27/10/2026
CHANTILLY NEWS & VIEWS
October 26,2026
VOLUME 30 — A HISTORICAL COMMUNITY EDITION
THE CHILDREN CANNOT WAIT FOREVER
Truth • Unity • Progress • Community • Hope
COLUMN 1: COMMUNITY FOCUS
CHANTILLY PRIMARY SCHOOL: HOW MUCH LONGER MUST OUR CHILDREN WAIT?
A Community's Concern.
A Nation's Responsibility.
A Future at Stake.
Thirty editions of Chantilly News & Views represent more than a newspaper. They represent a record of our community's struggles, achievements, concerns, hopes and dreams.
And as we publish Volume 30, one issue continues to weigh heavily on our hearts: the condition of Chantilly Primary School, particularly the First Grade Department.
For far too long, this situation has remained unresolved. We have discussed it, highlighted it, documented it and appealed for assistance. Yet, as the photographs accompanying this edition will show, the situation remains substantially unchanged.
How much longer must our children wait?
This is not written to attack anyone. It is written because we care. It is written because education is the foundation upon which a community builds its future. And it is written because our children deserve an environment that reflects their worth and potential.
For me, as editor of this publication, the prolonged condition of the school is a travesty. It raises serious questions about priorities, accountability and the urgency we attach to the education of our youngest citizens.
We understand that repairs require money, planning, skilled labour and coordination. We also recognize that government agencies have responsibilities in the provision and maintenance of public educational facilities.
However, the passing of time demands that we ask some difficult questions.
What is the plan? Who is responsible for the next step? What assistance is needed? And when will meaningful progress begin?
Our children should not become accustomed to inadequate facilities. They should not have to grow up believing that their learning environment is somehow less deserving of attention.
WE MUST DOCUMENT WHAT WE SEE
The photographs published with this edition are important. They serve as a visual record of the condition of the school at this point in our community's history.
We are documenting this because future generations should be able to look back and understand what was happening, what concerns were raised and what efforts were made to bring about change.
If progress is made tomorrow, we will celebrate it.
If assistance arrives next month, we will welcome it.
But if the situation remains unchanged, the record must also reflect that reality.
Silence does not build schools. Documentation, advocacy, planning and action help bring change.
A COMMUNITY APPEAL
We appeal to the Ministry of Education, the relevant government agencies, our Member of Parliament, local representatives, business owners, churches, community organizations, former students and Chantilly residents living overseas.
Please take another look at Chantilly Primary School.
Please listen to the concerns being raised.
Please help us identify a practical path forward.
We are not merely asking for sympathy. We are asking for assistance, accountability and action.
Our children are our future, and their future should never be placed on the back burne
THE BALL FIELD: ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY WE MUST NOT IGNORE
During a recent visit, I had the opportunity to walk around the back of the school and observe the ball field, where children were playing.
It was encouraging to see the children enjoying themselves and making use of the space. It reminded me that, even when facilities are limited, our young people will find ways to play, interact and develop.
But it also made me think about what this area could become.
What if we upgraded the ball field into a more organized, safer and more useful community sporting facility?
Imagine a facility with:
- One or two modest spectator stands.
- Appropriate lighting to support safe, supervised activities after daylight hours.
- Concreted sections in suitable areas for spectators and other activities.
- Improved playing surroundings and basic amenities.
- Space for organized youth programmes, sporting events and community gatherings.
These are ideas for consideration, not a claim that any plans have already been approved. They would require consultation, proper design, cost estimates, safety assessments and the necessary permissions.
But why should we not begin the conversation?
A well-planned sporting area could give our children and young people more opportunities to develop discipline, teamwork, confidence and healthy habits. It could also provide a space for community events and organized recreation.
LET US THINK BEYOND TODAY
We should not look at the ball field simply as an open space where children play.
We should see its potential.
Could it become a place where young athletes are discovered? Could it host community competitions? Could it help bring families together? Could it provide positive activities that keep our young people engaged?
These are worthwhile questions.
And they deserve serious consideration.
OUR APPEAL FOR ASSISTANCE
We appeal to government agencies, sporting organizations, corporate Jamaica, charitable groups, former residents and overseas members of the Chantilly community to consider supporting the development of the school grounds and sporting area.
We welcome donations, technical expertise, materials, professional guidance and partnerships that can help turn these ideas into a realistic plan.
Let us move from identifying problems to developing solutions.
COLUMN 2: HEALTH & WELLNESS
HEALTHY CHILDREN NEED HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS
A child's well-being extends beyond the classroom.
Children need safe places to learn, opportunities to exercise, adequate rest, nutritious food, positive relationships and space to play.
Physical activity supports children's physical fitness, coordination, social development and emotional well-being. Organized sports can also help children learn teamwork, patience, discipline and respect.
That is why the school environment and the surrounding sporting facilities matter.
When we invest in suitable learning and recreational spaces, we invest in more than buildings. We invest in the conditions that help children grow.
A HEALTH JEWEL FOR PARENTS
Encourage children to be active every day in ways that are appropriate for their age and abilities.
Where possible, help them balance screen time with outdoor play, sports, walking and other enjoyable physical activities.
But remember: children need safe surroundings to participate fully.
Community leaders, parents, schools and relevant authorities all have a role to play in making recreational spaces safer and more accessible.
Let us make health, education and recreation part of the same conversation.
A healthy community gives its children room to learn, room to play and room to dream.
COLUMN 3: VOICES OF CHANTILLY
IF WE WANT CHANGE, WE MUST BE WILLING TO BUILD
There is an important question before us as a community:
Must we wait for someone else to do everything for us?
