Avoid those ‘Thanos’ moments

RODNEY Smart, national coordinator of the National Crime Prevention Programme, who initially got flack from students for his pronunciation of Jaron and Siparia – evoking laughter from all at the Lord Kitchener Auditorium at NAPA on Wednesday, soon got their attention when he asked for Amnesty by Machel Montano and Benjai to be played. The song appeals, or rather begs, youths to put down their guns.

This came on the heels of a performance by young Jaron Nurse who sang Fed Up – his own composition that spoke to challenges he had in life. He said after his performance: “I try Jesus and that works for me.” He was roundly applauded.

Smart next showed the students a poster from the movie Avengers: Infinity War on the stage backdrop, and asked the students who they thought was most powerful in the picture to which they shouted “Thanos.” But Smart told them he represented evil.

In the movie, Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk and the rest of the Avengers unite to battle their most powerful enemy yet – the evil Thanos. On a mission to collect all six infinity stones, Thanos plans to use the artefacts to inflict his twisted will on reality. The fate of the planet and existence itself has never been more uncertain as everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment.

In the same light, Smart told his audience we have to come together to fight Thanos because in all our lives there are instances of people like Thanos who get them to do wrong things.

“Today you are faced with the same situation, those Thanos moments. That’s why we have to engage all the agencies in TT and we are asking them to help you so that in those Thanos moments you will be resilient. We are asking you, the young people of TT, to help us change our society so that you can enjoy a better quality of life than what is happening at present.”

Smart then spoke of the public outreach engagements that were held in Tobago West, Chaguanas, Tobago East, Diego Martin, San Fernando and Port of Spain but noted that not too many youths were present.

He said some 1100 young people have been engaged thus far, giving their ideas about how society can be changed.

Their three most critical areas of concern are drugs, violence and relationships with their parents. Smart expressed hope that solutions could be found, and ended his address advising the participants to strive to be like TT's own Winston Duke who landed the role of M'Baku in the Marvel film Black Panther.

Earlier Vel Lewis, permanent secretary in the Ministry of National Security, said: “Young people make up 100 per cent of the future and, as such, we at the ministry believe young people are not only part of the solution, but they ought to be engaged in creating the change that we so desire in our communities if we are to prevent crime.

“Young people are an incredible source of knowledge, energy and talent and we at the ministry know that many young people today, like you, are concerned about crime and violence and would like to take action. The national crime prevention programme is the avenue with which we hope that you would drive the ministry to take action.”

Glenda Jennings-Smith, parliamentary secretary in the ministry, urged the students to speak to their government and let their voices be heard and that her presence at the event signals that they will listen. “We want you to feel involved, satisfied, accepted and, most importantly, included. We depend on you. Take ownership of this (programme) because this is your country. Don’t be dismayed and misled by others around you who seem to be attracting you to a different direction.”