Groceries and appliances stolen

The school, at Robinson Circular, Arima, was broken into last Wednesday, when thieves stole all the grocery supplies meant to provide breakfast and lunches for the children .

Joan La Croix, the founder and principal of the Agape Training Centre, a school for children with special needs, told Newsday, a report was made to the Arima police .

She said although the school had been broken into over the years, this recent incident left her staff and herself “heartbroken” .

“We work with children who people say cannot learn, and when we came into the school on Wednesday morning, the items we usually have to make breakfast for the children — everything was stolen .

They stole a gas tank, microwaves, kettles, paper towels, wipes and other stuff. They have not only stolen the items, but defecated along the corridor of the school .

“It is not nice to know children are coming to the school and we have nothing to feed them.” La Croix said the school was one of those that did not get any funding from the Ministry of Education or private organisations .

“In the past, when we appealed for help in relocating the school, no one has helped us thus far. The MP office is a stone’s throw away from the school (but the MP) has not visited the school, don’t matter how many times we go pleading to meet with MP Anthony Garcia.” La Croix said the school had been pleading for help over the years because staff had been “distressed time and time again.” She said they now have to reheat the children’s lunches by putting their lunch bowls on top of water tanks to “hot in the sun.” “This time it has affected me, because it is 20 years we have been in operation. We have been pleading for help from different authorities and no one is helping us. Private organisations said they would help, but none have not come forward.” “We are appealing for help from anyone .

To know we are doing our best to help these special-needs children, and we do not get any help from the Ministry of Education or private organisations.. .

it is very distressing to go through this ordeal over and over.”