Mark Brantley calls school fire a wilful attack on students, teachers and support staff

Premier of Nevis Mark Brantley has condemned the fire incident at the Joshua Obadiah Williams Primary School.

Tuesday, 22nd March 2022

Mark Brantley calls school fire a wilful attack on students, teachers and support staff

Basseterre, St Kitts and Nevis: Premier of Nevis Mark Brantley has condemned the fire incident at the Joshua Obadiah Williams Primary School. He called it a wilful attack on students, teachers and support staff. He also encouraged people to come forward and assist the police with investigations. Brantley's remarks come after Police investigations discovered that the fire incident was not an accident but was deliberately caused. "I condemn unreservedly this willful attack on the students, teachers, support staff and entire community of the Joshua Obadiah Williams Primary School by the burning of the school. These criminal acts must be broadly condemned, and all who have information should be encouraged to contact the police immediately. There is no room in St Kitts and Nevis for these wanton acts of criminality," said Mark Brantley on Monday. On March 18, 2022, at around 10 p.m., a major fire broke out at the Joshua Obadiah Williams Primary School. Several classrooms were already engulfed in flames by the time firefighters arrived on the scene. There have been no arrests so far, and the origin of the fire is also unknown. The authorities are going through CCTV cameras in the area to see if there are any leads. Commissioner Hilroy Brandy appealed to the public for assistance in the probe. He urged anyone with information that could help the inquiry move forward should phone the Tabernacle Police Station at 465-7227, their local police station, or the crime hotline at 707. The government of St Kitts and Nevis is also offering a $35,000 prize to anyone with information on the fire. The school building is totally destroyed, jeopardizing the education of many children. Prime Minister Timothy Harris also condemned the incident on Sunday evening, and he asked people to keep the country above themselves.