Ministers vow immediate action

Education Minister Anthony Garcia yesterday said he was committed to providing a safe learning environment for students and pledged to continue working with teachers and members of the Laventille community as government seeks to address rampant crime.

Speaking with reporters after a meeting with the TT Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) and staff at the Morvant Laventille Secondary School, Garcia said the safety of students and teachers continues to be a top tier priority to the government. He said while the ministry was prepared to meet the challenge, he urged parents and teachers to do their part in the fight against crime.

“This area is subject to criminal activity and, as a government, we are doing everything to ensure that our society is safe.

But in the school system we have to begin with the students to ensure they are safe. In fact the primary responsibility of a principal is to ensure the safety of the students and, as Minister of Education, I have to ensure that responsibility is kept.“

Garcia also extended his support to the principal and praised TTUTA for their proactive approach on the matter.

In a press release issued yesterday, National Security Minister Edmund Dillon strongly condemned the killings and said he hosted an emergency meeting with Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi and Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams on Monday evening and pledged government would be adopting a zero-tolerance approach to crime.