Government has responsibilities, and we should continue to advocate for the support and resources our community deserves. We must not use community initiative as an excuse for authorities to neglect their obligations.
At the same time, we should not underestimate what organized residents can accomplish.
Perhaps we can begin by establishing a community working group to assess the school's needs and the potential improvements to the ball field.
Perhaps local contractors could help us understand the work required.
Perhaps businesses could contribute materials, while overseas residents and other supporters help raise funds.
Perhaps churches, parents, former students and community organizations could work together to develop a proposal and present it to the relevant authorities.
The first step does not have to be a massive fundraising campaign.
The first step can be a meeting, a plan, a transparent budget and a commitment to work together.
IF WE CONTRIBUTE, LET US ACCOUNT FOR EVERY DOLLAR
If the community decides to raise funds or contribute toward approved improvements, proper accountability must be central to the process.
Receipts should be retained. Contributions should be recorded. Expenditures should be transparent. Decisions should be made collectively, and the relevant authorities must be consulted before work begins on public property.
We must also establish clearly who is authorized to approve and carry out any work.
This is how trust is built.
This is how residents demonstrate that they can organize, plan and manage community projects responsibly.
And this is how we can strengthen our ability to attract further support.
CHANTILLY CAN DO MORE
We have people with skills.
We have people with ideas.
We have residents who care.
We have people overseas who still have a connection to the place they call home.
What we need is cooperation, organization and a shared determination to improve our surroundings.
Let us stop seeing community development as somebody else's responsibility.
Let us become active participants in our own progress.
One community. Shared responsibility. A better future.
COLUMN 4: UPDATES & ANNOUNCEMENTS
THE WORK OF BUILDING CHANTILLY CONTINUES
🏫 CHANTILLY PRIMARY SCHOOL — OUR PRIORITY
The condition of the school, particularly the First Grade Department, remains a major concern.
This newspaper continues to call for a clear update on the plans, responsibilities, funding and timeline for addressing the situation.
We welcome constructive responses from the relevant authorities and invite community members with verified information about the school's restoration to share it with the publication.
Our children deserve answers, and they deserve progress.
⚽ A VISION FOR THE BALL FIELD
We are inviting community members, sporting organizations, businesses and potential sponsors to help explore the possibility of upgrading the ball field.
Ideas include modest spectator stands, appropriate lighting and improved spectator areas.
The next step should be consultation, assessment and a realistic proposal that prioritizes safety, affordability and long-term community benefit.
⛪ ST. STEVENSON CHURCH
We continue to encourage support for the improvement of St. Stevenson Church.
Community development is strengthened when residents come together to preserve the institutions that serve them.
💼 INVEST IN CHANTILLY
We remain committed to encouraging local enterprise, job creation, youth development and investment.
Our community has potential, and that potential deserves to be nurtured through practical projects and partnerships.
📰 SUPPORT CHANTILLY NEWS & VIEWS
This publication is committed to recording our community's challenges, celebrating its achievements and encouraging constructive solutions.
Share your news, community projects, educational achievements, business announcements and ideas for development.
Your voice matters.
THE EDITORIAL
VOLUME 30: LET HISTORY RECORD THAT WE ASKED FOR CHANGE
Thirty editions.
Thirty opportunities to speak about our community.
Thirty reminders that Chantilly has a story worth telling.
And yet, as we reach this milestone, I find myself returning to a matter that should have received meaningful attention long ago: the condition of Chantilly Primary School.
I find it difficult to accept that so much time can pass while this concern remains unresolved.
I look at the photographs. I think about the children. I consider the importance of their early education. Then I look at the ball field and imagine what a modest but well-planned investment could mean for our young people.
And I ask myself: Are we giving our children the priority they deserve?
I do not write these words out of hostility. I write them out of concern for the place we call home.
We must be fair. We must establish the facts, identify the responsible parties and understand what has prevented progress. We must give the relevant authorities an opportunity to respond.
But fairness must not become silence, and patience must not become permanent acceptance of a problem.
If we are waiting on government, let us ask for a clear update.
If funding is the obstacle, let us identify the cost and explore legitimate funding opportunities.
If planning and coordination are needed, let us bring the right people together.
And if there are things the community can responsibly do, let us organize ourselves to do them—with the required approvals, transparent accounts and proper oversight.
We can advocate for government action while also demonstrating community initiative. Those two things are not in conflict.
I want Chantilly to grow.
I want our children to attend school in an environment that supports their learning.
I want them to have safe and suitable places to play.
I want our community to develop facilities that bring people together rather than leave them divided.
And I want future generations to be able to look back at this newspaper and see that we did not simply complain. We documented the situation, asked questions, proposed solutions and called on people to act.
The photographs in this edition are therefore more than pictures.
They are part of our community record.
They show the concerns we are raising today and the improvements we hope to celebrate tomorrow.
If assistance comes, we will welcome it. If progress begins, we will document it. If our appeals go unanswered, we will continue to advocate respectfully and persistently.
Because our children cannot wait forever.
And neither should our community's future.
CHANTILLY, LET US BUILD WITH PURPOSE.
Let us put education first.
Let us develop our recreational spaces.
Let us work together, demand accountability and use our resources wisely.
Let us show that a small community can think big, organize effectively and pursue meaningful change.
OUR CHILDREN ARE WORTH THE EFFORT.
OUR COMMUNITY IS WORTH THE INVESTMENT.
OUR FUTURE IS WORTH FIGHTING FOR—TOGETHER.
CHANTILLY NEWS & VIEWS
VOLUME 30
Truth • Unity • Progress • Community • Hope
One People. One Blood. One Chantilly.
