News
AMNESTY CAN ONLY HAPPEN WHEN WE CREATE PLACES OF REFUGE IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR OUR HURTING BOYS
By Darron Hilaire Jr. – Youth Advocate & Mentor
We’re beginning a new week with a record-breaking murder report.
Here are some of my latest thoughts on the matter at hand.
I don’t agree that things are “out of hand”, as I’ve heard it said in many instances.
I think we are still dealing with a fairly young (relatively 10-year-old) issue.
I do agree that things are VERY BAD, but I also believe that intervention is still very much within our reach as a country – this context is very important.
When we are dealing with something bigger than us or foreign to us, it always seems “out of hand”. TCI’s crime and
gun violence rampage are foreign issues. Just over ten years ago, all of this was unheard of in our little paradisiacal island.
Let me put it in a different context.
Mothers, for instance, who are not accustomed to disciplining boys or raising boys might say a boy is “out of hand” because, well, she doesn’t understand the nature of boys.
She will call his father and say, “Come deal with this boy of yours”, and the father would walk in, and it seems almost automatic to him how he dismantles the situation.
And, it is not automatic by any means, however, because he understands his own boyish nature, he doesn’t deal with the issue from the same extreme vantage point as the mother.
In an ideal situation, a healthy situation, he deals with it from a place of understanding.
To make matters worse, he deals with it from a place of aggression and rage – and this too has its implications on how boys grow up to be angry and aggressive men.
Let this be a caution by itself, that if we take the position of operating out of understanding, we have a shot at intervention, but if we take the position of operation out of aggression and rage, we will only further exacerbate the situation.
And this is what I believe we are doing – operating from a place of extreme.
On another note, I think the notices calling for a voluntary turnover of guns, a “gun amnesty”, as we’ve put it, is rather absurd.
I, on the other hand, am more concerned about what made these young men pick up the guns in the first place, rather than pressuring them to turn over their source of protection.
I think there are some questions we have to ask here – although, hypothetically for now, until we can come face to face with some of the offenders.
- WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU FELT PROTECTED?
- WHO OR WHAT ROBBED YOU OF YOUR SENSE OF SECURITY?
As simple as those questions sound, I think it humanizes the situation – which is something we have to start to do. These are human beings. These are boys or young men, rather. These are someone’s children, someone’s brother, someone’s friends.
These are not faceless, nameless, soul-less, and body-less people. These are boys/young men with bodies, faces, names, souls, human needs, and families.
And my hunch is that sometimes when we don’t feel protected, we feel tempted to take protection into our own hands.
That is easy for us to picture as a people, because the reason we are crying out for the powers that be to take an intervention if we’re honest, is not because we care so much about these young men and their lives and their families, we are concerned about our own protection.
It is our sense of helplessness that is driving us to apply pressure, not always our sense of compassion. That in itself says a lot.
Because, helplessness will drive us to make cowardice recommendations to have these young men eliminated from the society as if they never belonged here, as if their lives never mattered; but compassion will beckon us towards curiosity, care, and courage.
I think when we put it that way, that is a feeling that all of us can resonate with.
I think when we think about it that way, we can start to devise strategies for conscious intervention and stop reducing everything to tactical force.
YOU CAN NOT HEAL TRAUMA WITH MORE TRAUMA.
The tactical force will help with rounding up, YES, but it will not help with soul healing, transformation, and rehabilitation. It will not help with creating a place of refuge for the kind of amnesty to happen.
Amnesty doesn’t just happen.
In fact, AMNESTY WILL NEVER HAPPEN IN A COUNTRY WHERE VICTIMS AND OFFENDERS DON’T FEEL LIKE THEY CAN BE PROTECTED BY THE SYSTEMS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO PROTECT THEM.
We can call for it all we want.
We can even pray for it; it will not come.
If there is corruption in the systems that are designed for our protection, there will be no amnesty – there will only be more outrage and more young men externalizing their pain by taking it out on the society that never protected them.
When we learn how to create safe places for our children, our young men, to take our wounds to, only then can we create and encourage systems of amnesty.
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Wines & Spirits (CWS), The Bahamas’ leading wine and spirits distributor, proudly supported Paradise
Plates, Hands for Hunger annual fundraiser with a flavorful offering of its newest product, Monument Beverage Co.
Monument, which launched this July and is available across six major islands, made its Paradise Plates debut. Guests enjoyed three bold flavors: Peach Passion, Ginger-Lime and Melon Fizz as they socialized throughout the evening.
Monument brand ambassadors engaged guests with knowledge on the ready-to-drink beverage’s unique taste and look. Many attendees were delighted to learn that Monument is 100% Bahamian-made and owned and enjoyed seeing the various national landmarks on the packaging.
The booth was adorned with vibrant brand colors, striped arches, tropical florals and a photo worthy backdrop featuring Monument cans filled with florals cascading down the wall.
