Problem with Chaguanas North Gov’t Primary School

THE EDITOR: The parcel of land on which the Chaguanas North Government Primary School has been built was acquired by compulsory acquisition by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, Ministry of Education. This land had to be allocated by the developers of the Orchard Gardens Housing Development before approval was given to them to build the housing settlement. The developers got permission by the Town and Country Planning Division to develop the settlement provided that land was allocated for a primary school and a playground. When I decided to buy a home in Orchard Garden North, assurance was given to me by the developers that a primary school will be built on the allocated parcel of land to accommodate the children from the housing settlement. There are over 300 home owners in the Orchard Gardens North Housing Settlement.

On more than one occasion, the developers tried to build additional houses on the land that was allocated for the primary school. The residents have always informed the Ministry when any attempt was made to re-acquire the parcel of land that was allocated for a primary school. The residents of Orchard Gardens North waited several years before the Ministry decided to build the primary school. Now that the school has been completed, residents are hearing through the media that the Minister of Education has seen it fit to relocate an entire primary school in the school that was built to accommodate the children of Orchard Gardens North. This was done without informing the residents. This highhandedness by the Minister of Education is a blunder on her part and the residents of Orchard Gardens North await an explanation from her as to where the children of Orchard Gardens North will be housed.

L RAMPERSAD
Orchard Gardens North