BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE St. Kitts Teachers Union (SKTU) and the Ministry of Education are currently in arbitration in relation to the Basseterre High School impasse and it is hoped that a suitable solution would be devised in short order.
President of the SKTU Bishop Ron Collins told SKNVibes that since the process has already begun, there is very little that he can say but indicated that on Monday, (Nov. 3), the Ministry of Education proposed that the parties take this particular route.
“Since we are in deadlock and both sides are solidified in their positions on the matter, then they recommended to us if we would accept going into arbitration and we readily approved and we agreed on the proposal that the arbitration committee...”
The Arbitration Committee – according to Collins – consists of two representatives of the SKTU and two of the Ministry of Education. He said the Committee has been meeting and both sides have already made their case.
And now, barring any questions seeking clarification, a decision is expected to be made.
The arbitration process became necessary after more than two years of complaints that, as the teachers allege, the contaminated environment at the BHS was making them sick with rashes, chemical burns, respiratory difficulties and debilitating headaches.
Tests were conducted by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Caribbean Research Institute (CARIRI) and recommendations were implemented, the school was deemed fit for use.
Having returned on September 1, teachers and students reported that they continued experiencing the same symptoms and maintained that the school was not safe for use. The Prime Minister the Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas called for the operations at the school to “settle down” and maintained that there is nothing wrong with the school.
A string of protests over the past weeks by teachers and students, and the formation of a petition have been the order of the day and information reaching SKNVibes suggests that the protest action continues and regular classes are not being held.
Collins expressed his hope that a decision from the Arbitration Committee would be had sometime today.
