NPTA, TTUTA support emergency

“To begin with, we are in the vacation period and the state of emergency should end before school reopens.

“If it is extended it should not affect students as classes begin at 8 am and ends at 3 pm,” Ramatali said.

She did note, however, students taking additional classes might be affected.

“Parents will have to put all measures in place to ensure children get home on time,” she said.

Ramatali called on the Public Transport Service Corporation, (PTSC) to expand its fleet of buses in order to provide additional transportation for school children, so they will not have to wait long hours for transportation.

Ramatali also called on the Police Service to place more police officers at strategic areas to prevent students from loitering.

“They have to make sure these children go straight home after school and not get themselves in trouble by being idle,”she said

Ramatali said the state of emergency was a short-term measure to deal with crime and called for a long-term solution to be devised and implemented.

“We have to implement programmes in the schools and communities to teach the children about good behaviour.

When you look at the level of crime committed, it is clear that most are done because the offender is filled with hate and bitterness and young people no longer have consciences,” Ramatali said.

She noted crime was everyone’s business and so the time has come for everyone in society to come together to solve it.

Meanwhile, the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) said it is optimistic the state of emergency would significantly reduce crime but noted workers and business were being affected.

Speaking with Newsday yesterday, TTUTA’s first vice president Davanand Sinanan said the union also hoped the judicial system will bring persons charged during this time to “swift justice”.

Sinanan said yesterday it was TTUTA’s hope the state of emergency is not extended beyond the two-week period and there are no instances of abuse of police powers.