Shelly-Ann Thompson and Michael McLean, Gleaner Writers

Students leaving Convent of Mercy Academy (Alpha), along South Camp Road, Kingston, after the first day of the Easter school term yesterday. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

The National Water Commission (NWC) promised yesterday to have water restored to schools and other premises in the vicinity of South Camp Road in the Corporate Area after classes were disrupted on the first day of the new school term.

Students at Holy Trinity Comprehensive High and Alpha Primary had to be sent home early yesterday due to a lack of water.

Charles Buchanan, corporate public relations manager at NWC, said the ongoing roadwork along South Camp Road, in preparation for Cricket World Cup, had caused the disruption in the water supply.

"What occurred is not what we expected," Mr. Buchanan told The Gleaner. "But if you understand the fact that you are working with heavy equipment in a built-up area ... some amount of disruption is expected."

Broken pipelines

He noted that water supply pipelines were accidentally broken by contractors working on behalf of the National Works Agency (who NWC crewmen are working in tandem with in the rehabilitation of the road).

"Two NWC crews are continuing to work in the area and we are expecting that the schools which had their supply disrupted will have their supply resumed during the course of today (Monday) and into this evening," Mr. Buchanan said.

Phyllis Anderson, principal of Alpha Primary, said the disruption of water supply had affected the school. While students were sent home at midday, no lunches were prepared.

Disruptions

Ms. Anderson also said the school was out of water last Wednesday. The service was restored Thursday afternoon but was disrupted again on Saturday.

"Since then it has not returned," she added. "So we did not get much time to prepare for back to school because of no water."

Mr. Buchanan said damage to infrastructure will be kept to a minimum in an effort to prevent further disruption of customer supply.

Meanwhile, president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association, Hopeton Henry, reported a generally smooth start to the resumption of the school term.

He said that, apart from a demonstration at Bogue All-Age School in St. Elizabeth, "everything started off well".

Senator Noel Monteith, State Minister for Education in the Ministry of Education and Youth, said yesterday that a meeting would be held by next Monday to resolve the problem at Bogue, where parents have been demonstrating for Junior Colely to be installed as the new principal of the school.