How typical of David Burt’s Government and the PLP. The Party Chairwoman, Dawn Simmons, releases a statement on the proposed closure of Gilbert Institute. Yet her statement attacks the OBA when the closure is the PLP’s decision. And the PLP statement doesn’t bother to address the legitimate concerns of the Gilbert parents, or the school’s Parent Teachers Association (PTA), about this latest PLP school closure.
It is fair for the PLP to note that Minister Burch foreshadowed the closure of Gilbert in Parliament a few weeks ago. He did. Yet what Col. Burch actually told MPs was that Gilbert was “scheduled for closure next year”, which is hardly specific.
And the PLP statement ducks thereal issue here.
The PLP’s botched school reforms have been a complete and utter disaster. We have heard from the West End ‘Warriors’, the families of St. George’s Prep, and others. Now the Gilbert parents and PTA are rightly angry about how the PLP Government has badly handled this whole process.
The parents and PTA state that PLP Minister Diallo Rabain has never met with them since the idea was first floated in June 2024. If an Education Minister is going to close a school, he or she should have the courage and courtesy to meet with the parents, the PTA, and the teachers to explain the Government’s rationale, to hear their concerns, and to adjust plans as appropriate.
Instead the PLP hides behind a press release from their Party Chairwoman Dawn Simmons. This is the very same Dawn Simmons who is now the PLP candidate for Paget East in the General Election. Gilbert Institute is in Paget East. Will Dawn Simmons now canvass the Gilbert school neighbourhood to explain why the PLP seeks to close this valued community school?
And if Premier Burt’s press conference last week was not a new policy announcement by the Government, as the PLP suggest, then why did the Premier bother to hold a press conference?
Was the Premier seeking to reheat yesterday’s news as something new from the PLP? Was it a shameless promise to seniors to try to get them to vote PLP?
We have a Premier and PLP Government that is just not listening to our people. It’s time to vote out the PLP.
And as for Gilbert, the OBA’s Shadow Education Minister has called for a “pause” on the PLP school reforms. If the OBA is elected to Government in two weeks’ time, we will defer any closure of Gilbert so that it remains open next year.
Any content which is considered unsuitable, unlawful, or offensive, includes personal details, advertises or promotes products, services or websites, or repeats previous comments will be removed.
User comments posted on this website are solely the views and opinions of the comment writer and are not a representation of or reflection of the opinions of TNN or its staff.
TNN reserves the right to remove, edit or censor any comments.
TNN accepts no liability and will not be held accountable for the comments made by users.