Garcia seeks funds for schools/ECCEs

EDUCATION Minister Anthony Garcia could not give a precise figure as to the sum required to complete several schools/nurseries in need of upgrade/construction, he told the Parliament on Wednesday in reply to several replies to listed questions posed to him. These schools are Avocat, Waterloo and Orange Valley Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) centres, and Siparia East Secondary School.

Regarding Waterloo ECCE he said that as with many other projects efforts are being made to identify funds, but he could not say when this would occur.

For Orange Valley ECCE Garcia said discussions are ongoing with the relevant authorities to identify funds, and when Pointe-a-Pierre MP David Lee asked who they were, he said the Education Facilities Company Limited and Ministry of Finance.

Lee posed a question for Fyzabad MP Lackram Bodoe on the status of Avocat ECCE.

Garcia replied it is 78 per cent complete, with work suspended by the contractor due to non-payment of invoices. “The Ministry of Education is actively seeking to identify funds to meet outstanding payments and the cost of completion of that facility,” Garcia said.

Tabaquite MP Dr Suruj Rambachan asked if the ministry has a priority listing of schools needing funds.

Garcia replied yes but said he would not disclose that information. In reply to a separate question, Garcia said Siparia East Secondary School is now 48 per cent complete. Work was suspended by the contractor over non-payment, and the ministry is seeking funds, he said.

Naparima MP Rodney Charles asked what was the total amount needed to fix all schools. Garcia replied, “At this point I am unable to give a precise figure with respect to the quantum but I’m sure officials of the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Education and the EFCL (Education Facilities Company Limited) are all putting their heads together to ensure we get value for money.

Rambachan asked if Garcia did not know the cost to fix the nation’s schools. Garcia replied, “I never for one minute intimated that I did not know the precise figure. All I said was there are discussions that are ongoing, and at this point I am unable to state any precise figure.”

Comments

"Garcia seeks funds for schools/ECCEs"

More in this section