A new university set to open its doors as early as September 2022, will be headed by Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Dr. Curvin Ferreira, following a more than decade-long pursuit of this goal.
St. Joseph University which is a subsidiary of Adams Health & Education Services Ltd., is expected to commence operation, for the time being, at Adams Tower on Great Marlborough Street in the heart of Roseau.
While Dr. Ferreira was this time around given the go-ahead to launch the educational institution in Dominica, attempts made a few years ago were unsuccessful.
In 2010, the former United Workers Party (UWP) candidate for the St. Joseph constituency submitted an application to the Government for permission to establish a medical school in Dominica under the group, Global Education Providers Inc., but was denied.
Then Minister of Education, Peter St Jean, rejected the application on the basis that he was not satisfied that Global Education Providers would have “the adequate material resources for dispensing the requisite educational training.” By letter dated 10 August 2010, the Minister communicated the refusal of the application to the group.
St. Jean pointed to the fact that the two schools (Ross University and All Saints Medical School) were already exhausting the country’s small medical system, which is required to provide hospital training to the student doctors.
As a consequence of the Minister’s refusal, Global obtained leave and issued judicial review proceedings against the Minister’s decision on the bases that the Minister acted ultra vires the Education Act (the “Act”) and that his decision was “illegal, irrational and unreasonable.”
On December 13, 2010, High Court Judge Bernie Stephenson Brooks upheld an application by lawyers Dwight Horsford and Kondwani Williams on behalf of Global Education Providers who asked for judicial review on the decision of Cabinet.
However, Global’s claims were dismissed after a hearing as the judge found that the decision to refuse a license could have reasonably been arrived at by the Minister taking into account section 96 of the Act, which deals with the requirements for registration.
Global, dissatisfied with the learned Judge’s decision, appealed, their main issue – whether the learned Judge erred in concluding that the Minister acted within section 96(g) of the Act in refusing the application. Importantly, the statutory interpretation of section 96(g) of the Act was brought into focus.
Nevertheless, the group was defeated again, as the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court of Appeal upheld the previous ruling and dismissed the appeal on May 4, 2018, making no order as to costs in a 17 page judgment by Justice Louise Esther Blenman with Justices Davidson Kelvin Baptiste and Gertel Thom concurring.
In our pursuit of this story, Dominica News Online (DNO) was informed that the new learning institution –St. Joseph University– has no affiliation to Global Education Providers Inc., and will be launched under Adams Health & Education Services Ltd.
A statement from the Sales and Marketing Officer of Adams Healthcare, Laurna Guiste, says that the shareholders and directors of St. Joseph University, who are all locals, saw the need to establish such an entity in Dominica as there is a continued need for tertiary education and an increasing global demand for quality medical education at affordable costs, to aid in the fulfillment of expanding local and foreign needs.
She said the mission is for St. Joseph University to become a leading university dedicated to the provision of world class and high quality health care professionals. This, she said, will be accomplished by the use of sound internationally developed educational principles, practices and well-trained personnel to provide leadership in the delivery of high quality education and learning.
“It will be one of the few medical schools in the Caribbean owned and operated by Caribbean investors and additionally, to have it’s own hospital to provide clinical training for healthcare professionals, thereby becoming a key partner [of] the Ministry of Health in the Commonwealth of Dominica, and be recognized as an exemplar for the engagement of an effective joint working principle to the benefit of the profession, patients, public and the national and regional health services,” Guiste stated.
At the St. Joseph University, students will be afforded opportunities to earn degrees in basic health-science-related undergraduate programs in disciplines such as Anatomy, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Pathology and Psychology that will transfer into Medical Degrees and Bachelor of Science Degrees, as well as MBBS degrees. The learning institution will also offer Bachelor Degrees in Midwifery, Nursing, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Laboratory Technology.
Additional training will be provided in the natural sciences and marine biology, making use of Dominica’s marine life, a resource thus far, according to Guiste, that has never been used for educational purposes.
She added that effective September, the following courses will be offered at the Associate and Baccalaureate level namely, Midwifery, Pre-Nursing, Pre-med (for those who are not yet prepared to begin the MD program), and Clinical aspects of medical education.
