On Monday November 25th , 2013 the temporary housing for the schools on St. Eustatius has been officially inaugurated. In response to signals that in the past a landfill existed nearby the area where the temporary school is located, the Government Building Agency (Rijksgebouwendienst) has carried out a soil and air pollution research. The research shows that there is no pollution in the soil and in the air.
The Government Building Agency has, on assignment of the Public Entity St. Eustatius and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW), temporarily inaugurated a school building at the location of Foundation Zagen and Schaven (sawing and planing) on the road to Jenkins Bay. This temporary school is meant to accommodate Statian schools that will all undergo renovations in the coming years. The first school that will make use of this temporary school building is the Golden Rock School.
As a result of questions from concerned Statians the Government Building Agency has contracted an independent research agency from Curacao, Civil, Environmental & Geotechnical Engineers, to do research. The research company took soil samples on the grounds of the site. Also, samples of the air in the classrooms were taken. All samples were analyzed in a laboratory in the European Netherlands. This research shows that the soil quality and the air quality remain within the legal standards such as those used in both the Caribbean and European Netherlands. The classrooms and the school grounds are safe and can be used without objection.
The two clients and the Government Building Agency are pleased with the results of the research and assume that this possible concern among parents, teachers and other stakeholders has been removed. The results of the research will be processed in a report that after readiness will be placed on the website of RCN/OCW.