National Security Minister, Dr. Peter Phillips has called on Jamaicans to denounce crime and violence, noting that widespread opposition against criminal behaviors was one of the critical elements needed to strengthen the fight against crime.
The Minister, who was delivering the main address at Mico College’s General Assembly on April 12, blamed the wave of violence now plaguing Jamaica, on the emergence of the illegal narcotics trade in the 1970s.
“It is clear that we face a crisis in our culture and our social morals and social behaviors. This crisis is manifested in this emergence of this culture of violence,” Minister Phillips said. “The drug trade has provided the resources to arm criminal gangs across the island, and perhaps worst of all, generated a culture of violence which has taken hold of our young people and too many of our communities,” he stated.
Dr. Phillips pointed to the need for better training, equipping and expansion of the security forces to dismantle the drug network and fight crime generally, while noting that government has been proactive in its efforts to tackle criminality. Government initiatives include augmenting the number of men and women in the security forces and enhancing training efforts in collaboration with institutions such as Mico College.
While conceding that it was near impossible for Jamaica or any country for that matter, to completely erase crime, the Minister said, “No society can survive unless a majority of its people are opposed to criminal behavior and practice it in their own life.”
Dr. Phillips urged the student body of Mico College to appreciate that their future role as teachers of the country’s young minds was also an opportunity to chart a positive change.
“You are not only a bearer of information but also a holder of values,” the minister emphasized. He further noted that as teachers, their consistent interactions with the young would allow them to promote and instill good social values.
The General Assembly also saw a presentation of $500,000 worth of books to the school’s library from a number of past graduates of the school.
