This phenomenon is however continuing and seemingly unabated. Special attention has to be given to this otherwise we will have a prison in Pointe Blanche that will be overflowing from its seams with young offenders.
Crime within the Caribbean region is taking a toll. Trinidad has reported a murder toll of nearly 450 for the year so far. More than 1000 persons have been killed in Jamaica during the first nine months of the year. Other islands have reported spikes in murders, robberies, rapes and other serious criminal offences. Guyana recorded a number of massacres earlier this year where approximately 20 persons were slaughtered.
Prof. Nigel Harris, Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies pointed out that it wasn't enough for Caribbean states to look at how other countries were trying to keep young men in school and also how others were tackling their crime problems. A leading Caribbean criminologist Prof. Ramesh Deosaran has also called for an independent review of strategies being used to deal with crime in Trinidad & Tobago.
Prof. Harris says there is a pressing need to look into the causes of criminal behavior and the role of young men in the Caribbean, adding that the Caribbean should be conducting more of its own research to find out why the incidence of crime was on the rise. Studies are also needed to determine why so many young men were dropping out of the school systems and eventually turning to a life of crime.
I agree with him 100 per cent. By ignoring the root causes of crime, we are only putting a bandage over a wound that is not getting better. Our island nation's constitutional status doesn't allow us to tackle this issue and many others as it should, because the Judiciary is a Central Government responsibility and the political responsibility is with the Antillean Minister of Justice who has other priorities.
It was announced late last week that Head of the Central Government Information Service Stanley Kwidama has been put temporarily at the disposal of the Antillean Prime Minister and will be assigned as the quartermaster to help St. Maarten set up a receiving entity for Justice matters. This is good news because the quicker we take over the responsibilities the quicker we are able to establish policies to reflect the situation here on the island and to deal with the challenges our society faces.
As Prof. Harris added, we ourselves need to do studies within our own communities to understand some of what is happening and that the University of the West Indies - special institute on crime - was well placed to conduct some of the studies while providing training in criminology and related areas to fight crime and the perpetrators.
In the meantime, what can be done to deal with our crime challenges involving young people? Investing in the lives of our young people and helping them to fulfill their potential is essential in the 21st century. The Island Government has made a serious effort to offer our nation's youth opportunities at various levels within education.
The family is the building block of a nation. If families are strong then the nation is strong. Within the family circle, the fundamentals of society are taught that would last a lifetime. It is within the family that young people learn about values, norms and the essentials of good citizenship. We learn to respect each other, to share, to be productive, to be thankful for what you have, and to help and love your neighbors.
Today, the family is often blamed for all the shortcomings of our youth, for any act of crime or violence in our society. When the family faces challenges, other steps need to be taken such as mentoring.
Mentoring is essentially about building a trusting and caring relationship, where the mentor provides guidance, support, constructive challenge, and advice to the mentee so that the latter could do his/her best to help him/herself and others in society. As a mentor you are a guide, a trusted friend, a role model, a big brother or big sister, lending a listening ear to the mentee.
Through the mentoring process, you pass on your wisdom and foresight to help others find their path. You impart your knowledge and skills to the less experienced, helping mentees go through difficult periods or meet new challenges in life. You help them to understand the different perspectives and motivations of mentees, showing them through modeling good behaviour, that there are viable options to make better choices in life.
Apart from their parents, who can the youth turn to for support? Youth developers and mentors come into play to complement families, schools and the community. The youth are assured that there is someone keeping a watch out for them, that they matter to someone else, and that their choices matter.
Every school as well as the youth section within the government apparatus should have ‘youth mentor support groups.' This of course will require an investment in human resources and in other program/project resources. The quicker we dissolve the Netherlands Antilles, the revenues sent from Philipsburg to Curacao can remain here on the island to establish such interventions to deal with our societal challenges.
Roddy Heyliger