The Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is in discussions with the Dorsetshire Hill community on the temporary relocation of the students of the Dorsetshire Government School.
The Ministry of Education and school officials met with parents, past students, community leaders, and teachers on Friday, October 10, 2014 at the school.
The consultation was also attended by representatives from the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO), and the Central Planning Division (CPD).
The option to relocate the students and faculty to the nearby Evangelical Church during the construction was unanimously supported by the community.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Nicole Bonadie-Baker, assured parents that her Ministry will be working assiduously to relocate the school population with the least disruption to the community during the construction, which is scheduled for July 2015.
NEMO’s Deputy Director Michelle Forbes explained that her organization is continuing the process of increasing emergency shelter capacity throughout the state and that the community of Dorsetshire Hill formed part of that initiative.
The Central Planning Division’s Project Coordinator for the Regional Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project (RDVRP), Richard MacLeish, updated the community of the phases to upgrade the facility to NEMO’s emergency shelter standards.
Mr. MacLeish noted that the school was assessed by consultants for its structural integrity earlier in the year and the next phase, a design consultancy, was soon to commence.
He also advised the gathering that construction was not likely to commence until mid-July 2015, and would last for six to eight months.
The community expressed its thanks for the information and that it looks forward to the speedy completion of the project.
