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Please Strengthen Our Schools

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grenville-phillips
Grenville Phillips II, Leader of Solutions Barbados

The Ministry of Education appears sufficiently concerned about the environmental health of our students, to close and clean schools.  Solutions Barbados is requesting the Ministry to be at least as concerned about our students’ physical safety, to strengthen unstable schools.

Due to an updated building standard, most of our primary and secondary school buildings built before 2012, are vulnerable to collapse in a major earthquake.  Solutions Barbados has urged both the previous and current administrations to make the safety of our students a priority.  Unfortunately, both administrations have displayed the same low level of concern.

After the reported 300,000 deaths from the 2010 Haiti earthquake, which damaged or destroyed 4,000 schools, we should not be so careless about our students’ safety.  Unlike hurricanes, earthquakes strike with very little warning.

The Ministry is strongly urged to assess the structural stability of all schools, and identify economical but effective strengthening methods to prevent their collapse.  Once the list of what needs to be done has been provided to each school, the affordable strengthening can commence.  The PTAs can be encouraged to contribute, since it is the safety of their students and teachers that are currently at risk.

Grenville Phillips II is a Chartered Structural Engineer and President of Solutions Barbados.  He can be reached at NextParty246@gmail.com

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111 responses to “Please Strengthen Our Schools”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    @Grenville

    Are the new schools being built using the draft building code?

  2. Wily Coyote Avatar
    Wily Coyote

    THERE IS NO BUILDING CODE, NO ELDCTRICAL CODE legislated in LAW, therefore none exists. No matter what anyone says if there is no legislation for enforcement, CHAIOUS RULES.

  3. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ Grenville Phillips II who wrote, ” The Ministry is strongly urged to assess the structural stability of all schools, and identify economical but effective strengthening methods to prevent their collapse.”

    Why don’t you get a team of patriotic BAPE members to volunteer their time to do the inspections ?

  4. John Avatar
    John

    Of course we can and do have earthquakes.

    I remember being in a building at UWI when the 2007 one happened and watching the walls sway.

    I was in another building in California in 1981 and watched the same thing happen.

    But the simple fact of the matter is that we don’t get many and what we do get are weak.

    We don’t live on the Pacific Rim or is it Ring.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_of_Fire

    We do live on top of the interface of two plates and there is subduction and Barbados is constantly being lifted out of the sea or so the theory goes but the real action takes place to the West through the Leewards and Windwards.

    We mostly get off although we are close to volcanic activity..

    Ok, there was an earthquake in 1844 that was supposed to have taken off the side of a gully and rendered the mill at Hothersal in St. John inoperable, It’s tail tree had no ground on which to run.

    Like with Hurricanes, God is a Bajan!!

  5. John Avatar
    John

    If Barbados is constantly undergoing uplift so we have to worry about sea level rise?

  6. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    With limited funds an assessment of risk is often necessary. What is most likely to happen will determine where funds are directed.

    Ideally I would love GP’s suggestion to be considered. He speaks of AFFORDABLE action. I’d like to know what that looks like.

  7. David Avatar
    David

    Good comment Donna. Some of us are so dismissive of suggestions. An evidence based approach is to be encouraged maybe?

  8. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    Are there any more voices in Solutions?

  9. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ John at 12 :57 PM

    I think most buildings constructed since 1970s accommodate the effects of earthquake. In 2007 I do not recall ( M)any damages from that event. But I may be wrong. Buildings can accommodate a certain amount of sway. The Central Bank, until then the tallest building, had that feature built into it. Building codes do not need to be legislated. Engineers have professional standards and ethics which they must uphold, as do all professions . But we are becoming a litigious society like the USA. If it is not on the law books one does not have to comply.

  10. nextparty246 Avatar
    nextparty246

    David:

    Due to more accurate design information published in 2011, all buildings with reinforced concrete suspended floors and/or roof, built before 2012, has likely been under-designed for earthquakes by as much as 80%. Therefore, they are expected to collapse.

