Selected Government Addresses and Speeches
|
Selected Government Addresses and Speeches |
THE PRIME MINISTER’S ADDRESS
AT THE GRADUATION CEREMONY
OF
THE DOMINICA STATE COLLEGE
THURSDAY
25TH NOVEMBER 2004
SALUTATIONS
I rise to salute
you, the 2004 Graduands of the Dominica State College at this spectacular and
meaningful ceremony. Looking around the
grounds I see many young people, looking gratified that they have persevered
through the journey of success. I
congratulate all of you for taking advantage of the educational opportunities
that are available. I salute in
particular the women for finding time in their busy schedules to study, despite
the fact that many of you are also working mothers. I congratulate the mature students for realizing that education
is a lifelong process. And I commend
the men for not letting the women leave us too far behind.
I also want to
thank the management and staff of the Dominica State College, as well as the
friends and supporters of the College, for transforming a dream into a
reality. For many years we have known
that we needed an indigenous tertiary level institution to meet the enormous
demand for higher education, a demand which cannot be adequately met by the
regional institutions of further and higher education. I am convinced that even if the University
of the West Indies were offering places to everybody in Dominica between the
ages of 16 and 25, only a fraction of Dominicans would take up the offer.
Many would
refuse simply because travelling abroad for long periods of study is very
expensive and can disrupt families, friendships and work. In 2002, as Minister of Education, Sports
and Youth Affairs and an ardent educator, I had the privilege of witnessing the
establishment of this institution which I consider vital to the development of
Dominica.
This graduation
ceremony is an important rite of passage for all those who will graduate
today. When you started on your
journey, you committed yourself to completing the course. On the way you have had to make
sacrifices. You have had to give up a
lot of other activities to find time for studying. You have been tried and tested.
I am sure there were times when you thought that the pressure, the
challenges, the examinations would never end.
In the depths of
despair, when the assignments were piling up and time seemed to be against you,
you kept your eyes on the prize and persevered. Eventually you succeeded.
Today is your
big day. By the end of this ceremony
you will have progressed from being a student to being a graduate. You will henceforth be qualified to claim
recognition and rewards for the expertise you have acquired in the
process. No one will ever be able to
treat you as a novice. You will never
again be intimidated by examinations.
Above all you will have laid the foundations of future growth and
development, for education is a life-long activity.
You must never
forget the dedicated and hard working lecturers and staff that you have left
behind at the Dominica State College who were instrumental in assisting you
achieve your goal.
Do not forget
your government which has assisted you as best at it could given the current
economic circumstances and most importantly the part the good Lord has played
in making you reach this finish line.
Like you,
Dominica is being severely tested.
However, I believe that our beloved country will soon graduate…..and
with flying colours. As astute
students, you will all be familiar with the challenges we have faced since
independence. On that historic date in
1978 we embarked on a journey towards true independence with many of the colonial
institutions and culture intact.
As the world
changed, our circumstances changed: but our attitudes and behaviour remained
almost the same. The result was the
collapse of our traditional banana industry in the wake of ruthless competition
in the global market place.
This economic
crisis sent reverberations throughout the length and breadth of Dominica and
threatened to destabilize the country socially and politically. The loss of two great charismatic, political
leaders within a three year span did not help the situation.
The Dominica
Labour Party, in collaboration with its Coalition partner, the Dominica Freedom
Party, made bold decisions to stabilize both the economy and the polity. With the support of the masses, of ordinary
Dominicans, the economy began to improve and show signs of recovery.
In my
Independence Day address, I was therefore able to remind the nation of the
significant progress that we had made.
For example:
·
We were able to
reduce the stabilization levy after one year; and to remove it altogether after
two years.
·
We were able to
do this because our fiscal situation was improving, and the reversals in
economic growth were on the way to being arrested.
·
The IMF, in
their latest review, found that the positive trends in our economy had
continued.
·
Economic growth,
originally projected to be 1% this year, was (then) expected to be twice that
level.
·
The European
Commission’s Mid-term Review was successfully concluded and we qualified for
additional resources amounting to eleven (11) million euro.
·
Nearly every
debtor was willing to review and restructure our debts.
·
The confidence
of our people had been bolstered through consultation and participation in the
stabilization programme. They were
poised to help build Dominica through the Social Partnership.
·
As a nation, we
regained our integrity and a measure of credibility in the international
community.
·
In some quarters
the way Dominica dealt with the crisis was being seen as a model for small
island states. What this means to you
is a growing economy with better pay for graduates, with more choice of jobs
and careers, with better challenges now and greater rewards and comfort
throughout your lives to come. You have
grown, you have struggled, you have emerged victorious and you have come of age
just as out country has begun to do the same.
