(Trinidad Newsday) Officials at the Education Ministry requested copies of leave for the past three years for local government candidate and art teacher Richard Rampersad.
Education Minister Anthony Garcia said the request was part of a thorough investigation that he mandated the director of school supervision to initiate. At the end of the investigation the school supervisor will make recommendations to the Teaching Service Commission (TSC). The TSC has the authority to take disciplinary action against teachers.
He added that he was unaware that Rampersad had officially applied for no-pay leave yesterday and could not say if it was granted. He said Rampersad e-mailed his principal that he was on sick leave for the period November 11 to December 4, he also sent a WhatsApp message to his colleagues saying the same thing. Teachers are allowed to contest elections after writing to the Education Ministry, however, Garcia could not say if Rampersad had done so.
There was no timeline given for the investigation into Rampersad’s run for councillor for the St Augustine South/Piarco/St Helena seat while being employed as an art teacher at the Tranquillity Government Secondary School. The UNC candidate told Newsday on Thursday that he was on sick leave and his time away from school was from nomination day, November 11 to two days after the election on December 4.
Yesterday, Rampersad visited his school and applied for no-pay leave to cover the period after he failed to submit a sick leave certificate to cover the days he was absent and will be absent. Up to 6.30 pm there was no word on whether he was granted the leave. When contacted Rampersad said he was driving and could not speak but promised to call back to answer whether or not he was granted no-pay leave. He did not up to 7.30 pm.
Newsday was told that Rampersad met with a school supervisor, his principal and a representative of the TT Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA). TTUTA president Antonia De Freitas, when contacted, said she could not speak on the matter as she did not have the information on it.
Public relations officer for the UNC, Anita Haynes said the party was unaware Rampersad was on sick leave or any other leave at the time of his selection. She added that his no-pay leave was pending approval and that he was on sick leave prior to November 11.
“The UNC takes a strong stance on the education of our children,” Haynes said, adding that Rampersad would not be dropped as a candidate.
Sources close to Rampersad said he informed his colleagues and the UNC that he was diagnosed with anxiety in 2016. Anxiety, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America is: The specific psychiatric disorders that involve extreme fear or worry, and includes generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder and panic attacks, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder, selective mutism, separation anxiety, and specific phobias.
The Municipal Corportaions Act chapter 11:8 (c) says that a person is disqualified from being a councillor if the person is mentally ill as defined by the Mental Health Act. The Mental Health Act defines mentally ill as a person who is suffering from such a disorder of mind that he requires care, supervision, treatment and control, or any of them, for his own protection or welfare or for the protection or welfare of others.
