This is a very comprehensive and thoughtful analysis of the problems of crime, its relationship to poverty, and the role that a well meaning government and society should play towards its eventual eradication. I particularly like the author’s attempts at feasible solutions via his examples of policies practiced in Canada which “included creating employment opportunities in private companies and in government ministries for youths specifically from these neighbourhoods; financial and infrastructural investments in these communities, training and mentorship programs; community policing and investing in early childhood education to mention a few." What I also enjoyed was the fact that he understood the role that must be played by all the affected and caring, be they in government, business, Civil Society and private citizens.

Dr. Bo Tewarie, in one of our many dailies echoed most of the sentiments put forward by this writer to a degree, but concluded that it is the government and our educational institutions that remain the prime culprits. At the same time, local billionaire businessman Lawrence Duprey prefers to play a sadistic cat and mouse game by flaunting his money in the face of his corrupt buddy Harry Hararine, when he reneged on a $200 million deal that could help alleviate the fears and future financial constrains of some of most of the desperate 186,000 HCU members that were fleeced and obviously suffered the consequences of mismanagement of the Credit Union’s 1.1 billion assets. I guess we should continue to be amazed as to why violent crimes are dominating our media airwaves or the front pages of our main -stream newspapers evey day, and terrified citizens are breaking down the doors of major embassies in efforts to run from the country to live sometimes in roach infested apartments in Paris , Brixton,Brooklyn, and Queens Village.

Andy Johnson in his usual fashion gave a respectful commentary via his most recent Express article on the recent demise of one of the past Crime Dons of the country. Out there in poverty stricken Febeau Village San Juan, the figure of the late Merlin Allamby was adored, not necessarily because of his pass or present criminal activities ,but because lately of his positive social roles in terms of community development . Are we not surprise at the fact that such an area that was and remains a strong hold of one government and political party since 1962, yet would have some of the largest pockets of the community with no proper roads, clean drinking water, efficient drainage, transport, health care facilities, communications, schools, and all the other basic and vital infrastructural investments that most of us in rest of the country takes for granted? If like Italy, and Columbia ,local leaders fill the void left by uncaring successive administrations, are we also shocked that the people that became devoid of hope might resort to crimes, or look towards others outside the legal mainstream to fill the void?

If the Greek Philosopher Aristotle, as far back as BC 384-322 can recognize that “Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime,” then our present learned political and corporate leaders can as well, but simply choose to ignore as it obviously serves their narrow interest.

Although past 1970 and 1990 borderline revolutionary debacles did not work to their proponent’s desires, such luck one can guess,might just change in the future for the desperate or determined . Do we necessarily need one of our brilliant UWI Social Science Grad’s thesis to still tell us about the correlations between poverty and crime to figure out where actions are urgently needed by those in power in collaboration with others in possession of the means?
I would not therefore run to Israel and grab whole scale a failed security policy created by frustrated citizens and geared to be utilized against generally disenfranchised Arabs determined to counter what they perceive as state oriented terrorism acted out against them under the disguise of security. Instead, I should think it’s a more plausible policy to reach out to good folks like our dear friend Mr. Michael De Gale, and similar well meaning nationals that care ,to see if we can either replicate some of the successes in his particular case of a progressive state such as Canada, and fashion it to fit our own situations, or pick the brains of some of our similar patriotic citizens for possible solutions to astronomical problems that bombards wonderful citizens on a daily basis.

The fact is that a confuse and misguided privileged few somehow feels insulated in their well guarded governmental quarters, and acquired fancy million dollar estates in foreign lands. The present game in vogue is apparently limited to finger pointing, and selective demonizing of citizens that are chiefly victims. There are scarcely any genuine commitments to alleviate the systematic and endemic poverty we see across the nation from Couva to Febeau Village San Juan, all across Toco, Roxborough Tobago, and down to Las Lomas. As a result, we must be prepared to continually reap the unfortunate fruits of violence, as it does not need much fertile soil to thrive.