Norton to source solar panel batteries for Tapakuma Lake Primary

From left to right, Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton; Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, with responsibility for Labour , Keith Scott and Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Jaipaul Sharma with schoolchildren (DPI photo)

Hearing that the Tapakuma Lake Primary School in Region Two has been without electricity because the solar panel batteries have expired, Minister of Social Protection, Dr George Norton, on Wednesday indicated willingness to source funding for the donation of five new batteries to the school. A release from the Department of Public Information (DPI) stated that during a community meeting at the Mainstay Multipurpose Hall at Lake Mainstay, Essequibo, which followed a ‘Government comes to you’ outreach at Damon Square, Anna Regina, the issue was raised by a teacher-in-charge at the primary school.

“At present, our electricity supply is down. Government would have put in place a solar supply electricity system which to date, the batteries for the system have expired, and so the school is without any electricity,” the educator, Fenton Williams related.

DPI reported that Norton acknowledged that he was made aware of the matter some months ago, but noted that theirs is not the only school in need of assistance. Nevertheless, he stated that steps will be taken to have the issue hopefully resolved.