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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
 Peter Turnquest, Deputy Leader of the Free National Movement (FNM) and
MP for East Grand Bahama, issued the following statement:
“The lack of action from the PLP Government, specifically Ministers
Darville, Gibson, and Fitzgerald, towards the schools and students in
Grand Bahama has been despicable following Hurricane Matthew. Repairs
on schools have not been started and the blame is placed at the feet of
generous donors. Lunch programs are in jeopardy due to a lack of
payment since the beginning of the school year. Our children and their
future are our most precious commodity and the PLP Government does not
seem to care about them and their wellbeing.”
“I recently visited Eight Mile Rock and saw the continued disrepair that
the schools are in more than a month after the hurricane and work has
not even started. Teachers, students, and parents are holding sit-ins
and protests over the horrible environment that the Government is
forcing our children to endure to learn. And now Minister Darville
seems to blame the Grand Bahama Container Port for the slow reaction of
his Government to fix the school. We should not have to rely on
generous donations to fix our schools. This should have been a priority
of the Government from the start. Even though they have not been able
to process the $150 million loan weeks after it was approved, the
Government has claimed to bring in millions of dollars in donations and
spent $7 million in cleanup efforts yet our schools still sit unrepaired
in Grand Bahama.”
“Now there are reports that the School Lunch Programs may be in jeopardy
because the PLP Government has not been paying for it since the
beginning of the school year. Luckily the contractors have continued to
provide lunch to those students most in need so they do not go hungry.
Since the hurricane passed and students’ homes were destroyed even more
students need lunches provided by the Government but they are not there
to help. I am proud of our young people though as they have stepped up
and shared their lunches with those that the Government is failing.
This meal is the only meal that some of our students are getting for the
day. The PLP Government should learn from these students and step up
and do their job to help our children.”
“Ministers Darville, Gibson, and Fitzgerald need to step up and start
doing their jobs. Minister Darville needs to stop blaming our generous
donors for the slow response of his Government, Minister Gibson needs to
use the money at his disposal to immediately fix all our schools and
bring them back to working order, and Minister Fitzgerald needs to
ensure that our School Lunch Program is paid for so that our students do
not go hungry. It is time for the PLP Government to finally show
leadership in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew.”
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