The Dominica government has paid $5 million dollars in tuition for Dominican students studying overseas.
“We remain committed to our students who are studying overseas,” Prime Minister Skerrit said during a radio programme last week. “Just last week, we made a payment to our students on the tuition in the amount of $5 million to ensure that their rent and their housing are paid.”
He said the government is also making some 15.7 million-dollars available through the Dominica Social Security (DSS), to provide to the country’s residents whose employment was affected as a result of Covid-19.
“There is no legal obligation to that but again because of the compassionate nature of the government recognizing that we have to ensure that in these circumstances we look out for each other,” he stated.
Skerrit also mentioned the loan facility at the AID Bank which was set up to assist businesses.
He said people are already benefiting from this facility and his government looks forward to its complete use by the small businesses owners in Dominica to help sustain themselves to pay for their rent and expensive loans that they may have.
According to the prime minister, the government is reaching out to its citizens and its residents.
“We shall hold your hand during this difficult period and so that when we come out of this, we come out of it a better people, a more united people,” Skerrit stated.
What you mean you and your government are not legally obligated to assist us citizens after de government legally stop some people from eating bread?
Compassion????
You begging for some recognition?
You want me to congratulate you for sending me to take a loan that I already can’t afford.
You don’t want to see people prosper…. you love to see us suffa
Vamp***
My people, do not believe anything said by the PM, first verify. We all know that he is a compulsive LIAR.
Let’s assume that what he says about aiding the students is true. It’s a huge assumption but let’s give him the benefit of the doubt. The man is behaving as though the money is coming from his personal funds. The money belongs to the people. Those who procure loans have to repay.
There is no special favor done here by Skerrit for the students. All other OECS governments do the same for their students without even a whisper about it.
Skerrit’s pomposity needs to be deflated. Let’s not massage his egg-shell ego.
Skerrit what is 5 million dollars you going on like is all of da land you sell to pay for that where is the international airport you promise it’s now over due that’s all I was hearing before election
But what is that Skerro, that is our obligation and not a favour like you trying to show. We contracted to pay those fees, so what is the big noise about. Is only your duty you doing as you should and not brag about it. Don’t take us for idiots.
Right now he feels the need again for a daily dose of propaganda. Let me ask you Skerrit, what is 5 million in comparison of the money that is missing and you continually fail to account for?? We want our money! We don’t want your crumbs anymore. Give us what legally belongs to us or go and leave our country!
I would like the education Minister to pay the children bills before starting school
I agree with you because that makes sense but the education Minister have no say in that. Is Roosevelt Skerrit that hold the purse strings in our country and nobody else.
Nonsense that is not relief measures twas always done in the past. every citizen is suffering suffering so get to work. The poor is getting poorer.
Boy boy boy mr can spin a lie yuh. The man making it such a big deal he pay tuition as if he wasn’t supposed to pay it. Dude those kids are on government scholarships you are obligated to pay the tuition for them cause that is the contract you signed with them and the schools they attending .
5 million from tax payers for students studying to be pilots and astronauts. While I commend their goal, none of those students are bonded, only a small number of those students are coming back Dominica to work(Cause where in Dominica it have work anyway). If you not studying something to better the country, the country shouldn’t be paying for it. If you want to be a farmer that’s a good scholarship, but if you want to be a Scuba Diver and work in Florida, Why do tax payers have to full that bill when the country doesn’t benefit.
So basically, more tax payers money down the drain.
“There is no legal obligation to that but again because of the compassionate nature of the government recognizing that we have to ensure that in these circumstances we look out for each other,”
But he could give ‘Dominica Strong’ a $9.1 million tax refund that the Gov’t had no legal obligation to do. Infact, they shouldn’t have given the refund since this is a foreign company that made a $36 million profit that will all be leaving the country. Which local firm gets such concessions?
This power-crazed egomaniac of a PM becomes more like Trump/Maduro/Bolsonario every day. Now he is trying to portray himself as a compassionate benefactor. It’s pathetic.
“There is no legal obligation to that but again because of the compassionate nature of the government recognizing that we have to ensure that in these circumstances we look out for each other,” he stated.” This is pure BS. Lets do some addition: 5 million in tuition if per semester that’s 10 plus million. NEP 43.2 million anuallly, and 10.2 million for elderly. That is over 60 million dollars a year and not included are the other social programs and waste spending. In a country where the parliament is the constitutional body designed for the legal allocation of the countries resources the PM keeps admitting there is no legal basis for which all these programs are implemented with a large percentage of state resources. This is the exposure to fraud and corruption in the land. If that is not illegal under the constitution i dont know what is and why is the entire parliament not arrested. The PM is admitting there is no legal basis. This is not his inheritance! What BS is this?
The money belongs to the state and spending public funds should be subject to parliamentary scrutiny. This PM behaves as if the money is his and he has opened his own personal wallet to distribute cash. How can Dominicans accept a PM who is also the Minister of Finance? Doesn’t that smell bad to anyone? There is no transparency, no accountability, and no humility. He forgets he is a servant to the people, not the other way around.
Yesterday was father’s day and I wonder who Roosevelt Skerrit called to wish Happy father’s day to as his father?
Well, he has previously stated that he has been sent here by God ….
That is well below the belt bro, if it’s true that Skerrit does not know his father that is not his fault and I’m sure he have a father, everyone have. I do not like the PM but you can not hold that against him, that’s just nasty.
Good to hear that monies have been paid for the students overseas!! I hope that those in Cuba are included.
Sir, I ask you again: what are your “legal obligations” to the citizens of Dominica? Every time you speak about money you say that what you are doing is not a “legal obligation”.
And again, sir, when will we give an account of the 1.2 BILLION dollars you promised to do on KAIRI FM last year??!!
It would have been better if you didn’t say that because now it’s hanging over your head. Today marks 334 days since making the statement.
I sincerely hope you live up to your word, otherwise I will have NO CONFIDENCE in you and your government.
Time is always longer than twine.
HOTEP!
But what sense it makes to talk about government spending $5m in tuition for Dominican students studying overseas ( though I don’t believe Skerrit has the ability to do maths since up till now he has not been able to account for $1.2 billion that disappeared through his hands), and when these students come home they cannot get a meaningful job and most of them have been advised by ministers and friends of the government not to come back to Dominica?
What a waste of money. Focus on your legal obligations instead. And in any case when certain public officers can retire and get contracts right away, where is the hope for these students?
Government Printer retired and on the job …..
Cabinet Secretary retire and on contract ……
Public Service Commission Secretary retire and on contract ….
And doh talk about the PS that is doing the Chief Personnel Officer work and the one that is PS and acting Financial Secretary
This is because we have a shortsighted teberre govt. That money could have been put to better use if we had the UWI campus extension instead of Antigua. We have such a “skilled negotiator” for a PM and we still cant find a Ross replacement. Sir the fact that we are spending all this money on overseas schooling says you are a failure so dont come here tooting horn as if its an accomplishment.
We already know that that talk is directed at your sheep because they are sheep, but the knowledgeable people know better.