Staff Writer
Minister of Education, Hon. Shawn Richards has indicated that Cabinet is currently in receipt of a report from a governmental committee established to look into concerns raised about sites under consideration for the construction of a new Basseterre High School.
On Tuesday (Mar.15), at the Prime Minister’s monthly media briefing, he explained that following the selection of several locations by an independent committee, Cabinet had raised concerns with the five choices put forward by that body.
Following those choices government had put a hold on determining which is the most suitable location pending the outcome of the review.
“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.”
According to the Minister that report was submitted last week to Cabinet and it will soon be under review, with the aim of deciding on a permanent site for the new learning institution.
Following many months of protest by students and teachers of the institution in 2014, over conditions at the then Victoria Road location, the Government of National Unity had last year took a decision to not allow the students to return to that campus.
The students in September were relocated to a number of locations around the Basseterre, including a rotation system with students of the Washington Archibald High School.
Minister Richards during the press conference pointed out that the government currently has limited resources, since the government already committed funding in the budget to the construction of the new facility.
“We have already committed $10 million this year for a new Basseterre High School, so we have to take into consideration the revenue of the government before committing to undertaking too many capitol projects at the same time.”
The government had last year pumped monies into the construction of a modern temporary facility to house the students.
But, the Minister revealed that a recent conversation with the Deputy Director of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) had reaffirmed the Caribbean lending agencies support for the construction of the new institution, through a grant funding.
Currently, another interim committee is reviewing the construction with the view of putting together a report on the needs of the institution, the number of classrooms to be built and if any of hose would be specialized, Richards told the media.
