Akil laid to rest

LIKE Jesus, Akil Phillips was murdered by evildoers and his death should be used to catapult the Laventille community to a life outside of crime and violence.

So said Father Gregory Augustine yesterday as he delivered the homily at Our Lady of Laventille RC Church for Phillips’ funeral. Phillips, 16, of Rebecca Trace, Block 22, Laventille, was murdered outside his grandmother’s home last Friday night. His cellphone was the only thing of tangible value taken from him.

At the funeral, residents gave varying reasons for his death. Some said he was mistaken for someone else. Another group of mourners were heard saying that the killers were ordered by gang leaders in the area to surrender otherwise they will meet the same fate.

While the question about why he was killed remained unanswered, the pews of the church were filled. Among those gathered were MP for the area Fitzgerald Hinds, Education Minister Anthony Garcia and Chaguaramas/Point Cumana councillor Akeilah Glasgow.

Augustine, who spoke after both ministers and Phillips’ godmother Dale Brizan, said Laventille needed to change to stop more Akil Phillips stories.

Hinds said he too had a son named Akil and like Phillips, his son’s middle name was also Nkosi. Hinds said he attended several funerals in his constituency and should be accustomed but he was not. He hoped Phillips' would be the last. He recalled walking through Laventille as a child without fear of being killed.

Maurice Inniss, principal of St Anthony’s College where Phillips was a form three student, said Phillips’ smile would remain in his mind as he had the honour of teaching him last term.

Garcia said many times it was not the way someone died but how they lived that mattered, but for Phillips, it was different. He lamented that students were being involved in violent crimes in and out of school and while all was being done in the schools, more ought to be done outside and that would need the help of everyone. He told the mourners that it would end when everyone played their part to end it.

Phillips’ godmother Dale Brizan remembered Phillips last gift to her, a plate of geera chicken he cooked on March 17. She smiled as she reminisced on the last dance that Phillips and his mother Joezal Vaughans shared in February for Vaughans’ birthday.

Phillips, from all who spoke, was a kind, respectful, joyous, brilliant young man who had respect and love for his family who loved football, playing it inside his home when he got the chance. His killers remain on the run.