Judge: Treat parents as accomplices

PARENTS who harbour their sons’ guns at home should be treated as accomplices by the courts, High Court judge Frank Seepersad said, adding that it is these very same guns which are used to commit crimes.

“Parents need to take control...the tail cannot wag the dog. Where, despite their best efforts, youths are not listening we need a range of alternative solutions both judicial and community-based to get them back on the right path,” Justice Seepersad said.

At the time, Seepersad was delivering the feature address at a service followed by a discussion on parental and youth accountability at the Marabella Presbyterian Church over the weekend.

Seepersad told worshippers that far too long parents have hidden behind the phrase , "yuh does make de child but not dey mind" to explain their children’s truancy. “Consideration should be given to the enactment of parental responsibility laws to impose sanctions upon parents and guardians whose poorly instructed and supervised children create havoc."

He added that public sector workers feel the perceived security of tenure that they enjoy, prevents them from being made to account for their poor work ethic. “ Criminals feel they have free rein as they aren’t called to account primarily due to the unacceptably low detection rates and inefficient prosecution of crime and yes, even the Judiciary has evidenced the reluctance to be held accountable,” Seepersad said.

He suggested community interventions where children are sent to live with relatives or neighbours, a mentoring programme or that they fall under the justice system.

“The objective of such initiatives would be to encourage positive and affirmative parental action so as to ensure our youth are properly instructed, supervised and guided and those who fail to discharge this divine moral and legal obligation, would have to account.”

He said assistance will have to be given to those who are unable to efficiently discharge their parental roles and "we may have to revert to a village once again raising a child." The judge also called for a revisit of the scholarship system so consideration of scholarships should be given to areas of endeavour which can critically assist national development needs.

Seepersad said the responsibility for youth guidance is shared between parents and the education system. “How has our education system instructed our youth? Billions have been spent on education but what do we have to show for such significant investment? How have our recent national scholars effected transformational change or impacted the national landscape? Where are out innovators, scientists, entrepreneurs and social reformers?”

Seepersad said progress isn’t achieved by churning out more doctors, lawyers and engineers. “We have produced citizens with certification who lack a sense of citizenship and community. The existing system does not foster a culture of volunteerism, national identity or skills of interdependence. Many of our best students are self-absorbed, competitive and self-centred.”

Seepersad said students pass their exams but struggle with the test of life. There is no emphasis, he added, on character building and no focus on the invaluable lessons of teamwork which are developed with participation in team sports.

He said there is need for an educational overhaul. “And any educational reformation should incorporate a form of national service. Our youth need to understand that they are part of a greater body and collective effort and co-operation is required if we are to fashion an effective and efficient society.

"The key is to have a set of higher expectations and a vibrant spirit of citizenship before we discharge our youth into the workforce.” A structured system of mandatory national service can ensure that TT's children become better workers and contributors to national development, the judge said.