Road to school at Edinboro not safe for my daughter – Worried father

Vernon John is like any other father; he wants his child to get the best education in the most comfortable and safe way possible.

However, when he made a trip to visit his daughter at the JP Eustace Secondary School at Edinboro recently, he realized that the situation was neither safe nor comfortable because of the condition of the road.{{more}}

John sat down with the SEARCHLIGHT on Monday, September 7, and related the story of his visit to the school.

He said the first problem was that the vans were not willing to take him down to the school, so he had to walk about six minutes to get there.

John said many of the van drivers told him they refuse to go down to the school because of the condition of the road.

John further noted that on his journey, he saw there was nowhere for the students to shelter from the rain.

John told SEARCHLIGHT that the teachers and students with whom he spoke all had the same response – that the road is terrible.

A driver by profession, John recalled a story of a young man he said frequents the area, who was charged for the alleged rape of a girl.

“Edinboro road, some people may not look at it like that, but is a very dangerous road to walk, especially for girl children, from what I heard from some of the children; they are afraid to walk the road,” John said.

He said that on his way down, female students were being harrassed and inappropriately addressed by members of the community.

He said he urged the students to use the “buddy system,” where they would always have a person with them when they are travelling on the roads.

“I have all right to have concern, not just for my daughter alone, but for all young ladies going over there,” he exclaimed.

The father also noted that at the end of the school day at 3:15 p.m., students sometimes have to walk to Kingstown, because of difficulty getting transportation.

“I am appealing to the Minister of Transport and Works to do something about that road before it is too late,” the father pleaded.

SEARCHLIGHT was unsuccessful in its attempt to obtain a comment from the acting principal of the school; however, an employee there agreed with John that the road is “terrible and really needs fixing.”