Education Ministry facilitates overseas eye surgery for boy, 6

May 22, 2014, By KNews, Filed Under News, Source

Thanks to the timely intervention of the Ministry of Education, Naresh Ramotar, the six-year-old boy who was stabbed in the eye with a pencil, is currently in Trinidad and Tobago preparing for surgery.

Kaieteur News had erroneously published an article in yesterday’s edition which totally misrepresented the Ministry’s substantial involvement in the matter. The article had quoted mother of the child Mrs. Nandani Ramotar as stating, “Nobody from the school or the Ministry has visited or enquired about her son’s condition”.

In fact, all medical and other expenses for the boy’s eye surgery are being undertaken by the Ministry in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and the child is expected to make a full recovery.

The Strathspey Primary School Grade One student was stabbed last week Monday by a classmate, and upon learning of the incident the following day, the Ministry immediately launched an investigation.

Top officials of the Ministry which including Permanent Secretary , Ms. Delma Nedd; Assistant Chief Education Officer Primary, Mr. Marcel Hutson and Deputy Chief Education Officer- Administration, Ms. Donna Chapman then convened a meeting with the parents of the child.

The Ministry then contacted medical professionals, who advised that surgery in Trinidad was necessary and within two hours, in conjunction with the Ministry of Home Affairs, a passport was secured for the child.

A flight was then booked for the child, his mother and father to travel on May 17, to Trinidad.

“At the Ministry’s expense, accommodation was made available to the trio, but after staying at the hotel for one night, the Mother, Mrs. Nandani Ramotar, sent an email to the Ministry advising that they will be moving from the hotel to stay with relatives in Trinidad,” the Ministry stated.