Local News BUT: Airport incinerator significantly affecting classes at nearby school by Sheria Brathwaite 01/07/2023 written by Sheria Brathwaite Updated by Aguinaldo Belgrave 01/07/2023 2 min read A+A- Reset BUT president Rudy Lovell. Share FacebookTwitterLinkedinWhatsappEmail 270 By Sheria Brathwaite The Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) is begging authorities at the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) to better manage the incinerator there, as smoke from the facility continues to affect a nearby school, resulting in illness and disruption to classes. The union complained that smoke was still affecting classes at the St Bartholomew Primary School in Parish Land, Christ Church, even though BUT officials had met with airport management about the issue. “The Barbados Union of Teachers is deeply concerned about the impact the smouldering incinerator at the Grantley Adams International Airport is having on the teaching and learning process at St Bartholomew’s Primary School. The incinerator sometimes smoulders for lengthy periods of the school day and has resulted in several teachers and students experiencing respiratory issues,” said union president Rudy Lovell. Chairman of the union’s Safety and Health Committee Julian Pierre said it had become a nuisance and teachers and parents of students not only tried to get transfers but some had to get operations due to illness. “Within recent years, there were four teachers in particular – two of them had their thyroid glands removed and two other teachers became fairly ill and would have been out for weeks at a time. The union held a meeting with representatives from GAIA Inc. on May 9th but the problem persists and teachers and students continue to experience serious respiratory ailments,” Pierre said. “Back then they would have given an explanation about the incinerator being old and the need for upgrades or for it to be practically changed. They would have tried to implement systems or something called a scrubber which is supposed to filter out the waste of the smoke which enters the atmosphere. “However, it is still clear that there’s a lot of smoke which affects people. You can almost tell what is burning based on the smell of the smoke and, obviously, smelling smoke from waste would not be healthy for anyone. So we are definitely concerned about it. We also have had one of our members of staff go on extended sick leave; I think it is about 12 months now,” Pierre added. Lovell added that the medical bills were costly and it was not fair that teachers had to spend hundreds of dollars because of this situation. “What is worrying is that teachers who experience illness because of the working environment are forced to foot their medical bills and not those who put them at risk. In time, we hope compensation will be given to those who fall ill due to their working environment, to help offset the cost of medical bills,” he added. sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb]]> Sheria Brathwaite You may also like Updated: Wanted man Zion Jackson in custody 18/02/2025 Update: Person of interest identified and charged 18/02/2025 Man remanded on firearm and ammunition charges 18/02/2025