Sir Arthur Lewis Clears The Air

On Wednesday the office of the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College at Morne Fortune, issued a statement to the media following an alleged act of violence by a student against a restaurant owner.

The alleged “stabbing incident” occurred on Wednesday 18th March 2015.

According to the statement, the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College shares the concern of staff, students and the public about the act. “In that incident, Chef David Remy who operates a mobile Canteen on Monument Road which services students of the College sustained a number of stab wounds during an altercation with students of the College,” the statement went on to say.

Further, the College through its Chairperson of the Board of Governors, Ms. Fortuna Anthony and other members of the management of the College has been in regular contact with Chef David and is pleased to report that he is recuperating and is generally in good spirits.

According to the College the alleged perpetrators have been identified and the College has been cooperating fully with the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force in its investigation of this matter. The Principal, the school says, on Friday 20th March held discussions with the Acting Commissioner of Police, Mr. Errol Alexander who has agreed to provide additional police patrols on Campus.

“Notwithstanding the investigation by the police, the College, guided by its Rules and Regulations, will establish a Disciplinary Committee to review and adjudicate on the matter. The Director of Security Services at the College has been directed to fully investigate the matter, the findings of which will inform the work of the Disciplinary Committee,” the statement further indicates.

It went on to point out that recognizing that the College is a microcosm of the society with a diverse group of individuals, the College has sought to put measures in place to help mitigate instances of student indiscipline. Also, that the College has two full-time counsellors available to assist and support students with disciplinary issues or who encounter challenges in coping with life at a tertiary institution.

At the beginning of this academic year, the college with the assistance of faith-based organizations established a Chaplaincy, in a further effort to provide guidance and support to its students. The College is aware that more needs to be done and so, moving forward, the College will continue to work with its staff to address the increasing instances of indiscipline among students at the College.

“The College wishes to affirm the majority of students who are in fact disciplined and adhere to the Rules and Regulations and seek to benefit fully from the experiences of a tertiary education offered at the College. The College would like to affirm the staff who in many instances face the brunt of
this indiscipline, yet remain steadfast and committed to the task of providing a quality education at the institution. The College remains open to suggestions and assistance from its stakeholders and
well-wishers in dealing with the myriad of issues of indiscipline. The success of the College in addressing those issues redounds not only to the benefit of the College but to the entire country,” the statement ended by saying.