Tim: We built 106 schools

CARONI EAST MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh said the former People’s Partnership (PP) government had built 106 schools, not the mere 22 alluded to by the Prime Minister at a political rally in Chaguanas on Tuesday.

Gopeesingh, a former education minister, met reporters yesterday at the Parliament building, to read out points he had laid out in a media statement.

“Dr Rowley disputed our revelation of constructing 106 schools, the most of any government in recent history.

“The facts speak for themselves, so here is a full listing of the 106 schools – 31 primary, six secondary schools and 69 Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) centres, constructed between 2010 and 2015,” he said.

Gopeesingh added that many additional blocks and laboratories were also constructed, and extensive repairs/upgrades done to several schools.

He challenged Rowley and Education Minister Anthony Garcia to produce a list of schools they had built.

“The only school they have constructed – the Scarborough RC Primary School – cost $85 million, with work that had to be redone at an additional cost of $3 million.

“They must also explain why an additional 62 schools – 19 primary, six secondary and 37 ECCE centres – that were at various stages of construction on (our) demitting office, had been left to rot and decay by the Rowley Government, and students, teachers and parents made to suffer serious hardship.”

Gopeesingh accused Rowley of spreading fake news, which he said was highly regrettable, as the education sector is a cornerstone of national development.

“We challenge the Prime Minister and Education Minister to dispute the following list of schools and ECCE centres constructed by the Kamla Persad-Bissessar administration.”

Gopeesingh named the schools he said the former government had built. These included the six secondary schools of Marabella South, Aranguez North, Couva West, Princes Town East, Five Rivers and St Augustine.

Gopeesingh listed the 31 primary schools as Rousillac Presbyterian, Riversdale Presbyterian, Tunapuna Government Primary School (GPS), Balmain Presbyterian, Penal Rock Road SDMS, Mt Pleasant GPS, Palo Seco GPS, Lengua Presbyterian, Arima New GPS, Tulsa Trace SDMS, Barrackpore ASJA, St Barbara's SS Baptist and Eckel Village AC.

Monkey Town GPS, Febeau Village GPS, Enterprise GPS, Union Presbyterian, Manzanilla/Nariva GPS, Lower Cumuto GPS, Kanhai Presbyterian, Charlieville Presbyterian, Egypt Village GPS, Rose Hill RC, Rio Claro Presbyterian, Paramin RC, Pt Cumana RC, New Grant GPS, Cap-de-Ville GPS, Penal-Quinam GPS, Munroe Road SDMS and Durham Village SDMS.

He also named 69 ECCE centres he said the PP government had built.