Sascha Wilson
Senior Reporter
sascha.wilson@guardian.co.tt
Commuters and businesses in Penal were affected yesterday when residents and parents of St Dominic’s RC Primary School blocked several areas with burning debris.
In the presence of police officers, the protesters defiantly blocked the Penal Rock Road and Lachoos Road, restricting the traffic flow.
Since last week parents, supported by several residents, have been staging protests to press their demands for proper accommodations for pupils.
After the school building was damaged in an earthquake in 2017, the older pupils were relocated to the Penal Community Centre while the infants were housed at St Dominic’s RC Church hall.
Because of several issues at the community centre, including a dilapidated ceiling and malfunctioning toilets, the parents have been keeping their children away from classes. Following a meeting earlier this week, arrangements were made for pupils in Standards Three, Four and Five to be temporarily absorbed into the Rock Road Hindu School while the Standards One and Two pupils will be housed at the Penal Fire Station which does not have a fire tender at this time. Some parents have rejected this proposal.
“We will keep on doing this until we get a school and the children is not going nowhere else. We keeping we children home until we get a school. We not going to no other school. Why we must go there? That was very bad and wrong,” declared Krystle Garcia, a parent.
Another parent, Jernicia Marchan, whose child is preparing for the Secondary Entrance Assessment exam, said many of the parents consider the fire station unsafe and inappropriate for children.
“We want to get something in writing for the St Dominic’s Penal RC School, which is the school on top the hill. We want to know when the building will be demolished and when we could start work. Parents don’t have an issue to help we just want something to start,” she said.
Nearby residents and business owners said they were not in support of the protest.
“This is not the way to go about getting anything done for yourself or your children. They are distressing other people in the area, such as a lack of business . . . People cannot move around in their vehicles, they cannot go to work, preventing people from doing their business.
“Look at their anger, attitude, and the obscene language. They are also littering the place because those burnt tires bring a terrible ash all over the community,” one resident complained.
A business owner said, “I have a food business and my business is shut down because of this protest. No vehicles can pass where I have my food place.”
Catholic Education Board of Management official Sharon Mangroo said she could not understand why the parents were protesting.
Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said the arrangements were made for the children to continue their education while repairs are being done at the community centre.
Asked about the construction of a new school, she said: “At this time, the efforts being made are concentrated on implementing the interim accommodation arrangements and repairing the roof of the community centre. The issue of school reconstruction can be considered subsequently.”