Waul lauds political rival Warmington

Dr Waul, 43, received several nods of approval from a small gathering of stakeholders for exercising political maturity when he commended his rival for the role he played in getting the expansion project for the Marlie Mount Primary School up and running.

The 47-year-old institution is set to return to the single-shift system following the completion of new two-storey block of 10 classrooms by the end of August. However such a possibility is likely to be put on hold due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Warmington, the Member of Parliament for St Catherine South West and State Minister with responsibility for Works, has been given much credit for his persistency when the school was first listed some six years ago among several government institutions of learning for removal from the two-shift system.

“I want to thank the minister, because I heard that he was instrumental in fighting for this project,” said Waul, a medical doctor by profession.

The former Marlie Mount Primary past student added: “As you all know I am vying for the position of member of parliament and I will fight for you also, just as your current member of parliament is doing, and I want to thank him for that.”

Warmington, who was also present at the planning information meeting called by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), later spoke of the myriad of bureaucratic hurdles he had to maneuver to see the $110 million project finally get off the ground.

“So I have been fighting with them (agencies) all this time and I really want to thank them (JSIF), on behalf of the constituency, to let them know how grateful we are for accommodating our request.

“What surprise me though is that it took so long for the project to start because it came to Cabinet and it was approved quite some time ago,” Warmington said.

Dr Waul also joined Warmington in commending JSIF and all other stakeholders for “bringing more classrooms to my alma mater”.

“Marlie Mount was the best days of my life, and I would want all the children growing up in the community to have the same experience that I had,” Dr Waul said.