Once we justify criminality, the breeding ground for criminals will remain fertile

Sep 28, 2008 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
I have been reading with interest the many opinions expressed by several interest groups and politicians to the effect that Rondell ‘Fine Man’ Rawlins et al should have been captured.

I wonder how many of these ‘brave’ campaigners ever came under gunfire in their lives and how many would have gone after people of the ilk of Rawlins with the intention of capturing them. They should lend their talents to the Joint Services.

In Guyana we seem to have fallen into two camps:- pro-criminals and anti-criminals. The Ex-joint services officer, (SN Sept 22, pg3) who posits that the social factors behind crime still exist, is on the ball.

But these factors have existed since the days of yore. As an ex-army personnel, I can say without fear of contradiction that President Burnham never allowed criminals to survive so long and no one dared suggest that social factors existed that bred criminals in those days. Can the enlightened ones of today draw a distinction between the social factors as existed then and as exist now?

I am convinced that as long as we can find excuses to justify criminality, the breeding ground for these criminals will always be fertile. Our leadership is adding fertilizer.

I recall a fellow contributor to your letter columns objecting to my “overly critical” pieces on the Black Collective.

Readers, I am Black; I faced tough times; I have not become a criminal! My single parent mom ensured that she taught me values. Let anyone bold and honest enough come to the fore and say what is the practice and virtue in the Black Collective!

We hardly go to church and we can’t get our young to go with us, even if we go. Christianity is more alive in Indian communities than it is But look at the turnout to the Beenie Man, Elephant Man and Akon shows. Those have become our Church.

If we have so bad social conditions, where do we get money to go to these shows?Friends, we are teaching our young ones to grow up with the thought that we are underprivileged, discriminated against, that we can make quick money by stealing and robbing and killing others.

That truth stares us in the face: there is no quick fix to a stable life.I keep saying: Let us go back to the soil: our salvation lies there; our strength resides there; our independence must come from there. My brothers and sisters, stop listening to those who wish to enslave you by enslaving your minds.

What role model do our children have to emulate? They see many single parent mothers; hear of many non-existent fathers; see many young men carrying guns and using narcotics; many school dropouts. You wish to doubt me? Go into Buxton, Agricola, Albouystown, Tiger Bay – to name a few hotspots.

Want to make a comparison? Go into four areas with about equal population of Indians and analyse your findings in an honest way.

The point here is: The Black Collection is encouraging its own destruction.I want to ask those intellectuals who offer leadership to young people: How often have any of you gone into the troubled areas and offer your help in a sustained way? I see Benschop doing something. Good for him! Our major problem is that we want to talk and expect others to provide.

If we do not stop allowing “wolves in sheep’s clothing” to brainwash us, if we do not begin to build our own self sufficiency, we will be a very sorry ethnic grouping. Beware of those who pretend to love us but send our young people to their deaths! We have enemies within!
Godfrey Skeete

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Once we justify criminality, the breeding ground for criminals will remain fertile

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