Guardian ( Trinidad and Tobago )
15 February 2024 ( Page 16 )
Japan hosts returning T&T teachers
On Friday, January 26, the Ambassador of Japan,
Yutaka Matsubara, hosted a welcome-back
reception for former participants in the Japan
Exchange and Teaching ( JET) Programme who
recently returned to Trinidad and Tobago
following their terms as assistant English
language teachers (ALTs).
The reception was held at the ambassador’s
residence, Maxwell Phillips Street, St Clair, Portof- Spain. In attendance at the event were
Ambassador Dr Paul Byam, director of Bilateral
Relations, Ministry of Foreign and Caricom
Affairs, Satie Jamraj-Marimuthu, deputy
permanent secretary, Ministry of Tourism,
Culture and the Arts as well as officials
representing the University of the West Indies.
During his remarks, Ambassador Matsubara
congratulated the returning JET participants on
their successful efforts as cultural ambassadors
of Trinidad and Tobago, especially while
navigating the complications of the COVID-19
pandemic. He also noted the 60th anniversary of
the establishment of diplomatic relations
between Japan and Trinidad and Tobago, which
will be commemorated throughout this year.
Remarks on behalf of the returning JETs were
delivered by Samantha Samlal and Nafeesa Alha,
who both offered exciting details of their
respective experiences.
PICTURES MARIELA BRUZUAL
Misato Noto, UWI Centre for Language Learning,
left, Japanese teacher and Japan Embassy First
Secretary, Takahiro Hara./
Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of
Tourism, Culture and the Arts, Satie JamrajMarimuthu, left, and Japan Ambassador Yutaka
Matsubara./
PICTURES
MARIELA BRUZUAL-
Front row: Centre for Language Learning
director Dr Nicole Roberts, left, Masako
Matsubara, Japan Ambassador Yutaka
Matsubara and director of Bilateral Relations,
Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs
Ambassador Dr Paul Byam. Also photographed
are recently returned former JETs and members
of the JET Alumni Association. /
JET participants, Lakiya Charles, left, Nafeesa
Alha, and Sharon Dolabaille, who began the
programme together in 2017, pose for a photo./
Kamada Yasuhiko, counsellor, Embassy of
Japan, showcases photos from the experiences
of current and past JET participants to Ariel
Pantin./
Sadia Glasgow, a past JET from 2019 to 2023,
displays unity with flags of Japan and T&T.