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VG gets new building for BFEC secondary division

When the first term of the new academic public school years commences next week on September 2, 2019, student of the secondary division of the Bregado Flax Educational Centre (BFEC) will be comfortably seated in a brand new fully furnished building. Photo: VINO
Present at a ceremony held on the lawns of the school were Acting Premier Honourable Kye Rymer (R5), Minister for Education, Culture Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture, Dr The Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley (R9) along with Junior Minister for Tourism, Honourable Shereen Flax-Charles (AL). Photo: VINO
Present at a ceremony held on the lawns of the school were Acting Premier Honourable Kye Rymer (R5), Minister for Education, Culture Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture, Dr The Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley (R9) along with Junior Minister for Tourism, Honourable Shereen Flax-Charles (AL). Photo: VINO
A section of the crowd present for the handing over of the new building. Photo: VINO
A section of the crowd present for the handing over of the new building. Photo: VINO
A student cuts the ribbon at the opening ceremony for the new Bregado Flax Educational Centre (BFEC) secondary devision. Photo: VINO
A student cuts the ribbon at the opening ceremony for the new Bregado Flax Educational Centre (BFEC) secondary devision. Photo: VINO
Over the past two years, the school has since been existing in unfriendly environments made of makeshift tent structures and in crammed borrowed spaces. Photo: GIS/File
Over the past two years, the school has since been existing in unfriendly environments made of makeshift tent structures and in crammed borrowed spaces. Photo: GIS/File
VALLEY, Virgin Gorda, VI - When the first term of the new academic public school year commences next week on September 2, 2019, student of the secondary division of the Bregado Flax Educational Centre (BFEC) will be comfortably seated in a new and fully furnished building.

Since the Hurricanes of 2017, BFEC students, teachers and administration were forced to cope with the unfavourable situations like many schools across the territory as their buildings were extensively damaged during the passage of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Over the past two years, the school has since been existing in unfriendly environments made up of makeshift tent structures and in crammed borrowed spaces. 

New Building

However, yesterday August 30, 2019,  the keys for a brand new building were handed over to the school’s Principal, Mr Hilroy George. The building was constructed with funding from Unite BVI along with Cable and Wireless's Charitable Foundation.

Present at a ceremony held on the lawns of the school were Acting Premier, Honourable Kye M. Rymer (R5), Minister for Education, Culture Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture, Dr The Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley (R9) along with Junior Minister for Tourism, Honourable Shereen D. Flax-Charles (AL).

According to the Deputy Premier, "I am excited for our children because God knows they miss learning in their home base, so today is a new day for them."

He further said, "I also know the teachers miss having their classes here as well. I know that the good minister would give you all that you need for you to be comfortable as you provide the services to the children."

UK was against school – Hon Wheatley

Education Minister Hon Wheatley said, the school finally being ready is a truly special accomplishment, "It shows that Irma and Maria came to destroy… they came to kill but they couldn't kill that enduring spirit of the Virgin Islands."

According to the Minister, "If you look at the building behind me… they say a picture says a thousand words, I think the building says way more than I could ever say."

Hon Wheatley took time to give a brief history on the origins of the school reminding persons that the UK in the late 1970s, did not grant permission for the construction of a secondary school at Virgin Gorda, rather, local leaders at the time did so under the pretext that they were doing a large primary school.

 "As far as they were concerned Virgin Gorda did not need a secondary school. If you wanted a secondary school you had to go to Tortola if you could find a place to live," he said.

Honourable Flax-Charles in her remarks said it was volunteer work that sparked the chain of events leading to the large corporate charity donation.

Meanwhile, more steps are being made to have a second building constructed for the secondary division and to break grounds for the construction of the primary division on a separate plot of land.

 

7 Responses to “VG gets new building for BFEC secondary division”

  • Dr cool (31/08/2019, 17:10) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Money well spent for the kids who taking credit for it come on politics haters say something give jack it’s jacket
  • locals (31/08/2019, 17:23) Like (9) Dislike (45) Reply
    I kno it hurts the NDP party members and their supporters to see a real government in action....
  • Vg Concerned (31/08/2019, 18:25) Like (44) Dislike (2) Reply
    My observations on the tour of the school yesterday. First of all I will give honour to where honour is due. Thanks to our former minister, Myron V. Walwyn, for rebuilding the schools.
    Second, we still don’t have enough classrooms to go whole day. Only one side of our school is HALF fixed. And majority of the windows can’t even open because they used the same old windows that got blown out and sprayed it over. And to top it off, the RENOVATED classrooms are leaking and we don’t have any new furniture, not even a board on the wall to write on. Smh! Oh! And what’s up with that BIG hole in the classroom downstairs??????
    I believe when you do something, you do it to your best ability. I had believe in this government but no, they’re all about show and that’s not good! Why are you rushing and the school is not properly fixed?
    • @VG Concerned (31/08/2019, 20:55) Like (1) Dislike (21) Reply
      I think your concern should be directed at the contractors. If the building still have issues that can't be fixed by the estimated completion date then they need to be frank and tell the government the building can't be completed by that date and get the building fixed properly. If the building is not fixed then the students would be just like the students who used the tents in District 1 after the hurricane.
  • Dr cool (01/09/2019, 07:53) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    We don’t have to be one sided talk the truth don’t give John what is not his all the school work had done start
  • Charley Rose (01/09/2019, 08:11) Like (6) Dislike (16) Reply
    First of all I want to extend thanks and appreciation to the generous donors for assisting to refurbish the BFEC school thus far and may they continue to assist more. However, I am flabbergasted by the negative comments being made by some bloggers. Without the assistance given the situation would have remained the same for the students.

    I wonder how many individuals who are making negative comments made donation towards the improvement of the school. Of course the donors who assisted with the refurbishment of the school do not have any children attending school at BFEC. Instead of making negative comments I would like to urge every parents whose children are getting FREE EDUCATION at the institution to make a small donation towards the school refurbishing and even to provide furniture.

    Thank you VG Concern for your negative comments.


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