In what he described as a “disturbing news item”, Prime Minister Andrew Holness on Tuesday condemned the theft of a water tank from the Negril Primary School in Westmoreland over the Easter holidays.

“I know I speak on behalf of all members in this House when I express my utter disgust at those who would’ve perpetrated this act,” Holness said during a statement in the House of Representatives where he announced the allocation of $150 million to battle drought conditions across the country. He noted that the western parishes of Hanover and Westmoreland were the hardest hit.

He told the House that the police must thoroughly investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice.

“There is no excuse to harm our children’s future. As such, I have instructed the Rural Water Supply Limited to provide and install sufficient water storage tanks to avoid any further learning loss at this institution. I have further instructed Rural Water Supply Limited to partner with the Ministry of Education to conduct a national assessment of water storage at our nation’s schools, which will guide capital investments in the near future,” the prime minister said.

He pointed out that the National Water Commission has been instructed to prioritise critical infrastructure, including educational and health facilities, stating that “we caution against premature closure of any of said facilities”.

The Jamaica Observer first reported the theft of the water tank from the primary school on Monday while noting that Negril has been firmly in the grips of a water crisis. The report stated that the theft of one of four water tanks from the local primary school has hit the institution hard.

READ: Negril Primary pleads for help following water tank theft

The school’s principal, Sheron Suckra, said she was worried they may have to close their doors unless the tank and its contents are replaced.

“With this water crisis and the shortage of water that is being prolonged now, I hardly think that we’ll be able to manage quite well for the rest of the week if we do not get water in the tanks,” she said.

“We are making an appeal to anyone who might be able to donate a few tanks to us. We’d be happy to have them,” she urged.

She said she got news of the theft on Easter Monday, April 1.

“I was informed by the groundsman that one of two tanks was stolen from the rear end of the school. It is alleged that it was taken, removed, and it went over the fence,” she said.

When classes resumed a week later, she said, the grade one students were most inconvenienced.

“They had no water from the fountains that we have for them. Their restroom, we had to abandon it too, and they had to come down to restrooms that are used by the upper school students,” Suckra said.

The impact has also been felt in other sections of the school, including the canteen.