MONTEGO BAY, St James — With Jamaica now preparing for any eventuality in the hurricane season there is concern in this parish that some principals are refusing to allow their schools to be used as emergency shelters.

Sherika Lewis, acting chief public health inspector, made the disclosure during her report to the monthly sitting of St James Municipal Corporation, last Thursday.

According to Lewis, with St James having 69 emergency shelters on record only 59 had been found satisfactory for that purpose, should it be necessary.

“One of the ones that was not recommended is the Salt Spring Primary. The note here is that the principal was not willing for the property to be used as a shelter,” Lewis said in response to a question from Councillor Donyja Allen-Thompson (Jamaica Labour Party, Montego Bay North Division).

“We have another one here where the principal is unwilling for it to be used, that is the Montego Bay High School,” added Lewis.

She told the meeting that there were other reasons why an unsatisfactory rating was issued to a couple of the shelters in the parish.

“Most of these issues are basically structural issues like leaking, and sometimes it’s difficult to really address most of this,” said Lewis.

“Spot Valley High School has extreme leakage of the roof. The Salter’s Hill Primary… there is no water supply and the roof was compromised, causing heavy leakage during rains,” added Lewis.

The disclosure from Lewis prompted Councillor Gregory Harris (Jamaica Labour Party, Salt Spring Division) to indicate that he will seek to resolve whatever issues are behind the Salt Spring Primary School situation.

“I will use this goodly office to try and resolve the issue with the use of the Salt Spring Primary School as a shelter,” said Harris .

“I don’t see why the principal would turn down or object for them to use it. I will use this office to rectify that so that they can get the use of it,” Harris added.

Following the meeting Harris told the Jamaica Observer that
the location of the school makes it ideal to provide that sort of support to the community in the event of a disaster such as a hurricane.

“It is very important that we have that space. And if you look at the layout of the Salt Spring area, that area where the school is located is more on an elevated point and it is easily accessible if you are coming from down the road or you are in the Meggie Top area,” said Harris.

While he insisted that he hopes and prays nothing happens, Harris said he will have to speak to the principal to get an understanding as to why that response had been provided.

“I am going to use this opportunity to intervene to find out what it is [reason for resistance]; and if there is anyway that I can be of assistance, I am going to be, and I am committed that I will try and get it resolved in the best way possible that it benefits public health, it benefits the school, and it benefits the residents of Salt Spring,” added Harris.