Poor parenting causing crime and violence
Some leaders within the society are calling on parents to instil positive values and attitudes in their children, saying this is one of the main ways to stem the wave of crime in the territory.
During a discussion on the NDP radio show, Bishop John Cline, At-Large Representative Ronnie Skelton, Eighth District Representative Marlon Penn and NDP member Aaron Parillon agreed that young people need stronger role models in the home and wider community to keep them away from a life of crime and violence.
“We have to call on mothers and fathers to not give children things without teaching them the value of those things because the truth of the matter is that a lot of these children are raised in BVI homes,” Bishop Cline posited. “What is lacking in the home that causes children to disrespect teachers, refuse to greet elders on the road, and grow up feeling angry, disrespectful and entitled? I’m going to the foundation of any society, which is the family.”
Bishop Cline also added that families should refrain from accepting resources from young people who earn a living from criminal activities.
“Some of these kids help their parents pay bills, so when you see your child come home with $1,000 and tell you to hold it, how are you going to correct them?” Bishop Cline questioned.
While the BVI remains a safe jurisdiction, there are growing concerns about youth — particularly young men — who are getting caught in the drug trade, robberies and burglaries in an attempt to make quick cash.
Parillon — who has previously contested the Third District seat on the NDP’s ticket in past general elections, said young men are most vulnerable because of early exposure to crime and violence and lack of emotional support in their families.
“A lot of our young men have serious issues. As a past educator, I had young men in my classrooms — sometimes as young as 14 years old — who could tell you the size guns they were seeing, what they were privy to, issues they were having with their parents not being at home. We need to have a comprehensive conversation with our communities,” Parillon explained.
Along with Parillon, Penn bemoaned the growing number of teens who are being pulled into a life of crime and violence. He said society needs to reintroduce youth intervention programmes like the Big Brother programme, where young men receive mentorship from male role models around them.
He also called for a united government approach to crime, saying a “committee of the House of Assembly” is needed to address crime and violence.
“The entire House has a responsibility for the crime in the territory. I’ve also asked that we extend the size of the National Security Council to include civil society, the layman on the street and members of the Opposition. That way you have a broader cross-section of the community that has a strategy to fight crime. But the bottom line is that we need a strategy,” Penn stated.
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Maybe parenting should be a regulated thing. If you do not have a license after paying the government for that license no kids. If you have a kid without the license the government has the right to ship you and your unlicensed kid to salt island…I’m just sayin
poverty is the root of crime and violence when the world focus only on material on not humanity this is why the place is how it is no love for your brother only the money
Lol
Lib way of solving problems,BUT they are the problem!Be tough on crime.
That bishop should not be saying anything about family at allll. We all know why
We in trouble: Poor people make more kids than well off people; poor people are most times ill equipped to handle the rigors of modern day parenting and hence kids raising themselves. I don’t care for politicians and their fake concern…if they do their job this place may be a little better for parents and kids.
You are so correct, poor blacks are the ones that is constantly having children. Anyone having children or decide to have children have to and should be financially stable.
It is the Poor mentality and lack of self esteem which steer lives to baby making as a past time with poverty as a certainty. BVIlanders uniquely property and home owners,held their noses in the air but now with the callaloo mixup
of garrots and lowlifes now dominant intruders carrying empty pockets ,zero birth control and a zero grade reputation and gratitude ..tis Lil hell on Earth.
Drugs cause crime and violence!
The Dogs Lash Out.
And seem in desperate need of attention. Where was he all the time?? Did the crime rate just magically rise the other day or has it been on the rise for YEARS??
No skilled jobs, low jobs availability, slave wages, and exorbitant consuming prices cause crime and its subsequent violence, not the other wy around.
The deflection through printed media is hypocritical and sinful beyond recompense.
Is needed. We have gotten carried away with living lives like we see on tv, forgetting that isn’t reality. We need to ground ourselves and our children in the realities of life. We need to return to God- whichever religion that might be. Spirituality feeds the soul and mind in a way that the fast life cannot. We need to instill respect for each other and especially for elders in society. We need to return to the caring village mindset that we enjoyed before across the Caribbean, which has largely been abandoned in favour of crab in barrel. We have lost our way as a society. Advances in education and financial status mean nothing without a foundation in morality and spirituality. Listen to your elders. This is why so many young ones are led astray and are weak mentally.
We provide contraception on NHI….
A direct and predictable result of the massive cultural immersion by a foreign culture that is and has always been an opposing and recognized inharmonious element that has adversely disrupted quality of life in all aspects of being a BVIslander.Failed education and the disseminated family structure is catostrophic.
We have
become low hanging fruits that are now flavored CARICOM in the Caribbean chain of self imposed and enduring misery.
It takes a Village to raise a Child.
Children Live what they Learn.
If ALL ADULTS would take a Good Look at themselves and resolve to change One thing that they do that is Not right Don’t you think this World would be a Better Place? Most Adults Lie, Cheat, Steal, Do Drugs, Murder people, and the List goes on. Yes, Most Adults in ALL Areas: Pastors, Politicians, Teachers, Fathers, Mothers, Employers, and the List goes on. So when and If Adults are willing to take the first step in changing their Actions, Maybe, Just Maybe we can have a Better Society where We can raise our Children into being Blameless Children. WE MUST BE THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE! It starts with US!
They should start issuing licenses in order to have children these days to both men and women. That is what I think.
in the past limited women to ONE child per life. Maybe the same here soon???
I was a teacher for many years and I think kids have a lot of pressures.
Adults aren’t perfect, so why should kids be.
Adults do serious crime and get away with it.
There was a famous case where I live where a father killed his three little children. He never served time for it and just recently was allowed to change his name legally. Fix the adults before you expect kids to be good.
Andrew F is the real reason for the increase in crime and voilence in the BVI whether directly or indirectly he is the multiplying force that destroyed the BVI and Obeah too!.
Adult and children need to calculate the future costs off their ACTIONS, DECISIONS AND CHOICES.
I have never known garrot children to be otherwise,likewise their human parental origins. I grew up fraid ah updeislun people. It is and always has been the trademark and defining distinction between them and other peoples.
Stop with the make believe foolishness and revisit the demographic Mashup and do otherwise. Thus destructive people and culture shifting was crafted by Andrew and others for self enrichment and to hell with these BVI.
By Nature and DNA people are put together. Choose wisely. Longtime for changing this puttogether hell hole. Be real and forward on to create a populativing to live among and to complete your deserving Islands with like moral attributes,temperament and inclinations.