Education Minister Sharie deCastro
Education Minister Sharie deCastro has accused Second District Representative Melvin Turnbull of blocking the entrance and exit of the Ivan Dawson Primary School after the ministry ordered the removal of playground equipment delivered without authorisation.
“I am advised that during the removal, the Member arrived and blocked the only entrance and exit to the school with his vehicle,” deCastro stated. “He was repeatedly asked to move and consistently declined,” she added. The Minister explained that the matter was then escalated to the police.
Addressing the territory, deCastro sought to reassure parents and staff at the Cane Garden Bay school. “Your playground is coming. It is budgeted, it is scheduled, and it will be delivered safely and properly,” she stated. She said the replacement of outdated equipment had already been prioritised and included in the 2026 budget allotment.
The Minister explained that a territory-wide playground replacement and rehabilitation programme began three years ago, with eight playgrounds installed to date, seven of them donor-funded. She said a donations policy introduced in December 2023 requires donor disclosure, documentation, and safety review before procurement or delivery.
On July 2, 2025, Turnbull announced his intention to donate a playground to the school. “The ministry had not been consulted beforehand, but we nonetheless welcomed the possibility and outlined the required process,” deCastro stated. She said the Member indicated he was unable to disclose the donor’s identity, which prevented the project from progressing under the Ministry’s policy.
According to deCastro, no required documentation was submitted despite requests. She said that on January 27, playground equipment was delivered to the school after hours “without the ministry’s knowledge or authorisation” and left exposed to the elements. “Unapproved materials on campus without oversight or safety checks pose risks to students and staff,” she stated.
“For these reasons, the Ministry took the responsible step to have the equipment removed from the school property,” deCastro said. She described the incident as “unfortunate and politically driven” and added, “Schools are places of learning. Politics should not enter our school grounds”.
The Minister maintained that the Ivan Dawson Primary School playground is scheduled for completion during the Easter break in April, in time for the Trinity term. “The facts matter. The process matters. Good governance matters. And above all, the safety of our students matters,” she stated.
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