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Ongoing protests by the students and members of the agricultural science department have increased ten-fold due the lack of cooperation and communication between the Queen’s College (QC) Board of Governors, the Department, affected students and other relevant stakeholders.
Members of the Agricultural Science Department told the Guyana Chronicle that a $35M multi-complex facility will be erected to the south-east of the agricultural plot. The construction of this facility will require the demolition of an additional 10 meters into the plot.
The protests began on Tuesday, November 15, where members of the Department sat in front of the area of the plot which was to be demolished in an attempt to stop the workers from breaking down the fence of the plot. According to members of the Department, “We were not informed of any such decision.”
Members of the agricultural science department further stated that on Wednesday, November 16 all key stakeholders [the Board of Governors, teachers, students and Principal of the college] met and tried to reach a compromise.
“The only compromises being made were those regarding our side.” This entailed actions to move the plot and continuing with the works for the construction of the Multi-complex facility.
A decision was however not made at this forum and further consultations were to be made, but today, the contractors were seen “filling in the sand.”
This action resulted in students of the college, teachers and members of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) protesting chanting various slogans including “Agree for Agri”, “Save the plot” and “Less Land, Less Food, Less Life.”
Students also aired their concerns by highlighting that putting the complex- which is rumored to also house a cafeteria, will be “unhealthy” because the plot usually houses chicks and chickens.
This plot, which was only recently extended, houses the farming beds and research projects of the current 5th and 6th formers who are preparing to sit their CSEC and CAPE examinations next year. Students believe that the demolition of the fraction of the plot will result in the displacement of these projects and will hamper the farming activities of the other students from first to sixth forms.
