Yahneake Sterling, Staff ReporterPROCLAIMING THAT he is fed up with his school being transformed into a watery prison whenever it rains, Milton Wade, principal of the Old Harbour Bay Primary School in St. Catherine, is appealing to the authorities to clean the gully which leads to the school's premises as a matter of urgency.
"It demands immediate attention given that we are now in the hurricane season," Mr. Wade told The Gleaner Wednesday.
He explained that, over the years, the gully has overflowed the bridge when it rains, resulting in students and teachers being marooned on the school compound.
"Children cannot leave the school and those outside cannot come in. We have to wait until the river subsides before we can enter or leave the school premises," he said.
The principal noted that, during heavy rains, students and staff have to wait at least two hours after the heavy downpour for the flood waters to subside.
"We have ordered some water boots preparing for it (the flood) so that we can lift the children over," he said, pointing to the school's preparations for the hurricane season.
According to Mr. Wade, a small section of the
gully in the vicinity of the school gate was cleaned by members of the Old Harbour Bay Community Development Agency, since then, nothing has been done.
Meanwhile, Eugene Brown, a vendor at the school and a member of the community, told The Gleaner that in the 15 years since she has lived in the area, only once has the entire gully been cleaned.
When contacted, Stephen Shaw, communications manager at the National Works Agency, said: "It is a part of our ongoing mitigation programme and it (the gully) will come in for some attention very soon when we are conducting work in that area."
