14-year-olds on database

Minister of Science, Techno-logy and Tertiary Education, Danny Montano, has denied Opposition claims that the Government wants a racially-biased admissions policy for the proposed University of Trinidad and Tobago.

As Montano spoke in the Budget debate in the Senate on Thursday evening to explain the Government’s plans for tertiary education, Mark interrupted to ask him to clarify the Budget document, “Social and Economic Policy Framework 2004.” Mark read the document’s policy objectives for COSTAATT for improving student recruitment, retention and graduation rates, quoting: “Establish targetted recruitment programmes for male Trinidadians aged 17 to 24, especially Afro-Trinidadian males.” Mark asked Montano to clarify: “Is this a typographical error? Or is this a deliberate policy to discriminate by the PNM? Is this a Cudjoe quota society?” Montano replied: “That is where we have a major social problem. It’s not affirmative action but a social action to deal with a social problem. Any segment of this society that needs special attention will get it. There’s nothing strange or sinister about it.”

Recalling Montano stating COSTAATT is to form part of the University of Trinidad and Tobago, Mark later told Newsday: “How can a Government, in a policy document, advance a position of active discrimination? If the people of Trinidad and Tobago wanted any confirmation of the racism and apartheid approach that the Government is adopting for development in this country, it’s here in black and white. This document is laying the basis for group domination, social chaos, anarchy and possible revolution. They are trying to promote a university that is totally one-sided in its admissions, as though no social problems exist for Indians, Chinese or Caucasians. Plus they have discriminated against the African female.” In his speech Montano said his Ministry would take a more-planned approach to education than had existed previously. He said he had commissioned the National Training Agency to study third, fourth, fifth and sixth form students to get them and their details onto a database. “Who are they? Where do they live? What  are their interests? What do they expect from the secondary and tertiary education system? What do they want to do in the future?” He said the Government would be able to plan out how an area like Point Fortin would look in five years time, saying: “It will be a major task.”

Montano slammed Mark’s Budget contribution which he dubbed hysterical and pathetic. Deriding Mark’s claim that the Government wanted to set up a hit squad, “Mongoose Gang” or “Tonton Macoutes,” Montano asked: “Where’s he going with that kind of inflammatory statement?” Saying the leaders of both Government and Opposition had long track-records in politics and we could draw conclusions from their past actions, Montano said: “To say the Government is setting up a Mongoose Gang is sheer nonsense. It brings down the quality of debate in a place like this.”