    Hants:

    We inspected all schools (pre-primary, primary, special and secondary), and prepared a report for both the Ministry of Education and the Department of Emergency Management (all pro bono) in 2012. Nothing has happened. I examined all primary and secondary schools in Dominica (for which I was paid) and they appear more responsible.

    Donna:

    Economically brace the structure to prevent movement at joints.

    Hal:

    You keep asking the same question on every one of my posts. I have repeatedly provided you with a comprehensive reply, yet you keep asking the same question. Are you forgetful, or do you have some other reason for asking the same question on every single post?

  11. David Avatar
    David

    Thanks Grenville, by any chance has the Chamberlain bridge been inspected for structural integrity?

  12. nextparty246 Avatar
    nextparty246

    David:

    To better answer your question. I also provide design review services, and in 2016, some Engineers were still using the pre-2011 earthquake design information. Therefore, all schools should be properly examined.

  13. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Grenville

    Your only explanation for the absence of other Solutions’ voices is that people are scared of losing their jobs, of not being employed or of being black-listed.
    Yours is a lawful, democratic party and if your allegations are correct they say something rather awful about Barbados. I suggest this is serious enough that fighting it should be one of your priorities.
    I believe Mr Weatherhead, who has been a member of your party, is now a spokesman for a new party. Clearly he is not scared of recriminations.
    Is there another explanation? We must fight for our democracy.

  14. nextparty246 Avatar
    nextparty246

    David:

    I believe that our bridges are inspected regularly.

  15. nextparty246 Avatar
    nextparty246

    Hal:

    I was hoping that it was not senility. There are more important things to fight about. This will be my final comment to you on this issue. Farewell.

  16. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Grenville

    If you are saying that people are refusing to join your party, or to be publicly identified with it, through fear is not important, that is rather interesting. THAT GOES RIGHT TO THE HEART OF OUR DEMOCRACY. You are either a brave man or some people may have other explanations.

  17. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ Has Austin at 3:21 PM

    Why do you let Grenville 11 exercise his democratic rights? If you were in a court of Law, you would be called out for badgering the witness.

  18. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    That should have been “don’t you” not “do you.”

  19. WURA-WAR-on-U Avatar
    WURA-WAR-on-U

    no one trusts them and they shouldn’t..

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2019/09/24/bitter-tirade/?fbclid=IwAR2sHIeALyYhBZ7IN8C8C_ZbUNTrRgFObPTRFR1Ebtgc9pw2DbJo1_VFhQc

  20. John Avatar
    John

    Due to more accurate design information published in 2011, all buildings with reinforced concrete suspended floors and/or roof, built before 2012, has likely been under-designed for earthquakes by as much as 80%. Therefore, they are expected to collapse.

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    How big an earthquake …. and how bad a hurricane?

    No one can predict.

    The building I was in at UWI was built long before 2012.

    There are two conclusions, the earthquake in 2007 was not powerful enough to cause the building to collapse or the building was adequately designed.

    Since no building collapsed in the 2007 earthquake, either all buildings are adequately designed or the 2007 earthquake was not powerful enough.

  21. John Avatar
    John

    Actually, one building did collapse I believe as a result of the 2007 hurricane.

    The one at Arch Cot!!

    But no amount of design could have prevented its collapse.

    It was built over a cave the roof of which was thin enough to be affected by the weak earthquake of 2007.

    There was a clear statement from the TCPO in the late 1960’s preventing any development on top of the cave.

    I found the document in the Land Registry!!

    Somebody over rode common sense!!

    $$$ probably passed!!

  22. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ John at 3 :57 pm and 3 :52 PM

    I concur. We can always expect you to find the apt axiomatic response.

  23. John Avatar
    John

    https://earthquaketrack.com/p/barbados/recent

    Barbados has had: (M1.5 or greater)
    0 earthquakes in the past 24 hours
    0 earthquakes in the past 7 days
    0 earthquakes in the past 30 days
    3 earthquakes in the past 365 days

    The largest earthquake in Barbados: this year: 5.2 in Scarborough, Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago

  24. John Avatar
    John

    … and yet we could have a big one tonight while we sleep that will throw down all the under designed buildings in Barbados!!