At the end of the event, the entire Monument inventory had finished, making Monument’s Paradise Plates debut a huge success.
For more details on Caribbean Wines & Spirits, new products and specials, visit www.cwsbahamas.com today.
NASSAU, Bahamas — Schweppes, in collaboration with Nemiroff Vodka dazzled guests with handcrafted cocktails during Paradise Plates, Hands for Hunger’s annual fundraiser held at Atlantis’ Imperial Ballroom.
The evenings’ theme, 70’s: Paradise Disco, inspired bold and delicious sips from Schweppes and Nemiroff. The beautiful disco themed Schweppes booth, adorned with LED signs, lush greenery and hanging black and gold metallic orbs shined throughout the room.
Schweppes’ brand representatives and mixologists dressed in chic 70’s speakeasy attire engaged attendees throughout the night. Guests enjoyed receiving knowledge of each product and experiencing the vibrant energy of brand representatives.
Nemiroff Vodka, which is locally distributed by Caribbean Wines and Spirits (CWS), The Bahamas’ premier wines and spirits distributor; offered a unique variety of vodkas which made the perfect blend with Schweppes. Guests enjoyed, Nemiroff’s Honey Pepper, De Luxe, Burning Pear, Wild Cranberry, and Bold Orange vodkas throughout the night.
Fan favorite cocktails of the night were: the Wild Cranberry Tonic and the Bold Orange Fizz.
Following a positive response at Paradise Plates, CWS is offering Nemiroff and Schweppes specials at local liquor stores for the entire
month. With the purchase of any 1-liter Nemiroff vodka, enjoy a complimentary three-pack of Schweppes mixers, to recreate the magic of Schweppes and Nemiroff.
Cara Douglas-Adderley, Senior Marketing Director for Caribbean Bottling (CBC), local producers and distributors of Coca-Cola and Dasani products and CWS shared the inspiration behind the Schweppes and Nemiroff promotion.
“We are thrilled to have paired Schweppes and Nemiroff for Paradise Plates this year, creating a premium cocktail experience for guests. After receiving such positive feedback, we wanted to extend that experience to consumers at home. Throughout October, consumers can visit their favorite watering hole, buy any 1-liter Nemiroff bottle and receive a free three-pack of Schweppes.”
Caribbean Bottling Company is proud to offer Schweppes, Coca-Cola’s premier mixer in collaboration with Caribbean Wines & Spirits and Nemiroff Vodka at Paradise Plates in support of Hands for Hunger’s mission.
For more information on CBC’s philanthropic work, new products and specials, visits www.cbcbahamas.com today.
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands: — Beaches Turks and Caicos has refreshed the grounds of Enid Capron Primary School in Five Cays, Providenciales, ahead of the new school year, with a landscaping team from the resort, pruning and cutting back overgrown branches to give the campus a cleaner, safer look.
The project focused on the school’s exterior plantings, where tangled growth had begun to encroach on walkways and outdoor learning
areas. The team spent time trimming hedges, thinning dense shrubs and removing deadwood to improve sightlines and airflow around the buildings.
Assistant Landscaping Manager, Kemar Jones said the work at Enid Capron is a regular priority for the department, which views community giving as a core part of its mandate. He noted that supporting local schools, particularly through hands-on environmental work, has long been a focus area for his team.
Jones, said the effort reflects the group’s wider commitment to the islands. “As a team, our goal is to give back to our communities and especially providing support for the environment and education,” Jones noted. “The team is always ready to share our skills with making the school environment more comfortable for our students and teachers.”
General Manager Deryk Meany framed the project as part of Beaches’ broader approach to working alongside the community beyond the resort gates. “At Beaches Turks and Caicos, we operate as a team not only within the confines of the resort but also with our communities,” Meany added. “Being able to share our varied skills is always our main focus. Providing a comfortable learning environment allows for a greater relationship with our educational collaborators.”
He added that the resort seeks opportunities to support range of school-based initiatives, from environmental and leadership clubs to creative programmes.
Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture Hon. Rachel Taylor described the landscaping mission as a continuation of a long-
standing relationship between the Ministry and Beaches Turks and Caicos. “This mission from our major private sector supporter, Beaches Turks and Caicos is a long standing activity,” Taylor said. “At Enid Capron Primary School, we are treated as family. Once we reach out to the resort, they have always responded in a positive way.”
Hon. Taylor said the support is particularly valuable in the areas of education and community development, where consistent private-sector engagement can amplify government efforts.
Nelene Swann, vice principal at Enid Capron Primary welcomed the refreshed grounds as a boost to morale before classes resume. “This is what true collaboration looks like,” she noted. “This is more than a facelift for the school. The team from Beaches Turks and Caicos has shown true commitment in adding to this learning environment for our students and teachers.”
She said the improved landscaping contributes to a more comfortable and inviting campus for all stakeholders. “This is a good way to start the new school year. This facelift will certainly make the facilities here at the school more appealing to our students, teachers and parents.
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