By Carlena Knight
Elementary students in Barbuda could have easier access to their level of education as the lone primary school on island, Holy Trinity, is expected to be re-opened in September.
This was revealed by the Barbuda Council’s Public Relations Officer, Devon Warner, who indicated that the Council is aiming for that deadline.
The school, which was destroyed by Hurricane Irma in 2017, has been under construction for quite some time, but the rebuilding process was halted in the initial stages as the Development Control Authority (DCA) had issued a stop order to prevent the project from going forward due to concerns about the structure.
But, according to Warner, since that time the government agency has approved the recent project which the Council took charge of as it has accused the government of “moving too slow to restart the rebuilding process”.
“All the major construction work has been completed. We are at the point now where we are looking to get the facility painted, get the compound fenced and cleaned, scraping off excess concrete or whatever may be on the walls so the painting can be done,” he said.
“What we are doing now is reaching out to the public to have whatever minor work needs to be done on the compound to make it a community effort so that we will definitely have this ready to meet the September term.”
Meantime, the Barbuda Council is also appealing for assistance to complete upgrades to the Hannah Thomas Hospital on the island.
“It is still not opened. Reconstruction has not gone much further than what it would have been a couple of months after Irma, so we are still seeking assistance with that. We are waiting on what would have been some funds from the Indian government.”
This week, the Council re-opened the Sports Complex with added facilities as well as the Ernest Beazer Lewis Day Care Centre.