The St. Joseph University Hospital will assist and contribute to the betterment of local communities, boost revenue within the country, and provide jobs for locals alike, Guiste said.
“Cool Runnings Doc” like the old saying goes “he who pays the Piper calls the tune” and that’s all I’ll say about this matter at this time.
1. Need a job oh!
2. Our own homegrown medical school! That deserves a cheer!
3. It’s evident that he needed to switch sides. It’s red or dead!
To the upper echelon in the medical community here in Dominica…we encourage you to obtain mastery of your profession…to do your utmost for each patient as an individual….to dispense with a one size fits all plan of care, to use the wonderful mind God has given you to fully assess the complaint…to hold in high regard each body, fearfully and wonderfully made by our creator..to take the time to ascertain the cause of illness, and to leave no stone unturned in treatment, education, and comforting care to truly effect a restoration of health, and not just a mere palliation of symptoms…for if you had, this wonderful human being whom we happen to call mother, this amazing wife, grandmother, sister, sister in law, cousin, neice, aunt, and friend, would not be laying still in this box..maybe not at this time..but even if so, we, those who loved her would be consoled that all that could be done to revive health was done…God is absolutely in control but we must do our part.
That is why Dr.Ferreira had to leave UWP.Go ahead,Silk-Worm and JAH KAL heads are buried in a pit toilet with their rear end exposed to public.Ross university is gone,St.Joseph university owned and operated by Dominicans is here to stay.In the meantime those crooks,traitors,haters,liars.habitual criminals,rogues,vagabonds and sons of Satan,can start bursting blood vessels.I hope this time Dr.Ferreira is prepared to defend his property from the blue wood ants.
Lin Clown Curvin is not Robert Ross!
Note:
“The medical school was founded in 1978 as The University of Dominica School of Medicine by Robert Ross, as a provider of medical education offering Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree programs, due to the scarcity of medical schools and physicians in the U.S., at the time. The university primarily serves students from the United States and Canada. In 1984, the university officially changed its name to Ross University School of Medicine.”
Eventually, the University student body came from all over the world. The reason the University was so successful, is that Ross is an American, his School had to be affiliated with other Universities within the United, and taught practically the same curriculum, that is why the students could have done their internship in America, and Canada to become fully graduate MD’s.
Lin Clown, that is a reality: in order for an associate in science, or an associate in arts degree obtained from a two year (community college) in the United State to be recognized by any entity, or person.
That two-year college must be affiliated with some major four-year University, or a four-year college, and the junior college must teach some part of the four year college or University, curriculum, and they all have to be accredited institutions.
So, the MD degree this Dominica Roosevelt puppet is going to issue where will it be recognized?
The hospitals (butcher shops) in Dominica are not equip to teach medicine, it is one thing to listen to a lecture, but when it comes down the practical, it is another thing.
Ross Medical School of Medicine have its affiliates in Canada and the United States! Any student who would leave a foreign country to go to Curvin medical school would have to be an idiot!
His thing will fail the same as all he ever touched turned to ashes.
Why are you looking through a tunnel. Do you think that The US and Canada have the patent for the disbursement of knowledge regarding the science of medical care, lol. You are so ignorant, look at the world around you, don’t you see Nations around the world have their medical Institutions to take care of their people, I do not have much to say to you regarding a very complex matter, wallow in your ignorance.
This is for you especially Gary!
“Fools rush-in where Angels fear to thread!”
Why do Fools Rush in where angels fear to tread?
This therefore sometimes leads to the fool or ignorant person achieving something that a person who is more sensible cannot.
But in this case, it is not a compliment to you nor Curvin, and his stupid ambitions, which always turns out to be failures, and I can count them!
The origin of the expression ‘fools rush in where angels fear to tread’ is from Alexander Pope’s An Essay on Criticism which was written in 1709.
Curse usually follow some people you know.
Silk you can not educate a dunce , this a people that repeat what Masa say , no ability to think for them self.
JAH KAL; Gary has always been a very shallow person you know; brained washed by the powers that be.
