QC's reconstruction designed campus style --may cost some $400M Stabroek News October 10, 1999 The Queen's College Board of Governors has unveiled new architectural designs for the reconstruction of the burnt out sections of the country's premier secondary school. The design is campus style, with separate blocks, to guard against fire or other such disasters. In the short term, to ease problems of overcrowding, Queen's College will shortly regain some of the buildings in the compound, which are now being occupied by the Ministry of Education. The building which housed the Allied Arts Unit will be the first to be repossessed by the school; its handing over being scheduled for this month. It is expected that this building will house the school's library, making room for a classroom in one of the two wings which now make up the school. It is expected, too, that Flat Two will be used for the school's technical department. At present the board is rehabilitating the building at a cost of $4 million. The Board of Governors met the school's Parent Teachers' Association on Thursday under a canvas tent in the school compound in an unprecedented move to inform parents and teachers on the way forward for the school and to solicit their views. Other interested parties such as the Queen's College Old Students Association (QCOSA) and corporate entities will be invited to make their input into the initial designs. Present at the meeting were Secretary to the Board, Carl Sylvester, and board members including Principal Wendel Roberts. The architectural designs were done by board member and old student Roy Field-Ridley. The middle block will include the administrative offices and the auditorium which caters for some 1,000 persons. Canteen facilities, a student's council office and sporting facilities are all catered for in the new plan. However, these will be located in another block. Board Chairman Ronald Ally, said that contrary to beliefs that nothing or very little was being done to restore Queen's College to its former state, a lot of work is being done. He noted that while the reconstruction had not yet been costed, it was estimated that some $400 million will be required to replace the offices, auditorium, specialty classrooms and other facilities which were completely destroyed by a fire which razed major portions of the school in November 1997. Ally said that by the end of this month it is expected that the final plans and estimates for the reconstruction will known for inclusion in the budget. He noted that the reconstruction will not be done in one phase but in several phases. Last month Education Minister, Dr Dale Bisnauth, had said that he did not know how soon money would be found for the reconstruction but said that the government was still looking at extra-budgetary means to fund the reconstruction. The minister said that he was not committing himself to the sum which government was seeking or to when reconstruction should begin. However, reliable sources have indicated that, most likely, funds will not be found from extra-budgetary means this year but provision will be made in next year's national budget. There were no budgetary allocations in 1998 nor this year, for the reconstruction of the school's offices, a number of classrooms, the computer centre, laboratories, auditorium and other sections of the building which were gutted two years ago. Ally noted that the board was committed to satisfying the needs of the school and in addition to spearheading the drive to rehabilitate the eastern and western wings of the school after the fire, has secured some $16 million to re-equip the school's science laboratory. Some $20.5 million was spent on the renovation of the burnt out eastern and western wings. This was raised largely from donations made by a number of individuals, old students, companies, and businesses. The board is now looking for adequate accommodation for the school's Home Economics and Agricultural departments. Noting that QCOSA has donated some 30 computers to the school, Ally announced that students will sit Information Technology at next year's sitting of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) exams. Because of the destruction of the computer centre students did not sit Information Technology at the CXC. Ally announced, too, that the Toronto chapter of QCOSA has secured a piano which is to be shipped to the country shortly. In spite of the limitations which the school has experienced over the past two years, including a shortage of 12 teachers, Ally said, it has done well at regional and overseas examinations. The school's Annual Speech Day will be held in December. (Miranda La Rose) A © page from: Guyana: Land of Six Peoples