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by pltm
(PLTM) - Education Minister Hon. Myron Walwyn will be asking the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to investigate what he terms questionable matters, which occurred while Opposition Leader, Hon. Andrew Fahie served as Education Minister.
Minister Walwyn, made these comments to BVI Platinum News during a response to suggestions that the perimeter fence around the Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) should have cost $300,000 rather than $1M.
The Education Minister, said that Hon. Fahie in his quest to grab power, he must consider the effects of his ever increasing baseless and untrue utterances on the territory.
"It is time for Hon. Fahie to put up or shut up! If he is of the view that the cost of the wall around the ESHS was inflated then I encourage him and in fact it is his duty as a Member of the Public Accounts Committee to ask for this matter to be looked into," Hon. Walwyn said.
He added, "I will also be asking the Public Accounts Committee to look into many questionable matters that I continue to discover almost on a monthly basis that took place during Hon. Fahie's tenure as Minister for Education."
Minister Walwyn lamented that it is unfortunate that Hon. Fahie continues to blatantly misrepresent the facts on many important matters taking place in the country.
"For the Honorable Member to suggest that the cost of the wall around ESHS was doubled would be to suggest that the Permanent Secretary (who is the accounting officer in the ministry of education); the assistant secretary who is responsible for projects; the external project manager Mr. Steve Augustine and the ministry of finance's entire project unit are all dishonest persons."
He said that he will not allow Hon. Fahie to suggest this.
"The wall around the ESHS is in excess of 1,600 linear feet and anyone who has knowledge of construction would tell you that it is totally impossible to do a wall of this length and scope for $300,000," Minister Walwyn stated.
Previous Article: Wall Cost Was Doubled--Fahie Suggests
The controversial perimeter fence around the Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) should not have cost tax payers' $1M, this is suggested by Opposition Leader, Hon. Andrew Fahie.
He believes that the wall should be in the region of $300,000.
The former Education and Culture Minister, said that the people of the Virgin Islands will address the political reckless decisions made by the National Democratic Party (NDP) Government at an appropriate time including the wall.
"The one million dollars spent on a three hundred thousand dollars wall around the high school,” Hon. Fahie recently alleged.
He also mentioned other areas in education---the implementation of a sixth form, when according to him, absolutely nothing was in place for it to function.
"Schools without sanitary supplies; and the public library has now been closed for one year and to date the House of Assembly has not been given the budget for its relocation or the operational expenses required for its operations," Hon. Fahie said.
Earlier this month, Hon. Myron Walwyn, Minister of Education and Culture in response to questions in the House of Assembly, said that the total amount expended on the wall project to date is $1,068,292.91.
He noted that that figure is inclusive of all costs incurred on the wall, which stretches from Lower Estate to the E. Walwyn Brewley Ball Park.
Minister Walwyn has stated that the importance of security at the school, adding that it was a request by the school to have the old fence removed and replaced, so that it is more secure.
He said that the campus is 8.35 acres in size and when considering the cost of the wall to date, the actual size of the campus must be borne in mind.
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