BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – MININISTER of Education Hon. Shawn Richards has informed that the government has not yet decided on what plans it has for the old Basseterre High School Campus, located on Victoria Road.
That site, over the past five years, has been at the center of a political firestorm.
Students, who were attending the learning institution when it was located on Victoria Road, allegedly came down with a number of ailments. But since taking office in 2015, the Team Unity Administration had relocated the students.
Richards, responding to SKNVibes’ question on if government has any plans for the old campus, indicated that it is one that keeps coming up “over and over and over and over and over again”.
“I have said on numerous occasions that the government has not lent its mind to the old Basseterre High School site. The priority for the government at this point in time is addressing the new Basseterre High School.”
He reaffirmed that education and the new campus for the students are of “priority” for the government.
Further, the Minster stated that the education of its citizens is greater than any other investment that could be made within the Federation.
The Education Minister also briefly addressed allegations of the Team Unity Government having already disposed of the campus.
“I have heard persons suggesting that it is being sold to private entities…that is not the case. The property is still in the hands of the government, in the hands of the public.”
The government, on many occasions, had vehemently denied a number of allegations made by opposition members about the old and temporary Basseterre High School, as well as site for the new one.
Stressing on the importance of education, Richards stated that “when you educate people you educate them for a lifetime and education beyond the present one”.
He suggested that perhaps after the conclusion of the construction work on the new campus, the government would give consideration on what could be done with the Victoria Road location.
“We must also take into consideration that the government took a decision to close that site because of the environmental effects upon the students and the rest of the facility and staff.”
Though several regional health institutions had conducted tests at the Victoria Road site, none of them came up with a definitive conclusion to the students falling ill.
Richards declared that “to date, they have not had any report that has given a definite cause for the different issues that you had at the old Basseterre High School”.
However, the Minister was adamant that the issues of the site must be determined before one can take any decision as to what to do with it.
In the meantime, the gates to the campus remain open.
The government is currently in the process of putting the drawings and other works together to finalize construction for the new school on Ponds Extension site.
