Bats take over schools at Union Island

EDITOR: At a time when staff and administration should have been meeting to plan for the new school year, it appears that bats have taken over the schools.

These mammals hang themselves high and let their waste drop to the floor. It is said that bat droppings are a prized ingredient in certain seasonings in the far east. It is not known whether the local population will acquire the taste for bat dropping-flavoured seasonings. Checks with those concerned indicate that no official meetings were held during Development Planning Week to plan the education of Union Island school children. I believe Union Island students sheltering in St. Vincent should simply find places in the schools there. But because apparently mainland teachers do not want our students in their schools, provision is being made in the Arnos Vale floodplain and swamp for them. It is hard enough to find staffing for a single school much less for six schools: Union Island Secondary, Mary Hutchinson Primary and Stephanie Browne Primary all with duplicate campuses in Union Island and on mainland St. Vincent. The financial implications is exorbitant for our meagre budget. Since the local staff and administrations have apparently made no plans, what are we to expect from the BATS that have taken over our schools?

Anthony G. Stewart, PhD