Activist: Child killing tragic, more resources needed

Child-rights activist and founder of the civil-society organisation Createfuturegood Nadella Oya has said the taking of a child’s life through violence is a tragedy like no other and a keen reminder of the malevolence that exists in TT society.

She spoke after the shooting death of five-year-old Anika Guerra and her father Enrico at their home at St Mary's Village, Moruga, on Tuesday.

Responding to questions from Newsday via WhatsApp, Oya said, “As much as Trinbagonians are a magical people, we share unresolved generational trauma with our diaspora. Gun violence, sexual violence, and physical violence are all painful and tragic ways to have your life taken. As individuals with some level of agency in our lives, we can all actively address instances of risk.”

She said sadly hundreds of children have had their lives taken through some form of violence.

“When you reflect on the circumstances, usually there is an adult involved who has been through some level of trauma that has not been addressed or resolved. If our education, mental health, and social systems can address trauma and teach coping mechanisms, maybe more persons will be able to practise healthy alternatives to violence and we can see a reduction in these types of tragedies.”

She said civil society and social impact organisations have a critical and important role in helping families to cope, and even in helping to provide much-needed support for people who may consider crime and violence as a life choice.

“Resourcing organisations to do social and community work can assist in giving alternatives to persons who choose crime.

“What happened to Anika and her father will affect their family in ways that require long-term psycho-social support. Anika and her father could be alive today if our social impact work was more effectively resourced.”

Clinical and community psychologist Charles Collier said the situation was bound to be traumatic for both those involved and those looking on.

“These kinds of crimes are traumatic, both for those intimately involved and the society at large.”

The police Victim and Witness Support Unit could not be reached up to press time.