Mould remediation works at BVI schools have not been abandoned
Premier Andrew Fahie has insisted that remediation works to address the longstanding issue of mould at local public schools have not been abandoned.
“[The mould remediation is] still ongoing,” Premier Fahie said. “The Minister of Education has done a good job with his team to address it. We take mould very seriously and wherever that exists, we continue to make sure that we address it.”
The Premier’s statement, made at a recent press conference, comes on the heels of a mould episode that forced the temporary closure of the Elmore Stoutt High School’s Pasea Estate campus for a brief period several weeks ago.
At the time of the incident, Education Minister Dr Natalio Wheatley said he gave instructions for the Clarence Thomas Building at the Pasea campus to be cleaned, and this was expected to cost more than $50,000.
“Leonora Delville, Ivan Dawson, Joyce Samuel, Francis Lettsome, Alexindrina Maduro, Enis Adams and Jost Van Dyke are among the schools remediated for mould this school year, and we have scheduled more cleanings at other schools where we have identified problems,” Dr Wheatley said at the time.
Meanwhile, Premier Fahie expressed that the issue of mould should never be played with and stated that over the years mould has been allowed to build up in the schools.
He added: “We have to deal with it now. It seems like everything just fall during our administration—fall on us to deal with and some of those who didn’t address it are the ones asking us. But we have to deal with it. We signed up for it so we have to deal with it.”
Following his budget address a few weeks ago, the Premier said mould remediation works on all public schools are expected to continue through to 2022.
Dr Wheatley said recently that the government spent close to one million dollars on school maintenance and mould remediation so far this year.
The Premier’s statement, made at a recent press conference, comes on the heels of a mould episode that forced the temporary closure of the Elmore Stoutt High School’s Pasea Estate campus for a brief period several weeks ago.
At the time of the incident, Education Minister Dr Natalio Wheatley said he gave instructions for the Clarence Thomas Building at the Pasea campus to be cleaned, and this was expected to cost more than $50,000.
“Leonora Delville, Ivan Dawson, Joyce Samuel, Francis Lettsome, Alexindrina Maduro, Enis Adams and Jost Van Dyke are among the schools remediated for mould this school year, and we have scheduled more cleanings at other schools where we have identified problems,” Dr Wheatley said at the time.
Meanwhile, Premier Fahie expressed that the issue of mould should never be played with and stated that over the years mould has been allowed to build up in the schools.
He added: “We have to deal with it now. It seems like everything just fall during our administration—fall on us to deal with and some of those who didn’t address it are the ones asking us. But we have to deal with it. We signed up for it so we have to deal with it.”
Following his budget address a few weeks ago, the Premier said mould remediation works on all public schools are expected to continue through to 2022.
Dr Wheatley said recently that the government spent close to one million dollars on school maintenance and mould remediation so far this year.