    Life is like that!!

  25. John Avatar
    John

    Experience however has shown that natural disasters like earthquakes, hurricanes and floods do not do anywhere near the damage to the island like what our politicians routinely do!!

    Should we be spending our time on codes to protect us from politicians?

  26. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Vincent

    Why do you let Grenville 11 exercise his democratic rights? If you were in a court of Law, you would be called out for badgering the witness.(Quote)

    @Vincent, as a young man I worked in the criminal justice system and after then for nearly 50 years in journalism. I am very used to passive/aggressive people. I am not a lawyer, but if I had to face him in a court room it would go down a treat.
    I do not know the guy and have no desire to know him, but every week he comes on BU purporting to speak on behalf of a party. The simple English definition of a party is more than one person. I have asked if Solutions have any other spokespeople.
    I am interested in knowing how the party reaches its policy decisions; when it has its annually meetings; if officers are elected or appointed, and if so, who are they?
    The explanation given was that people are scared of either joining the party or identifying publicly with the party for fear of losing their jobs. Such a claim goes right to the heart of our system of representative democracy and should be challenged. However we are told there are more important things than defending members or potential members’ democratic rights. Really?
    We know Mr Weatherhead was a member of Solutions and left to jojn another party. Was he also scared of losing his job? Clearly not. How is @Junior going to field candidates in the next election if the situation does not change?
    @Junior comes with his passive explanation, but if pressured then becomes aggressive. I can handle that. You know, @ Vincent, as a trained economist, that his policies on economics are juvenile nonsense; and, further, to compound it by saying that he had it analysed by accountants was laughable. Would you get a car mechanic to fix a plane?
    Finally, and I have said this before: I am no psychologist, but @Junior gives the impression that it is his way or no way. When political leaders become like this, they usually execute the opposition. @Junior must temper that authoritarian tendency by allowing his members to speak out – even f anonymously.

  27. nextparty246 Avatar
    nextparty246

    John:

    That was not an earthquake, but a tremor. We will describe the Category 5 hurricane that struck Barbados in our next article.

    Hal:

    Every member of Solutions Barbados can speak freely and at any time. During the General Election campaign, almost every candidate spoke publicly, without any restraint – and they still can. Your accusations are all false – and you already know that. Yet you keep making them.

  28. john2 Avatar
    john2

    I don’t like Hal but he is not lying

  29. Wily Coyote Avatar
    Wily Coyote

    @Vincent

    “Building codes do not need to be legislated. Engineers have professional standards and ethics which they must uphold, as do all professions .”

    Someone’s been drinking that cheap BAJAN Houch they pass off as QUALITY rum. This is a primer example of what has lead to BARBADOS FAILED STATE STATUS, not believing that STANDARDS must be legislated and “all professional engineers” have ethics and standards. In Third(TURD) World countries where CORRUPTION and lawlessness reign words like STANDARDS, professional and ethics do not exist.

    Bring on some good Guyanese Eldorado Rum so these individuals get a clearer unfogged perspective.

  30. john2 Avatar
    john2

    Wouldn’t we also need a building code for tsunami on the south and west coast and the Bridgetown areas?

    While we are at it we should also include a building code for meteorites as well. smh. why leave anything out?

  31. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ Wily Coyote

    I know bankers who apply the standards ,ethics and codes set in courses that led to their professional qualifications. I do not see these legislated anywhere .And they apply them as they go about their daily task. Same for accountants,carpenters and masons.

  32. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ Wily Coyote

    The only rum I will buy in the Rum Shop is Bajan Rum . It must also be manufactured from Bajan molasses. The others will have to remain on the shelf.
    So put that in your pipe and smoke it.

  33. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Grenville,

    Thanks for the free assessment. Did it come with an estimate of cost?

    John,

    Still have the Nation article somewhere that revealed the full Arch Cot evil. One of the few occasions when some actual investigation was done by that rag. And to think the family is still awaiting compensation! The poor grandmother is still struggling to raise the orphan.

