BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - WHILE the Ministry of Education has reported that there are no chemical contaminants at the Basseterre High School, some teachers arrived there Monday morning (Jan. 7) to find the learning institution faces another issue and a possible infestation.
This new discovery may have taken the contamination issue into a completely different direction.
According to information received by this publication, raw sewage and cockroaches were discovered in a small area in a classroom located between a bathroom facility and the teachers' staffroom yesterday morning.
Yesterday, speaking with Ron Collins, President of the Teacher's Union, he confirmed the find and stated that the Union believes it is a contributing factor to the contamination issue that the school had been experiencing.
"A lot of cockroaches and so on have been discovered in a small area in a room at the Basseterre High School, which we believe is a contributing factor to the problems that we have been experiencing at the school."
Collins however stated that the Union has not yet met with Education Minister Nigel Carty with regards to this new find, but indicated he did receive word that the Minister would be "willing to engage" them.
"We are preparing ourselves for such. We are available and we want to be able to lend our support to the Ministry to seriously and truthfully resolve the existing problem," Collins said.
When asked about taking a stand if the issue were not resolved, Collins said the Union had somewhat begun an industrial action.
Although not elaborating, he stated that the Union would continue to look into the issue and do its part in ensuring that the school is return to a state of safety.
With regards to the sewage, WINN FM reported that Carty said, “In a cellar-type area of the school, close to the staffroom, there was an area where the plumbing was seriously malfunctioning and there was an accumulation of waste coming from the toilets.”
It was discovered that the cellar-type area was sealed off some years ago following the complaint of bad odour by a teacher that occupied the classroom.
Carty was reported as saying that there was a possibility of a connection between the room where fumes from the waste likely built up, and the complaints from staff and students about itchy and burning eyes, skin and throats, dizziness, nausea and respiratory problems.
It was also reported that a sewage treatment company discovered that while pumping the septic tanks, they were not as full as would have been expected and suggestions that the waste was not being properly carried into the tanks and the possibility of a blockage in the pipes were raised.
The sealed room was discovered during the inspection and cleaning of the pipes by Public Works and Minister Carty indicated that the issue should be rectified by the end of this week.
Meanwhile, Minister Carty has issued a statement giving an update on the issue in which he indicated that a number of repairs were and still are being done to the school.
"Over the Christmas vacation period and before the receipt of the report from CARIRI, a significant amount of work was done at the BHS. The sewage tanks were cleaned; sewage ducts were checked; the Science Labs were cleared of all materials including books, equipment and chemicals; fumigation and other termite treatment were done in the following areas: the Home Economic Centre and adjoining rooms on the Western Campus, the staff room on the Western campus, the Visual Arts Lab near the staff room, the Technical Drawing Centre, Wood Work Shop and the Metal Work Shop. All of these areas received termite treatment."
He further indicated that damaged materials were removed from some of the mentioned areas as needed and new cupboards, shelves, sinks and appliances were installed in some of them.
While Forms One to Four have not returned to school as yet, Fifth Form students continue to attend classes at the Old Girls and Boys School on Victoria Road.
The school is expected to be reopened on Monday, January 14, 2013 providing all issues have been resolved.
