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ESHS cuts classes to half day today due to water shortage

he largest public school in the (British) Virgin Islands, Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) has made a decision to cancel school for this afternoon, November 8, 2023, due to water shortage affecting the school. Photo: VINO/File
Principal of Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) Mrs Vanessa K. Garraway said the school understands the cancellation may cause some inconvenience, but noted that the situation is beyond the control of the Ministry of Education and the school. Photo: VINO/File
Principal of Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) Mrs Vanessa K. Garraway said the school understands the cancellation may cause some inconvenience, but noted that the situation is beyond the control of the Ministry of Education and the school. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- The largest public school in the (British) Virgin Islands, Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) has made a decision to cancel school for this afternoon, November 8, 2023, due to water shortage affecting the school.

This was conveyed to parents and guardians via a letter earlier today by Principal Vanessa K. Garraway.

“We apologize for the inconvenience, but school will be cancelled for the rest of the day due to an unforeseen problem with the Water and Sewage system in Road Town and its surrounding areas.

“This issue has affected the water supply to our school, making it impossible for us to continue classes for the rest of the day. For the safety of our students, we kindly ask that you pick up your child/children from school by 12:30 p.m. today,” the letter seen by our newsroom stated.

Situation beyond control of Education Ministry & ESHS- Principal Garraway

Mrs Garraway said the school understands the cancellation may cause some inconvenience, but noted that the situation is beyond the control of the Ministry of Education and the school.

It is unclear at this time whether the water issue will be rectified in time for school tomorrow.

Water & Sewerage Department had notified the public that the Russell Hill Road will be closed to traffic on Wednesday November 8 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 PM to facilitate repair works on waterlines along the road.

It had said the water supply would be interrupted during this time; however, it is unclear whether those water lines are also supplying ESHS.

28 Responses to “ESHS cuts classes to half day today due to water shortage”

  • herbs power (08/11/2023, 11:51) Like (32) Dislike (3) Reply
    With all this rain the school was not built with cisterns. Wow.
    • resident (08/11/2023, 16:20) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
      it's the bvi way to do the thing that makes the least amount of sense
  • Citizen (08/11/2023, 12:02) Like (16) Dislike (2) Reply
    oh my where will my child stay, I work on Jost Van Dyke
  • Ironic (08/11/2023, 12:08) Like (20) Dislike (0) Reply
    Its bucketing down with rain all day! Gotta love Tortola
  • Interested (08/11/2023, 12:08) Like (26) Dislike (1) Reply
    With all the rain that is falling?
    No cisterns beneath the school ?
    • Native Tongue (08/11/2023, 14:39) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
      @Herbs power ...The old one didn't had one either. What's new? Monkey see,monkey doodo.
  • send help (08/11/2023, 12:39) Like (31) Dislike (1) Reply
    "Where there is no vision the people shall perish" No cisterns at the school?
  • NB (08/11/2023, 12:51) Like (24) Dislike (3) Reply
    This is unacceptable. W&SD should have been able to advise the school on the duration of the disruption from since yesterday. This would have given teachers/parents/ guardians to plan better. Parents now have to leave work and go collect children/take them home and then make it back to work, etc. etc. The list of inconveniences is long. A simple thing like this and y'all make a frig out of it. Nothing, absolutely nothing ya'll could do right? Common sense ain't so common messon
  • Not ESHS Alone (08/11/2023, 13:19) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    JSPS also closed. They have a cistern, but it is leaking.
    • @ Not ESHS Alone (08/11/2023, 14:41) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
      JSPS opened later than other schools this term due to repairs and the school still leaking?
  • Voters (08/11/2023, 13:26) Like (34) Dislike (1) Reply
    All you here complain and ballin about how unacceptable this is . yet election after election you keep voting in the same clowns VIP NDP whatever its all the same idiots year after year . Do you know the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different result.
  • Mustang (08/11/2023, 13:31) Like (14) Dislike (0) Reply
    The VI is a potable water challenge community, yes. But the power management of the water and sewage uitility is epic; an epic, calamitous failure. Was the water disruption at ESHS an unplanned emergency? When did the W&SD know it needed to disrupt water supply to ESHS? Is the supply a production or a distribution problem? When will the long suffering water customers get a bit of relief?
  • Good leadership matters, daily. (08/11/2023, 13:37) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    Approximately twenty-years or there about under the VIP watch, the late Premier Ralph T. O'Neal, OBE, now deceased began the necessary effort to upgrade the sewerage need in the seventh, and eighth district of the BVI. Both the VIP, and NDP government have promised the people of these two districts completion of the this venture. As of this day
    Muliti-millions of dollars have been spent on frivolous entertainment, and also multi-millions still unaccounted, according to politicians, Media News, street talks, low paid, and even disgruntled government employees,and others.

