Dear Editor,
I recently read the letter in the press concerning the 26 schools being constructed across the country. Unfortunately, there was no mention of the safety upgrades being put in place at the schools. The recommendation of having sprinkler systems at the schools has not been acted upon. The investment level in the education sector is currently the largest in the history of our independent country. This investment should be protected, which means protecting the children, the teachers and the infrastructure.
It has been clearly shown that fire suppression systems, such as sprinklers, are the most effective at doing this. The Ministry of Education, whose purpose is to educate our nation, has an opportunity to take the lead in setting the example. Teaching by doing would say volumes if they were to insist on having the best safety standards at the schools. Implementing sprinkler systems is the single most effective way to help change the general mindset around safety. Sprinkler system implementation in the education sector should be followed by the Guyana Fire Service teaching others about the purpose and effectiveness of such fire suppression systems. Starting with Queen’s College to create a best in class example of fire safety would help initiate and propel a national fire safety programme.
It is CRG’s hope that the Ministry of Education will take up the safety challenge and have a positive influence on our nation’s children, and by extension, the larger community. By doing so, the general attitude towards safety will shift to everyone being more aware and responsible in keeping each other safe at school, at work and on the roads. CRG invites everyone, especially ministers, to become champions for safety within their sphere of influence.
Sincerely,
Jamil Changlee, Chairman,
The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana
