High Court Judge accused of intimidating QC Vice Principal

Nov 18, 2022 News

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– School Board launches investigation

Kaieteur News – An investigation is now underway by the Board of Governors of Queen’s College after it was alleged that High Court Judge Navindra Singh intimidated the Deputy Principal of the college following a recent incident involving his child and another student of the college.

In a letter addressed to the Assistant Chief Education Officer (for Secondary) at the Ministry of Education, acting Principal of the school, Candaice Cave-Stephen said that the incident involving the Deputy Principal, Lenise Parker and Justice Singh occurred on November 11 last while the matter involving the two students occurred on October 27.

Principal Cave-Stephen said that on October 27 last, sometime after the dismissal of school, Ms. Teri Andrews, the supervisor for Grade Eight, brought two students, a boy and a girl before her regarding them hitting each other on the shoulder. The Principal in her letter said that both students confirmed that the female student was trying to enter the male student’s class when he prevented her from entering the classroom by placing his arms across the door. This resulted in the two students pushing and hitting each other.

“I instructed both students to apologise to each other and they were cautioned not to repeat such behaviours before being dismissed,” the Principal wrote. A few minutes later, Principal Cave-Stephen said she had received a call from Justice Navindra Singh, the father of the young girl who expressed his dissatisfaction with the way in which she resolved the matter.

She stated that she attempted to explain why that course of action was taken when “Justice Singh interrupted to say the following in a very aggressive tone. ‘Who do you think you are to have my child apologize to someone who hit her? I am recording you, are you saying that if someone hits my child, she must not hit back? You are an incompetent woman and I will see to it that you are removed from that office. This matter will be reported to the police and I will bring the police into Queen’s College to you.’  My response was ‘noted sir’ before ending the call.”

Principal Cave-Stephen further stated that she then made a call to the mother of the male student and related the matter to her and how it was resolved and implored that she talks with him to ensure that such behaviour is not repeated.

Meanwhile, on November 10, the Principal revealed that she had received a call from Mr. Immanuel Bridgewater, the Principal Education Officer (PEO) who inquired whether she was aware that Justice Singh made a report to the police of an assault on his child by another student of the college, “ which I replied in the negative.”

The following day, November 11, she added that sometime after 11:00hrs, while in the foyer area outside of her office, she was approached by Justice Singh who informed her that he and the police have a meeting with her this morning. “I indicated to him that I have no meeting scheduled with him and any police officer and went into the office with two education officers (Mrs. Atkinson and Mr. Zameen) with whom I had another meeting at the time. I asked the Deputy Principal (ag) to inform Justice Singh and the police officers that I will not be engaging them at the school and they should visit the Ministry of Education,” she said.

In her letter, she disclosed that while in her office, the Deputy Principal (ag) returned in a traumatized state to say that, “Justice Singh (the parent) in the presence of the two officers Mr. Caesar (Head of Major Crimes Unit) and a female officer, shouted at her, calling her a liar and attempted to hit her when the female police officer stepped in and pushed him away.”

Upon hearing this and seeing the fear in the Deputy Principal and the fact that Justice Singh and the officers were still outside of her office, Principal Cave-Stephen explained that Ms. Atkinson called an Assistant Commissioner who subsequently sent two officers over to the school to address the situation. She stated that a member of the School Board’s Secretariat and both education officers were also present in her office when the reports were being given to the officers.

Principal Cave-Stephen in her letter to Assistant Chief Education Officer said that, “this experience was very traumatising to my Deputy Principal, me, students who were close enough to hear and see what was happening and at least one teacher who witnessed the incident outside of my office.”

She further expressed that it is a cause for concern when persons are threatening the principal, teachers and students of this college. “Our school must be a safe place for students, teachers and all other workers and we must be allowed to carry out our mandate of educating our learners without intimidation, threats, disrespect and abuse by anyone,” she pointed out. The Principal noted in her letter that the matter was reported to the Board of Governors of Queen’s College and is seeking the Ministry’s advice on what measures can be put in place to alleviate “this fear of threat.”

The letter was also sent to the President of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU), Mr. Mark Lyte. When contacted, Lyte told Kaieteur News that the Union is in support of teachers of the school.  “GTU supports the teachers; they are feeling unsafe in the school environment…” He said the GTU also supports the demands the teachers are making which include, additional security, and an apology from the judge. “These are things we stand for because if parents are involved in certain action that brings teachers into fear in their own place of work then that’s a concern for us.”

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