Top Region Eight officials say they are willing to hold talks with principal of the Mahdia Secondary School, Vanessa Wilson-Johnson who is aggrieved at the condition of her designated living quarters.
“We (The Regional Executive Officer and the Ministry of Education officials of the region) are willing to sit with the HM and have a discussion to have an amicable resolution to this problem” Regional Executive Officer, Ronald Harsawack told Stabroek News yesterday.
Wilson-Johnson sounded her plea to officials this week, begging that renovations be undertaken to the building assigned for her dwelling as it was “unlivable”, rodent and termite infested and in a dilapidated state. She was forced to seek refuge under the stairs of a guesthouse. There, she sleeps on a sofa and resides when not at school.
“I almost burst into tears when I arrived here. I was taken to a house and felt I was in a rat hole. In the advertisement for the post, it said a house would be provided but what they didn’t say was a broken and dilapidated one,” Wilson-Johnson told Stabroek News on Monday. “Wood ants eat out the wood. The utensils… it was if I was back in time.
The bed was eaten by wood ants, the steps gone, the paint peeled …no stove, the house was a shell… it was a disaster,” she had added.
The REO explained that repairs could not be carried out on the designated residence for appointed headteachers this year as those works fall under capital expenditure and had a dedicated budget which did not cater for such works to be done this year.
He said that next year there would be a massive rehabilitation of education staff dwellings as it was proposed in their budget for that period.
“For work to be done for projects ,like those that are not programmed ,would have to be done on a savings basis…At the end of this year when we would have paid everyone and completed all the contracts, when we are finished if any savings remains we can do some work “ he said.
“There are two buildings with four apartments and next year under the education programme they will be renovated …that has been proposed for the next budget already…These requests for furnishings and fixtures are of a capital nature and were not programmed for 2012. Additionally all of the teacher’s quarters are slated for extensive rehabilitation in 2013” he added.
Further, Harsawack informed that contrary to reports the building was cleaned after complaints were made by the headteacher but she was still not satisfied and chose to sleep under the steps as the guesthouse was fully occupied at the time.
“On the 3rd October 2012, cleaning staff were deployed to clean the building for a second time, while work started to weed and clean the compound. A second letter was received on the 4th October 2012 from the headteacher requesting additional capital items, before any occupancy. It is important to note that the teacher refused the keys for the building on two occasions, on the 1st October 2012 and the 4th October 2012.
The headteacher took it onto herself and occupied the Guest House (which was filled) without any permission from the Department of Education or the Caretaker”, Harsawack said in a statement.
Wilson last evening said that she will request a meeting with the officials today and hopes also that the problem is resolved quickly so she can at least “sleep at night in bed like a human being.”
