This shall not be tolerated

KINNESHA GEORGE-HARRY

A 40-second long video, showing students of Signal Hill Secondary School brandishing what appears to be a Glock .9 mm pistol, is currently being investigated by officials of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Division of Education, Innovation and Energy, as well as the police.

The video, which show a group of boys dressed in the school uniform recording the weapon on their cellphones, circulated on Facebook on Tuesday. They appear to have been shot in an undisclosed bushy location.

One of the boys can be heard saying, “Six, the whole crew outside again today... If a boy play mad, we shoot them today.” He then suggests to another student “hold the metal,” to which the other student responds, “Telling ya.”

The boys then tilt the camera up to show their faces before tilting down again to the device. It is not clear when the video was taken.

Newsday spoke to THA Chief Secretary and Secretary of Education, Innovation and Energy Kelvin Charles, who said he had seen the video.

“These videos are totally unacceptable and shall not be tolerated. I have directed that an investigation be conducted urgently, and appropriate action taken,” he said.

TT Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) Tobago officer Orlando Kerr said the videos were brought to his attention, as he remains shocked and disturbed.

“I am deeply disturbed by that video…those children in that video are in the second form class, they are second formers and that kind of behaviour that we see displaying is a cause for serious concern. We need to really start treating with this situation sooner rather than later.”

Kerr believes an investigation should be done, but in the interim, he said, some form of preliminary action must be taken.

He said TTUTA met with officials from the Division of Education, Innovation and Energy, including Charles, just over a week ago and Signal Hill was singled out as a school that needed some intervention.