The principal of a popular private primary school in Maraval is facing possible attempted murder charges after allegedly flushing the head of a Standard Three pupil, who is an American citizen, in a toilet bowl. And Deputy Police Commissioner in charge of Operations, Jack Ewatski, yesterday promised a full and thorough investigation into the matter. The incident has also sparked concern among government officials who assured that the matter would be handled transparently. At yesterday's post-Cabinet press briefing, Minister of Gender, Youth and Child Development Verna St Rose- Greaves announced that her ministry had already initiated its own investigation. "I heard of the incident and officials from my ministry are probing the circumstances as to what exactly happened," she said. "The matter is of very serious concern and I am going to get to the bottom of what has happened." Police officers who were in the process of compiling a file are expected to approach the Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard early next week for instructions.
The alleged incident has also sparked a high degree of outrage among parents of children attending the private institution, some of whom have charged that this was not the first time such an incident has occurred. The previous incidents were covered up by school officials, the parents claimed. Some parents who say they pay almost $4,000 school fee a term are contemplating removing their children from the school. Police sources said that after being interrogated at length, the principal gave pertinent information to investigators which they believed could be very helpful in bringing the probe to closure and for charges to be laid. Police described the incident as very serious, adding that the nine-year-old boy, who lived in a gated Maraval community, could have drowned while his head was submerged in the water of the toilet bowl.
Investigators also said they expected to receive a full statement from another pupil who witnessed the entire incident.
They maintained that the purported act was not committed by any teacher of the school, saying it was done solely by the principal. It was also reported that after his head was flushed in the toilet bowl, the boy was ordered to stand for three hours until class was dismissed.
In a telephone interview yesterday, the boy's outraged father said he had immediately removed his son from the school and was in the process of enrolling him at another private institution. The father added that he had already initiated "full legal action" against the school's authorities. He also expressed anger over a Newsday report which identified the child, despite being assured that the child's name would be withheld. "My son went to the bakery yesterday morning and immediately he was identified as the boy whose head was in a toilet...all because of that newspaper report," he said. "Why should my son go though that?...It's as if my son is reliving the incident over and over again, because his name was exposed and as a child he should have been protected. He should not be made to be repeatedly humiliated," the father added.
Asked how the child was coping yesterday, the father said despite the trauma and the embarrassment, he was "holding up pretty well." "My son has been coping and he is more alert...He is very adaptable. "He's doing better than the day before, given the trauma he went through. "He was really hurt when the incident happened, but he's holding up as best as he can."
Maintaining that he would leave no stone unturned in pursuing all legal avenues to obtain justice, the father said: "I owe it to my son to try." Contacted yesterday, an official at the school said the principal was not in office and was unsure when or what time would she would return.
Minister: There will be consequences
Minister in the Ministry of Education Clifton de Coteau said yesterday that once the private institution was funded by the ministry, the principal would have no choice but to face the necessary consequences. "The situation will definitely be under investigation by the Education Ministry as it is a serious matter and I am sure that school supervisors have already begun doing their part," he said. "And if the school is funded by the Ministry of Education, there would definitely be consequences that the individual would have to face, there is no doubt about that." He added, however, that before any form of disciplinary action could be initiated, a thorough probe must be carried out and completed.
TTUTA: Justice must be served
The incident was also met with severe outrage by the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) who demanded that justice in the swiftest and severest manner must be meted out. "If this is true, then TTUTA abhors what transpired, to say the very least, said the organisation's president Rouston Job yesterday. "I am totally dumfounded by what has been reported and TTUTA condemns the incident outright. How could such a thing happen? It is simply unbelievable."
Job also said when such matters occurred, it raised the question about disciplinary procedures implemented in private primary schools. "These are schools where parents shell out a lot of money to ensure their child is educated and well cared for." He said he was almost certain that the school in question was not a member of his organisation, hence very little action could be initiated by TUTTA. Job also expressed concern about the child's mental condition, saying the incident could result in psychological scars. "The child would have not only endured mental anguish but also a high degree of embarrassment," he said. "No child should undergo this. Justice must take it course. There must be no cover-up."