  34. John Avatar
    John

    Heavy snowfall up Montana way!!

    La Nina?

    https://edition.cnn.com/2019/09/29/us/september-snow-rockies-sunday-wxc/index.html

  35. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    WURA,

    No-one has forgotten the Louis Lynch School death trap.

  36. John Avatar
    John

    Will be interesting to see what the number does in the NOAA chart once September closes.

  37. Baje Avatar
    Baje

    @ nextparty246

    Hal:

    Every member of Solutions Barbados can speak freely and at any time. During the General Election campaign, almost every candidate spoke publicly, without any restraint – and they still can. Your accusations are all false – and you already know that. Yet you keep making them.
    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    I am now convinced that you twist your words to suit your agenda.

    You have been challenged many times why you appeared to be the sole voice for Solutions Barbados and always retreated in your defense that they were afraid of being victimised and not the above waffle which is VERY contradictory.

    Several of your former members have left your party and joined Atherley and are now key spokespeople besides Scott Weatherhead there is I believe the name is Paul Waithe the Pharmacist who recently exposed the Marijuana company formed in 2018 and the other company in 2019 before the Bill has been finalised.

    Neither of these along with several others who left has no issues about speaking out and being victimised as you alleged.

    I believe the issue is deeper, you seek all the attention and feel that everything Solution Barbados puts in the public forum must come from you solely.

    There are many of us who are experts in different areas and can see through your strategy.

    Hal is right to call you out over and over again.

    You in your appaling ignorance choose to refer to his senility.

    You are the biggest turnoff to the mass joining of your Party.

    Writing articles solely is not going to get you anywhere.

    What people need to know who are the people involved in Solutions and what do they bring to the table.

    We know you are an Engineer and don’t have all the answers.

  38. John Avatar
    John

    We do get earthquakes, west and east of us.

    Maybe it’s the Tobago Trough between the islands of the Lesser Antilles and the Barbados Ridge on top of which we sit that attenuates the effect of those west of us.

    For those to the east of us maybe it is the Sedimentary Oceanic Rock that absorb their energy.

    Who knows, but somehow we have so far got off.

    The 2007 earthquake we felt here was magnitude >7 at its centre wnw of us and the one in 2014 which I am now finding out about was magnitude > 6.

    Maybe they just happen far enough away that we get off.

    Or maybe, its just how the earth was made.

    Maybe “God really is a Bajan”.
    .
    https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/02/18/quake-barbados-caribbean-martinique/5575627/

  39. John Avatar
    John

    Still have the Nation article somewhere that revealed the full Arch Cot evil. One of the few occasions when some actual investigation was done by that rag.

    +++++++++++++++++++++

    Richard Goddard, Hans Machel and a Coroner who was tasked with cleaning up greater than 500 cases dating back to the 1980’s … and actually from what I understand did!!

    I was at the hearings, saw the model Hans Machel made of the failure mechanism to explain to the court what happened.

    Pretty difficult to misunderstand.

    The Press was there too.

    I reckon it was allowed under Tom Adams!!

    The 2007 tremor/Quake or whatever may have been the final straw.

  40. nextparty246 Avatar
    nextparty246

    Baje:

    I have been consistent. Once you are under the protective umbrella of the BLP/DLP (which Atherley is), then you are protected from the worst harm.

    If you really want to know the truth, then why not start a political party that is not connected to the BLP/DLP (which is your right), and then speak of your experience, rather than make entirely false allegations.

  41. nextparty246 Avatar
    nextparty246

    John 2:

    Do you have any idea what a building code is? Have you ever read one? If so, then why are you making such strange statements? If not, then why not read one before commenting on what you clearly do not understand?

  42. nextparty246 Avatar
    nextparty246

    Donna:

    No cost estimate was done. Given the Haiti earthquake, I was hoping for some positive response. However, having seen no action the previously 20 years, I suspected that nothing would be done. Therefore, why waste the effort on something that would likely become outdated before it is actioned, and will need to be redone.

