UG officials express concerns about hasty opening date

Oct 24, 2008 News

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The University of Guyana Turkeyen Campus was a hive of activities yesterday as contracted workers, who descended on the several buildings which were infested with asbestos, engaged in the vacuuming of floors, painting of doors and dry wiping of walls, all in a bid to prepare the campus for its reopening.
And as part of the preparation, the tiles in the library have been replaced and works are ongoing in the various other buildings to remove any asbestos particles in hard to reach areas.

Several individuals had voiced concern about the sanitary condition of the academic institution following air testing results and post tests of the buildings. They had also highlighted the risk factors associated if the floors were not lacquered and the walls were not painted and persons are allowed to occupy the buildings.
But it was following a meeting convened by Education Minister Shaik Baksh on Wednesday that saw the attendance of representatives of the University administration, and the President of the University’s Workers Union, that it was disclosed that the measures would be put in place to have the floors waxed.
President of the University of Guyana Student Society, Jason Benjamin was excluded from that forum, a move he believes was deliberate.
It was related to this newspaper that at that meeting the Minister had related that Government would not be funding such an undertaking, thus the University administration has signalled its willingness to finance the task of waxing.
“I don’t know what is the idea of the waxing…Can it properly trap (the asbestos residue that are still around) or is it better to use rubberised paint…I don’t know what this wax is…If it is what I think it is it can’t hold anything…,” one official asserted.
It has also been revealed to this newspaper that while the final stage of preparation for the reopening of the university is expected to be properly completed in another six days, it is the expectation of the Minister that it will be completed by today, allowing for a November opening of the campus.
“It is highly impossible that this work could be completed so quickly…It requires time for this process to be completed to ensure that students and staffers can re-enter a safe environment…”
As such, several persons close to the operation of the university have expressed concern that a period has been identified by the University for the reopening of the campus.
“I have been involved in this from the inception and I could never be satisfied…,” said a university official.
The official explained that there is still a lot of work to be done in a number of the buildings that have to be sanitised. He added that the process has so far lacked a check listing aspect whereby what needs to be done is identified in order to determine what has been done and what still needs to be done.
“There is no evaluation of the process to say if it is excellent, good, or satisfactory…These are the little things that nobody looked at…”
The official is, however, optimistic that every effort will be made to have the process completed as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, the university by way of a statement released yesterday assured the public, staff and students that “we are anxious to return to the Turkeyen Campus and to begin teaching as soon as possible.”
The statement pointed out that as the custodian of many of the nation’s best minds, it is contingent for the university to ensure that the campus is safe before it is reopened.
“We will return to the campus and resume operations immediately as it is certified safe,” the staff member added.
According to the statement, the Ministry of Education, through its consultants, has undertaken to ensure that concerns about residual asbestos on campus are adequately addressed. As such it noted that the Ministry has accepted that the UG Technical Team work with their (the Ministry’s) consultants to ensure that the sanitisation is done to universally acceptable standards.
It was pointed out, too, that once satisfactory completion of the sanitisation process is determined at a review fixed for today, an earlier prepared plan drawn up for the return to the campus will be activated.
“Several major items from buildings of the campus were evacuated in order to facilitate the removal of asbestos. These buildings, which include the library, will have to be re-stocked and the campus buildings which were looked down for the past four months cleaned. It is anticipated that this process will take no less than seven days, beginning three days after the campus is certified safe and handed over to the university.”
This process, according to the statement, will be followed by further registration and supplemental exams over a period of two weeks after which classes will begin by mid-November.
Additionally, it was noted that all efforts are currently being made to have in readiness those items that can be prepared off campus for the 2008 graduation, since substantial numbers of student records are still on campus. It is anticipated that the convocation activities can be held in mid-December.

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