Lack of increment paid may impact performance @ HLSCC - Dr Dawson
This information was made known at the House of Assembly’s Standing Finance Committee. At the time Dr. Dawson whose agency is a statutory body under the Ministry of Education and Culture was making his presentation. The Standing Finance Committee (SFC) was deliberating the 2014 Budget Estimates.
In response to a question from Honourable J. Alvin Christopher (R2) who asked, if the faculty had received their increments for the last two years, Dr. Dawson told the Committee that his last increment was in 2011. At that time the Virgin Islands Party Government was in power. However, since the National Democratic Party (NDP) government took office no increments were paid.
Dr. Dawson, the College’s 4th President, also was frank about the cut back in funding at the College and how it continues to seriously impact the institution. While the Ministry of Education and the controversial Minister Honourable Myron V. Walwyn are on a public relations offensive on adding another year to the Territory’s Secondary Schools which will cost tax payers more money, the College which is now under the Ministry of Education and Culture is in trouble and could be on the verge of financial collapse.
Cutback in funding a serious impact
When asked by Hon. Christopher (R2) if the lack of proper funding being experienced by the College had “hampered the quality it must deliver and how it was affecting the output at the College,” Dr. Dawson confirmed that “fewer resources would have an impact.”
He went on to tell the SFC that since the students at the College were very young, he held the view that they would benefit from more interaction, but the faculty was limited in order to cover the budget for teaching. Dr. Dawson also stated that being in a position to recruit more qualified faculty would result in a better experience for the students.
Dr. Dawson the President of the only publicly funded and owned higher education institution in the Virgin Islands stated to the SFC that there was a decrease in funding and it had implications on the capital and physical plant and the maintenance and upkeep of the College.
Tuition hike on the way?
One of the fallouts of the NDP’s lack of proper funding of the Community College is the possibility of a tuition hike. Dr. Dawson told the SFC that “tuition would be considered for an increase since the main business consisted of offering classes and 80% of the students were eligible for the Tuition Assistance Programme.
The President told the House Select Committee that the Tuition Assistance Programme whereby Government pay for local students to attend the institution continues to be “in arrears and they hoped to have some feedback from Government in regards to the programme.”
Bakery, Cafeteria & Bookstore running at a loss
Another troubling item that was revealed from the SFC report is that the bakery, cafeteria and bookstore are all running at a loss to taxpayers.
Member for the Six District Honourable Alvera Maduro-Caines asked about the viability of the College’s Cafeteria. To this the President stated that the Cafeteria was operating at a loss although that amount has been decreasing over the last few years. Dr. Dawson indicated that they would have to come to a clear understanding as to the correct level of subsidy.
Hon Canies also quizzed the College President about the Bookstore as she told the SFC that two SFCs ago, it had been stated that the Bookstore was operating at a loss.
To this Dr. Dawson confirmed that the Bookstore was still operating at a loss and efforts had been made to remedy the situation. He added that the Bursar would be looking into how they could improve the operations of the Bookstore. No specifics were given by President Dawson as to the steps to be taken.
College Bakery gone but still a financial loss!
Territorial Member Honourable Archibald C. Christian asked the President if the Bakery located on Main Street in Road Town, the Virgin Islands’ capital city was still under the purview of the College.
President Dawson stated that the College gave up the bakery at the end of February 2013 after a review of the Finance Committee and its recommendation to the Board.
Honourable Christian asked if the closing of the bakery helped with cash flow. The President stated that “they were making a lost at that enterprise”. However, the terms and conditions of the ‘giving up’ of the Road Town Bakery were not disclosed or who the new owners are.
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36 Responses to “Lack of increment paid may impact performance @ HLSCC - Dr Dawson”
1. Million dollar park on VG that worth 10 thousan.
2. One hundred thousand dollar dinner at the sports complex for teachers that could have cost $$20-$25 thousand.
3. 90 thousand dollars advisory consultant but yet he keep shooting himself and party in the foot.
4. Some 20 plus thousand dollars ticket to go to some strange place for a conference and still no report on benefit.
And many more mismanagement of funds.
NDP and myron must GO!!!
Now he seems like just another in a series of bad actors. Given his personality and penchant for running the show, I doubt he was clueless about the goings-on of the funding of the college