Rowley enjoys ‘priceless’ performances

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said there was no monetary value to be placed on the performances put on by schools from the Morvant/Laventille area.

“It is priceless,“ he said.

”This is a very difficult area and special problems need special attention. This Morvant/Laventille initiative is to focus on schools, the reason being whatever is happening that is negative has to be broken, and we believe if we start with the children at the primary school level, we can impact on the foundation,” Rowley said.

The PM made a guest appearance yesterday at the Education Ministry, St Vincent Street, Port of Spain. Twenty-five schools from the Morvant/Laventille area performed Christmas carols to the public and ministry staff.

The students were part of a programme mandated by Rowley.

The children were also asked to donate a dollar to Dominica after the island was virtually destroyed by Hurricane Irma.

The schools that performed yesterday included South East PoS Secondary, Morvant Anglican, Chinapoo Government Primary and Lower Morvant Primary schools.

“Every person it impacts on, who does not take the decision to commit a crime, then that is success. I have a constituency that has a lot of primary school students. When you meet the small children like this you don’t see the negatives, so something happens along the way that makes them go off in directions that are unattractive. We are trying to ensure that deviation does not take place.

“We are treating it as a pilot project so as the elements succeed here, whatever is successful or useful, we hope that those involved would offer it to other children in the country.”

The PM also laughed off a gaffe made by a student introducing him as “former prime minister”.

“I will speak to that young man later,” Rowley said.