For Immediate Release
June 12th, 2012
ISLAND NDP CALLS FOR SOLUTION TO AIR QUALITY ISSUES AT PARKSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SUMMERSIDE – NDP President Andrew Want is calling on the Ghiz government to reverse their decision to refuse to pay for a solution to lower dangerous carbon dioxide levels at Parkside Elementary School in Summerside.
The Parkside Elementary Home & School Association and the Western School Board have been calling for a solution to the air quality issues at Parkside for months after air quality tests in January revealed high levels of carbon dioxide in the school. A new ventilation system was later identified as the best solution but the province is refusing to pay for the needed upgrade.
According to Mr. Want, a province that can afford to spend $2,000,000 this year planning for a party in 2014 ought to be able to find enough dollars to maintain a safe and healthy learning environment in its elementary schools. Mr. Want says that this is a clear mismanagement of priorities.
”The government is stalling and pinching pennies over a $750,000 ventilation system in a public school to address ongoing air quality problems,” says Mr. Want. “This is also the same government that is spending $2,000,000 this year planning for a party that’s two years away.”
Mr. Want applauded the efforts of the Parkside Home & School Association and the Western School Board to address this long-running problem. Mr. Want challenged the local MLAs to pressure their government to find the money to make the needed repairs this year, not in a couple of years.
“Sending students to learn in a sick building while spending millions on party planning is poor leadership. The students of Parkside Elementary deserve a better answer from government than to ‘make the best of a bad situation’ for another year,” said Mr. Want.
