Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has said that his government plans to put a much more improved mechanism in place when providing grants and scholarships to students.
Skerrit’s statement came after some Dominican students at various universities abroad were reportedly disrespectful to the prime minister during a zoom meeting on Saturday night. Some of the universities involved in the meeting were Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls – Texas, Monroe College – New York and St Lucia, Grambling State University – Louisiana, York University – Canada, and the University of the West Indies.
He said the meeting, which began around 8 pm and ended sometime before 11 pm, was meant to engage over 500 students in order to discuss their different circumstances as the world continues to battle the deadly Covid-19 pandemic.
The payment of university fees was one of the major concerns raised by the students with many of them expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of the matter.
After the meeting, the issue exploded on social media and another regional outlet where it was reported that some students were disrespectful to the prime minister, one using curse words, some referring to him as ‘bus driver’ while others left the meeting prematurely. Dominica News Online (DNO) also understands that one student referred to Skerrit as a liar.
“I believe that the government now would have to put a much more improved mechanism in providing grants and scholarships to students,” he said. “I think there has to be a greater improved transparent process to allow for an engagement of the students before they go out, not just based on a letter, there must be an interview process to determine whether you are prepared for University life, because it is clear that there are some students who are not at the maturity level for University life and so we are going to have to look at this.” the prime minister said.
He added that attention will also be paid to the grades and that students must understand “this world owes them nothing.”
As it relates to the disrespectful statements made, Skerrit said he took no offense.
“I took no offense to what was said by the students…,” he said. “Truth be told, I wasn’t watching the screen and neither could I see everybody who was in attendance, so I am not aware of these things that people are talking about, how people were dressed and what people were doing, but I know of two instances where I had to admonish students.”
Skerrit described himself as someone who has a high degree of tolerance, understanding beyond measure, “and I thank God for that.”
“I don’t get vex about these things… I do not get vex about what people say or how people behave,” he stressed.
He indicated further that this situation is not going to change his view about empowering people through education or any other means.
“I have a broader outlook on things,” Skerrit stated.
He encouraged parents to continue instilling values and principles into their children to have respect for others.
“We have a duty and obligation as human-beings to show respect and address people in a particular way,” Skerrit remarked.
He cautioned students publicly that they need to do an introspection as to why they are at university and what they intend to get out of it.
“When they leave university, what they would like to have,” Skerrt noted. “Because having a degree is not going to get you where you want to get to, you have to have a positive attitude, a respectful attitude.”
Cuban scholarship students receive 70 us a month and not even that the government can pay. Since November after elections the students have not received a dime. How much is a passport? And how many students were paid full flights to go home and vote? Let me answer for you A WHOLE PLANE FULL, now they have their vote they could care less if the students have to starve
Steve Forster, I find your recent comments to be insensitive, unfeeling and even sadistic. Dominica’s best resources (young people) are in strange lands, no money for shelter, food and with the onslaught of the Coronavirus bearing down on them. Yet, if you had your way, you would have left them to perish. You can’t be serious. Instead you roundly condemn the worst government in the world to put their young citizens’ lives in serious jeopardy, you talking filth. You also support the IMF harsh austerity measures for lending a few millions dollars to impoverished countries. Some of these IMF conditions have led to riots and extreme hardships in many nations. Have a soul man!
Stop lying. That’s not at all what I said. I wasn’t talking about the young people that are out there now, I agree that it would be terrible to leave them hanging. I’m talking about the future of such a programme in general. Would you really argue that it furthers Dominica’s economic development to pay lots of money to foreign institutions to educate young people who by and large do not return home afterwards? Because questioning that is what you’re calling “insensitive, unfeeling and even sadistic”.
As for the IMF, I’m sorry if you’re still vexed about my response to you the other day, but governments do not have bottomless treasuries, and there is no other way to prosperity than the development of a strong private sector. You may find the Washington Consensus constraining, but it works, so if you want a better country for your children and grandchildren, that’s the way.
You write such nonsense, it pathetic. Are these students really Dominica’s best resource. What do you know about these students, do not know if these students will graduate, do you know if these students choose the right vocation, and if they graduate, what contribution they will make to Dominica. You just sit behind a computer all day waiting for The PM to say something and write such nonsense creating your own facts. Here you have a Leader of a Country reaching out to students studying in foreign Countries, trying to learn about their concerns as world continues to battle the deadly Covid-19 pandemic, isn’t that an action of responsible leadership, wow. When These students talk about university fees, expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of the matter, I wonder if these Students have some special privilege bestowed to them. Do these students know the sacrifices that The Government is making to sustain their education, to be continued.
How did this thin-skinned, moronic, intellectually challenged person become the PM of Dominica baffles me profoundly. Many students are genuinely scared to death that they may find themselves, on the streets in a foreign land, fending for themselves. Tuitions are not being paid; no money for rent and food and everything else. Instead of acknowledging the students’ grave concerns, he retorted by trying to belittle, denigrate and excoriate them. Oh, what a small man!
