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BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, July 17, 2017 (PLP PR Media Inc.) — The Ministry of National Security’s Crime Reduction and Prevention Strategy bore its first fruits when a Community Youth Group, Mol-Phil Explorers, was launched on Saturday July 15 in Phillips’ Village at a colourful and well attended function held at the village’s hard court.

 

The over 75-member group made up of youths ages 5-19 from Molineux and Phillips’ Villages, along with their parents and friends, turned out to listen to Crime Prevention Specialist and Motivational Speaker Dr Neals Chitan who hailed the village of Phillips’ for leading the way in St. Kitts and Nevis.

 

“You have set the tone for St. Kitts and Nevis,” said Dr Chitan. The ceremony which was chaired by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security Mr Osmond Petty was also attended by Inspector Rosemary Isles-Joseph, who is founder of the group.

 

The setting up of the Mol-Phil Explorers group is the culmination of what is an integral part of broader community policing and social intervention initiatives, that are currently promoting and guiding the formation of community youth groups around the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

 

According to the Ministry of National Security, the youth groups, once in operation, will be engaged in community development, social and educational activities which will all be geared towards strengthening the character and promoting positive behaviours in young people, including respect, discipline and displaying positive attitudes towards all meaningful endeavours.

 

Dr Neals Chitan, who was accompanied by his wife Mrs Patsy Chitan, dwelt and spoke at length on how the cycle of crime could be broken, and without mincing his words he squarely put the blame on parents who will always insist on their children doing what they (parents) are not doing in their lives.

 

“Before you bond your children turn your flashlight on your life, because a lot of parents expect things from children that they themselves are not doing,” said Dr Chitan. “Mothers and daddies, stop preaching to your children they are having a preaching in church on Sunday.

 

“If the neighbour’s sheep comes over and eats your peas and you are ready cut its neck because you are vexed, and your children are looking on…. Mothers, what do you expect from your children if you did not make good choices in life?”

 

He strongly suggested that if the society will not teach the young boys and girls to make good choices, it will be a cycle repeated. Dr Chitan further advised parents that when their children make mistakes, the best thing to do would be to sit them and say, “Honey, I made that mistake too, but you know what, together we could fix that.”

 

Dr Chitan posed: “But what do we do? We cuss them as though you were a saint, as though you are Mother Teresa, and then what happens later? The children get to find out about you and they lose respect, so we have to break this cycle. The only way we can break that cycle of crime in St. Kitts and Nevis is not for the Government to do, the government cannot do anything about it, it has to be community driven; it has to start from the home.”

 

The attentive and appreciative parents and members of the Mol-Phil Explorers group were advised that while the Police are enforcers of the law, there are three levels of enforcement with the first one being at home, the second in school while the Police make the last level.

 

Enforcement should start at homes and parents should not let the schools to be the ones to do the enforcement when the parents fail to enforce simple house rules.

 

“Do not leave your children to be cared for at the school because when the schools fail, they (children) will go to jail. Will the cycle be broken?” he asked. “Yes we can break it and that is why I am here. I will work with your club.”

 

Dr Chitan concluded: “The solution to crime and violence is not in the Prime Minister’s office, it is not in the Ministry of National Security – it is in the home and I am so proud of Phillips’ this evening, I am so proud that you guys have stepped out. You have made a model for the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.”