by JULIE WILSON

QUIETLY, BEHIND THE SCENES, two pre-fab classrooms carrying a price tag of $160 000 have been erected at Hillaby/Turners Hall Primary.

The classrooms are there thanks to generous donations from several business houses, old scholars and the tireless efforts of parents and well-wishers who did the construction.

And come next Monday, according to principal Karen Best, the "North Wing", the rooms which will accommodate Classes Three and Four students will be officially opened during a ceremony at the St Thomas school.

She told the DAILY NATION yesterday the additional classrooms were constructed as a result of the school's swelling roll and the need for additional classroom space.

"It was an effort from the community facilitated through funding from business houses. When the Prime Minister says that is what people should be doing, I have come out to say that Hillaby/Turners Hall benefited from that type of effort.

"I have excellent support from the community and parents. All I can say is that I do not know who else could construct the North Wing just like that. I have all the bills here to show that the project is above board."

Best said when she came to the school in 2003, the roll was 261 and at present there were 402 pupils.

The road to construction, she said, began with the donation of blocks last September by DaCosta Arthur of Arthur's Construction and then the turning of the sod in November.

Best said the school's budget could not facilitate construction of this magnitude and the teachers sent out letters to old scholars and business houses asking for assistance.

The principal said she was overwhelmed by the outpouring of generosity by the businesses, some of whom gave donations in excess of $10 000.

She singled out businessmen such as Haynesley Benn of Dacosta Mannings who donated the flooring, the school's parent-teacher association which donated the cement, former principal Elsa Best, and Roy Ward of the Lions Club of Barbados North.

Best added that Citicorp Merchant Bank, which adopted the school, also donated money towards the project.

She also thanked Anderson Griffith who successfully negotiated with his employers, BRC, to donate the roof, minibus owner Morris Lee and Harris Paints for their generous paint donations.

She also showered parents with praise for the construction work they had done. The majority of work was done on Sundays and the carpentry was done under the supervision of parent Joseph Hackett, while old scholar and contractor Graydon Scott was the main builder.

The principal noted that another parent, Sandra Collymore, donated all the
electrical supplies.

Best also appealed for more donations to pay the painters the contractor and to provide handrails, guttering, a covered walkway and stepping stones.