  43. Baje Avatar
    Baje

    @ nextparty246

    Baje:

    I have been consistent. Once you are under the protective umbrella of the BLP/DLP (which Atherley is), then you are protected from the worst harm.

    If you really want to know the truth, then why not start a political party that is not connected to the BLP/DLP (which is your right), and then speak of your experience, rather than make entirely false allegations.
    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    I am not the one interested in Politics, you are hence the reason for the questions and digging deeper.

    Can you detail the false allegations I have made?

    I believe the heat in the kitchen is getting way too hot for you.

    Holes have already been blown in your islandwide ISO 9001 solutions.

    No one man army can win a war.

  44. SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife Avatar
    SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife

    @JohnSeptember 29, 2019 3:57 PM “Actually, one building did collapse I believe as a result of the 2007 hurricane. The one at Arch Cot!!”

    The building at Arch Cot collapsed August 26, 2007.

    The 2007 earthquake in Barbados was on November 29, 2007, so therefore the 2007 earthquake did not cause the Arch Cot tragedy.

    I remember the events well because I was in the courtyard at work, we were having a little Pre-Independence late afternoon celebratory drink up, and a non-Bajan colleague asked sharply “another cave-in”? The first sign that I noticed was a feeling of drunkenness, but I had only had half a beer, then I noticed the concrete paving stones in the courtyard, and the fence making buckling serpentine movements. And I realised “earthquake” because only an earthquake had the power to cause the movements which I saw.

  45. John Avatar
    John

    Oops, I said 2007 hurricane!!!

    Look up foreshocks and aftershocks.

    https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/foreshocks-aftershocks-whats-difference?qt-news_science_products=0#qt-news_science_products

    Magnitude >7 was a mother, perhaps not the mother of all earthquakes but up there!!

  46. John Avatar
    John

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_earthquakes_in_the_Caribbean

    Largest earthquake in the Caribbean was 1843 not 1844 as I said earlier.

    I remembered reading about a field named Earthquake field at Hothersal Plantation.

    It was in an article in the Journal of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society by Sir John Chandler where he said he was told of it by an old labourer on the plantation.

    Probably written in the 1940’s or 50’s.

    Never knew it was the largest until now.

    Wonder if Schomburgk deals with it?

  47. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @Grenville

    You are the one who said that people were scared of speaking out because of fear of losing their jobs, in response to my repeated calls for other spokespeople, which I have done for over a year. I immediately said that was a serious democratic issue. Now you say I created the claim.
    This is the first time I have ever called anyone on BU a liar, but you are. I question your honesty and integrity. You are a political fraud. I no longer want to communicate with you.
    You are a passive/aggressive Little Hitler. You need urgent psychological help (note that while pretending to answer questions you still dig in with your aggression). Go away. Who would want to be led by you?

  48. John Avatar
    John

    “Damage
    On Guadeloupe, Pointe-à-Pitre suffered severe damage with a maximum of 8–900 houses being destroyed of the 1,222 that existed before the earthquake.[4] The earthquake was quickly followed by fires that caused further destruction.[5]
    The island of Antigua was also badly affected, with all churches and mills throughout the island reported destroyed. Forty deaths were reported. Damage was also reported from Montserrat, with six casualties.[5]”

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1843_Guadeloupe_earthquake

  49. John Avatar
    John

    Schomburgk says the 1843 earthquake was felt here “severely” with no loss of life.

    In Guadeloupe 5000 died.

    So we can be affected badly by earthquakes and if buildings are not designed properly they could fall.

    The difference between the strength of the 2007 earthquake and the 1843 earthquake is huge.

    7.4 vs 8.3 (estimated)

    However earthquakes are infrequent

  50. john2 Avatar
    john2

    “September 29, 2019 11:05 PM

    John 2:
    Do you have any idea what a building code is? Have you ever read one? If so, then why are you making such strange statements? If not, then why not read one before commenting on what you clearly do not understand?”

    GP

    It is more clear that you do not know what I understand or hence your silly comments disguised as questions.

The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.

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