Column: Michael Weeks On TN Tatem Building

April 11, 2019

[Opinion column written by MP Michael Weeks]

It is interesting that the same One Bermuda Alliance that saw 4 Education Ministers in 5 years, slashed scholarships and educational opportunities for Bermudians and on the issue of school mould at TN Tatem referred to teachers as “mischievous” suddenly has all the answers.

The mould issue is a legacy issue from the OBA administration. Most alarming is that the recommendations from the OBA’s own 2016 report was never fully implemented by the OBA and that is the cause for the reemergence of the issues we have now.

The PLP Government, after inheriting this issue, has commissioned renovations, tested the building both in February and in March to ensure the building was being worked on in order to be fit for students and staff.

Imagine where we would be and how much further along TN Tatem would be if instead of spending $250-300 million of public funds on the airport and instead had made our children and TN Tatem a priority and implemented all the recommendations from the TN Tatem 2016 mould report instead of the minimal effort that was put forth.

While the OBA seeks to exploit this extremely serious issue for political gain, their record demonstrates a complete lack of compassion, interest or vision for Bermudians of all ages and especially our children.

The OBA may disagree with further testing of the environment where our children and teachers work and breathe but our parents and teachers don’t. This latest round of tests at TN Tatem was at their request.

The OBA may disagree with further testing but we believe we have a responsibility to take the necessary steps to rectify the specific problems first identified in 2016 and not fixed then.

The PLP believes investing the necessary resources to ensure our children are educated in safe schools. The PLP will not take lectures on public education from the One Bermuda Alliance who slashed public education, cut scholarships, cut investments and allowed public dollars to be poorly disbursed.

Our children deserve better.

- Michael Weeks

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Comments (18)

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  1. Double S says:

    “Imagine where we would be and how much further along TN Tatem would be if instead of spending $250-300 million of public funds on the airport”

    When did we spend $250mn/$300mn on an airport? We didn’t.

    Just imagine how useful the $1.2mn paid to your former leader would be for school upgrades right now Weeks? Or the umpteen ‘consultancy’ contracts provided to insiders. Or the salaries paid to Ministers with no portfolio. Or the funds being wasted on your gay marriage appeal that is destined to fail, again.

    PLP have been in power for almost two years now, so stop passing the buck. Your colleagues with much fanfare stated at the beginning of the school year how you oversaw the remediation of all school infrastructure issues. Apparently once again your Party had to deceive us.

  2. Excuse me Mr. Weeks says:

    You are hilarious–you start your piece by acting like a opposition minister.

    You are the Gvt–25/11. Minister up and deal with the issue.

    Stop shifting the blame.

    Have you no solutions?

    You embarrass yourself man.

  3. question says:

    He makes up a complete lie about “$250-300m of public funds spent on the airport”, and then attempts to criticize others for “exploiting the issue for political gain”.

    Michael “We have 100 buyers lined up for Grand Atlantic” Weeks. You literally can’t believe a word he says.

    • wahoo says:

      Lies are all they know but hey it won them an election.

  4. Vote no more says:

    They all don’t know how to govern, hense the reason they all act like still in opposition. Clueless all of them.
    #blacklistedtrashpilingupcrappybusschedule

  5. PLP GVT got BERMUDA Blacklisted says:

    But made us all laugh about Captain Crunch with titty milk!

    I suppose thank you?

  6. Sandgrownan says:

    Weeks is hilarious … Christ what a muppett

  7. Willy Wonka says:

    Complaining about wasted funds?tell me again how your Grand Atlantic development sold only one unit. I’m not for either side they are all jokers. We haven’t spent 250 million(plays on die hard party voters emotions) it’s being financed. How has future revenue been spent already? The only way that statement would hold some value is if a company opted to finance and build new schools and we overlooked it for a new airport instead..

  8. Joe Bloggs says:

    “The mould issue is a legacy issue from the OBA administration.”

    Seriously? The OBA was in power in 2005 and for years before that? How could I be so stupid?

    I clearly recall complaints of mould and breathing trouble at TN Tatem around the same time as the complaints at CedarBridge Academy. I had not idea that Dr. Brown and the rest were secretly and OBA administration!

  9. aceboy says:

    Is Weeks the new spin doctors being hired to make everything all well again?

  10. aceboy says:

    I would like to see the air quality readings that MUST have been undertaken to determine that mold has made teachers and not students sick.

  11. truthertz says:

    MP Weeks is it true the PLP cut the school maintenance budget by $1.42mn in the 2019/20 budget (but somehow managed to pay your former leader $1.2mn)?

    If it is true, strange that you didn’t include that in your rant above.

  12. Building Manager says:

    You all (Government) are pathetic. The only thing your good at is playing the blame game and putting Bermuda on the stop list, well done BOZO’s you get top marks for that. What happened to Robain? He cant handle the pressure on the issue and got Weeks to comment on this? 25/11, yes that’s right, It would appear that we (PLP) voted a bunch ostriches who cant their heads out of the sand or out of their other orifice to the rear. Pathetic bunch of BOZO’s.

  13. Concern Parent says:

    Why does everything have to be political? I wish for once when there is a problem especially with the school system the politicians would leave politics and the blame game out of it. This is not an opportunity to win the country over by which party gets the most blame. There is a problem and will continue to be a problem because of the physical location of the school , which is a swamp area, which means moisture. Mould loves moisture in a combination with inadequate/ineffective air exchange. Instead of blaming each other, sit down with the right individuals and figure out the best solution possible for our students and teachers. Use common sense people and stop getting caught up in this political game. If the government really care about the education system and care about the quality of education our children received they would stop playing the blame game and start working on solutions.

    • Joe Bloggs says:

      That sort of thinking is why Parliament is split 25 to 11!

  14. Dontworryboutathing says:

    Mr Weeks, just call the Facilities Manager at Warwick Academy School and ask them how them keep on top of any mould, if they even have it. Remember parts of Warwick Academy are over 350 years old!!!

  15. Rise says:

    As long as the haters are fixed on belittling the current Government they will continue to be part of the problem!

  16. Captain Hook says:

    I challenge Mr. Weeks to read publicly read his column.