The Castries-based group Strive says its intervention helped prevent an outbreak of violence involving the ‘Sixx’ and ‘Seven’ rival youth gangs during Carnival.
Strive member and former President of the New Village Development Group, Michael ‘Toka’ Phillips, said the group’s intervention came at the Police Commissioner’s request.
As a result, Phillips said Strive invited young men to emergency meetings and spoke to them.
“We spoke to the young boys, tell them what time it is, and please allow the revelers, Saint Lucians, and the foreigners to have a peaceful Carnival,” he recalled.
“We made it happen,” the Strive member declared, adding that nobody threw a stone during the event.
Phillips said everyone knew about the war involving the ‘Sixx’ and ‘Seven’ youth gangs.
Rival groups of marauding teenagers have attacked each other on the City Streets, and the violence has also entered the schools.
In the past months, the Police have searched students and seized weapons and drugs to tackle the problem.
However, Phillips alluded to the need for a holistic intervention involving the Government and the private sector.
“To make things happen, you need finance,” he asserted.
In addition, he called out the parents of the young men given to anti-social behaviour.
Phillips lamented that most mothers and fathers did not attend when Strive organised meetings for the youngsters.
“The message I have is for family intervention,” he stated.
The New Village resident disclosed that he and over a dozen ‘elders’ from areas including Grass Steet, Ciceron, and Bagatelle voluntarily admonish the youth.
“We care because our youth, our children involved in the war, losing their lives and getting chopped in school uniforms,” Phillips stated.
“Our duty is to make sure things stay calm,” he declared.
Another Strive member, Steve ‘Nuppy’ Jean, explained that since last year, the organisation has been seeking to address the youth gang violence issue.
Jean said it was challenging but stated that his group would continue trying to prevent crime.
“That’s our work,” he explained.
PHOTO: Michael Phillips
Could someone better help in advising me what did I just read there? So it looks like only for these activities your group is asking the kids sixxx and Seven to cool out give the people a break? We really need a hand in this country.
@best of me …. At least the intention of “Strive” is a damn good start. What DO You have to offer? As the older and wiser generation, they are witnessing the problem first hand, and know from where it starts. So, instead of sitting on the sidelines and bitching – offer some positive guidelines, some positive feedback, some positive motivation. Strive needs that “positive” energy from the public.
Man up!
Please, please give us (the public) a break! I am begging you, I am telling you. If I eh groveling enough, let me know.
We have been reduced to such mediocrity and the scary thing we don’t know it. We are at the mercy of scum and we don’t know where to start to rid ourselves of it. Almost everyone with decision-making authority is scared to act in assertive ways.
Ooh! Ooh! Mary is going to report me to the people who are tough with their own security. Like the people who operate Guantanamo and other Black Sites. Some people will do anything for an honor. Brings to mind Napoleon Bonaparte’s two quotes, “A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon” and “Give me enough medals and I’ll win you any war.” Unfortunately, the negro is still pliable.
I heard today 16 people were stabbed at carnival smph so Strive keep up the hard work….woi
Wow. Begging criminal elements to behave. What happened to law enforcement? This place is doomed. Get out while you still can and leave it to the criminal elements.
Again, we begging criminals to obey the law.
You’ll Lucians getting me sick ..at least he and the others trying to solve the problem because the police more afraid of these kids …I seen city police officers being there and shit still happens sooo
Tackling crime requires a multifaceted approach. We should not diminish the contributions of Strive. Well done guys! We need all hands on deck, advocacy groups, agencies, police, citizen security, the business community. This will take time, consistency, resources and ALOT of effort.
To those whonhave nothing good to say, STOP b!tching and start acting. Too many anonymous keyboard activists not contributing to anything and criticizing everything! At least men are doing something.
I must commend Strive. At least they are DOING SOMETHING, no matter how small. It doesn’t seem like alot, but it takes many small consistent efforts to enact change.
Good job well done
Well done
This is the most ridiculous nonsense I have read in a long time. You fools copy cat trinidad gangs with no idea the basis of the gangs and giving problems here. Saint Lucia is so small. If the leaders of these gangs are know why aren’t they jailed. The police should deal with this to the full extent
Wait….so they actually know who these miscreants are? You telling me that the authorities know atleast a few members of the six and seven gang? So what are the next steps? All well and good to beg criminals to give us a break for carnival so what happens next….I say throw the whole force of the law after them. These bastards don’t deserve to be part of our society. Imitating nonsense from overseas and contributing nothing positive to civilian life…how is it the boys who think they are men can terrorise a nation like this and get away with it? Boy I tell you…if I were police commissioner, I would make these infantile pillocks lives miserable… No one has any right to cause a society to live in fear…no one…and I cringe at reading this editorial….of course I commend Strive for the work they are doing but this is temporary….the long term solution is to destroy this gang culture totally and with extreme prejudice….the authorities are too soft on these good for nothings….