The Alumni of The Pares Secondary School which was established in 1971 has seen many past influential principals, teachers and students throughout its 50 years. It is very concerning for the general alumni that the Pares Secondary School is being renamed without consultation or input from actual faculty or alumni of the school.

The Alumni of Pares Secondary School acknowledges and recognizes the following:

• The legacy of Mr. Cardinal King, the first principal of the school, as a brilliant and dedicated educator.
• The contributions (financial and otherwise) of the Georgia Cayman Islands Chapter of the Pares Secondary Alumni Association since October 2021.
• The hard work of the faculty and staff at Pares Secondary School, along with the 50th Anniversary Celebrations Committee to ignite a renewed dedication to the Pares Secondary School.
• The importance of organizations supporting the Pares Secondary School to achieve its mandate under the motto: True Knowledge Is Light
• The work and contributions of all the hardworking, dedicated past teachers, staff and students of the Pares Secondary School
• The authority of the Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda in accepting a petition from some of the school’s Alumni and other stakeholders to rename the Pares Secondary School.

However, we the Alumni of Pares Secondary School assert the following:

1. The decision to rename Pares Secondary School was made solely by members of Georgia Cayman Islands Chapter of the Pares Secondary Alumni Association, along with the current principal.
2. To date, there has been no consultation or communication with the wider Alumni body of Pares Secondary School.
3. The current staff and faculty of Pares Secondary school were given zero consultation in regards to renaming the school.
4. The parents of current students who attend Pares Secondary School were not consulted or notified of the name change.
5. The Georgia Cayman Islands Chapter of the Pares Secondary Alumni Association bypassed the hierarchy within the Ministry of Education and went to the minister with misleading information.
6. The Georgia Cayman Islands Chapter of the Pares Secondary Alumni Association misled the Minister of Education; the chapter members misrepresented themselves as speaking for the entire alumni body of Pares Secondary School in regard to renaming the school.
7. A petition was made to change to the name of Pares Secondary School and this information was not public knowledge. A large number of student alumni and staff found out about the renaming of Pares School via social media as well as news reports. This petition was misrepresented by the Georgia Cayman Islands Chapter of the Pares Secondary Alumni Association to the Minister of Education, Hon. Daryll Sylvester Mathew as though the entire Pares Secondary School Alumni was in agreement with this change. This petition was presented to the Cabinet of Antigua & Barbuda without the support or knowledge of the wider Alumni Student Body.
8. The Georgia Cayman Islands Chapter of the Pares Secondary Alumni Association states there are no chapters of an Alumni Association currently in Antigua, hence the need for them to act on initiatives concerning the school, yet it was stated by Georgia Cayman Islands Chapter of the Pares Secondary Alumni Association members that support was given to them by the local chapter representative Ms. Yvonne Benjamin.
9. The words and actions of members of the Georgia Cayman Islands Chapter of the Pares Secondary Alumni Association suggest that alumni who cannot provide monetary contributions should have zero say in the well-being of Pares Secondary School.
10. The wider alumni body of Pares Secondary School is not in agreement with the proposed name change, as there was no formal communication or consultation given, and when opposed or questioned, the Georgia Cayman Islands Chapter of the Pares Secondary Alumni Association members provide no further information to the Alumni.

We hereby petition that the decision to rename the Pares Secondary School be rescinded.

We support the position of the Anniversary Committee that blocks of the school should be named after Mr. Cardinal King and other influential staff and faculty of Pares Secondary School.