CONSTRUCTION of a new school meals facility should start around the second half of the year in Farm Gardens, St Philip.
Minister of Education Ronald Jones said the two-storey centre would be capable of providing 25 000 meals a day if necessary.
“This new facility will not only replace the Summervale facility but also the St Christopher centre, and will not only have the ability to produce 15 000 meals a day but in case of any national emergencies can also produce 10 000 extra,” the minister said.
“We have to prepare for hurricanes, disasters and things of that ilk, so state of the art facilities like that centre would not only cater to the simple provision of school meals but would also be able to cater for any calamities in Barbados if called on to do mass feedings of the population,” he said.
“We’ve gone to tender and we are expecting once this is awarded, which one hopes would be within four or so months, that construction of that facility will start.”
April 6 is the deadline for tenders, according to a published notice.
Jones spoke to the DAILY NATION yesterday after a scholarship presentation by the Rotary Club of Barbados West at the ministry, Constitution Road, St Michael.
On the type of foods the School Meals Department would be serving, Jones said standards had been established based on the principles of health and wellness, which extended to canteens and vendors.
“We are not coercing, but rather bringing people on board to let them understand we need to have a healthy young person and a healthy nation,” he said.
The Ministry of Health held seminars with food operators at schools, he said, adding that the School Meals Department had managed to largely eliminate the bread lunch.
“We know students sometimes hesitate [to eat healthy] as a lot of our people like pasta-based products, so we’re not just going to wrench it from their menu but balance is necessary added to an exercise regimen in the schools,” he said.
As for snack vendors selling outside the schools, Jones said he was not looking to affect anyone’s livelihood but would be appealing to them to “move their trades to a healthier provision”.
