Greiggs Primary School closes again

For a second consecutive day this week, the pupils and teachers of the Greiggs Primary School had their school day cut short on Wednesday.

The day before, on Tuesday, students had to be sent home at 1 p.m. because of the stench coming from portable toilets that had been left on the school’s compound since Sunday, when they were used at a convention of the New Democratic Party (NDP).

The portable toilets were removed late on Tuesday, but when the students returned to school on Wednesday, they were once again sent home because of garbage that remained even after the toilets were removed.

Parliamentary representative for South Central Windward Saboto Caesar told SEARCHLIGHT that the toilets being left on the compound was a bad idea and to have garbage left there was also ridiculous.
“They moved the toilets but left the garbage, so school was postponed again. I called the Central Water and Sewage Authority (CWSA) because I mean, if they have it as a joke, I can’t have it as a joke,” said Caesar.

He said that the CWSA cleaned the compound.

Several supporters of the NDP also journeyed to the school and assisted with the cleaning and the removal of the garbage.

Caesar said that in his opinion, the toilets were hurriedly removed last Tuesday evening because of the outcry by community members and the negative publicity but the garbage forced the closure of the school at around 10 am Wednesday and that is unfortunate. He said the school will also have to be pressure washed.

Headteacher of the school Margaret Lewis-Jackson could not be reached for comment on Wednesday, but on Tuesday, she said she dismissed school after seeking and receiving permission from the Ministry of Education. She said the stench from the toilets had become unbearable for teachers and pupils.

On Tuesday, the NDP issued a press release which stated that highlighting the problem caused by the portable toilets was a malicious attempt by a few supporters of the Unity Labour Party (ULP) to bring the NDP into disrepute.