to face the music Mr. Skerrit, it wont be to long from now until you become the opposition leader (not executive president) of this beautiful country of ours. It’s time to hear your contribution from the other side of the fence. How many of us agree on that one?
I am convinced China, by her financial largesse, is slowly UNDERMINING our fragile democracy. We MUST stop this intrusion before a new form of slavery takes root. Getting rid of Skerrit, her enabler, is the first step.
while their own farmers living on less than a dollar a day
October, November and December 2013, what happen after December 2013? Back to struggle again, seems like election in December 2013.
great job the way to go next level
It is all in the name of education for the future leaders of Dominica. How they get the help is not important once the teachers get some assistance being a teacher isn’t easy so much to take care of with no money, but MR PM keep other Pre-Schools on the list for help as we all need it. God bless my country.
-“The challenge of hope is to overcome corruption.”
As much as the PM is willing to assist individual and institition single handidly, but my concern is shouldn’t the minister of education in this situation be responsible for carrying out that duties as part of her ministry? For an outsider(away from the country) looking in, it seems that the way things are working back home its one person taking full credit.
PM, there is a better way of playing such role which is to allow each ministry to act on the behalf of the government. In that case ppl will not assume that its you personally who is assisting with your own finance because to me that is how it looks.
I want to believe your intension is right AND IM HAPPY when individuals are recognise for their contribution towards their community and the country. Keep on assisting where needed but be clear by explaining if its your personal contribution, if not let the ministries take up their role that ppl can directly relate.
this is so unfair for what some principals going through with preschool in dominica u mean to tell me is dublanc alone that need the help? so long i no teacher from grand fond struggling to put her peice on her preschool no one has come to her aid. but then again all of them is labourrrrr they shouting so take what they get .
So what happen, is Skerrit alone alone alone in the whole Government that know how to present a cheque? With the largest cabinet in the region, you mean to tell me he cannot get one Minister to present one of the cheques in the papa noel show he have going on? Well those Ministers incompetent and dotish papa. I would feel really small if I was a Minister. Papa Met.
take take take take all wat he giving n vote him out wit the same hands
is it only the dublanc pre school that is financially challenge . If so then I have no problem with the action . I would prefer that the ministry formulate a policy to include all preschool under the ministry of education where
the funding could be properly budgeted for.
The question now is whether this check was from the consolidated fund and if so was there a special warrant created. This was not part of the budget and hence should be brought to parliament via a special warrant.
The pm has to also be careful as his action will lead to a reduction in productivity in the country. Right now it seems like I can stop work ,or waste my money etc then go shout labor, labor and get a house. like wise parents that usually pays for pre-school in other communities will now become delinquent hoping that the PM step in.
Doesn’t Dublanc have a Parliamentary Representative? Not a mention of him in Mr. Skerrit’s mouth piece, Tarnia Green’s press release. Wasn’t he there? Was he told to stay away?
I’m afraid it is all too transparent and Mr. Skerrit is really scraping the bottom of the barrel here, trying to score cheap points. Does everything have to be for his greater glory? A personality cult in the making aka the glorified leader of N. Korea. Is that what we want? I do shudder Ms. Green when I watch, read- or listen to your reporting on GIS.
Hey JJ (Joker Jay) Mr. Toulon is out of state for the past 2 weeks.
In State or out of state he is always absent.
Congratulations Ursular am happy for you and your school a great burden has been lifted from your shoulders having worked tirelessly for almost40 years shaping the minds of the young. However Mr PM what about the other pre-schools who are in the same dilemma? Preschool teachers need an audience with you and then sir you will find that all r in the same boat.
Santa Clause is Coming to Town. God help us. Every time election is around the corner he comes with his deceitful smile and handouts.
Actually, the government has been financing pre-schools since about 2010.
Enough with the ignorance! Educate yourself and spare us the irritation.
What a disgrace . Everyone, institutiin, minister, college administrator, college student, primisville rebel,farmer, entertainer mudt all bow to the feet of Roosevelt Skerrit. This is dictatorial, corruption and deliberate poverty action.
