New Sanitary Facility for Dalvey Primary

Ground was broken on Thursday (April 22) at the Dalvey Primary School in St. Thomas for the construction of a new sanitary facility to provide toilets and wash basins for over 200 children. The project is to be managed by the executive of the Dalvey Community Development Association, the principal of the school and the school Board.
Construction work on the facility, estimated to cost some $420,000, is expected to begin on Labour Day, May 23, and completed before the start of the academic year in September.
At the ground-breaking ceremony on the school premises, Chairman of the Dalvey Community Development Association, Ivan Solomon said that the Association had asked for funds and assistance from government and private entities within the parish to complete the project. He said that the National Water Commission had been asked to assist with the digging of the pit, while the St. Thomas Parish Council was in the process of preparing a plan for the building. During the ceremony, 20 concrete blocks were delivered to the site by block builder Henry Brown, a resident of Dalvey.
Mr. Solomon said that skilled persons within the community would assist with plumbing and carpentry while plans were afoot to stage a bingo party and crab festival later this year to offset expenses incurred in erecting the building.
Additionally, Mr. Solomon said that the Association had written to several lending agencies for assistance.
Principal of the School, Selvin Thomas said that the institution would be able to enrol more students because of the facility. He noted that only 150 students were currently enrolled at the school, which could accommodate 300.
Mr. Thomas said that if the school had an early childhood department the children would “mostly likely move over into the primary section.” He stated that the lack of proper toilet facilities had prevented the school from establishing an infant department, resulting in children attending schools outside the community.
“When we looked at the facilities we noticed that they were in an extreme state of deterioration, having been built in the 1970’s. They are below what we would want our children to use,” he said. He urged the community to put “hands and hearts together” for the betterment and safety of the children.
Students and teachers at the school performed two cultural items during the ceremony.