PM ‘extremely upset’ over being given wrong information on re-opening of BCK

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves said that he is “extremely upset” over his absence at the opening of the renovated Bishop’s College in Kingstown, which took place on Tuesday, October 29, 2024.

The opening also coincided with the continuation of the meeting of the House of Assembly which was also scheduled for that day.

At the start of the meeting of Parliament Gonsalves apologized for the late shift in the time for the commencement of the meeting of the House of Parliament. He explained that the time was shifted to make way for the opening of the renovated Bishop’s College which was also scheduled for Tuesday morning.

Gonsalves also informed the House that the re-opening of the school “had been postponed”. Having received information about the postponement the prime minister said he headed directly to Parliament on Tuesday morning. However, he later learnt that the re-opening of the school took place and that he was misinformed.

Speaking later in Parliament on Tuesday, Gonsalves apologized for missing the opening of the renovated Bishop’s College.

“I am sorry that I was not there this morning at Bishop’s College.

Government had spent some $2 million in repairs to the school which is located at Paul’s Avenue in Kingstown.

“I am very upset that someone from the Ministry of Education could have taken the word from somebody else to inform the permanent secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister that the event was postponed.”

Stating that he was “extremely upset” at having received misinformation, he said he was not only upset because he did not attend, but that the refurbishment of the school was a major project funded by the government of St Vincent and the Grenadines. The prime minister indicated that he had seen a letter which was sent to the Ministry of Education by Anglican Bishop, Leopold Friday. Gonsalves said in this letter, Bishop Friday was “effusive in expressing thanks to the government for assuming the responsibility to reconstruct the property belonging to the Anglican community, the Bishop’s College”.

“The children there are our children; all our children,” Gonsalves said.

In his invitation letter to the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education, Bishop Friday had said that “it would be a matter of profound joy” for the prime minister, officials from the Ministry of Education and officials from BRAGSA to be present at Tuesday’s re-opening ceremony. The prime minister said he feels that the “cavalier manner” in which he was misinformed “ is something which is worthy of an investigation.” The Secondary School, located in Paul’s Avenue, sustained extensive damage from Hurricane Beryl on July 1, 2024 and renovations, as well as an extension to the physical plant, could not be completed on time for the September start of the new school year. However, students of the school were housed elsewhere during the period of renovation.