FIXING CRIME -Part Two

 I had promised to give a solution to the crime problem that we are experiencing here in Trinidad & Tobago. I don't hold out my solution as the only one or even the best one. It is simply a proposal for you to consider. I just want to use first, by way of example, how and why things are so bleak that we need to step back and think - think very seriously - as to how we can fix it.

The crime problem has been created by the fact that we have one of the worst education systems in the world. Take for example, the plight of a young man, say 19 years old, born and raised in Laventille, one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the country. He was born to a young 20 year old mother who already had 3 children before him from 3 different fathers. Although he is highly intelligent, his education has been do awful that he can barely read or write. His mother went on to have 2 more children besides him. None of his siblings (including him) know their fathers. Because he comes from crime infested Laventille and is functionally illiterate he can't get a job. The prejudice is too strong. In any case, because of his illiteracy people tend to think that he is stupid. But he is anything but stupid!

So at 19 years old he finds himself cast upon the rubbish heap of life - unable to better himself through conventional means. But, as I said at the beginning of this post, he is highly intelligent. He sees young people his own age driving fancy cars, going to universities and generally having a bright future. He, on the other hand, has no future. No job. Nothing. He burns with resentment as to how unfair life is. Had he been born into a family with some means his whole future would be different.

So, what do you think he should do? What would you do in order to have a good/better life? If you said 'turn to crime' you are beginning to understand the problem. Just because a boy can't read or write properly doesn't mean that he is stupid; it just means that he has been constrained by society to spend his life in a box! But he is highly intelligent! So? Are you surprised that he turns to crime and violence? Do you know of another way that he can break out of this awful hell hole that he has been born into?

In order to understand a problem we have to go back to the beginning. And the beginning here is that the education system in T&T is so poor that unless and until we fix it crime will only get worse. Next time I'll give you my solution. You will already have understood that my answer is fixing the education system. And yes, I am aware that this fix will not take effect for 25 years or more. I am also aware that politicians don't think for more than 5 years at a time (and less as elections draw closer). But a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. The longer we don't take that first step the worse the crime will get.