Dear Editor,
Unfortunately, it seems as if the students of the University of Guyana have been forgotten and it is absolutely appalling that no one has seen the need to raise any concerns about the information deficiency on the part of the authorities. With the exception of brief, indefinite and rather sketchy updates about the reopening of the Turkeyen campus on the university’s website and in the press outlining the arrangements for the asbestos removal, students have been left to wonder and worry about their future at the university.
When will the Turkeyen campus reopen? What are the registration procedures for the two categories of students − continuing and prospective? What will be the strategy to deal with the time lost for the students thus far? Last, but definitely not least, what is the progress, if any, as it relates to the asbestos removal and how is the safety of the students going to be guaranteed?
Asbestos, as we all know, is highly toxic and this step should have been taken decades ago; however, are we supposed to assume that the relevant authorities have done sufficient consultations on the best practices as these relate to asbestos removal? It takes years, and depending on the volume of asbestos (which in the university’s case is a staggering fifteen buildings) to be removed, the process of asbestos elimination could surpass a decade. What is even more shocking is that the cost attached to this process is tremendous, and we all know our already deprived campus is starved of funds. From research done, it is claimed that it actually costs less to demolish a building than rid it of asbestos fibres. In addition to this fact, the company undertaking the removal project should be a registered asbestos removal entity adhering to the strictest of policies and regulations leaving no stone unturned in eliminating the asbestos.
Nonetheless, there are some questions that must be answered and the time to do so has gone.
When is our campus reopening and what plans are intended for the students of the campus? The students deserve to know, we should not be left to wonder about our future. Time is definitely not on anyone’s side and some sort of update should be forthcoming and a progress report on the campus’s situation given to the public. The only thing that is definite is that many students and staff will not be going on the campus unless some concrete assurance is given about its safety.
In conclusion, I stand firm along with many others and insist that tests be done at the campus. The great need for this was highlighted when members of the testing team had to evacuate the campus after finding asbestos on the floor. How can students and staff feel safe after this latest incident? Air quality tests are an indispensable part of the removal process and if these are not done the process is incomplete. I hope that the relevant authorities see the need to have more than one or two air quality tests executed.
Yours faithfully,
Richard De Nobrega
