tidings
Kamla Persad-Bissessar –
WEEKS before the new school term reopens, opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar is appealing for migrant children to have places in public schools.
From UNC’s virtual report platform Monday night, Persad-Bissessar said every child has the right to an education.
She said migrating TT nationals expect to enroll in schools in their country of destination. The same courtesy should be extended to immigrant children, especially those who came here from Venezuela.
“You accepted them, you gave them a residence permit in TT”, she said in a direct message to the prime minister.
“It’s time to allow these children into our public school system to be educated.
“I am calling on the government to let Venezuelan children go to school.”
She argued that it is not their fault that they have ended up in this country as their parents and guardians fled the troubled country of their birth to seek a better life.
“They are not criminals. When our people go abroad, what happens? They have to go to school in USA, UK. We must do the same.
“We must allow these children who are fleeing from Maduro (Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro) to be educated. I am extending that to say any immigrant child, not just Venezuelan.
“Every immigrant child in TT, regardless of nationality, should be allowed to enter kindergarten, primary, secondary school in September when schools reopen.
“We have three weeks for the new mandate. That’s enough time to register them and allow them to get the necessary vaccination, the inoculation as needed.”
Newsday sent a message to Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby Dolly to get her opinion on the request, but she is yet to respond.
Civil society groups, NGOs, CBOs and faith-based organizations that have established schools to support migrants were praised by Persad-Bissessar for their efforts.
“Keep doing what you can, but I’m telling the Government, it’s your duty. Imagine if your child was an immigrant in someone else’s country, he should not be deprived of education.
“We must always do right for children, every child no matter what.”
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The issue of Energy Minister Stuart Young’s recent visit to Venezuela and meeting with Maduro was raised again by Persad-Bissessar and Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh in relation to possible US sanctions.
Young was also accused of meeting with a person sanctioned by the US and wanted by the Department of Homeland Security for corruption, drug trafficking and money laundering.
Repeating this could put the country at risk of sanctions, Persad-Bissessar after seven years in talks with Maduro, “There is not a single agreement that produces energy, benefiting the people of TT.”
She accused Rowley of destroying the energy sector and damaging the economy.
“What’s worse, you’re getting us all into an area where we could be sanctioned by the US.”
Indarsingh noted that while the opposition understands the need for dialogue between nations, they remain very concerned as there is no public account of what the meeting entailed.
“If we were there to talk about the Dragon Gas Agreement, then tell us what you discussed. If you were there to discuss issues related to Venezuelan immigrants, then say so and tell us what you talked about. If you were to talk about diplomatic relations, say and tell us about the discussions.
“But if you weren’t there for any of those things, then tell us, scumbag Styart, what were you there for, maybe to talk to Al Assami, from the US Government’s Most Wanted List?
