Dry schools get water tanks from Digicel

Telecommunications giant Digicel is moving to assist some of the schools which could be impacted by the drought at the start of the new school year.

With students being warned that they might have to carry water to schools for drinking and to flush toilets, Digicel is providing water tanks for institutions in the water-starved areas of Kingston, St Thomas, and Clarendon in the first instance.

Already 650-gallon tanks have been delivered to the Swallowfield Primary and Junior High and Mona Heights Primary schools in the Corporate Area.

Tanks have also been installed at the Golden Grove Primary and Junior High and Dalvey Primary in St Thomas, with schools in Clarendon scheduled to get water tanks this week.

"My children will be able to stay longer at school, I don't have to dismiss them early anymore" said Claudette Gilzine, principal of Golden Grove Primary, as she accepted the tank on behalf of the school which houses approximately 480 students.

Digicel has also promised that it will engage the services of the National Water Commission to have the tanks filled in time for the new school year.