The opening of a new school term brings the ritual of the frenetic rush to complete repairs to schools nationwide. Wear and tear of facilities cost tax payers millions of dollars in refurbishments. However, with the resumption of school last Monday one institute opened its doors with a spanking new Home Economics Room. Sporting new fittings, furnishings and equipment is St James Government Secondary School.
Housed on Panka Street, the members of St James Secondary Alumni (SJSA) utilised the August holidays to strip the culinary facility and retool it, not with funds from government or a trust, but from the pockets of over 60 past pupils. Almost every day, especially on weekends, a team of dedicated past students, overseed by contractor Nicholas Howard, journeyed to the school to volunteer their work.
Kept connected by Salma Hosein-Constance, the work crew was ably assisted by Robert Wiltshire’s team and Home Plumbing Services; welding services by Rawle Francis and Wiltshire’s team; with transportation donated by Howard’s Yellow Truck Transport. Also throwing in their lot were gas line contactor Sheldon Ryan; Rohan Cordice’s masonry team; and, paints and painting by Dexter St Hilaire and Charles Castle.
Also assisting the alumni were How’zat Sports Bar of Woodbrook and Crosby’s Music Store, through their principals Howard and the late Earl Crosby. Also adopting the self-help approach to ready their school were the residents in the community of New Grant, Princes Town.
St James Secondary Alumni:
Carol Brown
Nicholas Howard
Cecil Cyrus
Salma Hosein
Vellon Blackman
Angelee Sammy
Other SJS helpers
Richie Barkarr
Robert Wiltshire
Cherylin Cadogan
Eddie Tardieu
Rawle Francis
Dexter Harper