By the way Mr PM the diblanc svhool need toilet paper can you come with GIS to presrnt a few rolls; mr OM the taps at the Paix aboucge primary school is disfunction can you arrange for a special presentatiin cereminy to give the principsl thise famous LPO.
I have never seen anything like this. UWP did the BREAKING GROUND thingy but this willful enslavement and deliberate poverty system is sad. I feel so bad for my country and people. Tears in my eyes
ADULT EDUCATION is really needed alongside the pre-schoolers. This is no typo.
Ignorance. Are we really that politically low?
Whether you like or dislike the PM, you must admit his strategies work. This guy is brilliant.
so was Hitler,,,,,stalin…Gairy…..Pol Pot….etc…etc…
We should not forget Nicola Ceausesku, the communist dictator of Romania in more recent times. The similarities are frightingly similar. He too built a palace …! The end was horrible but predictable. I pray to God good sense will prevail here before it gets that far in Dominica.
This is the 21 century wake up.
You got to be sick to call this a strategy you guys are crazy what a shame
Here’s the definition for strategy according to Merriam-webster dictionary:
: a careful plan or method for achieving a particular goal usually over a long period of time
: the skill of making or carrying out plans to achieve a goal
Isn’t that’s what he is doing? Whether it is right, wrong or unethical is another story. That’s his goal and it seems to be working.
It means helping our children.
Got to know how to work it.
Brilliant. Thos is stupidity and dictatorship. A brilliant person would be more juficious and even more subtle. The behavior is a sign of a petulant , arrogant and unsettled individual
The man is micro-managing everything to claim credit for everything. Situations like these should not happen in the first place if the Mini9stries concerend was allowed to function. Everybody seems paralysed with fear in case they do something the P.M. may not approve of. God forbid something happens to him tomorrow. The country will come to standstill?
You sinking and trying to hold on to a straw .
Take the money and vote him out why is he your days number boy loser.
Where is parl rep and the education minister.
The lady living Goodwill who is from that constituency who never been to that constituency for a while he want her to go up shame pm.
If the PM don’t do anything dominicans complain.. if he does they still complain.. what’s next jack? how to please you’ll now? well to H… with pleasing you’ll ,as long as he does what’s best for the country..cuz you’ll go still complain.. messed up individuals..murdaaaa..
This is not a sustainable approach to this issue Mr. PM. A more comprehensive plan should be put forward. Are you going to put these pre-school teachers under the category of civil servants, if so is this going to be across the board for all pre-schools in Dca. And if so, then this should be allocated in a budget. You cannot just wke up one day and decide you going to start paying pre-school education in Bioche/Dublanc; I mean what is the reasoning behind the way you do things Mr. PM. And you seem to be omnipresent these days, one day in Thibaud, then Petite Savanne then next in Bioche/Dublanc…what is going on? There was a time when you couldn’t be reached to ask pertinent questions of of the day and now you all over. I’m not saying that being present is a bad thing but sometimes politicians need to stop playing with people’s emotions and stuff. Is either you genuinely care about the people or you don’t. Don’t be twisting things for political gain.
THIS IS POLITICS.
What’s your suggestion?
Why do I have to work so hard to have the government take my tax money to pay pre-school fees for the ‘so called’ unemployed and I have to pay my child’s pre-school fee on the little that’s left from my paycheck??? Shame, shame, shame.
Could somebody let us know why is it that the Prime Minister is the one making these presentations(in Dublanc, Bioche and the State College) and not the Minister of Education and/or Ministry of Education personnel?
Hmmmmmmmmmm……………….
You wanted to see more of him, there you have it. Who better to make these presentations? The PM has to give account of every penny.
There we go again with the abuse of state money. Pre school etc are suppose to be community schools with parents and the community owning the schools and community supports in fund raising activities. “It takes a village to raise a child…..it takes a Skerrit to kill early childhood and the community spirit….” These pre schools and communities are now going to get lazy and no longer find raise
Where is the voice of the current Ag. Chief Education Officer who use to articulate this philosophy…your professional voice is now needed. Some schools will get. Others will not….this is sad days ahead for Dominica under this labour party regime.
donations and donations suddenly, what time is it?
