JVD Primary has been left behind for a long time, says Turnbull
It has recently been pointed out that the Jost Van Dyke (JVD) Primary School is the only public education facility in the territory which has not been named after any official.
It is one of the realities lamented by Second District Representative Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull as he argued that the school and its environs have apparently been forgotten.
“I think everyone who has been paying attention for the last seven years [would notice that] I have been lamenting, lobbying, crying, fighting for a new school for the students, for the community of Jost Van Dyke – which is, by the way, the only public school that hasn’t taken on the name of anyone – but it has been a school that has been left behind and a community that have been left behind for a long time,” Turnbull said at a recent press conference.
Turnbull pointed out that this was especially so after the hurricanes of 2017 which caused extensive devastation to the territory.
The legislator argued that students who were from the second and third grades were housed in the same classroom and were in a building that was deemed structurally unsound.
A new $4M structure was recently commissioned in JVD that Turnbull said he was happy to see after lobbying for the facility since his entrance into representational politics in 2015.
“So, the fight for me to have yesterday [August 25] become a reality where the Premier provided the funding and we moved towards the contract signing and even a groundbreaking and the Minister of Education to have that school now commissioned to be built is indeed for me a very tremendous accomplishment,” Turnbull said.
But Turnbull said the facility that is being built will not only serve as a school, but will also serve as a community centre of sorts.
“So, it’s going to house a school, [and] be able to house community-type events as well as provide libraries for the public, resource centres, after-school programmes and also have the capacity to serve as a a hurricane shelter,” Turnbull explained. “The building is going to be designed to not just host the school but be able to do other things.”
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
Are you the Minister of Education or Labour? Stay in your lane and fix what you are responsible for. Mitch acting like the minister of education is on the other side of the fence. She is a member of your party. Walk up to her tell her that she is doing a piss pour job for Jost Van Dkye and it making you look bad. Come to think about it, this entire party looking like muppets on everything
…What is being built for $4mil? It should not cost more than $1.5 mil to build a structure to accommodate JVD Primary/Secondary and even a community center. How much did Haycraft spend on Enis Adams School?
Listen to this one here trying to justify bol sht
No is no need for a school to cost 4 million in JVD. It is just plain out ridiculous. JVD school has 22 children right now. Twenty years from now I doubt it will ever have more than 40 children at a time in that school. The history of the Anegada School will tell you that.
JVD is in the 2nd district.
$4,000,000 for a student population that is less than (50) works out to approx. $180k/student. I get that transported materials and workers would drive the cost up; but not knowing the square footage to get a cost per sq.ft. makes me wonder if this is the best use of $4 mill plus (once variations come in) for the student population.
Numbers don’t lie!
JVD will cost more….but it would be interesting to compare the structures after.
State facts not just words because you feeling bold. Irregardless of your analysis the school needs to be built. If it will cost more than you approve of, oh well. Chill. The people of JVD have waited. If the school is bigger, better, stronger and more resilient it will be fit for purpose and can serve as a shelter in the event of a hurricane. It will serve many purposes. And the school in Anegada also needs attention! It houses 80+ students in case you did not know. Everytime money allotted for the Sister Islands and it is not that frequent some of you carry on. Smh
Some of the money needs to be poured into renovations and beautification at CCEC too. Anegada and JVD needs attention. And we need teachers too.
We are so sick and tired of reading about people who obviously never managed a damn thing in their entire lives. How is it value for money to build a primary school for 20 students, yes 20 students for $4 million? JVD has water issues. They are in need of so many things and this is what this Government is going to do with $4 million? My goodness. This simply makes me sick. These people running our Government has never even run a household. They know nothing. We are in 2022 and times are hard. The Government is having problems meeting basic salaries on a monthly basis and now this? They chose to pay millions of dollars in rent for an indeterminate amount of time when fixing the Complex can be done and now JVD needs a $4 million school? When is election, please? I need to know. Oh, may not make a difference as I only have 5 votes and the rest of the money that we have they spend it trying to ensure persons vote for them by doing private favours. God will see us through though. The last days are upon us. Gluttony, Greed are the two deadly sins being practiced in this little country. God is able.
Set of clowns. That money can build the school, the clinic and a water plant for JVD. Obviously none of you stuidied Accounting, Economics or had even a Logic class. You all needed Psychology as well. What kind of degrees you all ahve again. This is ridiculous. JVD has 20 students, max and this can build Primary, High School, Clinic and a little water system for such a small place. None of you should put your hats back in the ring for re-election. I mean it. Don’t do it because education without common sense is really making a paupau out of this country. We will not have a dime after you all are done with us.
Reading some of these comments about 4 mil for 22 students infuriates me. Let’s get informed. Is JVD one of the top revenue makers for the BVI? Don’t we deserve something better than what we have now? How many children cannot attend/acceptedinto the school because there’s no space for them? The number will shock you. It is well over what you think. No early childhood development!!!! REPEAT THERE’S NO EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT NO ROOM FOR THEM. There are several kids under 4 years old that catch the 7 am ferry every day to go to Tortola to early childhood school. Not every parent(s) has that luxury. Is this right for you? Construction cost is always more on sister’s islands. Cannot get around that. Is there now a cost to children’s education? I always quote “ you either pay now or you are going to pay greater later (prison, welfare, etc..”. What about the teacher’s and staff’s health and safety! My God. Haven’t you seen the photos and news about the conditions they been working in and they still showing up to work and make it happen? Hurricane shelter, public, school programs, and much mush more. Have some mercy my people. JVD is just a CASH COW. If you don’t feed, it eventually it will die! So keep thinking, it just 20 students!
Maybe name it after Marie and George Myrick, the founders of the Sandcastle Hotel, aka Soggy Dollar. Along with Foxy, they helped put JVD on the map. Foxy is well known, don’t allow the Myricks to be forgotten. Just a thought. If not them, name it after Stedwin.
Let the school name stay as is.
Trust me, everyone understands that the outer islands, especially JVD has been left behind. We understand that schools are needed. We understand that a Police Station and a Clinic is needed. We understand lots of things are needed. But because of this, do you seriously think that a $4 million primary school is needed? Speaking from someone who has built something, that money can build you all of the above if Government knew value for money. There is no need to even ddebate this. As far as early childhood, that is a good opportunity for someone to step in and offer that service. Those are not normally Government owned, but private. We understand your frustrations, but hard times are coming and this wasting of money by Government in paying four times the amount they have to pay for things will cost us all dearly.
If you are debating transparency on the expenditures of the 4 mill, I am 100% in agreement with you. If you saying it doesn’t cost 4 million, I would like you to re-read Mitch comment:
“So, it’s going to house a school, [and] be able to house community-type events as well as provide libraries for the public, resource centres, after-school programmes and also have the capacity to serve as a hurricane shelter,” Turnbull explained. “
It’s not only going to be a school. It will be everything else Mitch mentions and it is badly needed here on JVD. It’s sort of a Multi use complex (how I read it), so 4 mill is a little high but not unreasonable. To make sure it’s spent appropriately, that’s on the Audit Department.
On the Early childrenhood being privatized, we don’t not have the population size to make that work. For 10+ kids, how is anyone going to find the facility to house, pay a staff of approx 2 certified teachers, Admins, and a custodian to run the school effectively??? Tuition will be through the roof that no one could afford. JVD is a different model that can not use a larger population business model.