Ross University leaving Dominica after 40 years
- August 3, 2018
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Ross University School of Medicine, which had been operating in Dominica for forty years, has decided to shut down its operations here.
The university relocated following the passage of Hurricane Maria in September 2017 due to the extensive damage caused on the island as well as to its campus.
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit announced on Friday 3 August 2018 that the university has decided not to return and will announce its departure “anytime from now”.
“As we all know this has been speculated for some time but a few days ago officials from Ross, formally gave word to us on this matter. Since Maria, the officials in Dominica have been in constant contact with officials of Ross to see how we could cushion the impact of Maria.”
Mr. Skerrit explained that over the last ten months all options that one could think of in discussions with Ross was explored, however at the end of day, the officials of Ross, like any other business person, reserve and exercise the right of the shareholders and the many interests, to include but not limited to, parents, students, faculty and sponsors.
Ross’ departure, he added, is a direct consequence of Hurricane Maria and Tropical Storm Erika.
“Let us make it very clear that Ross loves Dominica and Dominica loves Ross. We have had a very long relationship over the years. Had it not been for these two weather systems, there would have not been any considerations of Ross University’s departure from Dominica.”
The Prime Minister further stated that about three years ago the partnership agreement between Dominica and Ross was renewed for another twenty-five years with a wide range of concessions including the redevelopment of the campus.
“Ross started to construct a number of critical pieces of infrastructure and spent several millions of dollars doing so in the first few years of the partnership agreement. But none of us can wish away these weather systems; the fact remains they happened, Erika and Maria, which brought considerable damage to Dominica.”
Mr. Skerrit said he is satisfied that Ross tried everything.
“Almost a year since Maria and we’ll all recognize too that there are businesses in Dominica, owned by Dominicans, that have not recommenced operations since Maria and there are some that have reduced the scale of their operations and some have also increased the scale of their operations.”
He added that in discussions with senior officials of Ross he was able to garner from them their continued love and connection with Dominica to the extent that they have kept open the door for the return to Dominica of several aspects of their US five billion dollar operations.
“Ross is owned by a major company that has a portfolio of over US 5 billion dollars. So Ross is just but one of that massive operation; we shall continue discussions with the directorship of the parent company to see how Dominica can position itself to attract such operation in the near future.”
The Prime Minister also revealed that the government’s team told Ross that it is only fair as in any marriage of forty years, that if there is to be a parting of ways there should be at least a sharing of what he called the fruit of those forty years.
“Ross has agreed to this in principle and we are now at an advanced stage of negotiations as to how best Ross can say thanks to Dominica for these forty years. We are now discussing the specifics and it would be presumptuous of me to anticipate what their ultimate decision will be, but I think my team and I have made some very strong and reasonable decisions that I am hopeful will be taken on board by Ross University. Suffice to say that the first and foremost in my consideration was for us to leave a lasting tangible monument to the warmth of the friendship that existed between Dominica and the Ross University.”
Later down, he said, more details to this very critical point will be revealed, adding that once the final word from Ross is received, Dominicans will be grateful for this particular very critical request that they have made from the university.
Meanwhile, Mr. Skerrit said many Dominicans have benefited from an education from Ross over the years and so ordinary Dominicans desirous of pursuing studies in medicine or related studies will continue to access the relevant scholarships at Ross University.
Ross wanted to leave all along…and there was nothing Skerrit could do. The Dean hated Dominica, the students kept complaining about getting to the island, they hated the lack of fast food and night life, the cost of supplies/ getting supplies was an issue, then they wanted to build their own student accomodations. Even when that was a big factor and competition for the Portsmouth landowners, gov’t allowed them to build student accomodation for first year students to appease them. Now they wanted international airport while 80% of Dominica roofless. So stop beating up all you self because if gov’t left people roofless and build airport for Ross, all you would still run all you mouth.
@Uhuh, so if there were all these issues raised by Ross, the Dean and the students, the question arises, why did they recommit for a further 25 years? So your point that Ross wanted to leave all along is just false and stupid. Another bigger question is what did the government do to address those concerns? All you seeing is “red”
I am told by those close to ROSS that the major sticking points were direct access, accomidation and reliable internet service.
The airport is firmly commited to by this government but cannot be bought off the shelf in a month or two. While ROSS will move into the Convention Centre in Barbados it will have to invest over US$100m to build its own campus in Barbados. ROSS could have considered making a US$100,000,000. loan to government to jump start construction of the airport. Alternatively and in the interim ROSS could have partnered with a carrier to offer direct flights using the Embrear-E Jet or similar STOL aircraft which can operate out of Douglas-Charles and fly directly to MIA, Fort Lauderdal and/or Charlotte as have been urged for over a decade. Student accommodation is all but restored and internet access is partially restored and should be robust and reliable by year’s end, certainly in time for a January commencement of operations.
