NA Rotary commissions public schools’ clean water project

The Rotary Club of New Amsterdam on Tuesday commissioned a public schools’ clean water project. One school has started to receive the purified water and five others are to benefit from similar projects.
The project was commissioned at the Fort Ordinance Primary. The pilot project is a Rotary and Latter-Day Saints joint project and serves as a functional model to promote an interest in other potential donors.
According to Past President of the Club, Roger Greenidge, the Latter-Day Saints have agreed to partner with the Club for the other five projects, which will see similar benefits to Cumberland Primary, Edinburgh Primary and Nursery, St Therese and Fort Ordinance Primary, and Canje Secondary.
He noted that Fort Ordinance Primary was specifically chosen, because it was earmarked as community disaster centre and clean drinking water was a definite necessity in an area where people would be staying or meals prepared during disaster relief efforts.

Given the importance of clean water for preserving our children’s health, Greenidge said the Rotary Club was encouraging other entities and individuals to get involved in the continuation of the initiative. He added that some of the entities who have indicated their commitment are the Bank of Nova Scotia, the Latter-Day Saints and Courts Guyana while Rotarian Jerry Outar has given the commitment to one of the projects and Imran Sacoor is planning a fundraiser to install the system in schools on the West Coast of Berbice. The Club is hoping to engage Oldendorff Carriers, who has supported it in the past.
“This initiative if I am not wrong is unprecedented in our public schools. I have not heard of anyone installing water filtration systems in our schools, if this has been done I stand corrected and commend the respective agencies for their proactiveness, given the importance of clean water for preserving our children’s health. We would like to encourage other entities and individuals to get involved in the continuation of this initiative,” the Club’s Immediate Past President said at the commissioning ceremony, which was attended by a class of students from the school.
He added that it was his hope other entities and private citizens would get on board with the initiative to keep our children healthy not only at home but also at school. “I would also like to see the Government of Guyana getting involved at the regional level to install these systems at schools where treated water may not be available, as a cheaper alternative.”
Meanwhile, Regional Chairman David Armogan, himself a Rotarian, noted that Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have a role to play and should support such projects. He added the Club was happy to partner with the Latter-Day Saints on the project.
“Clean drinking water is essential, because we have seen in many communities around the world where clean drinking water is not present, many water-borne diseases have become prevalent and this is something that we in Guyana are trying to stop. Not everyone can afford to buy bottled water; it is very expensive and so systems have to be put in place to ensure that the water that is used at the level of the school would be drinkable and free of disease and all the other things that go with problems.”
At the regional level, Armogan said they would continue to work with all NGOs to improve the school system.
He called on the children to care the new facility.
President of the Club, Ramroop Rajnauth in noting that six schools would benefit from the five projects, explained over the years the Club has been focusing on water and sanitation, health care and education.