Youth gets all-clear to do exams at last

There was a maze of confusion surrounding the status of Community College student Caldric David. Initial information reaching SEARCHLIGHT indicated that the Lower Sixth student had been suspended from school pending the outcome of charges he is set to answer in the courts.

David has been charged with motor manslaughter and is currently on $25,000 bail stemming from an accident on Tuesday, May 23 in Villa, in the vicinity of the Villa Lodge Hotel. When the dust, metal and oil from the accident had settled, father of three, Keno Mayers, 31, of Redemption Sharpes was dead. Anthony Marks, husband of the Director of the Community College Dr. Veronica Marks, and their daughter Cherese, 8, also sustained injuries in the accident.{{more}}

On two occasions SEARCHLIGHT attempted to speak to Dr. Veronica Marks but was informed that Marks was not available for comment. A recommendation was made that we speak to the Ministry of Education about the matter.

When SEARCHLIGHT spoke to the principal of the Community College A’level Division, Kelvin Malcolm, he originally told us that he knew that David had been suspended, noting that it was the Ministry of Education’s policy to suspend members of staff and students who have been charged with offences until the matters are resolved. He also told SEARCHLIGHT that he had not issued the suspension.

However, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Laura Browne, told SEARCHLIGHT that the mentioned policy is actually silent with regard to students. “There is nothing at all in the Act,” admitted Browne, adding that it was really a matter of discretion for the principal of the particular school.

She, further, told SEARCHLIGHT that there has been no precedence set on such a matter, and indicated that the student should have been made to report for counselling. In a subsequent conversation with Principal Malcolm, on Wednesday, June 14, he told SEARCHLIGHT that he had been contacted by his supervisors and had since contacted the guardians of Caldric David informing them that he is allowed, if his frame of mind permits him, to attend school and sit his end of year Lower Sixth exams.

In a revised statement from his first conversation with the SEARCHLIGHT, Malcolm is adamant that David was in fact never suspended and contends that counselling suggestions were made to one of his guardians who informed him that counselling arrangements were already in place.

SEARCHLIGHT has learnt that since our inquiries into the matter, David returned to school last Monday, June 19, and is writing his exams. According to relatives, David had been studying and was therefore prepared for the examination exercises. SEARCHLIGHT understands that the young man had missed one exam while the matter was being sorted out but plans are being made to have him write a make-up exam.