Garcia: Sabotage still happening at schools

Education Minister Anthony Garcia is claiming people were deliberately sabotaging the sewer systems in schools to prevent them from reopening for the new school term next week.

Garcia said repairs began on about 40 schools the day after they closed for the Christmas holidays and repairs had been on stream, but there were some concerns.

“There should not be any problems when schools reopen next week, but we are keeping our fingers crossed. The reason I am saying we are keeping our fingers crossed is because there is evidence of sabotage in some of our schools.

“I am not afraid to say it. The Arouca Government Primary School, for example, which I couldn’t understand, because we spent a lot of money last year to rehabilitate the sewer system – it failed again. When the contractors went in, the lines were clogged with pieces of clothing, large pieces of clothing. And that was not the only school,” Garcia said.

He said the sewers at the St Joseph Girls’ RC and an ASJA school also showed signs of tampering.

“There seems to be deliberate attempts by persons to interfere with the education of the children. I am hoping that we don’t have those incidents of people deliberately trying to sabotage the schools.”