by Michele Catahay, KUAM News Friday, May 16, 2008 Subscribe to Michele's newsfeed   E-mail this article Printable version KUAM Toolbar Web Widgets Get RSS headlines

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The Guam Public School System's Health and Safety Task Force made a visit to Oceanview Middle School this afternoon. That southern school's community has been pleading for years now in hopes to get their gymnasium fixed. OMS has been without a gym for seven years now.

Teachers, parents, and students have been speaking out since their gym was condemned after receiving extensive damages by 2002's Supertyphoon Pongsona. A KUAM.com Citizen Correspondence report on the school's gymnasium has Attorney General Alicia Limitiaco wanting to look for a permanent solution to get the gym back up and running. She told KUAM News, "The Task Force will make recommendations in terms of temporary and permanent corrective measures. We always stress that we are looking at the permanent corrective measures with certain problems that may need to be require sometime that may be more complex or procurement of professional services."

In addition the gym, the school is hoping to have other areas fixed as well. According to a recent report on the 14 points of the Every Child is Entitled to An Adequate Public Education Act, out of 37 classrooms, 15 are not properly ventilated. Out of 14 water fountains, four are not working. As for toilets, 27 work and 5 are out, while Oceanview currently has 11 urinals working and five non-functional. GPSS officials have assured the Task Force that maintenance workers are fixing the restrooms, while contractors continue to install the needed dispensers.

Meanwhile, the Task Force has further emphasized the need to assess all fire safety issues by refilling the extinguishers and ensuring ceilings are high enough in the event there was a fire. Captain Joey Muna told KUAM News, "The smoke is up here and you have so much room to breathe, but when you start getting closer up to the ceiling, you're going to be up there where there is smoke. I believe that's a life safety issue."

Speaking of fire safety hazards, the Task Force noted several issues in the library, where the exit doors were not working. GPSS safety administrator Bruce Williams says that issue will be taken care of by Monday. While the Task Force continues its rounds at the Agat campus, AG Limtiaco continues to emphasize the importance of setting timelines and deadlines to have each of these minor issues resolved in order to maintain a safe and healthy environment. "As with all our other inspections, the Task Force has been firm in its requirements and recommendations and again will continue to meet with GPSS and discuss what needs to be done," she assured the community.

Also present at the tour is newly-appointed education suruhanu Dominic Terlaje, who says he's ready to look over complaints dealing with the local law. He noted, "We have received a few complaints but as of my review, they don't seem to address any of the 14 points of the Adequate Education Act...the public needs to know the complaints should relate to the 14 points."