Black River Primary Repair Works Target Early August With Stronger Hurricane-Proof Roofing

Repairs at Black River Primary and Infant School in Black River, St. Elizabeth, are moving toward a more hurricane-resilient finish by the first week of August, according to the subcontractor leading the restoration after Hurricane Melissa.

Principal Sharon White said the storm damaged every building on the compound. She explained that some roofing was already old and had been weakened by subterranean termites common in the area, leaving the structures unable to withstand Melissa.

The subcontractor said the project is more than 75 per cent complete and should wrap up in early August. Workers are no longer relying on nails alone for hurricane straps; screws are being used instead, with straps placed at two-foot centres across the structure. Exterior closure boards are secured with concrete nails, and lumber has been upgraded from one-by-ten to one-by-twelve boards for greater coverage.

At the infant department block, where the entire roof was torn off and crumpled, contractors installed a twelve-inch belt around the building. An overhang more than seven feet long had been left dangling without support underneath. The subcontractor and a construction engineer recommended steel beams to the Ministry of Education, and rafters are being bolted with two nuts and bolts each so wind cannot lift the roof from below.

Electricity has returned to some sections of the school, allowing work to move faster. Remaining tasks include removing sheeting from the grade five block, installing plywood, and re-sheeting. Electrical work is already under way, and painters are expected the following week.

White said she wants every incomplete section finished before another major hurricane, noting that exposed areas remain vulnerable when wind gets underneath. Her greater worry, however, is for nearby homes that have not been repaired since the storm. She said she feels for residents whose businesses and houses were both damaged and who must find money to rebuild shops and residences at the same time.