School projects are worthy, but how are we going to pay for them?

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One Moment Please for Feb. 4

School projects are worthy, but how are we going to pay for them?

Ariel Melchior Jr.

Saturday, February 4th 2006

Ariel Melchior Jr.

With the closing of poorly maintained schools on St.

Croix, the

instituting of split sessions to compensate and other

controversial

issues facing public education, an elaborate plan to

build new

schools and renovate another will adorn the twilight of

the Turnbull

administration.

During his eighth and last State of the Territory

address before the

Legislature Tuesday, Gov. W. Turnbull said he

has committed

$17 million for repairs to aging schools and educational

facilities.

Another $67 million was proposed for new schools.

He pledged that " we will immediately intensify our

efforts to rid

our school facilities of the vexing problems related to

proper

maintenance including the acute problems of mold, mildew

and

moisture. "

Presently the administration is wrestling with these

problems in the

H. Woodson Junior High School. Parents, teachers

and students

have shown their displeasure about the condition of the

school and

actively protested.

The school has been shut down since Sept. 13 after

teachers refused

to teach until the school was free of mold and mildew.

As a result, the Department of Education decided to hold

double

sessions at the Elena Christian School where Woodson

students share

the same classrooms - Christian in the morning and

Woodson in the

afternoon. It is something students haven't seen since

during the

reconstruction of schools following hurricane damages.

Only recently another school, Lew Muckle Elementary had

to close its

doors to clean up a mold problem. And the

s school

had to be closed in order to clean up a " cow itch "

problem.

Nonetheless, the governor plans to end his second term

by leaving

his recommendations to construct two new schools and

relocating

another. If nothing else, his eleventh hour enterprise,

is in

keeping with his self-declared title as the " education

governor. "

The construction will cost some $67 million and it will

involve the

relocation of the Addelita Cancryn Junior High in the

vicinity of

the Cyril E. King Airport, the construction of a third

high school

for St. in the western area of the island and the

demolition

and reconstruction of the Central High School on St.

Croix. If the

proposals are finalized it will make the Bournefield

area a highly

congested area with two schools and the University of

the Virgin

Islands within close proximity of each other. And

depending where in

the west the new high school will be built it could mean

unusual

heavy traffic in this part of the island.

The relocation of the Cancryn Junior High School in the

general area

which now accommodates the Kirwan Elementary school and

the U.V.I.

will cost $25 million. Another $17 million for the new

high school

and $25 million for the St. Croix project.

While there may be a need for these construction

projects - some or

all - caution and further study for both the funding and

location of

these sites should be foremost in our minds.

According to Government House the governor has not

determined how

the projects would be financed. A government agency

report disclosed

last year that two-thirds of the general bonding

capacity has been

obligated. Although there may be other sources that the

government

can tap, it is not known what commitments there are for

those

potential funds.

Governor Turnbull was emphatic in his speech Tuesday

night that " we

will leave the next administration a solid foundation

for an even

better future for all Virgin Islanders. This

administration is

finishing up, not winding down. "

We wonder if this school construction plan is just

farewell rhetoric

intended only to leave an upbeat feeling with the public

rather than

a sincere and concerted attempt to meet a genuine need.

Clearly no concrete work can be done before the governor

leaves

office. But Government House spokesman O' Jr.

said it is

hoped that " we could have a plan to move forward - a

foundation to

proceed - by the end of this administration. "

Readers may write Ariel Melchior Jr. by email:

amelchior@...