Warner gives TTUTA a tongue-lashing

THE TRINIDAD and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) came in for some harsh criticism Friday for its Rest and Reflect stand that it has taken and as a result forced schools to be closed for two days. It received a severe tongue lashing from Austin Jack Warner, vice president of FIFA while he was delivering the feature address at the SEA Graduation Ceremony of Longdenville Government School, who described its stand “as non-professional in approach.”

He said that it was the duty of a teacher to train young minds so that they would grow up to be useful citizens of the country but “what TTUTA had done is calculated to destroy the lives of young people of the nation.” Warner, who had travelled to over 151 countries and was a former teacher for 31 years, said that he assisted in forming TTUTA in his office using his stationery and the aim “was to establish a professional organisation aimed at promoting the interest and welfare of children.” “What we are witnessing is something contrary to what we had in mind.  Imagine teachers marching for higher salaries and shutting down schools! Can anyone tell me what is a  just salary for a teacher? How can you calculate that?” he asked. “We have to remember that education is one of the key motivators that would aid in upward mobility and I cannot understand how the union could talk about no examination for the children in this age,” Warner said. “I really feel very sad to witness the stand taken by TTUTA at this time in our history,” Warner said.

He urged the graduates to take his life as an example and even though they might come from poor homes they could achieve greatness. “Be committed, be serious, be dedicated, and set objectives and goals and when you do that work assiduously success will definitely come your way,” Warner said. He donated $2,000 to be given to the most useful child in the school, and he promised to do so for the next five years. Warner also donated four computers to the school, and hoped that the Acting Principal,  Eleanore Baksh, would be appointed having acted in that post for the last five years.