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Boarding Schools will have Particular Needs States PM

September 17, 2004

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Prime Minister P.J. Patterson has stated that in the aftermath of hurricane Ivan the Ministry of Education would have to decide how to address the damage to secondary educational institutions that provide housing accommodation to students. Mr. Patterson made the comment while on a tour of some of the worst affected areas in St. Elizabeth on Thursday (Sept. 16), during which he visited Munro College that had suffered extensive damage during the hurricane.
The Prime Minister pointed out that schools that are boarding institutions will face particular difficulties and would have to be subjected to particular consideration. He said instructions have been given for an assessment of the damage caused by the hurricane to the electrical wiring at Munro College and Hampton High School and that a team would shortly be visiting the schools to undertake the evaluation.
Mr. Patterson said efforts would be made to secure roofing material for the affected schools including the Bethlehem All/Age and Infant School, adding that the charity organization Food for the Poor would be making some assistance available in the coming week.
Munro College and Hampton High School suffered extensive damage during the hurricane including damage to roofs, classrooms, dormitories, administrative buildings and libraries. Classes at Hampton High will resume on a phased basis come Monday (Sept. 20) for fourth, fifth and sixth form students.
Further on his tour of St. Elizabeth, the Prime Minister met with residents of Flagaman including farmers and fisher folk, where he outlined the government’s approach to relief activities. He said the government would be using churches and non-governmental organizations to the fullest in the distribution of relief supplies in order to ensure transparency. He said every effort was being made to ensure that farmers and fishermen could resume their normal productive activity within the shortest possible time.
Prior to his tour of the affected communities, Mr. Patterson got an aerial view of the damage to the bauxite pier at Alligator Pond. He said the government and the bauxite company ALPART, would be working together to have the pier restored in the shortest possible time so that bauxite shipments could resume.
During the Prime Minister’s visit to Manchester and St. Elizabeth many residents were observed repairing roofs including that at the Morningside Primary School. Other residents were seen clearing roads while a team from the Rapid Response agency was seen trucking water to residents.

Last Updated: September 17, 2004

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