By Ucill Cambridge and Gyasi Gonzales
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/

A still visibly stunned Jadoo Seerattan said yesterday that his son, Phillip, could not have hated black people because his mother is black.

"I saw the letter in the paper when he said he did not like blacks. I want the whole country to know my wife is black."

In an interview with the Express at his Cascade home yesterday, Seerattan said he believed that the contents of what police were calling a suicide note were being misinterpreted by both the police and the public.

In a note found on the youngster after his death, Phillip had expressed a dislike for black people and homosexuals.

Seerattan said his son may have been trying to make a statement, but not a racist one.

"He writes in a very to-the-point manner. Something he has always said was that he felt African people are still suppressed in the modern world today."

His father said he could have been making a statement related to this.

He also said that information related to the call Phillip made to his sister before being shot by police was also misreported.

"Facts must be facts and not fiction. When he called his sister and spoke to her he did not tell her that he was going to kill or murder anyone. What he told his sister was if you do not come and get me, I will be killed. He was crying for help," Seerattan said.

He also said his son never smoked, drank or did drugs. Police were yesterday following a theory that the young man had consumed a mixture of alcohol and other drugs.

Seerattan said he had taken his son to the International School to gain admittance at mid-term last year because he wanted to move from the St Augustine Community College.

"He felt that travelling to St Augustine was difficult and he wanted a location nearer to home.

"They (the school) looked at the marks he got and they felt that the grade they would have had to put him in at mid-term, he would be at a disadvantage because of all the work that had been covered already for the year," he said.

"My son was not depressed. Up to the present moment he never showed any signs of anything."

"He is laid back ... not too outspoken. He does his school work."

Other reports received about the deceased teenager have been positive.

Principal of the Community College told the Express that during the years Seerattan attended the college he saw no sign of anything wrong with him.

Denise Hay, principal of Dunross Preparatory School which Seerattan attended as a boy, said much the same thing.

"He was a gentle soul. He kept to himself but was always very polite and well behaved. Essentially, he was a quiet, shy boy who gave the best of himself at all times."