TT needs deliverance from darkness

THE EDITOR: Crime continues to be the main contender for the number one domestic ill in TT. It refuses to go away in spite of efforts made by governments past and present.

There seems to be no plan capable of drastically reducing the sharp increase in violent and heinous crimes.

The “so-called” experts on crime say there is little that can be done, but this claim is absolutely false. Everyone has a part to play since it involves factors that go beyond law enforcement. Families, neighbourhoods, schools and religious institutions must step up in order to reduce crime.

Government officials can put a dent in crime by simply making it too unprofitable. Sentencing of the criminal must fit the crime. Punishment should be even-handed, fair, determinate, swift, shorter, more severe and served in full.

With the festival of Divali being celebrated tomorrow many Hindus are praying for TT to be delivered from the darkness that is covering this nation and affecting our way of life. Divali is the brightest of all Hindu festivals as it illuminates TT with its brilliance and dazzles all cultures with its exuberance.

Divali is a celebration of life, its enjoyment, and brings with it a great sense of peace and godliness. This festival instills the importance of charity in the hearts of the people and good deeds are expected to be performed everywhere.

However, in spite of the power and positivity that this festival brings, criminals continue to operate with impunity as they are robbing major hardwares, banks and religious institutions and they are on the verge of completely destroying the good character of this country.

Our loved ones continue to be subjected to rapes, kidnappings, arson attacks and murders as the Government is yet to formulate an effective strategy in the fight against crime. It is quite obvious that gangs, violence, weapons and drugs are all related and therefore in order for a crime plan to work the Minister of National Security must take all these factors into serious consideration.

In order for us to defeat the darkness that is destroying our land it is critical for the minister to begin to take a closer look at the gun violence problem in many communities. By doing so, the minister will discover that there also exists a gang violence problem.

The Government must recognise the unique challenges associated with reducing gangs and related crime problems such as gun violence.

Communities will become safer and more productive when sufficient research is done that is aimed at developing initiatives that focus primarily on building knowledge about promising practices in preventing gang membership and gang violence.

With the festival of light tomorrow it is a stark reminder that TT is in desperate need of deliverance from darkness.

SIMON WRIGHT

Chaguanas