And Still I Rise

The year 2007 saw thirty six homicides recorded in St Vincent. For most of 2008 I agonized on what the toll would be come the 31st day of December. Everytime there was a lull my heart relaxed and when the murder reports became more frequent I feared we would equal our infamy. Thankfully, 2008 saw 27 deaths, a figure that made me breathe a sigh of relief. Now, I am not by any means saying that 27 homicides is acceptable but if it had equalled or surpassed thirty six I would have been devastated.

Then I would have been certain that we are firmly on the path of self destruction. The faces at the Serious Offences Court would get younger and younger as young men and women live and die by the violence that is eroding society's fabric. While am happy that the numbers saw a decrease I still wonder if this happened because of measures aimed to reduce crime or is it just the lull before the storm. What are we-all of us doing to ensure that 2009 doesn't have a repeat of a mother burying two children, a son killing his mother and two precious little children whose lives were brutally snatched away?

Are willing to be our brother's keeper? Will we at least form neighbourhood watches and ensure that at the level of our commmunities there is some education? Are we willing to give evidence rather than protect criminals out of fear for our very lives? I fear most of us have given up.