The Community of Sandy Point has long been a proud and very outspoken society that does not do well in keeping concerns and issues bottled in. This has become evident once again as the residents of Sandy Point have openly expressed displeasure and outrage at the recent announcement by the government that the Sandy Point High School will be renamed the Charles Mills High School. Mills was a former Labour Parliamentarian, Opposition leader and Labour Party leader prior to the ascension of current leader Dr. Denzil Douglas.
Many callers to radio talk shows and hundreds of persons on the popular social networks including facebook and twitter have all expressed their dissatisfaction at the announcement.
Persons have suggested other notable Sandy Pointers who have made a mark in the community and at the institution such as the first headmaster Joseph Manchester or the highly popular principal Vincent Hodge.
It is a cause for concern that the government seemingly took a decision to rename the school without any consultation or input from the community. I think that our community stalwarts should be honored whether through the renaming of streets, buildings, or schools. However the community must be and should be involved as they more than anyone or any other community or group will know who is most deserving.
They have not consulted anyone. Not even senior teachers were aware of the proposed name change and it has come as a shock to the entire community.
Just recently a white paper was presented which spoke to community consultations in the renaming of schools. However the failure by the government to consult with anyone in the Sandy Point Community or even at the Sandy Point High School is in direct contravention to government’s recently stated policy that there must be consultation in the naming of schools and this situation seems to contradict the very white paper that they themselves presented. It therefore suggests that the white paper was just something presented for public consumption with no real intention of proper implementation.
According to a Press Release from the Prime Minister’s communication unit the re-naming ceremony will take place in September. Members of the Sandy Point community have suggested that various events and activities will be organized until then to express the community’s disappointment with the cabinet proposed renaming.
