Norman Horne leads J$25 million restoration of Bull Savannah Primary School
/ Our Today
administrator
Businessman Norman Horne, executive chairman of the ARC Group, has launched an initiative to repair his alma mater, the Bull Savannah Primary & Infant School in St. Elizabeth, which was destroyed by Hurricane Beryl.
The repairs will encompass the roof of four of the six blocks and other areas of the compound.
The plan has been officially accepted by the school board, which appointed Horne to lead a nine-member restoration committee to return the institution to a workable space in time for the next school year.
The committee will comprise school administrators, parent-teacher association (PTA) representatives, ARC team members and other community stakeholders.
Reconstruction work has already begun and is expected to be completed before the end of August.
“The restoration programme will include extensive clean-up of the grounds to remove debris from the storm. In addition to installing new roofs, we will be putting in storm-proof windows and painting the damaged buildings. We also plan to put in a football field and netball court, as we know how important physical activities are to a student’s well-being and to create balance with the academic programmes.”
—ARC Group executive chairman Norman Horne.
ARC also plans to donate back-to-school school supplies to close to 600 students at the school.
Horne says he felt compelled to urgently respond to the devastation of the institution caused by Hurricane Beryl primarily because of his family’s connection to the community and the school which provided education for generations of the Horne family.
“The school is as part of my family as my siblings and the home where I grew up; right here in Bull Savannah. My grandmother, my mother, my siblings and I all got our start at this school. Ensuring that the school is repaired and up and running in time for the start of the new school year is a top priority for us at ARC and indeed the committee working on the restoration process,” the executive chairman explained.
Principal of the school, Colin Cameron said he appreciates the assistance over the years of past students, including Horne and, in particular, his significant gesture to lead the charge to rebuild the institution.
Cameron explained that there was extensive damage to the roof of each block impacted, as well as to the canteen and guidance counsellor’s room, with the hurricane causing flooding of all classrooms and damage to books which were stored for the coming school year. In addition, the electrical system will need to be rewired and the internet system restored.
“I inherited a legacy of academic achievements among our students and for the past 10 years since I have been principal the school has continued to do well. With the assistance promised, we are hoping to have a smooth start to the new year,” Cameron said.
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