“I think there has to be a greater improved transparent process to allow for an engagement of the students before they go out, not just based on a letter, there must be an interview process to determine whether you are prepared for University life, because it is clear that there are some students who are not at the maturity level for University life and so we are going to have to look at this.” the prime minister said.
He added that attention will also be paid to the grades and that students must understand “this world owes them nothing.”
It was about time you had realised that Sir. It was time you had remove that wooden glasses. Some of those students do not even go to school….just wasting time. It is time the red color or the X by the Shoe is removed from granting of scholarships etc. cause if that is the only way….nothing will come out of it. Some promising students are left out when a robust mechanism is not used. Way to go PM, it is never too late to correct our…
Take your blows, Skerrit!! We only reap the whirlwind when we sow the wind. So now you going an put systems in place??
Though that a man of your calibre would have had it in place lonnng before advertising the scholarships. Or is it misreporting by the journalists?
Now, if some students were disrespectful, that has the be condemned since two wrongs, or ninety and two wrongs do not make a right.
Did you think about respect while you were using terms such as ” the man sit down at his house every day watching cartoons and scratching his balls”?? Yes you did say so, much more and on many occasions.
Now this is day 279 since you PROMISED to ACCOUNT for the 2.2 billion dollars from the CBI funds
I once again call on the media houses to help with this abnormality.
HOTEP!
Why not go back to how is was 20 years ago. There was a Scholarship Committee and students would send in their applications. Once the application meets the requirements of the standards set by the Scholarship Committee ( if I remember you needed an acceptance letter and the area of study had to be the Country priority area at the time) the students would be granted a scholarship. In those days everyone had a fair opportunity of obtaining a scholarship.
Considering how many young people who study abroad never return once they graduate, this programme is a rather dubious public expenditure anyway. Wouldn’t that money be much better spent on DSC, whose graduates are much more likely to contribute long term to the local economy?
The problem as we all know is the PM.Everything must be on his whim,No system to administer without his say.
Let the education service administrator do the job,Have a clear criteria of entitlement,that of course should have been in place from the start,but in a dictatorial system no chance.
So when Susan going up and down the road singing your praises, calling all radio show it have all over facebook. Susan bring her 4 children that cannot add 1 and 1 for a fully funded scholarship you going and tell her no?
I wasn’t born at nights MUCHLESS! to born last night.
Not sure how you guys gonna do that pick and choose thing since you already picking your peoples dem.
Skerrit calls it disrespectful. I call it, they are telling the truth and state facts. Now that of course doesn’t go down well with the God Almighty the First from Dominica. This man is a disgrace and it’s high time that we knock him of his high perch. Who does that man think he is????
100% agree with this. Nobody owes them anything, the attitude was just disgusting.
Just like the students don’t owe anything to government after they graduate. A deal is a deal. Government has to do their part.
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Told it is government funds sending them to school. Government funds belong to the country and the country is made up of UWP, Labour, freedom and pappy supporters who pay taxes. Therefore they should be allowed to vote who the want without fear of reprisal. That is illegal under the constitution. Oh they have also seen the disrespect for the constitutional process when you shoved the commissioner of police and deputy, the speaker of the house and the president on the people. Don’t you come with your hypocrisy on respect and parents should teach respect. It is apparent your mother and father did not teach you respect, so i will admit it is good advice because you are a perfect example of what happens when mothers and fathers don’t involve themselves in kids lives to teach their kids to be respectful and honest. Before you came into politics you were a teach i remember walking to school. All you have is earned from the public. I hold no reservations. Manipulation of the…
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System for your own benifits. Your only goal in politics was to enrich yourself and do it as long as possible. Your so called assistance and favour was for nothing else so people can turn a blind eye to your BS. After 20 years in government i see what you have done and these young folks future worst than that of their parents even with a degree. I know folks who are back home from china and MSU with maters and other degree sitting at home depending on their parents who never had a college education. They are my friends and family. No man who shows disrespect for me my, my family, my country, my constitution, my democracy, elected officials deserves no respect. You are reaping the seeds you sew and the kids do dang right. Your adjustments are not geared at bettering the scholarship system and how best these educated kids can better Dominica, but reprisal and revenge. There is 20 year plus your teaching years to know who you are. Focus on plight not their response.
Roosevelt Skerrit when i was growing up we use to have school debates. During an argument on facts and in the process of making your point you would say ” my most worthy opponent”. The reason was to show respect for another person or idea even if you disagree or try to convince your ideas were better. That was what help build confidence and an atmosphere of respect even if you disagree. Respect is not automatically given because of your position or status if it is not a two way street. The students have seen your outburst in parliament when asked to account for money, the students have seen promise made not kept and are left vulnerable by the ones they depend on. The students have seen the sexual favours some have forced to make and some former and current ministers locking their offices and putting their hands where it should not go. They talk but just not brave enough to confront those in power. The students have been threatened to come vote for a party in dec although they are..
