#BTEditorial – Ministry must act swiftly on Lawrence T. Gay

The back and forth, uncertainty and frustration that students, teachers, ancillary staff and parents have been experiencing due to the ongoing saga at Lawrence T. Gay Memorial School have to come to an end.

Over the years, students and teachers have complained of a pungent, gaseous smell that was causing them headaches, burning throat sensations, burning eyes and/or itchy skin.

The school problems go back years. In recent times, the school was closed in 2019. Then in January 2020, just before the March outbreak of COVID-19, the students were relocated to various churches where classes were conducted.

The ministry has to make a serious decision about the future if the physical plant continues to be plagued by a foul odour. Notwithstanding the numerous tests and cleanings conducted on the premises, the odour continues to affect the school.

It was at the start of this Michaelmas Term that Minister of Education Kay McConney gave the all-clear and assurance that the school was ready to receive a new crop of students along with the existing school body.

She declared: “The air is clear!”

The minister added: “The Ministry of Health, which has responsibility for ensuring this environment is conducive to learning, has done tremendous amounts of tests. They have on several occasions, including last week Thursday and this morning they were also here.  I wanted to be physically there in this environment to ensure that there were no odours; there was nothing in this environment that would cause us to take a different route.”

Now three months later here we are again.

Last Tuesday, 25 teachers called in sick forcing the principal Brent Blackett to inform parents of the closure of the institution. However, The Barbados Union of Teachers explained that no strike action was taken but that teachers were genuinely ill.

General Secretary Herbert Gittens said: “I am hopeful that the authorities can see the seriousness of the matter as it relates to what is being encountered by the occupants of the school. This does not only include teachers; it is the ancillary workers, teachers and students who are all suffering as a result of some environmental issues at the compound – issues that would have been going on for over five years. In the last year or so, there has been an upsurge in whatever is causing the challenge and it doesn’t seem to be ending.”

But, prior to the closure BUT had been pressing for a resolution to the matter. The day before the union’s executive met with many teachers, president Rudy Lovell pleaded for something to be done.

“Teachers are frustrated. They really want to do their job. They want to deliver instruction but they want to do so in a safe and wholesome environment. But the majority of the teachers at the L T. Gay school are still experiencing this odour,” Lovell said.

But Lovell’s comments contradicted the minister who gave the assurance that the “air was clear” the weekend of September 18.

He said: “This is a genuine issue. I visited this school either at the beginning of October or the end of September and I experienced the odour and I felt a burning in my throat. So, I can say for sure that is a real issue. I think more can be done given the fact that this is probably a six, seven-year-old issue . . . we know for sure that something has to be done. We are moving towards a resolution.”

On Sunday, Chief Education Officer Dr Ramona Archer-Bradshaw met with parents via Zoom. Some of the parents told Barbados TODAY they were concerned that their children were also complaining of headaches and stomach aches and reported seeing students vomiting and fainting.

Yesterday, we reported that the students and teachers had been uprooted yet again.

The school is now split into three off-site locations for the rest of the term. Classes are being conducted at three churches – Grace Hill Moravian Church, Sharon Moravian Church and Church of Christ The King.

Yes, after all the official tours, song, dance and reassurances, here we are again.

Lovell added that while the union was pleased the ministry was looking into the matter, “the feeling is not one of satisfaction at this point in time”.

“We are, however, relieved that something is being done but we will be totally satisfied when the problem has abated. This problem has been going on in excess for six-seven years and we would like a resolution to the problem.”

For the sake of all who are involved, we too like Mr Lovell, would love a resolution to this menacing issue that has become a serious health hazard.

We are calling on the Ministry of Education whose remit is the upkeep of facilities and more importantly to safeguard the health and safety of the entire school body, to step up and take long-term corrective action. We cannot be constantly relocating the school while splitting it up in the process hoping that the issue would go away.

Mr Lovell is correct – the issue has gone on for way too long. This should be a priority item for the Minister. Lest we forget the years of on and off battling the environmental issues that plagued Louis Lynch formerly Roebuck Secondary School. A word to the Minister and the ministry she leads: “Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it.”