In the remote villages in the Toledo District – residents rarely get to see ministers. In the Musa era – where that Prime Minister was famous for his marathon tours – those visits happened at least in time for elections – or whenever a crisis such as G-7 forced him into retreat. The current Prime Minister, bad back and all, is not known for southern tours – but three of his Ministers tried to pick up the slack last week. The Ministers of Education Works and Social Transformation went deep into Toledo for some southern comfort.
Jules Vasquez Reporting,
The football pitch at Otoxha may be the loudest place in the village on a Thursday afternoon. Other than the zeal of these young footballers, the village is still in the evening. Solar panels are the only hint of modernity. But in the school house with only parents watching, the Education Minister was talking about the future.
Hon. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education
“In these areas of our country in the villages of Toledo especially that all of those students who want to go on to high school will get the assistance from the Ministry of Education. I am not sure who is the principal of the school, okay Mr. principal I am hoping that you are hearing that loud and clear. I don’t know how many standard six students you have at present.”
Principal,
“We have six.”
Hon. Patrick Faber,
“You have six of them and I am saying that we want all six of them to go to high school and the government will do what it takes to get them to high school. We are aware of the situation of only two high schools in the entire Toledo District. I have been dialoguing with Minister Martinez about how we can solve that problem by opening another high school that will serve your area.”
That stop was part of a two day tour that took the trio of Ministers to far flung Dolores, Crico Sarco, Corazon, Barranco, and other remote villages in the south. Notably Works Minister Boots Martinez committed to install an approach to the bridge across the Temash at Crico Sarco which was made for vehicles but is presently only used as a pedestrian crossing.”