When you say quote “Respect is not automatically given because of your position or status if it is not a two way street,” wow is this your premise for defending the behavior of these student. To begin with what does respect has to do with position or status, respect has to do with self, you do not need an outside thing or person to initiate respect. The problem with these students is their inability to understand what it is to practice gratitude in challenging times. Why you and others are using these students inability to show gratitude as means to promote a political agenda. Why are you making all these allegations about sexual favors, and innuendos. It is sad when people like you use your partisan politics as the lens through which you view such matter.
Basically you will now hand pick individuals who YOU want to reward with a government scholarship for study abroad.
De existing mechanism always worked before…… things not happening like they should ever since the last general election. All of us including laborites can see your blunders.
You must miss travelling across de globe perhaps visiting CBI agents abroad….. checking de accounts.
It was so easy to facilitate the very same students to return to Dominica on a plane chartered by Skerrit very own party….. to give DLP some support……
Not all of us stupid…..Dem students will have graduated in time for the next constitutionally due general election……go and train a new platoon, brainwashed to worship you.
I think going forward you should not make promises that you do not intend to keep
Your greatest joy is general election campaign. Just remember whatever you do to change de arrangement we will study it to see who are the beneficiaries
When I think of Dominica, especially the last 20 yrs, the picture that comes to mind is that of a motor vehicle that left Penville on a bright sunny morning but when the vehicle got to Mahault it ràn into a rain storm and the driver lost all sense of direction and as a result, instead of heading south into Roseau, the drive put the vehicle in reverse gear by mistake and instead, the vehicle found itself back to Penville by mistake off course, instead of Roseau. Not only did the vehicle find itself in Penville but the driver wrecked the gear box to the point that the vehicle can no longer go forward. Here is the interpretation: In 2000 when the DLP took over, Dominica was heading in the right direction until Rosie Douglas died. We continued to make progress until Pierre Charles joined Rosie. Roosevelt Skerrit took over and from that time the rain storm came. The driver (Skerrit)lost control and all of a sudden we in a reverse gare. But not only that but we CANNOT go forward
This is just a smokescreen to pretend that something is being done about something. The protocol was already established. You and your ministers made it political and giving favors instead of what was set out in the regulations. Everything mentioned here is already in place. All you had to do was leave the Ministry of Education do their job! Why do you have to vet every single application? Are you the PS of Education? Your micromanagement is getting to your head and its overburdening you. It will take you down if you cant stop and let things run as they should. Only your sheep supporters will think that you are actually doing something.
The DLP administration has failed every segment of society with their communistic approach when awarding scholarships. As one former student of MSU said to me recently; ” Beacuse they give you a darn scholarship they expect you to accept it in the form of a SCHOLARGOAT meaning take it and shut the hell up!” They forget the meaning of the word scholarship (or part thereof) and just dump you overseas so they look good politically. Students catching their nenen out there doing all kinds of illegal things to stay in school while the DLP guys taking credit.
No one disrespected Skerrit but rather spoke their minds because the ministry of education or finance would not return or accept calls when the students are in crisis. Not even the consulate in NY was reaching out to those in the US (MSU in particular). They are being avoided like COVID19
. He only arranged the meeting because the bomb was fixing to paytay! According to a student, mister can go to H*** for all I care…
Respect begets respect and you have disrespected these students for long enough. Your selection plan is who can kiss the most a$$ and that’s not going to change soon
John 8:44 New International Reader’s Version (NIRV)
44 You belong to your father, the devil. You want to obey your father’s wishes. From the beginning, the devil was a murderer. He has never obeyed the truth. There is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his natural language. He does this because he is a liar. He is the father of lies.
Let’s take a good look again at the last sentence in the last line: “HE IS THE FATHER OF LIES!!!!
Every damn thing Roosevelt Skerrit is part of or says is undercoated will lies, deception, propaganda, victimization and yes, his real middle name which is corruption. So absolutely no value, no faith and no confidence from what he says or what he is part of
I cannot co sign the disrespect level in such a formal meeting HOWEVER, having a “system” to grant scholarships shouldn’t be there because somebody disrespected you. That system should be operational from the jump. I know of so many students that got scholarships to go study X and Y and just leave school and stay in the country, waste of my tax dollars.
HOWEVER, the biggest issue not addressed is the PAYMENT of monies owed to schools, the overhaul is needed because absolutely to many students are off studying. Now back to the money, If you give letter saying you will pay, X and Y you’re committing yourself to it. I agree, the world owes you nothing but you cant tell students you will pay and then you don’t. Entirely too many students are going off to study and gov CANT handle such a bill.
But when all the pal rep bring their ‘friend'(wink wink) and their ‘friend’ children, and all those election promises, you really going and turn them down?
That big stone not bursting my…
What about the BSn finally year at All saints University ?
Is the PM only thinking of the students studying abroad?
What about the BSN nurses who are at their finally year at All Saints Medical School ? The same students who were asked to assist during the Covid -19 outbreak .?
The very same students who ate having difficulties financing their studies and have written to the government for aseistryqncr. The very same students who are having issues registering for their next semester and cannot do their ward management training to prepare them for the regional nursing exams in 2021.
Mr PM these are the same students who for now has no desire to migrate after completion of their program.
I ask of you to give them some consideration all they need is assistance for their tuition.
A voice for the students ki