In a stirring celebrative ceremony on Monday, December 6th, the newly constructed building of the Adrian T. Hazell Primary School, in South Hill, was turned over to the Department of Education by the Contractor Leonard Bennett of Bennett’s Construction. Traditionally known as the Road Primary School, portions of the former structure had succumbed to the impact of the passage of Hurricane Irma in 2017.
Now the stellar stately building stands as a testament to the strength and resilience of a proud community, thanks to the financial provision by the United Kingdom through the renowned Anguilla Programme. The Adrian T. Hazell School now counts as the second school to be handed over, of a total of four such schools that have been handed over and dedicated, following reconstruction by means of the said Anguilla Programme. The first such Primary School to be handed over in similar fashion was the Valley Primary School which was recently dedicated on Friday, November 5th.
Monday morning’s handing over ceremony got underway as the compact audience, seated under three spreading tents, was prompted to stand in respect for the singing of the National Anthem, National Song and the School Song, all rendered by student members of the School Council. This was followed by a fervent prayer of invocation and thanksgiving by the school’s Chaplain, Pastor Rondy Isles-Carty.
In making her welcome remarks, Permanent Secretary, Bonnie Richardson-Lake, mentioned that she had extended welcome as well as heartfelt gratitude to all who worked to bring the momentous occasion to fruition. “The construction of this new block required the collaborative work of many people,” she reflected. “There were not only those who worked on the construction site, but many who have worked behind the scenes to ensure that funding was available, supplies arrived, deadlines were met, and that the quality of work was up to standard. It has been a long road, but here we are today, and I am very pleased to share this occasion with all of you.”
Her Excellency, Governor Dileeni Daniel Selvaratnam, apart from commending the contractors and builders of the structure, focused on the school’s motto: ‘The Palm is Gained with Effort’. She jovially affirmed: “I know the Deputy Governor, the Minister of Infrastructure, and the Ministerial Assistant (all of whom are Adrian T. Hazell alumni) take this motto to heart. They carry with pride the formative years they spent at Adrian T. Hazell, and the strong foundation this school had built for their achievements in life.
“…To develop the talents of our children and to support their well-being, it is critical that we create an environment where students and teachers can nurture curiosity and grace. The Anguilla Programme funded US$5.8 million for the completion of this project which will serve the communities of South Hill, North Hill and Blowing Point.”
“Partnership working is the key to successful delivery,” the Governor noted. “We would not be here without the committed leadership of the Schools Rebuild Programme led by Dawn Reid and Bren Romney; the Permanent Secretary, Bonnie Richardson-Lake; and Darren Forbes-Batey of the Governor’s Office. All of you worked together in excellent partnership with the Technotech team and Bennet’s Contracting.”
The Honorable Premier, Dr. Ellis L. Webster, was also designated to deliver remarks: “Today is a momentous milestone,” he pointed out. “This is the culmination of a vision – a need – for the children of this community. Today, we experience first-hand the power of community. While it was Hurricane Irma that triggered off the funding from the Anguilla Programme, this project was a vision of this community, including principal, teachers, parents, students and politicians alike. The project was made possible through the influence of the Governor’s office, and the responses from the United Kingdom Government and the UK tax payers and, indeed, Bennett’s Construction…Now, I want to add my thanks for this beautiful edifice that is here before us. It will fulfill the purpose that it was built to serve…”
A brief address followed by the Honourable Minister of Education, Ms. Dee-Ann Kentish Rogers. She too referred to the significance of the school motto. “As we dedicate this new block,” she said, “we realise that it has been a long journey to get here. Since the beginning of the reconstruction, a lot of things have changed: teachers have changed; students have changed; deputies have changed; and principals have changed. But what has not changed is the school’s motto: ‘The Palm is Gained with Effort’.
“This school — its students, staff and community — would have only made it to this moment with much effort. As momentous as this occasion is for the students who will line the halls of the new school, I know that it is also a momentous time for the teachers who can now be comfortably accommodated in their new teachers’ lounge.”
The Minister reflected on the fact that there were so many individuals, organizations and agencies to thank for the indispensible part they all played in the reconstruction. “But,” she added, “Most importantly, we must thank God above for allowing us to be present in this moment and for enabling us to see our students participate in the joys of this edifice.”
Selected parents and alumni of the school lustily rendered Cee Cee Winans’ Believe for It. This was followed by an address from the Chief Education Officer, Mr. Bren Romney, who thanked all those who diligently worked on the redevelopment of the structure. “We are all very grateful,” he said “for the sacrifices made by so many to make this day possible.”
The school’s Principal, Ms. Tiffany Thomas expressed her gratitude to God for the provisions He made in causing the reconstruction to be a reality: “Today we thank our almighty God for bestowing upon us the newly completed structure of a school in the South Hill district. Through Him, teachers and students were able to persevere amidst the destruction brought on by Hurricane Irma, which caused all of our classroom sizes to be reduced. But the Lord was with us, and we received a promise.
“Today, this promise has been realised with this magnificent educational edifice that stands here before us. I must say that it has been a long two years since the commencement of the development of the new block, and I must recognise the patience of the teachers and parents over these long two years. It was extremely tiresome at times…but we are happy to look at this building today—the Adrian T. Hazell Primary School, the Home of the Rams.”
Also speaking, was PTA President, Kara Gumbs, who said that she was honoured to stand and speak, not just as a parent of a student of the school, but also as a past student. She said that she registered a great deal of excitement, and she and her daughter were enthused about the new edifice. She noted that even the erection of the new sign on the building filled her daughter with joy and glee.
The contractor, Mr. Leonard Bennett spoke in tones of thanksgiving as well. He testified that he, too, was a student of Adrian T., and it gave him much gratitude and pleasure to stand there, looking at some of his past teachers, long retired. He thanked his team for their dedicated work over the challenging two-year period, and expressed appreciation for his family’s support. But admirably, he referred to his faith as a practical Methodist saying, “Above all, I must thank my God for taking me through, as well as my family who stood beside me in the hard and trying times.”
The Vote of Thanks was delivered by Education Service Planner, Mrs. Dawn Reid. Pastor Howard Simon offered the Prayer of Blessing, after which the cutting of the ribbon was done by HE Governor Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, Minister Dee-Ann Kentish Rogers, Principal Tiffany Thomas, the Student Council President, the PTA President, and Ms. Lois Hazell, daughter of the late Adrian T. Hazell.
