THE EDITOR:
I AM a past student of the San Fernando Technical Institute (SFTI) on the Tarouba Link Road.

I would like you all to go in there and do some research on what is taking place at the school.

I did many courses there and I now have a good job with a good-paying salary.

They want those SFTI teachers to go on contract; that is about 200 or more teachers including those from John Donaldson Technical Institute (John D) in Port of Spain.

We were the ones who had two and three subjects but were allowed to attend there as a trade school.

Now, with the changes coming, the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) and you must have five and six subjects to go there, like the University of the West Indies.

Ken Julien is the one behind all this.

He also wants to import teachers, despite the fact that all those teachers have been permanent there for so many years.

He now must do his own thing.

These people have lived their lives, but now they do not want to give someone else a chance.

This is why this country has so many bad things going on.

This is San Fernando and Port of Spain I’m speaking about.

What about those students who cannot afford now; you leading them to steal and get frustrated.

Go and interview the principal of SFTI and John D and the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) and hear what they have to say.

Also, find out how many awards are given by the ministry to any of those teachers for all the good work they have done over the years.

None at all.

All other schools were honoured, but not SFTI and John D.

THE EDITOR:
I AM very angry and disappointed with the way Patrick Arnold, President of Pan Trinbago, handled the so-called tribute to our beloved icon, Clive Bradley.

They never really paid homage or honoured Bradley.

After grandstanding at Bradley’s funeral in front hundreds of his faithful fans, Arnold said that the 2006 Panorama competition would be in honour of Clive Bradley, but they just let things fall into place.

Pan Trinbago failed the people once again; their only contribution to Bradley’s legacy was to print various coloured T-shirts with a picture of Bradley and charged a fee for such.

Instead of paying tribute and honouring our musical icon, they were trying to make money.

It’s a shame, a disrespect and a total disgrace.

Every year, Pan Trinbago fools the people with empty promises and mismanagement.

Instead of taking pan forward, they are slowly destroying it.

Mr. Arnold is a poor excuse as a leader of such an important organisation.

During his tenure, he has done nothing.

I have said it time and time again, it is time for Mr. Arnold to leave before he mashes up our pan thing.

I am not going to sit idly and let him destroy our pan culture.