Senior Multimedia Reporter
radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
As the Cyber Crime Unit and the Bomb Squad continue investigations, Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly is appealing to the public to help the police find the perpetrators who caused Tuesday’s shutdown of 49 schools within the South Eastern District.
Speaking in the Parliament yesterday, the minister strongly condemned the threats saying they hurt the mental health of children.
“It really disrupts our children’s education. I want to appeal to anyone who has information about this to please pass it on to the police because you are endangering the children, their mental health and causing anxiety to students and teachers,” she said. As she addressed the issue, classes were underway as most of the targeted schools reopened.
However, pupils from the Fifth Company Baptist and the Basse Terre Primary schools in Moruga were dismissed early because of new bomb threats made.
A parent who requested anonymity said around 9 am, the pupils of Fifth Company were sent to the muster point. The school was later dismissed.
At the St Michael’s Anglican School in Princes Town, classes went on as usual. However, a few parents came to pick up their children before noon. The emailed bomb threat which came from the Ministry of Education’s official email warned people to stay away from schools on March 5 and March 6 noting that at midday a device will be set off.
Parent Aquila Luke who came to collect her son admitted to feeling anxious. “I feel nervous and I believe children will also be scared but hopefully they will not take it on,” she said.
Several maxi taxi drivers were also disturbed by the threats. Glen Mungal said, “It’s not a nice thing to do to children. Probably it is a prank but the authorities should look into this and do something.”
He said with SEA so close, this was unnerving to the children.
Another driver Roopnarine Ragoonanan also called on the police to take action.
“These children will get throwback with their examinations. It should not be tolerated at all,” he said, adding, “Let the police step up on their investigations and their security systems.
The Education Minister assured the matter is receiving the full attention of the police.
“At the level of the ministry, we will be looking at the form the cyber threat is coming in. We will be looking at the Cyber Crime Unit to take measures. In some cases it seems the perpetrators are aware of what is happening and so we have to continually keep adjusting what has been done,” she said.
In April last year, more than 100 schools across the country also faced a similar bomb threat but no one was arrested for that incident which was later deemed a hoax.