Classroom ceiling collapses at Althea Scatliffe Primary
A classroom ceiling has caved in at the Althea Scatliffe Primary School.
No one was hurt during the in the incident that happened over the weekend.
According to the Education Minister Dr Natalio Wheatley, the information he received indicated the ceiling tiles and the infrastructure that holds up the tiles have been compromised.
“Something like this is not new. Althea Scatliffe is one of the oldest buildings in the territory and it is certainly crumbling. Some major works have to be done there. We have engineers on the site right now and it’s best to have a direct discussion with the engineers,” Wheatley said.
Wheatley said he was going to the school to obtain all the facts about the situation and to properly assess the damage done to the classroom.
“The reality of the situation is that these challenges have been going on for a number of years. The hurricane exacerbated the challenges and we need the resources to get them fixed,” the education minister said.
Wheatley noted situations like this will keep coming up because of the territory’s crumbling infrastructure. He said the school infrastructure in the Virgin Islands is very old and poor maintenance over the years has led to its rapid degradation.
“I came and met it this way and it’s a big challenge to solve and for me to solve it I’m going to need the resources. I’m asking my colleagues and cabinet and everyone to support me in getting the resources required to get the work done. Because we do not want to see any of our children hurt,” the minister added
Real low point
He further said the crumbling of the roof at the primary school is a real low point for him because he keeps thinking about what would have happened if a child was in the room at the time.
The incident happened at a time when the school infrastructure in the territory has been under the microscope.
Last week, teachers across the territory staged a sickout to protest their treatment and poor working conditions. One of the primary demands of the teachers were better maintenance of the territory’s schools.
Wheatley had urged his fellow members of the House of Assembly to approve $2 million for an overhaul of the education sector.
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Always someone to blame.
The teachers didn’t join the protest today, but what would be their response if this had to happened while class was in session and hurt teacher and students?
…..would you look at that! Who said something about the teachers protesting again…..??????
What a scandal that 4 years after Irma the schools are still in this appalling state.
Where o where did the hundreds and hundreds of millions of revenue go that the Government received since 1985 or so? Look at the state of the place!
Look at the terrible standard of public education, terrible roads, and terrible sewers.
It went to the pockets of the sitting government supporters. Money is shared with the few families depending on their influence. Infrastructure comes second!
Everything crumbling under the VIP
About $120,000 dollars would take care of that.
But that gone straight into the speakers pocket.
All the Minister for Education can do is ask, plead and beg…the Minister for Finance is the only one with the financial power to give the funds to make things better. Let’s see what the next move will be at this dire and critical time for our public schools.
Oh please, spare us the swan song. Didn’t this same minister sit in Cabinet agreeing to squander millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money on political allies, barges, hush money, useless lawyers, body guards, and handouts for votes? Did he speak up and ask for that money to be used to fix our crumbling schools and infrastructure instead? Well show us the Cabinet minutes so we can decide for ourselves whether he is in any position to wash his hands and assume the role of helpless victim of circumstances. Play us for fools now, but a day of reckoning is coming.
The teachers demands are not politicaly motivated their concerns are real for themselves and the children. I do not think they want to get into any political squabble. They are aware that these problems existed before this Government and are not going to let another Government get away with not rectifying the problems.
People stop being foolish. Money is not an issue with the BVI Government. Its all about their priorities. They have been bragging for the last 20 years or so how much money has been saved in the consolidated and reserve funds etc. All they have to do is dip in when they ready. When Irma damaged your house and you got $100,000 in savings you dont sit on the money just because it was for the children’s college education you use it for the big problem you are facing today which is the damaged home. Government sits on the millions while the problems are staring them right in the face. They dont even have to borrow. Every time they say they dont have the money they sign another contract the next week for something else.
Bvi News you are very kind. On the Yellow site. If this Minister was from another party, with all that is going on he would have been called embattled or castled Minister of Education. Headline needs to change, as school infracture crumbles before our very eyes,embattled minister votes in support of wasting taxpayer’s funds on frivolous court fees as teachers strike.
What a shame. Every second VIP government signing millions of dollars in contracts, but no investment in education or repairing and restoring educational facilities. Andrew this is exactly why you’re despised. You have your head on backwards. You are blind to the most important issues that need immediate attention, but you continue to line the pockets of your political cronies. You are not good for the Virgin Islands. You can lie, deny and hold as many press conferences as you want, next election you got to go. I am going to campaign against you with every breath that I can muster to defeat you and save our beautiful Virgin Islands, and give our children and grandchildren a fighting chance at living a decent and quality life. Another term under your non leadership is a death sentence. I don’t know why you don’t be decent and step down but decency is not one of your characteristic traits.