October 1, 2025
To: All Media Houses
CC:
- The Honourable Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda
- Office of the Prime Minister
- Honourable Daryll Matthew, Minister of Education
- Mr. Clare Browne, Director of Education
- Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education
- The Board of the Harrison Centre
Subject: Urgent Concern Regarding Harrison Centre Entry Policy and Student Treatment
Dear Sir/Madam,
My name is Peetron Thomas, I am 30 years old, and I am a second-year music production student at the Harrison Centre, pursuing my dream of becoming a music producer and entertainment professional.
On October 1, 2025, I experienced a situation at the Harrison Centre that highlights a serious problem in the school’s policies regarding student entry and access to education.
That morning, I attempted several times to call the school to inform Student Affairs that I would be arriving later than usual due to an unavoidable emergency. While the school does have a phone line, the challenge, which all students, teachers, and parents can testify to, is that more than 85 percent of the time, the school phone is not working, and calls are rarely answered efficiently. Unfortunately, my calls went unanswered, leaving me no alternative to communicate my delay.
I arrived at the school gate at 9:28 a.m. but was denied entry by security, who stated that no student is allowed on the premises after 8:30 a.m. Despite explaining my situation and waiting during an on-campus emergency, I was still instructed to go home. Accompanying me were other students who were also sent home. It pained me to see these young people being denied education simply for being late, especially knowing that some are vulnerable to substance abuse and crime. Denying them this opportunity increases idle time and discourages them from pursuing their goals, dreams, and education.
Student Affairs brought my situation to Ms. Weste, the Director/Principal of the Harrison Centre, but she personally denied my entry, enforcing the rigid “no entry after 8:30” policy. When I requested that this instruction be provided in writing, I was not given any documentation and was simply told to leave and return the following day. This is unacceptable. Students deserve transparency, fairness, and proper procedures when being denied access to education.
A strict “no entry after 8:30” policy is unreasonable in any form of tertiary education, and especially at a trade school where students are seeking practical skills and life opportunities. Policies like this not only waste potential but actively put students at risk.
Proposed Solutions:
- Introduce a system where students can submit a written excuse or report explaining the reason for lateness.
- Encourage leadership to evaluate these circumstances fairly rather than enforcing a blanket “no entry” rule.
- Respect adult students as responsible individuals and provide them the opportunity to continue their education even when unforeseen delays occur.
- Ensure that instructions regarding denial of entry are documented in writing to maintain transparency and accountability.
I am sharing this letter publicly because I strongly believe in human rights, student rights, and the importance of treating young adults with dignity and fairness. As a society, this is not only a matter of rules and discipline but also a question of humanity. Many students face challenges that require understanding and guidance rather than being sent home. Measures need to be put in place to address these situations constructively, ensuring that students can continue their education and develop their trade and life skills. It is vital for the public and media to be aware of these practices so that positive change can be implemented, allowing students to fully benefit from the opportunities the Harrison Centre offers.
Respectfully,
~Mr. Peetron Thomas
Music Production Student
Harrison Centre
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Peetron again?? This ya gettin exhausting now!!
I start think dis dude craves attention and now needs professional mental help, cuz why oh why every month Peetron put out a press release to insert himself in the national news? Soon he go put out a press release that “Peetron goes to the toilet twice inna day”
FOH wit all ya drama dude, Harrison Centre have rules, just follow them or GYPG.
And don’t bother go on FB today looking pity and crying about people always picking on you n now u see their true Colours blah blah blah
Valid points and recommendations. However, it raises a few concerns:
1. If the “no entry after 8:30” is the school’s standard, adult students should adapt. Punctuality remains a quality that many young people still have not fully understood. Educational institutions teach and enforce these vital skills.
2. While I do believe that the school should allow individuals to express their reasons (as this is even done at the secondary level), it may require a thorough evaluation of students’ affairs, which would need a robust structure for continued success.
Thank you for bringing this to our, the public’s, attention. No school in any civilized society should have such a policy to deny all students entry for being late, and without a process that considers on a case-by-case basis whether to allow entrance.
It is this ignorance, inhumanity, and unprofessionalism that is causing the high crime rates and other horrible detriments to the people of Antigua and Barbuda.
These folks who are in charged should not be in charge and most likely was placed there because of political affiliation and they only have the intelligence to focus on ideology instead of pragmatic research and understanding.
This letter reminded me of going to police headquarters to make a second donation but was denied entry or Accommodation to be in the air conditioning inside the police headquarters in Antigua and Barbuda because I had shorts on.
The ABLP government allows such ignorant rule to exist which will clearly cause death, and horrible harms to the people of the United Islands of Antigua and Barbuda. I remember complaining this to the ABLP AG Steadroy Cutie Benjamin who said he will do away with such policies nationwide and to this day people are turned away from government buildings for wearing appropriate clothing in a burning hot Caribbean Island of Antigua and Barbuda, whose government is seeking international money because of global warming and other significant weather problems.
Since they had me standing outside in hot, uncomfortable, and burning temporary with police officer at the front desk usually being extremely rude, was rude to, I couldn’t wait anymore and to this day in 2025 the items I had for donation to the police of the United Islands of Antigua and Barbuda could not be gifted (still in storage) and the items includes but is not limited to:
Diving gears and waterproof/diving cameras (which attaches to diving goggles, metal detectors, radar guns, GPS/bug tracking, metal detectors, projectors, wildlife security/motion cameras, police reflector vest, laptops, desktops, scuba diving gears with go-pro detachable cameras, microscopes, spectrometers, chromatographs, and fingerprint development tools, alongside safety equipment like fume hoods and biosafety cabinets, police lights, wireless security cameras with screen, police motorbike helmet (as requested by the police), bull-horn system for police radio, walkie talkies, heat detection device/camera, police motorbike, electric pedal bike, police tactical gloves, neighborhood watch t-shirts, police radar gun, and so much more still sitting there in storage in Antigua from since 2024.
So, I can truthfully say this, the ignorance and stupidity on focusing on ideology instead of common sense, research, humanity, reasonableness, etcetera is causing the people of Antigua and Barbuda to suffer significantly. I am 100% sure less crimes would be occurring, and more crimes would have been solved with my contributions to the people of the United Islands of Antigua and Barbuda.
It is time the people of these United Islands hold those in charge accountable in something for their ignorance and stupidity.
Most forensic tools needed in Antigua and Barbuda are already there because of a specific person’s way of helping. Just not handed over to incompetence and uncaring and selfish government/officials yet.
Most of the talents we need are also available to Antigua and Barbuda but ignorance like the one that is subject of the authors letters blocks any progress in the United Islands. No elected government officials consider merit in Antigua and Barbuda.