Our progress is
somewhat thwarted by a series of natural disasters. I want to make it clear, however, that there little we can do to
prevent natural disasters, but we can respond quickly and comprehensively to
such disasters.
On the morning
of Sunday 21st November 2004, this country and in particular, the
Northern areas around Portsmouth, bore the brunt of a succession of earthquake
tremors measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale.
Public buildings, private dwellings, business places and places of
worship were severely damaged.
Within hours of
the earthquake, I together with other members of Cabinet toured the affected
areas and for a first hand assessment of the damage. The country has been dealt a tremendous blow. We shall undoubtedly need assistance from
abroad to fully repair the damage.
Already our richer CARICOM neighbours, as well as the French and
Japanese Governments and our new allies in development, the People’s Republic
of China have pledged their support.
Once again I was
amazed and proud of the resilience of Dominicans. As soon as the all-clear was given, people came out in droves and
began the process of cleaning up and rebuilding. It is for this reason that I am confident that Dominica has
passed yet another serious examination and is on the way to graduation.
If there is one
lesson I have learnt from the tests which Dominicans have undergone in recent
years is that we could not have made it unless we had come together.
If public
workers had chosen to put self before country, our economy would have spiraled
into deeper depression and our nation into disintegration.
Contrary to the
assumption that success in the brave
new world is based on rugged individualism, the fact is that individual members
of ethnic groups and even nation states are binding together to overcome the
challenges of a globalized world. The
success of Asians in North America, Cubans in Miami and Haitians in New York
can only be understood in terms of adopting a collective approach to the risks
of living in a new environment.
Similarly, we in
Dominica must learn to see the advantages of unity in the face of
adversity. Indeed, your Government
wants to build on this aspect of Dominica’s culture. We need to learn from the mistakes of our neighbours. Let us therefore not choose to use our
educational success as an excuse for ostracizing ourselves from our brothers
and sisters, but instead to help them to be progressive. Let us not create a system of inequality
based on access to education. Let us
share knowledge and create opportunities for advancement. Let us spread the joy of enlightenment.
There is no
doubt whatsoever that if we are to succeed in an increasingly competitive world
we have to produce workers with knowledge and skills that are on par with those
of our competitors. A secondary
education will not be sufficient to produce this calibre of workers.
More and more of
our people will need to pursue further/higher education. It is therefore not a case of if,
but when we will have to provide some form of tertiary education for all
school leavers.
I accept that
this Government’s goal to provide universal tertiary education is not feasible
in the short term. However, I am in a
position to state that by the year 2010, my Government wants at least 50% of
the given age cohort to be pursuing tertiary education. By then there should be a graduate in every
Dominican household.
I also want to
recognize the efforts of the Dominica State College who are currently exploring
the options of offering a wider variety of courses which are vital to the
development of Dominica. In six years’
time I would expect the average Dominican to be attending college and studying
subjects that range from Fishing to Computer Programming; from Dancing to
English; from Physical Education to French; and from Disaster Management to
Geography.
Ultimately I
want to see the Dominica State College becoming less driven by the curriculum
and instead see it responding more imaginatively to the needs of its
students. I envision employers,
innovators, and students bringing challenges to the College and having a
curriculum designed around solving each of their problems.
The learning
methodology will be highly participatory and analytical.
The old paradigm
of quietly absorbing and regurgitating knowledge will be abandoned for a more
robust, critical and creative approach to learning. Time-tabling at the college will be so designed that a
significant proportion of students could study and work at the same time. Many students will not even have to travel
to campus. Distance Education will
enable them to study at home or in any place of their choice.
In all this
expansion we must never lose sight of standards. We are committed to making the Dominica State College a place
where excellence is pursued. Not only
will this enhance the quality of goods and services produced in Dominica, but
also position graduates of the Dominica State College for other places of
excellence in the Caribbean and further afield.
Ladies and
Gentlemen, the Dominica State College was created to be one of the key engines
for growth and development. Its first
task was to liberate the minds of its students and to educate them that the New
Dominica must be created in their own image.
This College, designed by Dominicans, for Dominicans, to address the
needs of Dominica, is an excellent example of this mission.
The next stage
was to equip them with the knowledge and skills to create goods, services and
systems of a high standard. We eagerly
anticipate the impact that this will make on our economy and our society.
We are satisfied
that in only two years the College is carrying out its mandate and is producing
competent and committed graduates. It therefore gives me great pleasure to
challenge this year’s graduands to continue the trend.
Among all the
great things that we celebrate today, all the great things that you have earned
today, perhaps the most rewarding to you and everyone around you will be the
opportunity to help build and strengthen your country.
“Good Luck” in
all your endeavours.
May God bless
all of our Graduands, may God bless the Dominica State College, may God bless
all present here to day and May God bless Dominica.