This is Zestoile Rivett, bringing you the most updated news from the Caribbean. My hope is to bring information on what’s going on in different islands throughout the Caribbean and shine some light on issues that we all should be aware of. It is so easy to get “caught” up in our own little world that we fail to look around us…globally. This news update will be focused on the island of the week, Trinidad and Tobago.
A Protest Brewing Amongst T&T Teachers
According to Daily Express, Teachers in Trinidad and Tobago are getting ready to protest, and the President of Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA), Antonia De Frietas, has not disclosed what’s about to come. Teachers and the Union are concerned for the health and wellbeing of students and teachers in the face of COVID-19. Despite vaccinations, the concern for the number of students in classes remains. TTUTA posted a Youtube video, teasing about a possible “Operation Blackout.” The video received over 1000 views and growing, featuring the President of the union raising her laptop to the camera, closing it shut, disconnecting her phone, and putting on sunglasses. “Operation Blackout…coming to a screen near you” is how the video ended.
“Teachers have the right to protest for their own safety and the safety of our children. All over the world, there is a fight in the school system between those who want to be fully open, ignoring the possibility of sickness, and those who are totally against being open. Our teachers need the support of parents and the community to be heard. For political leaders and government officials to hear what is being said, oftentimes, a protest is needed. I applaud the TTUTA’s President for her poise and position during this time.”
Abandonment of Unvaccinated Students
Parents Cause an Uproar with Zoom Class Discontinuation
Parents cause an uproar behind the discontinuation of Zoom classes for their unvaccinated students. At Fatima College, located in Mucurapo, Trinidad, they have decided to suspend online Zoom classes for unvaccinated students, telling Teachers to teach “via notes, assignments, tests, and correspondence on Google classroom,” according to Trinidad Express. Parents of unvaccinated students have expressed to the media a feeling of “abandonment,” where their children are unable to be vaccinated due to medical conditions.
“In response to the breaking news story, I am a proponent that parents have every right to protect their children. Children have rights too. To discontinue class via Zoom is unnecessary in modern society. Teachers can simultaneously teach in class as well as at home students with the proper video feed and set up in each class. This is not the time to be unreasonable. The vaccine is not for everyone. Therefore, there should not be discrimination.”
Article Written By: Zestoile Rivett | Born and raised in Trinidad, as Laverne Wong-Shing, this new writer love talking about her culture and heritage. Laverne loves adventure, traveling to exotic lands, and speaking with the locals. A Mother of three, a handsome boy’s grandmother, and an older sister to three brothers. Her dream is to publish travel guides and become a designer of Carnival costumes for one of the biggest Mas bands in Trinidad and Tobago.
