A/c units at Urlings Primary are latest instance of taxpayers’ money funding ALP campaign in SMS, MP Watts says
MP Algernon “Serpent” Watts says the Gaston Browne
Administration continues to waste taxpayers’ money to fund the by-
election campaign of the Antigua Labour Party (ALP), the most
recent instance being the installation of air-conditioning (AC) units
at the Urlings Primary School.
On Sunday, October 15, Browne took to his Facebook page to boast
and display pictures of the units newly installed at the school, which
sits in the St. Mary’s South constituency.
However, Watts says, the air conditioners will not be able to work
effectively, since the windows in several classrooms are broken and
cannot be closed properly.
Further, the MP says, the school does not have the proper electrical
infrastructure in place, at present, to operate these a/c units.
Only recently, the Cabinet announced that installing a/c units in all
government schools would be too costly a venture. Rather, it said,
fans would be installed to cope with the high temperatures now
being experienced island wide.
Now, in another Facebook post on Monday, October 16, Browne
stated that the “Newfield Primary School will be fully air-
conditioned this week; to be followed by other primary schools to
include: Golden Grove, Cedar Grove, Adele School and Villa.”
In fact, it was in November 2017 that the Browne Administration
first announced that it would undertake the installation of air-
conditioners in the Nation’s schools.
Former Education Minister Michael Browne said, then, that the
Ministry of Education would embark on the project because of the
effects of global warming and the accompanying hot temperatures.
At that time, he said the institutions deemed to be the hottest would
be equipped with a/c units or ceiling fans “as quickly as possible,”
since children cannot learn properly in an uncomfortable
environment.
Most of the departments at the Sir Novelle Richards Academy were
said to have air-conditioning units, then; and so the other schools
had been waiting their turn.
Meanwhile some residents are concerned about security at the
Urlings Primary to prevent the units being stolen, since theft – or
vandalism – has been an issue in the school system.
Further, it was only in July of this year that the a/c units at the
unfinished Bolans Clinic were stolen. There have been no reports of
an arrest in this matter.
And referring to that clinic, Watts notes that since the Ministry of
Health held a grand ceremony, months ago, to declare it ready for
use, it has actually been closed, forcing residents to use
neighbouring facilities.
In fact, the St. George MP points out that the shameless Browne
Administration – up to Sunday, October 15 – was doing work on the
clinic’s premises.
