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Posted: Wednesday 19 February, 2014 at 12:18 PM

BHS contamination issue possibly on the rise

By: Jenise Ferlance-Isaac, SKNVibes.com
    BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE contamination issue at the Basseterre High School, which had been dealt with in late 2012 and early 2013, may have arisen again, as complaints and frustration from students and teachers begin to increase.
     
    The issue of the possible recontamination came to light last month (January) at one of Team Unity's political meetings. 
     
    Leader of the Unity Construct, Hon. Dr. Timothy Harris, stated on the platform that the problem had returned, and speaking to Harris following the meeting, this publication learned that he had received information that the symptoms suffered by those affected by the contamination were again being reported.
     
    This publication contacted Minister of Education Hon. Sen. Nigel Carty in January when he refuted the allegation, stating that "there is nothing at the school".
     
    However, SKNVibes understands that there are complaints being made by students and teachers of the same symptoms which they experienced when the problem first surfaced, are again being experienced.
     
    This media house was told by an anonymous source that several complaints were made and that there are some who are of the view that the problem was not necessarily fixed but instead, covered up.
     
    The source informed that the toilets were fixed, new soakaways were built and some of the drainage systems were changed but the root and other problems might not have been addressed.
     
    The individual stated that a Parent-Teacher Association meeting was held in January where parents expressed their disgust over the possibility of the school’s contamination...again.
     
    The source further stated that a number of tests were conducted at the school by the Minister of Health during the final week of January, 2014.
     
    The individual however stated that - outside of complaining - neither the parents nor teachers have taken any additional action.
     
    SKNVibes spoke to the President of the Teacher's Union, Bishop Ron Collins, when the news of the possible recontamination had first broken and was told that there were reports which were "of serious concern" and that they were looking into ways of having the matter addressed.
     
    As the complaints continued over the following weeks, numerous attempts were made by this publication to contact Minister Carty for a comment on whether or not the situation was a recurrence of the first of whether or not it is a different issue which is being faced. However, attempts to contact him have been to no avail.
     
    In a recent press release issued by the St. Kitts-Nevis Information Service however, Minister Carty is quoted as saying that the Education and Health Ministries were working together to ensure the health and safety of those attending and visiting the school.
     
    “There have been some concerns being expressed by the school and we want to ensure that we work assiduously as possible with all the agencies within the government to address anything in the school that may be a cause or that may be a factor in some of these things”.
     
    According to SKNIS, he also stated that the results of the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI) tests conducted in November 2012, revealed that there was a mould problem in the laboratories which could have been caused by lengthy closure of those labs.
     
    He explained that tests were also done for a number of gasses and inorganic substances which revealed that those were not a problem.
     
    Background Information
     
    The contamination issue is one that arose in November 2012 when teachers took industrial action after nothing was being done to satisfy the complaints they were making about itchy and burning eyes and skins, dizziness, nausea and respiratory problems.
     
    There was much attention given to the matter and - with the laboratories believed to have been the centre of the contamination issue - the Ministry of Education tried to have it rectified.
     
    However, the root cause of the problem was never declared and suggestions were that the issue originated from the septic tanks which - according to reports - were not being properly maintained.
     
    Parents also raised serious concerns about the matter and openly expressed that they agreed with the teachers’ industrial action, indicating that they would stand behind them in any other action they would have taken.
     
    The school was closed for late November 2012 to mid-January 2013 and agreements were made following visitations by experts of the Trinidad-based Caribbean Industrial Research Institution (CARIRI) and several meetings among the Ministry, teachers and parents of the school.
     
    Measures were taken to bring the school back to a state of normalcy in January 2013 prior to the reopening of the western campus. These measures included the power-washing of all areas affected by excessive dust and mould; the repair of structural defects in the roof, walls and pillars; and having the buildings gutted, removing all wooden, leaky and wet structures.

     

     

     

     

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