Nothing he writes makes any sense, the minuet anybody with some simple commonsense writes anything educational on this site; the more stupid ones comes out insulting people who are more knowledgeable than they are.
In America, they say one is either book smart or street smart.
Fact is book smart people seems to survive, and live longer than the street smart people.
In Dominica, nonsensical politics make every idiot smart, especially where it pertains to Roosevelt Skerrit.
Someone explained the main criteria for the issuance of an honorary degree, Gary said where it pertains to Roosevelt,it does not matter, is has no effect on him.
If Gary had any natural sense he would have seen and acknowledged the effect at the conference in Guyana.
No one called Roosevelt doctor due to his bought Ph. D.
Gary is the who cannot see further than the tip of his nose, but he reference tunnel…
Satan is a liar,Dr.Ferreira is from the ghetto and backstreet of St.Joseph.He reached the height he reached not because of you .He does not need or want your input.You are a cursed,crooked,jealous son of Satan.Dr.Ferreira will continue to move forward.
“Then Minister of Education, Petter St Jean, rejected the application on the basis that he was not satisfied that Global Education Providers would have “the adequate material resources for dispensing the requisite educational training.” By letter dated 10 August 2010, the Minister communicated the refusal of the application to the group.”
But who is Petter “Dasheen” St. Jean to know and say what this long stand professional doctor can and cannot do? What and who was St. Jean before he became a failed emotional politician?
“Additional training will be provided in the natural sciences and marine biology, making use of Dominica’s marine life, a resource thus far, according to Guiste, that has never been used for educational purposes.” – I have said this for years, Dominica should have a marine biology institution and an agricultural institution as our ecology is ideal as well as our location.
I pray this school will teach practitioners to ascertain the cause of the patients disorder, and prioritize airway and breathing during assessment if that is patient chief complaint.
Great undertaking, Dr. Ferreira. After reading, I understand why you were denied the first time. Keep on reaching higher and higher for our country and our young people.
Kohn 8:44 reads “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning”.
DNO before I make comment please allow me to go off subject a little to warn Dominicans about the Devil;
So Satan was a murderer from the beginning and his children do just like their father.
Any country that is led by Satan, the murderer in on a blood economy. Some murderers kill adults just to protect their crimes, while other murders are specialized in the slaughter of unborn babies. So it’s just blood money all over and that in itself is a curse on any country.
Now to my comment: because of the doctors reputation I sure would not encourage my children or friends to attend this man’s university even if it for free. When I think of this doctor I immediately think of Pharoah and the miracle that caused Moses to survive.
Here is a question: What does Skerrit and Dr Ferreira, have in common? I don’t think UWP and Dr Ferreira were a good match
Why your obsession with Satan trying to associate such thing to other people, that is not how things are, stop being a fanatic of arbitrarily calling people evil with your accusations. I will tell
this Satan is not a liar but a deceiver, so long.
Excuse me but Dr. Ferreira could not even run a KFC franchise, never mind an airline so I have no confidence in sending my child to this new brainstorm of his.
Maybe he is a good doctor I don’t know but a businessman, no.
So…is that the registeration requirement under the Education Act is now met??? All for progress…just checking.
Very good news and somebody needs to learn what Dr Ferreira does plus what Dr Shillingford-Ricketts does as their waiting rooms are overloaded with people waiting to be seen with long waits.
@Erling Harland, stop using the name of Norwegian professional footballer. You can be sued for impersonating another person. use some other fictional name rather than someone every football fan the world over is familiar with.
That’s what many of them do; recently one of them used Mr. Telemaque name, the man complained; I have not seen him writing on the site lately.
Dominicans are so dishonest, so much so, even the names of people they steal.
Most of them are so stupid, they are ashamed to write comments in their name; nevertheless, that’s the traits of liars, thieves, and political puppets, especially those who supports Skerrit corruption.
Erling Haaland is the son of Alf-Inge Haaland (Retired).
Erling Haaland is the cousin of Jonatan Braut Brunes ( IK Start ).
Erling Haaland is the cousin of Albert Tjaland ( Bryne FK ).
