Stop the blame game

THE EDITOR: The hot topic being discussed currently is the crime situation in Trinidad and Tobago. There is no doubt that citizens are justified in being concerned by the wave of criminality and lack of empathy by individuals who believe that a life of crime is the best option to pursue.

What I would have expected was that all law-abiding citizens would come together in unity to fight the one true enemy, the criminals. Unfortunately people have chosen these challenges as an opportunity to score political points and to create divisiveness within our beautiful nation. I was shocked and appalled that leaders of a religious organisation would ever think that crime is being done as a weapon against a particular race. These leaders strategically used their influence on a public platform to incite a great amount of hate within society.

Social media has blown up with comments of hate against races and some of the comments I observed were alarming. While this particular Hindu leader does speak and write eloquently at times on current affairs, he has to be careful to not use every opportunity as an attempt to gain attention. These leaders are of the Hindu faith and I must remind them that there are all races within the Hindu religion.

According to Lexipol, the question is why does it matter that in some individuals their brains privately, instantaneously and unconsciously think negative thoughts about those who are different than them?

Several lines of research have discovered a clear connection between their snap judgments and their actions. For example, their brains will tend to link an unfamiliar black person to criminal behavior absent from available data, they link “blackness” with crime quickly and automatically regardless of whether there’s a rational basis for that link. This my brothers and sisters needs to change in order to overcome the evil of crime.

The police service has come out publicly with statistics to prove that no particular race commits or are victims of crime in Trinidad and Tobago. In 2017, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley pleaded and I quote, "I want to appeal to all those young persons who might be influenced by or attracted to violent criminal activity to consider the frequency with which such activities end in grief not only for their families but for the wider national community, to reflect on alternatives which would provide more acceptable outcomes to their valuable lives." These words resonated then and is more than valid at this present time.

In July 2022, the Attorney General, Reginald Armour during, his contribution on the Bail Amendment Bill begged for unity against crime. The response by the Opposition was to stage a walkout. For us to overcome this pandemic of crime in society we need to come together as one. We need to support all arms and institutions that defend us on a daily basis. Let us stop the blame game. While I totally agree the Government, the protective services and others have a great role to play in the crime fight, we as citizens have an even greater role in providing the support, the encouragement and the will to take back our country and make it as great as we would like it to be. We have the power to get it done.

NIGEL SEENATHSINGH

SAN FERNANDO