Munro mangled

It will take US$2 million (J$310 million) or more to get Munro College in Potsdam, St Elizabeth, back up and running following Hurricane Beryl’s destructive passage, which left 31 of the 35 buildings on the school’s compound mangled.

The 168-year-old institution, often called ‘The City on a Hill’, buckled under the force of the monster storm when its outer bands battered Jamaica’s south coast last Wednesday.

Several buildings, including the principal’s office, staff cottages and the sixth-form block, lost roofs, windows, or doors. At the same time, furniture, solar panels and sections of the tennis court’s fencing also suffered noticeable damage.

A section of a perimeter wall to the back of the school also collapsed, along with it dozens of uprooted trees that lined one entrance to the school.

“Of the 35 buildings, only four were not damaged. So you are talking about 31 buildings receiving from medium to significant damage,” Munro College Principal Mark Smith told The Gleaner on Monday.

Smith, who lives on compound, described Beryl’s passage as a “horrifying” experience, recalling that at one point, his five-year-old son asked whether they were going to die.

Smith said the howling winds and torrential downpour had made the boy anxious.

Rainfall totals of between 100 and 200 millimetres (4-8 inches) were forecast for most areas last Wednesday, the Meteorological Service of Jamaica said then, with higher amounts in higher elevations.

Maximum sustained winds neared 230 km/h (145 mph), with higher gusts, while hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 75 km (45 miles) from the centre and tropical-storm-force winds extended outward up to 295 km (185 miles).

Smith said four other staff members and their families were also holed up in staff cottages, and that they, too, suffered trauma from the Category 4 storm’s passage.

In one instance, the principal said a teacher and her three children changed rooms several times before seeking refuge in a closet, where they prayed after Beryl picked apart the roof of their cottage.

In another instance, a teacher spent hours lying on a bed sheet in a bathtub, after the roof of his cottage left with the wind.

“Our staff had some traumatic experiences. A lot of my initial reaction to the storm was to tend to the human part of it – get them together to relocate. It was really difficult for them. We’ve gone through something truly traumatic,” Smith told The Gleaner.

Smith said a preliminary assessment indicated that the school suffered approximately US$2 million worth of damage.

He said significant repairs will have to be done to the roofs, while furniture will have to be replaced.

Additionally, he said while there was no major infrastructure damage to dormitories, some water damage occurred.

He said it is not yet clear whether the school’s electronics were damaged as they were wrapped in plastic, which produced significant moisture.

Still, he believes that the school can become fully functional by September to welcome the 1,056 boys on roll.

Operations meetings are ongoing and will be followed by board-level meetings to plan the engagement of contractors and a project manager to assist with “extensive repairs”.

Smith said the aim is to focus first on buildings which suffered minor damage before taking on those significantly damaged.

“We are taking it one step at a time. We will rebuild and we’re coming back bigger, stronger and better. It was Rahm Emmanuel, who said never waste a disaster. If something bad happens, try to salvage the good you can out of it. So we intend to,” said Smith, who has been at the helm of the institution for nine years.

He said it is his hope that well-wishers and alumni will rise to the challenge of helping the school to rebuild.

Already, he said, several corporate entities have pledged assistance, and disclosed that the requisite steps to ensure that a transparent process in terms of accounting for and utilisation of funds occurs.

Smith said the school has also engaged the Ministry of Education to ensure that the proper procurement procedures are maintained as it looks to undertake significant recovery work.

Meanwhile, he said the school will be preparing care packages to assist residents and staff in the surrounding communities as far away as Treasure Beach.

“We’re trying to spread some love and support at this very difficult time. My students and their parents, some of them would have gone through some difficult time so we’re also reaching out to them to extend our heartfelt support,” Smith said.

kimone.francis@gleanerjm.com

How you can help

Contributions can be made to Munro College Old Boys’ Association either directly online via the Donate page on its website at mcobajm.org or lodge funds directly to its accounts.

J$ contributions

Payee: Munro College Old Boys’ Association

A/C#: 062188006

A/C Type: Chequing

Bank: National Commercial Bank

Branch: Duke Street Branch

Purpose: Hurricane Beryl Recovery

US$ contributions

Payee: Munro College Old Boys’ Association

A/C#: 065458594

A/C Type: Savings (US$)

Bank: National Commercial Bank

Branch: Duke Street Branch

Purpose: Hurricane Beryl Recovery