Let me start by saying all this politics is getting me dizzy but since Skerrit” buy me” I need to defend him!!
Dominicans on either side, it’s not every time somebody does something that we should criticize with such venom. Politicians would be idiots not to try influencing voters by making their presence felt. However I know Skerrit very well, and I will defend him when it comes to senior citizens and education. Those two things, whether he adds his dash or politics in it, are issues he has ALWAYS been passionate about. When Skerrit was just a regular teacher he taught adult education, he volunteered, he visited the sick and shut in. He gave money to needy people without blinking. Sometimes you all need to lighten up. If he didn’t give her the refrigerator, and help with the salaries you all would say he doesn’t care, now he has given it’s another lay-lay. This is the reason people are so turned off on the true ills, because they are fed up with the SKerrit bashing.
Black Beauty,,,,please this isn’t beautiful, this is nonsense talk…so may people helping others without expecting returns,,,your PM giving is handouts, buying,,,mendicancy and bobol.. It is wrong as a head of government to do so…we have established services to do so,,,,,give me a break/. This is morally wrong., he is buying loyalty and buying votes…it is too obvious.
Views Expressed when is your immediate family member that getting all the perks and swimming in the good time how comes you never talking about your favourite two words mendicancy and morality? How you bring morality into that? But you see is people like you that help Skerrit to be in ministry with coalition government and now he outsmart all of you, you blabbing on DNO night and day. Let your consience be your guide boss and as for morality ask your family to pay back the state all what they get for nothing to show and still sit down eating Dominica treasury dry. All you too hypochrite and upright. A set of all you always want to tell people how to think and what to think when all you palms not clean and if you want to claim yiu are not said person, then bring the news for your ghost and bizawell. At the end of the day voters in a booth have free will.
Birds of a feather always flock together. Show me your company and I will tell you who you are! Where was black beauty all her life she claiming she know Prime Minister very well. Skerrit only know of the community call Dublanc when election is around. You know what! the ground under his feet starts shaking so he trying to see if he could throw some more concrete on it or rather babagreen, but Skerro you don’t need to be Santa Claus in Dublanc because the people there are so fool that if you just mention Dublanc on the media they will vote for you. For 13 years what has been done in Dublanc! nothing! how I see it the rest of Dominica will go forward but the community of Dubalnc and its people will not even get off from where they are- the gutter
@I Own my Keys… So you can speak and profess what ground shaking and others can’t even say they know Skerrit? Did he fall from the sky? He isn’t entitled to have friends? If she had big up LL you wouldn’t have been so hell bent of shape would you? LABOUR POWER en bondah zot!!! and I am not Black Beauty, so Skerrit has yet another supporter!
UWPites are not helping their cause and they are so ignorant you can’t tell them anything. I went to DGS with Skerrit and played cricket with him the man is not a monster. Maybe he needs to let other Ministers shine but the man is a politician fighting for his office of course he’s going to make his presence felt. Contrary to UWP rhetoric Skerrit has a huge fan base and growing. You have Thompspon asking for school children not to march and people to stay home during independence celebrations. What is that? If UWP wins what they expect? Stay on Skerrit head on blogs and facebook but that won’t win elections. UWP has to change strategy, if pre-schoolers under attack you all expect their parents to vote for Workers? Anybody that defend Skerrit is a vile attack, keep it up. 3 constituences can’t form a government anyway.
So every time someone speaks they are UWPite..so as yo u defended skerrit are you are laborrite? .. please… people have a right to express their opinion without being labeled blue or red…Take your comments to the UWP office…cause I am not a UWPiet and I think after 13 years of being in office.. all of a sudden all this money being donated to poor people.. where was the government for 13 years.. are you for serious?
Well you really busy sir. Take what you all are getting and Vote them out!!!! Please …….Dominicans are not stupid don’t insult our intelligence. Really Skerrit??? It’s so obvious.