ROSS shafted us plain and simple and Barbados was complicit.
Good. Maria may have done us a favor. We need a viable location for a jet airport and the land they occupy was identified as the best for that purpose. Work on a jet airport will bring jobs and future investments. Skerritt should take advantage of the opportunity to get the land back.
Sadly, maybe next time a hurricane ‘Maria’ will hit Barbados. Not my wish, but maybe then politicians like Mia Motley would not take advantage of a fellow Caribbean country and offer incentives to a business to move to it’s shores while a sister island is hurting.
Frankly speaking – competition is all good. But when your brother is down – hit by a category 5 hurricane – you don’t take advantage and steal their business. In 1979 – when hurricane David hit – and RUSM was still a none entity – did Barbados come calling?
Caribbean Federation took a blow today.
@Michael Davis, it is a good thing that capital is free to move from place to place so that the management can give the best returns on investment to ownership and investors. Welcome to the world of capitalism. There is still too much of a communist ideology and mindset operating in the minds of Caribbean and third world people. Because of the freedom to move capital, it puts the onus on Dominica not to take the investor for granted, especially when the economy is not well diversified and 35 cents of every dollar earned by Dominica came from Ross. Broaden your economic thinking and horizon. New Jersey which is only a stones throw from Philadelphia competes to attract businesses to move to NJ. Nothing wrong with that. The onus is on Phila. to provide incentives and environment to attract and retain businesses. Too many damn communists around and don’t blame Barbados but the Punjab doctor, Skerritt for not knowing and understanding such basic concepts
Yes St. Jean I am angry, but not bitter and full of animosity, hatred like you and your henchmen. The very Air that Skeritte breaths is vile to you. Don’t you realize that the PM was put there by the will of the people. No your beloved mother couldn’t help when the nurse dropped You! Apprentely you got a hatred concoction. Dr. Punjab has a degree recognized anywhere, while YOUR leader is a functional illerate. Beyond every dark cloud there is a silver lining. Dominica NICE and STRONG. Ross moving that’s their prerogative. One Love
@Jan, you clearly don’t understand what an honorary degree is. It is an award for the sake of the honor. Kanye West has honorary degrees, Bill Clinton has many, Bill Gates has many. When they give the commencement speech for the graduating class at a university, the institution bestows an honorary degree on them. One cannot apply for a job which requires a Ph.D. in a specific field of endeavor and offer the honorary degree as your qualification for that job to do research or teach a specific field of endeavor. Skerritt does not have an academic qualification. The rest of the world is laughing at you and other Dominicans who espouse this Dr. Skerritt garbage. Have you heard of Dr. Opra Winfrey or Dr. Bill Clinton or Dr. Kanye West? Go figure. Nonsense
Ton Jones.. stick to singing please. Isn’t it obvious that their facilities weren’t decimated after hurricane David like they were with Maria? Not sure how u don’t get that Maria totaled the place? Or wad that all fake news?
We must get closer to God or God will continue to not work in our favor.Only God knows the truth.Dominica please please please stop talking bad about Dominica there’s not one country or island that does not have Good and bad.Stop please talking about Dominica like it is the worst in the world and start thanking God for what we Have.Every island will face its challenge but know one knows when.Let us start working together put our differences aside and keep politics out of it.Let Us pray that God will choose the right companies to invest in Dominica.
Easy to cast blame but all Dominicans share the responsibility for Ross leaving and the state of the country. We need to develop intellectually and culturally. Look at our neighbouring islanders and you will see that the locals are much more sophisticated than Dominicans. It’s extremely frustrating to do anything in Dominica. Dealing with the people is frustrating and discouraging. Many persons I know, express reservations at the idea of relocating to Dominica or doing business there
The failure of the Skerritt led government to provide the requests of Ross University is one reason Ross left. Don’t put that on the Dominican people by saying we are all to blame. Skerritt is minister of finance among other things. Also Skerritt was on the regional and world stage opposing the mighty USA especially with regards to Venezuela, so don’t you think someone has to pay for that. Don’t put that on the Dominican people. That communist, Punjab doctor who thinks he has too much power and don’t need an opposition is responsible for Ross leaving not me, nor any other Dominicans.
Exactly@John Bates!!
