Princes Town holds candlelight vigil for justice for Jayden

IN a demonstration over the tragic death of schoolboy Jayden Lalchan, 15, who took his life to end years of bullying, on October 7 hundreds of people participated in a candlelight vigil and march from Princes Town Promenade to the gates of his alma mater, St Stephen’s College.

Justice for Jayden and Stop the Bullying were the rallying cries of the marchers, dressed in white to symbolise the innocence of the life lost, while they held lighted candles to illuminate the darkness that has pervaded the community and country.

The march culminated in a rally outside the school gates, but it was too much for his grieving mother, Fareeda Lalchan, to endure. She fainted, not for the first time since the October 3 incident which took away her only child. She was revived by her equally grief-stricken husband Roshan and later treated by EMTs who arrived by ambulance.

Lalchan’s relatives made impassioned speeches, swearing his death would not be in vain.

One of his aunts, Radhica Lalchan, told those gathered that her nephew had been bullied, and no one lifted a finger to help him. She detailed an incident a week before his death, when a teacher had to accompany him, driving alongside him as he walked to his home five minutes away, after school, because he was fearful for his life.

She said Lalchan’s mother had gone to the school the next day and been told by an official not to worry, the matter would be dealt with, and her son would be protected.

That did not happen, and no action was taken against the perpetrator, she said.

“This was a vulnerable child, begging for help and nobody reached out to help him. Because of that, he is now in a funeral home.

“There were no repercussions.

"My nephew is the person who is going to change that. We will not rest until there is justice for Jayden. He cannot die in vain. He was a loving child who came from a loving home, He was an intellectual who was going to become an AI specialist and make his mark in the world.

"Now his light has gone. This life lost cannot be in vain.

She recalled the pride of place that St Stephen's, which she had also attended, had in Princes Town. Now, she said, the image has been stained and replaced by a sense of disappointment, anger, embarrassment, pain and grief.

Princes Town MP Barry Padarath, who joined the vigil, promised to take to the Parliament a private members bill to establish anti-bullying laws in Lalchan’s name.

“That child walked the length and breadth of St Stephen’s, hunted, hounded and preyed upon as though he was an animal.

"In his quiet family home on Broomage Street, he was the light and life that would never be extinguished.”

He called for public support to ensure this incident does not cause the college to be viewed as a symbol of hate, intolerance and bullying, but as a symbol of fighting for justice for Jayden.

Political leader of People’s Empowerment Party (PEP) Phillip Alexander, who has had previous encounters with the Lalchan family, told the gathering there is an epidemic of bullying in Trinidad and Tobago schools, but it is being swept under the rug by the Ministry of Education.

He said he knows first-hand of such issues, as one of his nieces had to be transferred from a prominent school in Port of Spain because of bullying and the administration's tardiness in addressing it.

“This silent crisis is destroying children. They don’t want to go to school because they are bullied. Teachers, administrators, principals are not doing their jobs to protect every child that comes through the school gate.”

Observing the gathering, Alexander said this outpouring of love was a demonstration that TT is populated by good people.

“It is time good people have a say about how this country is run.

"We don’t want peace for any of those people who left Jayden to die.”

Lalchan’s cousin Joshua Mohammed expressed similar sentiments.

“As a society, as a people, we must take a stance to ensure the multiple forms of bullying – social, physical, mental, emotional – shall not and will not be tolerated.

“When we see it, we stand together. When we hear it, we say something and we stop it before we even feel it, like Jayden had to.”

Lalchan will be laid to rest on October 8 in Princes Town.

Anyone who needs help or thinks about harming themselves can call Lifeline (24-hour hotline) at 800-5588, 866- 5433 or 220-3636.