Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025

Change of plans: New JvD Primary to be located on the ‘hillside’

Change of plans: New JvD Primary to be located on the ‘hillside’

Minister for Education Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries, and Agriculture, Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (D7) has announced that there has been a change of plans which will see the new Jost van Dyke Primary school constructed on the hillside.

He said following discussion with residents of that island, he brought an architect and an engineer to the location and the matter was discussed and it was agreed that the new facility would move.

“The existing location, there was a $1.5 million difference. The hillside was $1.5 million more than the flat, and that was not considering the drainage and all the fill that would have to take place. So when you really look at the cost, it would have ended up being in the same range,” he said on Thursday, October 22, 2020, during a meeting on the island.

He said in addition to that, putting the school on the hillside would allow the school to be able to continue at the existing location, “So from a logistics standpoint, it made sense.”

Another suggestion coming from the community which was strong was “being able to use the fill from up on the hillside to be able to fill in the existing location and use that area as a recreation field.”

“The most important factor in all of the factors was that you the people wanted to see the school up on the hillside. So given those factors, it would be the best choice to put it on the hillside,” he stated, to thunderous applause from residents of Jost van Dyke.


Minister for Education Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries, and Agriculture, Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (D7) has announced that there has been a change of plans which will see the new Jost van Dyke Primary school constructed on the hillside.

Computer lab and library facility at the school's current location.

Students of the Jost van Dyke Primary.

Design underway


Meanwhile, the Minister said plans are in motion with the design of the new educational facility.

“The Minister of Finance [Hon. Premier Andrew A. Fahie (R1)] has been working with me along with our donors from Soggy Dollar who has generously raised a quantity of money to be able to contribute towards the project. We also have another donor that the Government, the Premier, the Minister of Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration (Hon. Vincent O. Wheatley (R9) has to been able to make contact with to be able to push this project forward, and of course, the government will do its part,” he remarked.

As it relates to the abovementioned fundraiser, he said back in August 2019, that in January 2018, a benefit concert was held in New York at Radio City Music Hall featuring the Dave Matthews Band, among other top artists.

“This concert along with other donations raised $400,000 towards the rebuild of the Jost Van Dyke Primary school,” he said at the time in the House of Assembly.

He also said, his ministry was holding talks with the Caribbean Development Bank to finance the rebuilding of the school.

No projected date was given for the commencement of the school which sustained damages during the 2017 weather events, nor was the total amount of money needed to rebuild the school revealed.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
×