Clueless

Businesses upwind of two schools in St Thomas have refuted suggestions that their operations are contributing to the unhealthy environment which has to be endured by students and teachers.

In fact, some officials at the Cane Garden Industrial Estate, a stone’s throw from the Sharon Primary School and Maria Holder Nursery said they were clueless about where the harmful pollutants were coming from.

For months, teachers and students have been fainting, vomiting, experiencing dizziness and cramps, forcing the extended closure of the schools three weeks into the school year and raising the ire of those affected.

Businesses in St Thomas have refuted suggestions that their operations are contributing to the unhealthy environment.

And while the Ministry of Health and Wellness has identified wrongdoing by the businesses months ago, they have been cleared of malpractice and the blame for the most recent problems was transferred to a “residential” operation nearby.

As teachers’ unions and furious parents demand written proof of the ministry’s findings, some businesses have stayed clear of media attention, while others have come forward to clear their names.

Ryan Royer, Director of Colour XL Inc. told Barbados TODAY he received a visit from health officials some months ago but his business already had measures in place and had been operating from the location over the past two years without any complaints.

John Francis, a director of Williams Industries told Barbados TODAY the company was extremely concerned about the challenges being faced by students in the community.

Francis was however adamant that environmental officials have never approached the business with concerns about its operations and any direct comment on the matter would be based on speculation and newspaper articles.

“We’ve had no contact from the ministry in relation to making any improvements or any amendments to any of the processes that we perform here,” said the director.

“All of it at this point is speculation and that is what the parents have been asking for. There has been no clarity given at this point, so I wouldn’t want to comment on something that is mere speculation.”

He added that safety of surrounding communities and their own employees was of “paramount importance”.

“All measures are in place to protect the wellbeing and health of employees first and obviously our community,” he disclosed.

The issues have forced education officials to house classes 3 and 4 students in the nearby Jackson SDA Church and left them searching for two locations to accommodate the others.

Other businesses, like the Maximo Battery Services were considerably less vocal about the issues.

“I don’t want to make any comments,” said a company official.

At an auto repair and painting shop in the same complex, one worker told Barbados TODAY he preferred to keep silent but revealed health officials visited the complex but “not us”.

“I don’t really like to point fingers but people really need to find the facts of what is going on before they speak,” he said, while declining to provide more details.

kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb