BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Government of National Unity is still undecided on a permanent location for the Basseterre High School as the matter is still before Cabinet.
According to Minister of Education the Hon. Shawn Richards, a committee was recently established with the view of finding possible locations for the construction of the new school.
He disclosed that the body has already submitted recommendations to Cabinet for selection.
“As indicated earlier to the public, a committee had been put in place to look at possible sites. That committee came back with a report and the report detailed five possible sites for the permanent housing of a new Basseterre High School.”
Since the relocation of students to Washington Archibald High School last year following the closure of the old school, the Government, upon taking office in 2015, built a temporary structure to the tune of some $10M and relocated the facility from the controversial Victoria Road campus.
Addressing the media on Tuesday (Mar.15) at the Prime Minister's monthly press conference, Richards explained that government had raised an eyebrow at several of the committee’s selections.
To this end, experts were enlisted to make recommendations to the government on addressing their problems with the selections.
“Some of the sites which were identified by the committee, we had some concerns with those sites. And, as a result of that, we got a panel of experts to prepare a report to determine the feasibility of some of those sites.”
Additionally, the Minister disclosed that last week the government received the report from the committee and it is currently before Cabinet for review.
“Upon reviewing that report by the committee, I think we would be a little closer in making a determination as to the permanent site for the BHS.”
The Education Minister stated that the government is putting together a report on what is needed for the new learning institution before cost and work can go into the facility.
