PADARATH: GARCIA IS THE MAIN SABOTEUR
Princes Town MP, Barry Padarath slammed Education Minister Anthony Garcia once again for refusing to build the Princes Town Presbyterian No. 1 Primary School. Padarath said that Garcia is practicing politics of spite and discrimination against the children and people of Princes Town.
Padarath indicated that he held several meetings with the PTA and officials of the Ministry of Education on the reconstruction of the school and thereafter the Ministry demolished the dilapidated structure last year.
Further, on February 21st 2017, he facilitated a meeting with the President of the PTA as well as an official of the school to meet with Minister Garcia at the Parliament. It was at that meeting Minister Garcia assured that the school would be rebuilt in the next financial year. The Princes Town MP said he raised the matter again when the budget was presented and he saw that the Princes Town Presbyterian No.1 School was not among the schools listed for construction in the budget documents. He stated it was at that point Garcia changed his tune saying that there were no available funds. Since then, the MP has filed motions and questions in the Parliament on this matter to prod government into building the school.
On January 19th 2018, when the Electoral College met to elect the new President, Padarath used the opportunity again to hold discussions with Minister Garcia on the matter. Padarath stated that Garcia told him that the “Princes Town Presbyterian School No.1 was not a priority of this government.”
Padarath vowed to continue his agitation for a new school for the students of Princes Town Presbyterian School No.1. He stated that he was in full support of the protest action of the PTA and very soon that protest will reach the doorstep of the Parliament with his help.
Padarath has described Minister Garcia as the main saboteur of the education system in Trinidad and Tobago since he takes no responsibility for the woes of the education sector. He stated in order for the woes to be addressed, the Minister must acknowledge they exist and then work with the stakeholders to rectify the issues. Pretending that they are not there and that people are out to get the Minister and government will not work.