Editor: Criminal activities and crime are becoming serious problems for all Vincentians; it is also causing a negative impact on all sectors of development in our country. It’s a fact that much more needs to be done to fight this menace.{{more}}

So far in 2016, there have been 34 homicides, and in my opinion for a small country, it’s extremely frightening to have recorded that high number of homicides. In determining the reason for the high number of homicides, one has to consider several factors.

Those of us who are around the age of 50 may say the cause of these homicides are poor parenting, single parenting, lack of opportunities, bad company, bad community and the lack of a proper role model. While in our times those factors may have created some problems for our development, we didn’t turn to a life of crime.

In today’s society, the average age of persons who are involved in criminal activities and crime is between 18 and 30.

Young people live what they see and hear; if you take a look at our country, the young people are idolizing drug dealers, money launderers, homosexuals, thugs and persons who sell themselves short. Some persons blame the State for their children’s failure, but they first have to look at themselves. I’m truly hoping no one tells me that poverty causes persons to get involved in a life of crime.

Children today are nicely dressed, with the latest brands etc, yet parents fail to ask them where they got the money to buy the nice things they acquire. You see children with very high quality brand cell phone and when asked where they got them, they say a friend gave them. As a parent, you should ask them what did they give in return for the item; if they fail to answer, then you can use your imagination.

You see young children with their friends; as a parent, you should inquire about who their friends are and find out about their background. Let them know that they need to select their friends wisely, because influence can be both bad and good; so, it’s essential to choose quality persons for friends, who can lead them in the correct path.

Today’s children are materialist and they are vulnerable to persons who think they have some sort of influence on them.

Parents need to pay extremely close attention to their children, or they would lose them to the ills of today’s society. Please let’s do something; don’t wait for the Government; it’s our obligation to protect our children and grandchildren; don’t allow these pimps to destroy the fabric of our society. We need to put a stop to this crime trend that has been occurring; if we don’t, we will pay a price and when it’s too late, we would say “if we did know.”

Anyways, I gone!

Kingsley De Freitas