Browne: Town Hall Meeting on new BHS site "a mockery of people's intelligence"

Local businessman, A U Browne said Tuesday that Wednesday's hastily called Town Hall Meeting by the Team Unity Government on the new Basseterre High School which will be built on the Basseterre Valley "is a mockery of the people's intelligence and to convince residents of the area 'erring on the side of caution' is not longer a virtue that ought to be respected."

He said Wednesday's event is not to ascertain their opinions, nor anything anyone said will be taken into consideration.

"The government has made up its mind to build the school on the aquifer, an internationally recognized protected area and the consultation will serve no purpose than for the Education Minister to brag that he consulted the people," Browne said.

Browne said while he supports the construction of a new Basseterre High School, it was all politics why the Team Unity Government of Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris has abandoned the original location.

"The former facility is more than fifty years old and constructing a more beautiful, modern BHS is long overdue. However, all the studies that were done by our local, regional and international organizations (CARFHA, CARIRI and NIOSH) in relation to the old site unequivocally states that with remedial work the facility is useable.

"It was all politics why the TUG abandoned the former grounds on which the new school should have been constructed for future contamination of the Basseterre water table," said Browne in a FaceBook posting.

The prominent St Kitts businessman noted that he has purposely said very little about the government's insistence on constructing the new Basseterre High School on the Basseterre Valley Aquifer, "because I felt that the people that will be affected ought to be protesting this ill-advised, politically driven decision."

"The fact it's mainly opposition voices that are screaming the loudest on the negative impact to the country's water table is not enough to change the minds that are hell bent on contaminating this most precious resource. The Aquifer provides millions of gallons of water to several area in Basseterre, including the South East Peninsula and Shadwell," Browne pointed out.

He is of the view there are people who support the administration that are against this terrible headstrong move. "But who are they? Where are their commentaries? Why have they not called into the various radio talk shows to voice their opposition to this pending calamity? Where were they when a protest was recently staged on the grounds of the proposed facility during the unveiling of the 3D model? What's prohibiting, or preventing resident of Basseterre to mobilise other like-minded individuals oppose to the health threat posed to residents to demonstrate their disgust?"

He said: "The answer is simple, "Kittitians don't like to protest" is the prevailing view. They prefer someone else to put their livelihood and even their life on the line for causes they support and offer lip service of "I'm with you." They will wish you luck in your endeavours for change and hope you are successful, but will either stand on the sidelines and watch, or stay miles away and await the outcome. A very sad tale indeed."

Browne is further of the view: "That is why successive governments have ignored our pleas, our cries, our demands, our protests. Until we put our political differences aside for the common good of the people and the country whenever necessary, the powers that be will continue to act with impunity and total disregard for our concerns."