“As a community, we have failed.”Minister for Equity and Social Justice Emma Hippolyte spoke openly about the community’s challenges during last week’s Brian Bernard Memorial Lecture.
She pointed to her own constituency, Soufriere/Fond St Jacques, as an example of how rising crime and weakened social ties can split families, with relatives sometimes finding themselves on opposite sides of violent conflicts.
Hippolyte told the audience that these divisions seriously affect community life and need to be addressed soon.
“We have to be dealing with young persons who are related blood relatives and who are on opposite sides… and as a community, we need to sit and see how we mend the fence,” she said.
The minister made it clear that the lecture’s focus on crime prevention and youth development was both timely and personal for her.
She said the late police commissioner, who is honoured by the lecture, inspires everyone working to make Saint Lucia safer and fairer.
“Commissioner Bernard was a man of integrity, courage and unwavering commitment to public service. His leadership was grounded not only in the pursuit of justice but also in the belief that strong communities are built through compassion, partnership and opportunity,” Hippolyte told her audience before the main speaker.
The lecture’s theme was “Crime prevention and youth development”.
Hippolyte said the country needs to realise that true crime prevention begins long before any crime or criminal behaviour happens.
“It begins in our homes where values are first instilled; it continues in our schools where young minds are nurtured and encouraged to dream,” she said. “It is reinforced in our communities through positive role models, mentorship, recreational opportunities and access to education, employment and social support.”
Hippolyte also said that helping young people grow is the responsibility of the entire nation, every community, and every village.
“And somewhere along the line, we as a community, we have failed,” she said.
“And I believe what this lecture and other activities that are happening now is causing us to take a pause and reflect on what has caused such a fracture in our society and how, as a Government, as a society, we can put Humpty Dumpty back together again.”
The minister then described some of the efforts by the government and other agencies to prevent crime, especially those aimed at helping young people and supporting their development.
Y’all politicians embrace divisiveness to gain power but lament it when the chickens come home to roost. Amen breed.
The solution to the problem can be dissected in four segments. The home should be of prime importance. Currently we have Inexperienced young mothers who have no idea as to how to deal with deviant kids. Most of our young men have no father figure in their lives. Our education system also has not been able to deal with delinquent students efficiently. With all those socially fragmented platforms our communities have become an open field of emotionally disoriented young men and women, who attempt to get rid of their psychological and social issues by smoking and drinking heavily! Those vices play a major role in our escalating crime rate. As a result ‘intervention’ MUST BE OUR PRIME ROLE.
Currently, a group of retired teachers from the Desruisseaux community have organized a Boys Club to help regulate or maintain peace in our community. We believe that education can play a major role in curbing societal ills. An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.
(Let us all attempt to make a difference in our community free from political and religious affiliations.)
Here is the sad reality. The authorities seem to know all the remedies for these social ills but refuse to act vigorously with urgency to implement measures to sort out this societal blight. When another youth is un-alived, they quickly rush to give sound bites only to go back into their cushy public positions till another crisis unfolds. For goodness sake, implement those measures you know would make society safer. You know it’s the homes, you know it’s the schools, you know it’s policy implementation, well for jack in the box sake, implement them. For too long it has been the same hash and repeat attitudes, and empty platitudes. It is getting beyond the ridiculous now. Stop this lackadaisical attitude and implement measures now and fast. There are things that can be implemented within a few months such as:
Utilising teachers as sentinels in school to identify students who exhibit behaviour that are likely to become a liability to the state in the future. So if a student is not performing in school, missing classes, always in a fight, disrespectful to others, exhibit signs of withdrawal, then that teacher can refer this child to a reputable organisation consisting of perhaps Behavioural Psychologist, child specialist, education specialist etc etc and that organisation can look into issues that are causing the child to behave in such a way. By doing so, other organisations can get involved if needed such as the police, social welfare etc etc and find ways to help that child back on the path of being an effective citizen ready to contribute to society in a positive way. We need to think and find ways to solve our problems. I am a from believer that civics should be taught in schools from primary to tertiary level education making it age and school level appropriate. So a student in Sir Arthur will be learning the deep scholarly art of civics while a year one primary schooler is being introduced to the very basics of civics.
It’s frustrating to see how slow the authorities are moving on this public health and safety issue.
The country is in deep dodo. Many labor pains. Elections have consequences
crime will always exist once corruption is now becoming a day-to-day life with politics harboring it!
If your children are not doing right – you should not condone them or assist them in illegal activity. The issue in St. Lucia is that as long as the funds are coming in – the caregiver of the parent turns a blind eye.
However, karma knows everyone’s address and we will all reap as we have sowed sooner that later. I am a St. Lucian living abroad with two daughters – I have had conversations with them in every area:
-do not link up with those individuals who are going nowhere fast -misery loves company
-please make sure you obtain a good education in the field in which you are called to serve
-don’t envy anyone
-don’t let money fool you
-work for what you need – God bless the child that has his own
-stay out of trouble – if you decide otherwise you are on your own