Reverend Carl Williams, of the Anglican Church, is calling on youths to “put down their guns” as one way to solve the wave of violence that is sweeping the country.
“Our young men of T&T need to listen to the voice of God. We need to criticise the violence of these youths and those young men need to get rid of their guns. It is now an epidemic in T&T. It is the young black males who are committing these crimes,” he said.
Williams was speaking yesterday at the Remembrance Day Sunday service at the Anglican Church, Trinity Cathedral, Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain.
After his sermon, which many felt may have broken the tradition by not dealing with the usual topic of the period which is used to pay tribute to those who died in the two world wars, a procession was held to the Garden of Peace on the cathedral compound to remember the victims of past wars and also victims of gun violence in T&T.
During his sermon Williams spoke about “consequences” for young people who break the law and commit crimes. “Enough is enough. We need to stop this violence as it has gone too far. I do not understand how one person can take the life of another person,” he said.
He blamed lack of parental guidance for young people taking up a life of crime and said the church and civil society must provide an alternative.
“There is no need for guns. We need to talk to each other. In the newspapers, when we see pictures of people shot to death lying on the ground, that is a cowardly act.
“We need to mentor our young boys and show them love, or else we will have another generation taking revenge because of their dead parents. The church is also offering anger management classes,” he said. He also pointed to crime statistics of over 300 people being killed this year in T&T.
“We are going to put up plaques of all those who have been killed in this country so that people can remember them. It is not only the victims of past wars we will remember, but also of the violence in this country,” Williams said.
He said the crime scourge is not a problem for T&T only, however, since the phenomenon is occurring all over the Caribbean and the region must look for solutions.