You deliver a letter and the person who accepts it, burries it under a file because they do not like you or do not want you to progress. Or, they lie and say it was not delivered. Another famous one is the document got lost. We have no clue what customer service is, we are rude and dismissive for no reason. Then minding your business and confidentiality is alien to us. Everything we have to run and call the radio or blast on social media without even knowing the facts. And you want foreign investors to spend their moneh here? Hmmph.
In this age of technology you don’t have to seat in the classroom to obtain a college degree. The island of Barbados has proven to be much more economical and competitive to Ross. Look at all the options Barbados has to offer. The demogroy and rhetoric isn’t helping our Country. Ross move let us pick up the pieces. The PR for the Portsmouth has even played with the Almighty bead trying to reach a compromise.
What again is going to leave am watching
Typical of the Henchman for Unify Worthless Parasites, St. Jean blame the Almighty for sending the hurricane, volcanoes, plague and other natural disasters. How the Hell in the world would you blame the DLP for the departure of Ross University. Don’t blame Skerro, the blame solely lies on the nurses who dropped you on your head during birth. Businesses file for bankruptcy, people divorce, accident happens, and companies look for what is profitable to them. Now go Marigot and help your leadership plant yam. You and YOUR Parasite party are vultures to our NATION.
@jan, I feel sorry for you as you sound angry like a woman spurned. Calm down and take a few deep breaths. Ross had made their requests known to Skerritt of what they required to recommit to Dominica. Skerritt feeling that he is supreme in Dominica said that he has too much power, paid no attention to giving priority to the requests of Ross University. Hurricane Maria was an ideal escape chute for Ross. As a big American Corporation which benefits from the tax and other concessions given to firms by the American government, the principals of Ross see the damage that Skerritt is doing to his country and he is serving as leader of the opposition to the interest of America, especially with Venezuela, also note the warning on CBS 60 minutes about the security apparatus of the US and it’s allies. When Skerritt grandstands against America’s interests, don’t expect the troops to land in Roseau, but there will be a price to pay. The CIA paid $100 million US to get DCP out of Cuba. That was small change for the US government. Now that Ross is gone meaning that 30 cents of every dollar has vanished, the Dominican people will suffer. I expect suicide rates to increase in Dominica as a consequence. Jan, my mother, God rest her soul, loved me too much to let any nurse drop me on my head. Are you advocating cruelty to infants because your government has been smacked where it really hurts? Calm down Jan. Skerritt is now proposing more handouts to affected persons in Portsmouth but that is just a pittance compared to what they would have made had Ross remained. What will it take for you to admit that your Punjab doctor has failed and Dominica is not better off.
What’s the true reason for the departure of Ross? St Kitts falls in the same hurricane belt/zone as Dominica. Yesterday was Dominica. Tomorrow may be St Kitts. Will they run from St Kitts if a hurricane hits? The true reason for their departure is the cost of doing business. Dominica is way way way more expensive than almost every other Caribbean island. Yes, they are happy to pay the low wages paid in Dominica however every necessary need in running the school is much more expensive in Dominica. Then again there is the hassle associated with travel. While 62sq miles Barbuda is proceeding with the construction of an international airport our political albatrosses are satisfied that they can jump on Liat for their next axon acting flight and to hell with everyone else. We will continue to loose our survival Dominica if our politicians continue to live in the 17th century
If this isn’t the nail in the coffin of this incompetent, one man government of the Punjab doctor, then I don’t know what will be his undoing. The country has been going backwards ever since Skerritt became prime minister under suspicions and dubious means. Now Dominica will really become a model of the failed country Venezuela. Ross is owned a US conglomerate and will be sure to work with the US government to secure the interests of the US government. Skerritt is too dumb to understand the geopolitics of these things. He signed his Alba agreement and challenged the US saying an attack on any Alba signatory is an attack on all. Following the airing of the CBS 60 minutes programme these little communist leaders were warned that their unregulated sale of passports is jeopardizing the security apparatus of the US and its allies. Skerritt’s response was that no one tells him how to run his country. Remember the hostile buying of DCP? Skerritt doesn’t understand these issues and thinks he has too much power and doesn’t need an opposition. The loss of Ross and by extension 30 cents of every dollar Skerritt’s government earned will mean extreme hardship for Dominicans. This is the third disaster to hit the country in 2 years, Erica, Maria and now this. Good riddance Skerritt. Hold on patriots the answer is waiting on your vote to turn things around.
Ross came in in 1978 since they have been here for 40 years in Dominica, if the main reason they are leaving is as a result of Hurricane Maria, why didn’t they leave after Hurricane David in 1979, when they had far less physical investments than they have now?
You hear L13… that is L13! Teacher Percy say the Economy going to D13 if you continue to tell L13s!