BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - IN November 2012 the Basseterre High School made headlines after contaminated labs at the learning institution went unattended following teachers and students complaints of sickness.
The issue was however rectified and the affected Chemistry and Physics Laboratories were restored to normalcy. But has the problem or one of a similar nature returned?
Leader of the People's Labour Party and Team Unity Hon. Timothy was the first person to break the news to the public about this possibility while speaking at a political meeting on Monday (Jan. 6).
Dr. Harris pledged to work on a number of issues once he gets into office, and noted that he would ensure schools remain safe and not become contaminated.
"We will work to ensure that our schools do not fall in decadence like Nigel Carty allowed the labs in Basseterre High to become contaminated. I hear the problem has come again," he said.
Speaking to Harris following the meeting, he said he received information that the symptoms suffered by those affected by the contamination were again being reported.
In an effort to authenticate Dr. Harris’ allegation, SKNVibes spoke to the President of the Teacher's Union, Ron Collins, who informed that the "reports are of serious concerns".
Collins stated that he could not go into the details at the time but he however indicated that they were looking into ways of having the matter addressed.
This publication also contacted Minister of Education Hon. Sen. Nigel Carty who refuted the allegation.
"There is no truth in that...that's all I'll say. I mean people are trying to make what is not in existence; but there is nothing to that effect at all."
When asked if there were any similar or other issues at the school, Carty replied in the negative, stating that "there is nothing at the school".
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 the Ministry of Education tried to have it rectified at the laboratories at the school, which appeared to be the centre of the contamination issue.
However, it was never stated what the root cause was and suggestions were that the issue originated from the septic tanks not being properly maintained.
Parents also raised serious concerns about the matter and openly expressed that they agreed with the teachers’ sit-ins and indicated that they would stand behind them in any other action they would have taken.
The school was closed for some time 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 2012 prior to the reopening of the western campus, including having the cleaning 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 and retrofitted (removing all wooden, porous and wet structures).
In an address by Carty on January 13, 2013, he said: “Based on the Report, the excessive build-up of dust and mould in the areas studied by CARIRI were problematic and could have been the cause of symptoms being experienced by the students and staff of the school.”
Attempts to contact the school's Principal and other members of the Parent-Teacher Association for comments on the matter were unsuccessful.
But with conflicting statements coming from both sides of the fence on the matter, it begs the question: "Has the contamination issue at the Basseterre High School returned?"
