The curious thing about the unauthorized continuing prefab construction on behalf of Mae’s Schools on Farnum’s Playing Field by the developer, is the non-response and silence of Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA), Ministries of Education, Sports, Public Works, Housing & Water and the refusal of these bodies to take appropriate remedial action. Not to mention the failure of the Mayor and City Council, City Engineer and Town Clerk to enforce the laws. While these bodies remain silent, the children are subjected to the dangers of an active construction site which is unregulated, a matter addressed to the Ministry of Labour and Ministry of Human Services and Social Security. This is compounded by the construction material strewn all over the 4 sides of the construction site in which a school operates. Even welding is taking place. The construction continues during school hours unabated with no safety measures.
Despite repeated letters, hard copies acknowledged, visits and calls to the Ministry of Education for information on whether Mae’s Schools on the unauthorized site has been certified to operate as a private school, silence and the unavailability of the new Minister is all we get. Instead of the Chief Education Officer disclosing the name of the owner for Mae’s Schools and answering whether certification was granted for years 2024 & 2025, he chooses to remain silent and referred these questions to the elusive Minister. There is a person who holds the title of Private School’s Coordinator, and a request for information on Maes Private Schools is still to be answered by her. The government electrical inspectorate, Ministry of Public Works falls into the silence line when asked about their certification for the electrical connection mounted in the open on a tree. Actually, this section of the Ministry of Public Works, refused to acknowledge receipt of the hard copy of email sent to the Chief Electrical Inspector on 25 September 2025. In March 2025, the school was destroyed by a fire caused an internal electrical issue as stated in the Fire Chief’s report, Electrical fault caused Mae’s Schools fire – Wickham – Stabroek News . The Guyana Fire Service’s Fire Prevention Unit is unaware of the unauthorized prefab construction.
‘The kids and their education’ at a for-profit private school on the unauthorized construction site in Subryanville’s residential community ground, apparently trumps the need for any of these certificates as well as the health & safety regulations. The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development has been notified as a precautionary alert.
Is the CHPA, The Mayor & City Council colluding with government agencies on this matter? What was the last date alternative suitable accommodation was pursued by the unknown owners of Mae’s Schools? Are the Ministry of Education’s offers of support of making alternative arrangements to accommodate the children elsewhere still open? Are the private schools which were ready to accommodate the children in the aftermath of the fire still on board with this support?
So many unknowns while we await the 13 October 2025 M&CC Statutory Meeting’s decision. Still the unauthorized construction is allowed to continue by the Offices of the Town Clerk & City Engineer. Will Central Housing and Planning Authority, previously asked by the residents, act with the same alacrity as undertaken against the supermarket on Brickdam, Friday 26 September 2025 as https://www.stabroeknews.com/
