By Dr Neals J. Chitan
With the fires of homicides exploding north, south and east of us, it is critical that the government of Grenada urgently becomes proactive in keeping the flames down in the Spice Island. No longer can we just sit passively around repeating soul-soothing greetings like “God is good…All the time, And all the time…God is good” inside of our churches and government offices, even standing to pray to start every meeting, while sitting back down and doing nothing intentional to quench the homicidal flame that’s devouring our neighbours, before they explode on our shores.
Figures are showing that the region is experiencing an exponential outburst in homicides with Jamaica to the far north recording 1, 329 murders as of November 07, 2022, and Trinidad and Tobago in the south, projecting 585 murders by year-end and growing to 710 per year by 2030, according to Sunday Express August 21, 2022. The rates are no different in our immediate region, because according to the SVG Searchlight in its September 16, 2022 article, “St Vincent and the Grenadines is ranked #7 in the world for the highest murder rate.” The flames become more devastating as we go further north to Saint Lucia where the “Helen of the West” just climbed up to 60 homicides with Barbados east of us recording 35 murders, according to Loop News, October 28, 2022.
Could you imagine, that by year-end a complete island population can be wiped out in the Caribbean? With the numbers I just showed above totalling in excess of 2,000 individuals, can you imagine the loss of having a complete island wiped out from the face of the planet due to homicides? When we compare the over 2,000 homicides, I just mentioned from only five islands with an approximate 1,634 population (according to 2011 census) of Barbuda, the sister isle of Antigua, one can only exclaim “Lord have mercy, a whole island is already gone!”
I know that our Grenadian national anthem and patriotic songs all suggest that we depend on God for protection and guidance, and as a devout Christian, I have absolutely no issue with that, but also relish in that protection myself. However, that same God says that he appoints men/women to positions to use the brain and decision-making power he gave them to on his behalf uplift his people. So, sitting down and “talking the talk” alone will not save us from the coming psychosocial pandemic. Our single-digit homicide count in Grenada must not bring us comfort, but like in the biological pandemic, we must pull out all the stops and expend the resources we need to on impactful and result-oriented plans if we hope to quench the flames in Grenada.
In 2020, after recently moving back from Toronto to set up a regional social skill office in St George’s Grenada, I was asked by the ministry of social development and housing to serve along with some of my colleagues as a psychosocial advisor to the then government to develop a psychosocial road map for the nation during and after the pandemic. As an international social skill and crime reduction consultant, I was tasked with developing the aspect of that road map that dealt with crime and violence. As I carefully assessed the impact the trauma, stress and confinement can have on our population, I suggested several things that can be done to empower individuals, families, communities and the nation at large, if we are really serious about mitigating the criminal and violent behaviour that can follow.
However, despite the time, effort, expertise and volunteerism that were expected and given by my colleagues and me, we heard nothing further about it, did not see the execution of any of our suggestions nor even thanked for it. At least, not me. It was shelved.
If we are to save our spice nation from the homicidal annihilation we see consuming our neighbours, it cannot be business as usual. And that’s what I have been championing for over 18 years ago during my frequent visits here in Grenada and around the world, with the most recent engagement in Stain Lucia and Toronto. Best relevant practices must be engaged at an individual, family and community level, skillfully teaching, inspiring and empowering people with concepts and strategies that even a child could understand while addressing deep human hurt, abuse and untreated childhood traumas.
In my work internationally, I have met scores of individuals who seem to be overly critical of plans, policies and programs but won’t lift a finger to suggest or do anything to remedy situations. They build their profile by criticizing and want to be known as oppositional. Although I do admire the courage it takes to oppose, and sometimes can be deemed critical myself, I want to always be seen as not only a critic but as one that has something to offer that would create a better way forward.
As such, I cannot help but reminisce on the powerful community and life-changing impact of “Project STOP ‘n’ THINK- Mt Horne 2021.” On July 18, 2021, with the whole community in attendance, along with three media houses and government dignitaries, 43 youths who faithfully participated in our three-month program stood and took their STOP ‘n’ THINK pledge to avoid crime, disrespectful confrontations and revenge, while making better decisions. Proudly, they walked to the stage and received their Canadian Social Skill Certificate of completion from the hands of Police Commissioner Edvin Martin in their spectacular media community graduation.
Commissioner Martin had previously advised me that Mt. Horne was a hotspot that saw a very high number of arrests and charges and needed community empowerment. It was exhilarating and fulfilling to learn from RGPF sources from the Eastern Division that the number of arrests and charges in that community dropped significantly after “Project STOP ‘n’ THINK-Mt. Horne-2021” with remarks like, “Mt. Horne is a lot quieter now.”
In closing let me use the words of Sir Edmund Burke: “The only thing needed for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing.” As an experienced crime reduction consultant and Copyright Holder/Presenter of “Project STOP ‘n’ THINK,” I invite other good men/women of influence to join me in doing something in our island and region to quench this homicidal fire that’s blazing in the Caribbean and holding our people, traumatized, grief-stricken and lost.
