EDITOR: The crimes, and in particular the murders, continue to climb at an alarming rate. The first murder was committed in the garden of Eden and it was when Cain killed his own brother, Abel and buried him. So what is happening today is not anything new, but we must face the facts, it is more today than it was before.

Let’s face it, in analysing the causes, there are many. The moral decline in our homes and society plays an important role. People no longer show respect to one another. The gradual rise to material things and money as the pillars in a relationship have contributed to violence and murders. Money and material things are seen as so major that when a man gets into a relationship with a woman and he gives, as expected, money and material things he sometimes tend to think that he owns her. So when he feels threatened in losing her, he many times resorts to violence which results in death. That is why it is important that ladies become independent and less dependant on a man.

Because of the materialistic age where money run things as some would say, then persons get involved in the drug trade. We do believe that some of the murders are linked to the drug trade where the deal went sour.

Also with the drug trade comes the guns. So it is not in this case, a lack of employment, but the desire to get rich quick.

Revenge plays a [significant] role in the many murders taking place. Gone are the days when people would leave things to the courts and to the Lord. Far too often, persons want to take justice in their own hands.

Persons want to revenge for what was done to him or someone close to him.

People taking matters into their hands raise the question of trust in both the system for fair trial and sentencing, and confidentiality by the police officers. We know that we are living in a small country which is like a global village, where persons know each other. So I just wonder sometimes if information is leaked out as to who may give information, because there is reluctance on citizens to give information for fear of their own lives.

I know that there are many causes of crimes and solutions to help minimize the act. I would like to simply mention that the bible says, in Matthew 24: 12, that because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall grow cold. This we know is true and has and will continue to contribute to rise in murders. In a nutshell, concerning this last point, it is that since we are living in the last days, we would see a rise in crimes because as the bible says that the heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked.

Politicians cannot solve this problem. Let us therefore as Christians shine our lights and pray more often than before, while we reach out with the Gospel to others. May God save this nation.

Kennard King