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School work will be finished on time, says Minister

Raymond Hainey, Assistant News Editor
Updated: Aug 19, 2014 08:01 AM
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Minister of Public Works Patricia Gordon-Pamplin and the Minister of Education and Economic Development, Grant Gibbons, conducted a walkabout at Harrington Sound Primary School to provide an update on progress towards completion of The Summer School’s Maintenance Project

Work to make sure schools are ready for the start of the new school year is in its final stages, Ministers said yesterday.

Education Minister Grant Gibbons and Public Works Minister Patricia Gordon-Pamplin teamed up at Harrington Sound Primary School to highlight some of the work being done to improve schools.

Ms Gordon-Pamplin said that the buildings section of her Ministry had deployed its entire staff to complete planned maintenance and fix defects in schools — a total of 120 people — plus private sector firms to carry out work over the summer.

“The goal of this project is to ensure that all the schools selected for maintenance are in good working order,” she said. “I am most happy to declare that considerable progress has been made and I can assure you the work will be completed on time.”

Dr Gibbons said that a total of 41 separate projects in 27 schools had been identified for the summer work programme. He added Harrington Sound Primary had benefitted from a variety of renovations, including the renovation of infant school restrooms and the replacement of the upper car park fencing, which had been identified as a potential hazard to youngsters.

And he listed a variety of other repairs and improvements, including an new sidewalk at the East End Primary School aimed at improving safety, new air conditioning systems in gyms at Victor Scott Primary and Southampton Pre-school, the removal of mould at West End Primary and the replacement of vinyl tiling in a block at Somerset Primary with tiling — expected to save money on cleaning and maintenance.

And installation of a new auditorium floor and library floor is underway at TN Tatem Middle School, while Devonshire Pre-school is to get a new rubber-based playground surface, designed to minimise injury. “These are just some of the projects undertaken this summer by our Department of Education facilities team. The school custodians are also working diligently to ensure a clean and healthy environment as we enter the final stages of preparing the schools for the new school year,” Dr Gibbons said.

Ms Gordon-Pamplin added: “This has been a major joint effort between the Ministry of Public Works and the Ministry of Education and reflects well on Government ministries working together to get the job done.”

Minister of Public Works Patricia Gordon-Pamplin (left), Harrington Sound Primary custodian Leo Trott and the Minister of Education and Economic Development, Grant Gibbons, view the new gymnasium floor during the walkabout at Harrington Sound Primary School to provide an update on progress towards completion of The Summer School’s Maintenance Project
Minister of Public Works Patricia J. Gordon-Pamplin (left) and the Minister of Education and Economic Development, Grant Gibbons, conducted a walkabout at Harrington Sound Primary School to provide an update on progress towards completion of The Summer SchoolþÄôs Maintenance Project. (Photo by Akil Simmons)