    It is true that from time to time repair of our water system needs to be done, but should we not have in place a second water system, a plan B, to ensure the we will not be cauth in a position to close our school?
    Is not this that was said true: "Promises are comfort to fools."

    Hon. Premier, Natalio Sujande Wheatley, it is time work you talk, not talk you plans. That means, talk less, and do more tangeble, positive work. Remember every citizen of our community counts, likewise every dollar do, more so in this time of high food, and petrol prices.
  • We not serious. (08/11/2023, 13:56) Like (25) Dislike (1) Reply
    Only God can fix the BVI. Our people have no idea. .Our people for greed and money put us in This Deep Pit. Only God can take us out. Maybe Britain also we should give them a try..
  • vi (08/11/2023, 14:10) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    This damn place is so messed up .
    Home is Home
  • smdh (08/11/2023, 14:21) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    I guess the Ministry of Communications and Works could not have informed the Ministry of Education about the works to be carried out. Hellooooo ayo does communicate in the People's office. Stop acting like ayo aint have sense. Nobody gone take responsibility for this?
  • Responsibility (08/11/2023, 14:33) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
    Kye Rhymer and ultimately Sowande, what do you have to say about this embarrassment?
    • @responsibility (09/11/2023, 02:24) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      It is a problem that we met 4 years ago. We figured that the turn around of the traffic, drawing over the high school plans and building it, knocking down althea Scatliffe school, the economic zone in town and oh our beautiful market were more important than our water problems. All now it is a leadership issue. With all the money we see flowing through water authority and hardly anything fixing it is past time for a full audit. Come in premier wuk babee call an audit.
  • Forbidden Truth (08/11/2023, 14:41) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Thought it was a sewerage and waterpolo problem
  • Epic... (08/11/2023, 14:47) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    When I talked about them turning off water, the argument was it been raining here, get a drum and buildings should have cisterns. Here is one of the modern buildings recently created under government and still no cistern was attached to it. I said it and I will say it again, water is life! It is infinitely tied to the existence of all our lives. Why we cannot have consistent water presence in this place? ABSOLUTELY NO ONE IS LAUGHING HARDER AT US THAN OUR OWN PEOPLE! ...Failure!
  • bvibuzz (08/11/2023, 15:00) Like (1) Dislike (8) Reply
    We still putting back the vip so jump high jump low
  • T (08/11/2023, 18:52) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Boy me no know i think the road was a.n issue but that water is a pain in the but no joke
  • wowww (08/11/2023, 18:55) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    They are so disorganized it's frustrating. They need a proper restructure from "Full Steam Ahead come down.
  • Temperature (08/11/2023, 21:25) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    It wasn’t just ESHS that didn’t have water today. It’s just that businesses didn’t report it. I work close to Craft Alive and it was just a drip drip of water from the faucets all dayo.
  • Deh Watcha (08/11/2023, 21:48) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    To the "anonymous donor" towards this high school project, this is your money at work. You must be very glad to remain anonymous.

    @ bvibuzz, I want VIP get back in next election to..........so they can bury all ayo who vote for them.

    VIP.... k!// um.
  • who? (08/11/2023, 23:49) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    So who designed and approved this cistern-less building
  • Eagle (09/11/2023, 11:06) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    It is obvious that all the people commenting didn't see the bulletin form BVI Electricity, but a ready to bash ESHS.
    Please read for your information: https://bvi.gov.vg/media-centre/power-outage-and-water-interruption-notice
  • Diaspora 2.0 (09/11/2023, 13:26) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The BVI is a water challenge locale with no rivers, lakes, reservoirs, dams, etc as water sources/supply. Nonetheless, the frequency of water unavailability and unreliable supply severely impacts the quality of life of residents. We can and must do better in producing and distributing potable water, can we not? Water is life; we need for body hydration, domestics uses, and for commercial, industrial uses and for economic growth and development.

    Further, a few characteristics of the distribution system include a) the distribution system pipes should not deteriorate the quality of water, b) the distribution system pressure should be constant to provide the needed pressure for fire flow and, c) head pressure in the distribution system should be strong effort to reach the outer reaches of the distribution system.
    Curious are there water elevated storage/ pressure booster tanks in Road Town area to provide pressure for water distribution in Road Town and surrounding areas? The water is issue must become an Important and urgent issue; some refer to this as a Quadrant 1 issue. Let’s do dis damn ting!!!


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