Ed officials say safety is priority

| 24/09/2019 | 28 Comments
Cayman News Service

(CNS): The Department of Education Services maintains that official protocols were all followed on Monday after a school bus transporting students from Clifton Hunter crashed in East End. The department said safety remains the priority and although everything was done correctly in the wake of the collision with a private car, it will review the safety processes.

“The safety of our students is our first concern,” said DES Acting Director Tammy Banks-DaCosta. “We will always take the necessary precautions to ensure the well-being of our students.”

As soon as he was aware of the crash yesterday afternoon, Clifton Hunter Principal Dr Richard Wildman went to the scene at Sea View Road, where the emergency services also arrived soon afterwards. Eight students were taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital in George Town after they complained of neck and back pain.

Wildman checked on all the students at the scene, and immediately notified the parents and guardians as part of the protocol. Notice was sent to the PTA’s WhatsApp group and also via the school’s Facebook page. Some of the parents arrived on the scene to check on their children, the DES said.   

The school bus operator provided an additional bus, and students who had indicated they were not feeling any pain or discomfort were allowed to board that bus home.

“We at the DES are satisfied with our team’s handling of the situation yesterday, but we will continue to assess and update our emergency response procedures as necessary to ensure the continued safety of our students,” Banks-DaCosta added.


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Category: Local News

Comments (28)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    I used to work in the schools and hated going on the school bus. It was boiling hot, no air conditioning, the kids were out of their seats and on their knees, moving seats. If children are involved there needs to be seat belts and if was a pleasant atmosphere on the bus they may find it easier to sit still. It was hell going on school trips on the bus.

  2. Anonymous says:

    I saw a school bus yesterday drop the children off in the middle of the mini roundabout by Pasadora Place. All the cars waiting at each junction to enter the roundabout looked at each other in disbelief! How is that safe for children?

  3. Anonymous says:

    i see them speeding and driving reckless

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    • SSM345 says:

      The bus that picks up kids throughout Savannah Meadows every morning is an absolute lunatic as he speeds around the neighborhood ignoring the speed limit and blows through stop signs with complete and utter recklessness. Those of us that live on Millet Close know this all to well.

      Not to mention the bus driver that drops off kids by Prospect Primary by stopping dead in the middle of the roundabout to let them off rather than exiting the roundabout and letting them off at the side of the road….safely.

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  4. Slow down says:

    I saw a CHHS bus driver enter from a side road without stopping or indicating in front of a car which it almost hit only to cross the road onto another side road without indicating again and nearly hitting another car.

    Our children deserve better than this. Many parents are forced to have their children bussed to school and it is imperative that we ensure these drivers understand “safety first”. Busses pass by me everyday speeding, all trying to be lined up behind each other, must be attempting to copy convoy’s.

    I wonder sometimes how the Licensing Department grades persons taking tests for a drivers license. I guess the faster and more of a lunatic you are the higher the score.

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  5. Anonymous says:

    more will happen…police not looking at school busses resklessness…sad

  6. Anonymous says:

    The bus did not crash. An suv hit it from behind.
    Not the fault of the bus driver.

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  7. Anonymous says:

    There are no seatbelts on school buses worldwide.

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  8. Anonymous says:

    Really everyone? Some drunk a$$ east ender ran into their backside. How could the bus driver had averted this??

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    • Anonymous says:

      Breathalyzer was negative. Still the fault of the driver behind in a rear end collision, but “drunk a$$” is wrong.

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    • Anonymous says:

      FYI the suv driver is not an east ender. Know your facts before you start typing your comments.

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  9. Seeing red says:

    Public and tourist buses go through red lights every day and why not, I have never heard of the police prosecuting anyone for this offence.

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  10. Anonymous says:

    ‘Safety is always a priority’ – the most common phrase used after an accident

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  11. Anonymous says:

    Dare you to go check when the fire extinguishers were last serviced.

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  12. Anonymous says:

    The bus driver who blew clean though a red light at 730 this morning by Delworths clearly disagrees with the Ministry.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I’m quite sure all of our red lights are accompanied by more than 1 red light. Have you reported it to be investigated and confirmed or just hot air?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Okay, if true that driver is a menace. But that is not this incident. This bus driver was impacted from the rear. Read the article. So clearly the vehicle in the rear was at fault.

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  13. Anonymous says:

    Seatbelts? Safety is priority, but no seatbelts?

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