Latest update March 29th, 2024 12:59 AM
Oct 21, 2008 News
…even as unions prepare to protest insanitary conditions
The University of Guyana can never be ready for a November opening. This is according to some officials, following yesterday’s tour of the buildings from which asbestos was removed.
But Education Minister Shaik Baksh has said that classes at the university are expected to resume by early next month.
“Grossly misleading,” is how President of the University of Guyana Student Society (UGSS), Mr Jason Benjamin, describes the Minister’s statement.
The results of the air quality and fibre tests conducted in the buildings by the A and E Consultancy Firm were handed over to the minister last week.
And according to Minister Baksh, the tests were done in accordance with the Ontario regulations. He added that of the 447 samples that were tested, only one was found to be above the limit of 0.05 fibre per cubic centimetre. That room was subsequently retested and was found to be within the recommended limit, Minister Baksh said.
He said that the university administration had assured him that a plan is in place to facilitate the smooth return to the university campus, and that the courses for the academic year 2008/2009 have been rescheduled and would be completed within the academic year.
But, according to Benjamin, who was part of the inspecting team yesterday, both the UGSS and the University of Guyana Workers Union are prepared to protest any attempts to have classes resume at the university in its current state. That inspection team was headed by Acting Vice Chancellor Toto Mangar.
Benjamin explained that while some areas appear to be in a satisfactory condition, there are several others, primarily the library, where there were visible asbestos fragments in crevices on the floors and on ledges, among other areas, emphasising the need for the buildings to be better sanitised.
At the end of the more than three-hour tour of the buildings, several faculty members and representatives of the union concluded that painting was an essential next step in bringing the university buildings back to an acceptable working condition.
According to member of the Technical Committee, Patrick Ketwaru, while he does not wish to pre-empt any decision that might be made, discussions were ongoing between the university, the contractor and the Education Ministry.
He disclosed, too, that a release will be prepared based on yesterday’s inspection of the buildings. Members of the University’s Asbestos Committee had requested of the Education Minister that the floors and walls of the buildings from which asbestos was removed be painted and lacquered respectively.
However, according to the estimate of a contractor, if both floors and ceilings are painted, the process is likely to be completed in a shorter period, which could amount to about two weeks at the least.
Benjamin explained that, in order to reduce any possible risk factors, it is essential that the buildings be properly sanitised.
He had noted that at the moment the buildings are calm, but with the expected vibrations that could result when they are occupied, they could release suppressed fibres into the atmosphere, a situation which could prove to be life-threatening.
As such, Benjamin related, the unions will not hesitate to engage their strongest form of retaliation, which could see staffers and students commencing protest action.
Meanwhile, this newspaper was reliably informed that the A & E Consultancy Firm has offered to test the buildings that were not infested with asbestos, but is awaiting the permission of the university’s administration to do so.
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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