Editorial: Stop Likin’ Man!

#Providenciales, August 2, 2019 – Turks and Caicos – Someone has taken the time to create a video which highlights the more headline-grabbing, violent crimes of the past 12-months and I have received it many, many times.

My editorial has nothing to do with ‘Stop Likin’ Man’ as is said colloquially when young men follow negative or senseless trends.  I just gave that headline so that more people could read this.  Forgive me, but please read on.  My editorial is about CRIME.

The fact that this compelling video lasting just over three minutes, has been shared with me by individuals of distinct status and who are considered leaders in our country and the region, speaks volumes.

A new governor, a new police commissioner, a nearly 3-year old government and a far more modern police force are burdened with a heavy challenge as the main leaders.  The challenge is not unique to the Turks and Caicos, but tempers locally are rising and patience appears to be running out as instances of crime grow more callous, calculated and common.

Two stores in Grace Bay were reportedly broken into sometime between Wednesday night and Thursday morning.  A couple of shootings were reported this week, two people were struck with bullets and one of them fatally so.

A lone gunman waltzed into a popular down town business and robbed the place at gunpoint and got away on foot with people’s stuff and the company’s cash.

And the video – released today it seems – highlights the string of murders, well over a dozen, which have claimed the lives of 13 men and one woman, a guest to the Turks and Caicos Islands; all of which were recorded – tragically – in the past year and which attracted an outrageously high level in a U.S. Travel Alert.

Turks and Caicos, it is plain to see that we have a problem.

But the problem is not the problem, the problem is our response to the problem. 

We seem to be good at making money, getting investors, living the high-life, minding other people’s business, minding our own business, educating our children, getting degrees and complaining. 

But we are less good at handling problems, any kind of problem… together.

We comment on social media.  We secretly write scathing messages.  We remain in the shadows with our outrage and disappointment.  We politicise crime, point fingers and trivialise the work required to fix it.  We are often inconsistent in our efforts. We don’t show up when called to participate and we are easily discouraged when we are ignored or our ideas, shelved.

Bottom line is, we lack conviction.

The criminals however are focused.  The perpetrators are resolute.  They are prepared to let their voice be heard, even if it means riddling off bullets in public places because someone made ‘em mad.

They’ve got conviction about committing crime and from where I sit, they are ready to rumble even to the death.

For too many of us on the right side of the law, we have a problem with getting our points across in the light; we are too prepared to distance the helpful because it’s an easier target upon which to focus; we are more famed for our division than our unity and we are so wrapped up in our agendas that we fail to rally around the good idea of a serious, significant reduction in all manner of crime in this territory.

I believe, we can save the day and preserve our country and for me, the mission has to be less about stopping crime and catching criminals and more about saving our lost boys and bringing them home to be loved, properly… again.

I commend the creator of that video on crime currently in circulation even though, once again the maker of it felt the need to hide their identity.

However, it fuels my curiosity as I ask if, maybe, perhaps we could and would lay it ALL down for the sake of our children who are losing their peaceful country, their freedom, their friends and their own lives due to crime!?

#magneticmedianews

#crimeintci

#takebackourtci

#seesomethingsaysomething