Sister Ivy explains trip to High Court

The leadership of the St Mary’s Roman School came in for much bashing on daytime talk radio programmes this week. This, after a class of grade six students visited the High Court last Thursday, February 28th.{{more}}

Justice Gertel Thom was at the time hearing arguments from lawyers representing the woman who accused Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves of raping her, to have the Director of Public Prosecution’s decision to discontinue the matter against Dr Gonsalves reviewed.

“I didn’t know that was the case being heard that morning,” said Headteacher of St Mary’s RC Sister Ivy Pacheco when she spoke to SEARCHLIGHT on Wednesday.

Sister Ivy explained that the trip was part of the literacy programme of the Grade six.

She explained that it is customary for the grade six classes to visit places of interest, like courts, for them to observe, then to do group work and writing.

“It was a misunderstanding; I didn’t know that that case was being heard, because I didn’t want my children to be caught up in that, especially with all the politics surrounding it,” Sister Ivy explained, with a hint of sadness in her voice.

She said that she was saddened that her name and that of the school was being called on radio, as people questioned why the students went to court that day.

Some callers to radio programmes even tried to suggest that it was deliberate act to hinder certain explicit things about the case from coming up in court.

“That is sad that people will think like that, that we will be part of something like that,” Sister Ivy said.

Meanwhile, Kay Bacchus Browne , an attorney for Dr Gonsalves’ accuser, told SEARCHLIGHT that she was concerned when she saw the students in the courtroom for a matter that had a connection to a rape allegation.

“At the lowest, it was a poor exercise of judgment,” Bacchus Browne charged. (KJ)