OBA’s Pearman On PLP, Schools & More
[Updated] “If the OBA is elected to Government in two weeks’ time, we will defer any closure of Gilbert so that it remains open next year,” OBA MP Scott Pearman said.
Mr. Pearman said, “How typical of David Burt’s Government and the PLP. The Party Chairwoman, Dawn Simmons, releases a statement on the proposed closure of Gilbert Institute. Yet her statement attacks the OBA when the closure is the PLP’s decision. And the PLP statement doesn’t bother to address the legitimate concerns of the Gilbert parents, or the school’s Parent Teachers Association [PTA], about this latest PLP school closure.
“It is fair for the PLP to note that Minister Burch foreshadowed the closure of Gilbert in Parliament a few weeks ago. He did. Yet what Col. Burch actually told MPs was that Gilbert was “scheduled for closure next year”, which is hardly specific.
“And the PLP statement ducks the real issue here.
“The PLP’s botched school reforms have been a complete and utter disaster. We have heard from the West End ‘Warriors’, the families of St. George’s Prep, and others. Now the Gilbert parents and PTA are rightly angry about how the PLP Government has badly handled this whole process.
“The parents and PTA state that PLP Minister Diallo Rabain has never met with them since the idea was first floated in June 2024. If an Education Minister is going to close a school, he or she should have the courage and courtesy to meet with the parents, the PTA, and the teachers to explain the Government’s rationale, to hear their concerns, and to adjust plans as appropriate.
“Instead the PLP hides behind a press release from their Party Chairwoman Dawn Simmons. This is the very same Dawn Simmons who is now the PLP candidate for Paget East in the General Election. Gilbert Institute is in Paget East. Will Dawn Simmons now canvass the Gilbert school neighbourhood to explain why the PLP seeks to close this valued community school?
“And if Premier Burt’s press conference last week was not a new policy announcement by the Government, as the PLP suggest, then why did the Premier bother to hold a press conference?
“Was the Premier seeking to reheat yesterday’s news as something new from the PLP? Was it a shameless promise to seniors to try to get them to vote PLP?
“We have a Premier and PLP Government that is just not listening to our people. It’s time to vote out the PLP.
“And as for Gilbert, the OBA’s Shadow Education Minister has called for a “pause” on the PLP school reforms. If the OBA is elected to Government in two weeks’ time, we will defer any closure of Gilbert so that it remains open next year,” Mr Pearman concluded.
The plan to close Gilbert Institute was initially announced in 2021, in 2024 the Education Minister said it would close in June 2025, and a plan to convert the site into a seniors’ care facility was announced last year in the House of Assembly, and gained further attention recently when the Premier discussed it in a press conference.
Update: Independent candidate Rayki Bascome-Emery said, “It is ironic that Scott Pearman, the absent MP is asking PLP chair Dawn Simmons to canvass an area that he himself doesn’t canvass.
“Mr Pearman should note that it was announced that Gilbert Institute was closing in 2021. By stating this he admits that he has had four years to work with the community on finding a solution. Why has he waited until an election to advocate for them?”
“The people are tired of the back and forward by political parties more interested in holding onto power instead of helping the people.
“At the end of the day, we have the incumbent whose job it is to represent the interest of Paget East and a candidate of the worst government to ever govern Bermuda arguing about who’s done what. Newsflash, neither of them has done anything, and the people deserve better.”
Mr Bascome-Emery added “the fact that the OBA expelled Vic Ball” while “Scott Pearman gets a pass is frankly ridiculous and shows that the people cannot trust the OBA to be fair.”
Update: A PLP spokesperson said, “The PLP takes note of the OBA’s sudden and intense interest in Gilbert Institute months after the Government’s plans to place a Senior Daycare facility at the site. What is clear is that the OBA, which told seniors money doesn’t grow on trees, refused to increase pensions for seniors for years, and raised vehicle licensing fees on seniors, simply doesn’t want our seniors to have a Daycare Centre in this neighbourhood.
“The OBA, like its allies in the FDM, The Emperial Group, and Sir John Swan’s NewBP, is discovering that Bermudians have little patience for pop-up candidates who don’t care about their constituents, disappear for years on end and only find their voice when an election is called.
“Whether it is operating as political ambulance chasers or simply not wanting our seniors in their neighborhoods, The OBA and their allies owe Bermudians an explanation as to why a project that was funded by the Parlament in September should not open to releive the burden on Bermudians raising children & taking care of their ageing parents.
“The PLP offers achievable solutions to the problems facing Bermudians. The OBA needs to stop throwing tantrums and discuss the issues that affect Bermudians, such as sharing their plan to assist the Sandwich generation.”
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Fact: There are not enough students to fill the public schools. This has been known for a long long time.
Fact: Some schools have to close. There is no way to justify keeping them open with so few students.
Take the emotion out of it and accept that some schools have to go. If there is ever an increase in need again it will be seen years in advance and can be dealt with.
So, why Gilbert? I don’t know. What capacity rate has the school been operating at? What is it’s performance rate compared to other schools in the central area?
As a seniors facility what is Gilberts suitability for the access of seniors compared to other schools in the area? How does it’s location compare with other schools? What is the cost to adapt Gilbert vs other schools for senior use?
These are basic questions. Were any of them considered when Gilbert was chosen as a senior day care facility? I highly doubt it.
The closure of Gilbert Institute is sad. It has had a reputation as being one of the best primary schools in Bermuda for generations.
But closure of some schools is necessary. Some because of lack of students, some because they are not safe for occupation (as the staff at Spice Valley Middle School were told was the reason for its “closure”).
The reason this day care facility has been pushed out is to try and get PLP votes, it is as simple as that. the actual conversion to a day care facility is just talk. The complex issues of who runs it, who will benefit financially from it, will it staff only Bermudians if government run, is the government competing with private facilities, it the building up to code for that purpose, what will it cost, are there better alternatives for the building…LIKE A SCHOOL, THAT IS ONE OF THE BETTER ONES !
It really is a made up thing that shouldn’t have been even raised once the election had been announced.
Why doesn’t someone just announce pie in the sky, we are going to build an automated helo air service to reduce traffic congestion, or we are going to finally rebuild the causway using 100% Bermudian workers.
You should reward the PLP arrogance, and abuse of FAIR process by voting for someone else !
The arguments for keeping Gilbert included that it was the only one in the area that had specialized programs for students with special needs, and that none of the alternate options provided such.
That said Rayki is right, the OBA knew of the plans to close the school for years and just sat on it. Both main parties have just played politics with it.
Here we go up and down backwards and forwardsaroibd in circles. Change the education system…they do only to hear not that way. Ouch. Class sizes are dwindling and keeping such facilities open are a waste of time and money. You desperately need care facilities for seniors. You want more of this and that but no increase in taxes. Make up your mind you lot and look at tje big picture. You gain when yiu close. You lose when they stay open and all we will hear is friends and family. It is economics. Even Joe Bloggs with his nursery school certificate in economics understands that…and why he is my model and our savior.