Transfer history Season Date Left Joined MV Fee Upcoming transfer 22/23 Jul 1, 2022 Bor.
Dortmund Man City €150.00m €75.00m Transfer history 19/20 Jan 1, 2020
Nationality: Norway
Place Of Birth: Leeds
Yes Kathleen and what is your name. And we all can read Wikipedia.
Great piece DNO remind the Labor rat’s what was said and done when that guy try to build that school in the St Joe area . Because his name was call with the UWP they denied him, now he singing their song they gave the ok to open up, ,DOMINICA , Dominican’s you heard school is opening in Roseau not in St Joe, so the people in St Joe still cannot see what happen ,well i cannot blame the guy he realize the people of St Joe when they have people like Mills Armin better known as Voice ,and the guy Dominican’s know as Oprah as leader’s in the same area he realize is a bunch of you know what. Roseau is so congested no where to walk no sidewalk the drain’s are in a mess ,more praises for the biggest fool in the cabinot the minister of no portfolio. St Joe , layou , karmar is a capital B. no farm road they destroying layou river in you all faces and not even that you all can see. What a dammmm shame.
Curvin, you are nothing more than another Dominica joke, and now a confirm Roosevelt Skerrit butt kisser!
You were never a success, but a total failure all of your life; you been hunting to compete with Ross Medical School for years, nevertheless even now they vacate Dominica, for the more developed Barbados, your efforts, the crap talk about university is already doomed!
And so I asks where are your students coming from?
Commonsense dictates if classes are to commence in a university in September, one would have its staff ready and raving to go with a registered student body.
On the other hand could you name any major University in the universe to which your university is affiliated, and where on earth besides Dominica, the degrees you issue will be recognized.
Finally, how low did you bend to kiss Roosevelt butt, for him to allow you this fifteen minuets of fame?
Failed Airline
Failed paper product factory
It’s bad when a grown prejudices himself to the status of a child!
Silk- Worm Man i applaud you, not even his people in St Joe, forget about layou he think off ,when his going to St Joe he drive on the so call highway not even through the villages , that guy is full of himself , we will hear more later. His is so crooked he trying buying land in the Salisbury area and only at night he goes there doing like Nicodemus believing skerrit would sell it to him ,but the Salisbury people put a stop to it , that’s why this guy’s don’t like the people Salisbury. But they stand strong .
So in other words, Sir. Dr., You had to join the labor party and become a “footboy” ( not a football) for this project of yours to get underway? So, again, all businesses in Dominica has to be red? Now, they are going to leverage some demands on your skin to make you wish you never became a doctor. Once you get in bed with Lucifer, then all Those glittering things and promises will be one day soon be a disappointment. Your God will tell you who to hire and who to fire. You are getting some concession, don’t you? BINGO. Watch out brother. That 30 pieces of Silver Judas tried to return wasn’t accepted. Any time you help to cripple this poor country it will be hard for you to find forgiveness. Because you had ample time to see the strain this country is under; and to throw away your conscience for money! Hmmm… you still have to to think carefully who you are dealing with and you can abandon ship (your project). De boy exert pressure on the simple to break them.
@ myself “go along… I came down on this brother really hard without any consideration for his situation, need and the level of pressure he may have been under that made him switch. Also, I don’t know if he had been threatened or not to do what he did. I think this guy has a good heart and intentions. It’s not easy being a person with such positions as a doctor, lawyer, prominent business person to have you own independent views and opinion in your own country when the leader of the country is a communist and dictator. Just ask the oppositions of Putin. Some are dead and some in are in prison. So I don’t want to judge Dr. Curvin for his decisions because I’m out looking in and don’t know half of the real story. Skeritt is not an easy or kind boy. He has a way about him which is so tyrannical. The Book of Habakkuk gives a precise description of such fools. They think that their actions are totally hid from God. I wish the Dr. God’s blessings and I’m sorry for previous comment.
Very best wishes to Dr. Curvin Ferreira on this new venture.
He has certainly served Dominica and his patients well.
A you one of his patient !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!’s just reading.
No he is her plumber with a stethoscope.