Somebody please tell me where all this money is coming from all of a sudden. Remeber Bernard Joseph (BJ) tell his church sort zous sort. I can see Skerrit laughing under his nose saying the same thing. Let them vote for me and I will teach them a lesson. MY PEOPLE PLEASE DO NOT BE FOOL AGAIN AND AGAIN. GIVE LENNOX A CHANCE AND IF HE FAILS BRING BACK SKERRIT BUT TRY SOMETHING NEW THIS TIME AROUND. LOVE YOU ALL GOD BLESS.
There is a saying, It’s better the devil you know than the one you don’t know. The chance is already there, there to stay and there it will remain.
You want your people to give LENNOX LINTON a chance…here it go: NO CHANCE IN HELL…
Ah you are right, definitely no chance in hell. That is reserved for others but a chance in Heaven still open for Lennox Linton.
there’s an ole saying that goes like this: When you’re in good house bad house does call you.. dominicans take Antigua for an example.. dont go down this dark path.. you’ll talking about change but are you’ll blind? can you’ll see you’ll got the wrong messenger? the current opposition leader in my view is not a creditable figure so he is not eligible to get my vote period!!!!
Oh I see all the dust settled in the WCKUWPWee 3545 rally major crowd with 16 buses and 3 trucks representing the fous constituencies in the south R s, Gr By, Scotts, T Savvne ”””now all you bawling about help to daycare and Dsc and alllu dead karpooor over the DLP planned Mass Rally….soon come……we not brakes…we not like mad people, walking around roso and cursing people who call allu novice lol we shall work out the workers. I was at allu show in Londonderry well blue up but dat was quite a sewo Ck came down but trust me I see bigger Up crowd dan dat…I so shocked at their excitement but I stupid or what dats their style….too show too flam party 19-2.
What if there is a change of government? Will the promise still stand? I would hate to start an education and stop because of lack of funds!
prime minister is the prime minister he oversees and in charge of all ministries and he is also the minister of finance no more LL
In my opinion all the pre schools on the Island needs help salary wise and Governent should do salary substitute to each school mr pm I hope u fulfill your promise don’t treat them like how u promise to make contribution to all the Pre schools on the north east from Carib reserves to petti soufriere. and we have not Gotton not a scent to this day I am happy for u teacher Ursular
I am a firm supporter of helping the less fortunate. But when will yhe government stop pa ttypaying people bills.Skerrit is using tax paying Dominicans money like uts comibg from his bank account. Dominicans skerrit is causing the country to get into further debt.
Skerrit Skerrit Skerrit where is the minister of education every thing is u the others have no fortitude trust me the pressure is on the end is near patience patience DA people.
Some day cares charging parents to pay their telephone bills and others have people staying in them and the authorities are doing nothing about this. Are we a country of rules ….I guess no law no constitution can stop some bold face people but change must come….They still shaking after our 25 mass rally in Uwp country Marigot…a solid 3454 Supporters and election doh even call yet.
Pm and your education pips go inspect those Daycares and pre-schoolz in Roseau Central and environs. people not suppose to be staying in DayCare and I even hear they does beat people children….so much crying and so many of those people not even trained….CHANGE MUST COME TO we the people.
hmn yessa yessa now he see the need to guarantee universal pre school education. election really coming.people open all u eyes.skerite buying all yooooooo~! he going around doing things now. people take mr out!! you see so long the teachers suffering he there for 10 years and now he doing thing becvause election coming. open allll u dammmmm eyes!
Isnt that the job of the Parl. rep, or Education minister?
I was thinking the same thing. Education is the portfolio of the Minister of Education. A donation to a school should be the responsibility of the Minister of Education or the Parliamentary Representative. Of course it has to be signed off by the Minister of Finance.
Great job pm they are our future pm doc nurses and the list goes on
Every five years people like you falling for those stupid gimmiks. Don’t you think a holistic plan targeting all pre-schools so there can be standard across the board would be a better plan. As election season gets closer more gifts will come from santa clause.