by Kilony Johnson:  

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, November 29, 2018 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – Adtalem Global Education Inc, the parent company of Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM), is saying a big thank you to the Government and people of St. Kitts and Nevis for the level of hospitality and goodwill extended to the students and faculty, who were temporarily relocated here in 2017 from the Dominica-based campus.

In October of last year, more than eleven hundred (1,100) medical students and over 150 faculty and staff of the Ross University School of Medicine came to St. Kitts and Nevis to continue their classes onboard the GNV Excellent vessel, after the institution’s campus in Dominica suffered severe damages during the passage of Hurricane Maria.

In a show of appreciation to the authorities in St. Kitts and Nevis for their generosity and for being excellent hosts, Adtalem Global Education, led by the President of the Medical and Healthcare Vertical, Ms. Kathy Boden Holland, held a breakfast meeting at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort earlier today (Thursday, November 29, 2018) to honour the contribution of all those who played a role in facilitating the students and staff.

“On behalf of the Adtalem executive leadership, faculty, colleagues and students across the organization, thank you for everything you have done for the Ross School of Medicine community over the last 14 months and will continue to do over the next several months,” Ms. Boden Holland said.

“First on a ship, then ultimately [at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort], our students have been pursuing their dreams of one day becoming doctors. Without the significant commitment, cooperation and goodwill that Prime Minister Harris’ Government, the business community and all the residents of St. Kitts have invested in our students, we would not be able to say that their educations have continued without disruptions, that the quality of their education did not suffer and that their dreams of becoming doctors have been able to proceed.”

Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris said the decision by his Government to accept the students from RUSM’s Dominica campus was the right one, despite the challenges St. Kitts and Nevis was facing at the time.

“St. Kitts and Nevis was most willing to render assistance at a very difficult time for the entire region, including St. Kitts and Nevis, which itself was adversely affected by hurricanes. We did that out of love. We did that because we understand that we must be our brother’s keeper and our sister’s keeper too in times of need, and we are happy that we were able for a considerable period of time, at that moment of great anxiety, to bring some relief to the students and faculty out of Dominica,” Prime Minister Harris said.

The Prime Minister further commended the high level of professionalism exhibited by local officials throughout the entire process, which led to an easier transition for both students and faculty.

Dr. Harris noted that such professionalism “speaks well to the high level of social capital in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.”

Other Cabinet officials who attended Thursday morning’s breakfast meeting were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, the Honourable Shawn Richards and Cabinet Secretary, Mrs. Josephine Huggins.

Also in attendance were Permanent Secretaries Mr. Andrew Skerritt and Mr. Osmond Petty; Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Hazel Laws; members of the Police High Command; Chief of Immigration, Merclyn Hughes; Dr. Rhonda McIntyre, Associate Dean of Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM); Dr. Sean Callanan, Dean of Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM) in St. Kitts, as well as leaders within the private sector.