Diamond Secondary PTA concerned about health threats

…threaten to take legal action, protest

The Parent-Teachers Association (PTA) of Diamond Secondary School, East Bank Demerara, is threatening to take legal action — and even protest action — as the body believes the students at that learning institution are being exposed to harm, and even diseases, as food which is being sold to the children is allegedly contaminated by sewage.

In a letter to this publication, the disgruntled PTA members expressed deep worry over several matters that are affecting the students at the school, including this alleged health threat.
They are also complaining about parapets which have been destroyed – a situation which bothers parents who wish to park their vehicles as they await their children; and the non-highlighting of speed bumps in the streets, which results in great inconvenience to both drivers and pedestrians.
They claim that several letters have been sent to the Education, Communities, Public Infrastructure and Public Health ministries, but their complaints have always been ignored.
The PTA threatened: “If no action is taken by your government, we shall initiate protest action, starting at the UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) and PAHO (Pan American Health Organization) office, and we shall be meeting shortly with our attorney, Mr. Nandlall, to explore legal remedies”.
According to the PTA members, relevant letters were sent to the various Ministries before the beginning of the new school term in September. In one of the letters, addressed to Education Minister Nicolette Henry and seen by Guyana Times, the PTA complained of the food vendors who sell outside the school’s compound.
The body stressed: “Since 2011, at PTA meetings, we have repeatedly raised the issue of the school’s administration allowing vendors to sell food items over the front drain of our school to children”.
It was explained that parents are especially concerned as there is a septic tank which drains sewage directly into that very drain which is in front of the school.
The PTA members are now calling on UNICEF and PAHO representatives to visit the school to get a first-hand look at the issues affecting the students. They are even calling for the Head Mistress (HM) and teachers to be investigated, as they accused the HM of accepting money from the vendors to sell outside the school’s premises.
According to the PTA members, “Teachers, who can be found everywhere else except in the class rooms, need to be investigated” as well.
In addition, the frustrated members sought to point out that Regional Education Officer (REdO) Tiffany Harvey and Region Four Democratic Council (RDC) Chairperson Genevive Allen are frequent visitors to the school, and have done nothing to address the issues.
Further, Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Four, Pauline Lucas, allegedly lives in the same street where the school is situated, and the PTA claims she is also aware of the situation and has done nothing about it. (Devina Ramdass)