Some parents of children attending the Marian Academy on Carifesta Avenue have expressed concern over the two ‘No Stopping’ and ‘Bus Only’ signs, which were placed in front of the school three Fridays ago.
The parents have complained to this newspaper that the placement of the signs have been causing inconvenience to parents who drop off and pick up their children in front of the school. While the school has a drive-through arrangement in place, some parents have found it easier in the past to drop-off and pick-up their children by stopping on Carifesta Avenue, in front of the school.
Efforts by this newspaper to obtain a comment on the issue from the Ministry of Public Works have proved futile. City Mayor Hamilton Green told Stabroek News that Carifesta Avenue is a declared public road, under the responsibility of the Public Works Ministry. But he said he would visit the area to have a look at the signs.
Stabroek News observed that the signs cover a distance of over 100 metres from the northern entrance of the National Park to the junction of Carifesta Avenue and Camp Road and are located on the southern side of the roadway.
When contacted by this newspaper for a comment, Marian Academy Principal Sister Marie Harper said she was not aware of any concerns parents might have. She said she would have to observe the attendance and punctuality of students to determine whether the signs have any effect on the school’s population. She said the school is expected to hold an ordinary general meeting with the Parent Teachers’ Association later this month where the topic will be discussed.
A security guard, who is stationed at the entrance leading to the ER Burrowes School of Art and the National Park, told this newspaper that parents collecting their children from the institution after school hours appear to be the ones mostly affected. He said some “disgruntled” parents have been parking their vehicles in the parking lot located in front of the Burrowes School of Art while waiting to pick-up their children.
