The Principal of the Isabella Morris Primary School, Ms Sylvia Adams, has assured that the Isabella Morris Primary School building in Carrot Bay is ready for re-occupancy for the new school year which begins in September. Photo: VINO/File

During the final term of the last academic school year, some 36 students and teachers of the Isabella Morris Primary School reportedly developed medical complications and had to be treated for illnesses allegedly linked to the presence of mould in the school building. Photo: VINO/File

First District Representative Honourable Andrew A. Fahie told Virgin Islands News Online in an exclusive interview yesterday August 19, 2013 that he has not had update on the situation or progress as it related to the mould issue at the Isabella Morris Primary School in Carrot Bay. Photo: VINO/File

This is to the extent that the transferring of the school’s working materials from the Cane Garden Bay Community Centre back to the school in Carrot Bay has commenced, Ms Adams told Virgin Islands News Online last evening, August 19, 2013.

This information; however, seems not to have been communicated to most parents and concerned citizens, including the First District Representative Honourable Andrew A. Fahie, who told Virgin Islands News Online in an exclusive interview yesterday August 19, 2013 that he has not had an update on the situation or progress as it related to the mould issue at the school.

During the final term of the last academic school year, some 36 students and teachers of the Isabella Morris Primary School reportedly developed medical complications and had to be treated for illnesses allegedly linked to the presence of mould in the school building.

This had prompted an emergency intervention by the Department of Education following desperate cries from parents and teachers. The school was temporarily relocated to the Cane Garden Bay Community Centre where it remained for the remainder of the school year.

Parents recently complained to Virgin Islands News Online that they had received no further information from the school’s head, the Department of Education and First District Representative, Honourable Fahie as to the development at the school. They had even issued a call for an emergency meeting in order to be briefed on the situation before the new school year.

When contacted, Hon. Fahie said he was in no better position than the concerned parents regarding the development of the situation. He said he was forced recently to pen a letter to the Honourable Minister for Education, Hon. Myron V. Walwyn seeking answers and had even suggested that the Minister respond by having a public broadcast to inform parents and the community about the situation at the school.

“We were promised as a community by the Minister for Education two fold action; one being the immediate relocation of the school, which was to the Cane Garden Bay community Centre, while they have the mould issue addressed…..if my memory serves me well then they would have had to hold another meeting to come back and inform...” said Hon. Fahie.

He said he was forced to write the Hon. Minister responsible consequent of him being bombarded by members of his constituency with questions as it regarded the situation at the school. At the time of speaking with this news agency, Hon. Fahie claimed to be ignorant of the fact that there were plans afoot to have the students relocated to the original school building for the September school term. To-date he, like many parents, is not satisfied that the problem was effectively or satisfactorily handled.

One parent said she was very shocked to have learnt from Virgin Islands News Online last evening that the students and teachers would be going back into the school. “No one told us anything and school opens in a matter of short time. Why no one has come out to tell us anything publicly about that I don’t know that but if that is so I got a lot of questions because I am not aware that any work was done to that school to deal with the mould problem,” said the disturbed parent.