Dottin appeals to save youth from crime

Seventh Day Adventist Pastor Clive Dottin pleaded for the rescuing of youth from involvement in crime and the drug trade, when he spoke at a public discussion on “Crime — the role of the community” at Port-of-Spain City Hall on Thursday evening. 

Dottin blamed poorly structured families for making youth vulnerable to the lure of criminality. He slammed: “The mafiatic octopus has done a very good job of penetrating political parties. We are in a state of denial. We need the power of God to rescue our youth from the jaws of the mafia.” He warned: “The police could acquire guns, cars and technology but unless you have character, the Special Branch could become a rotten branch.”

Lamenting that many youngsters had lost their innocence, and indeed many others had never known innocence, Dottin charged: “We don’t need ruthless paramilitary leaders training them how to execute their enemies...We don’t need paramilitary hit squads training the youth and arming them.” He warned parents against accepting expensive gifts from their children without knowing from where they had got money to buy them. He said: “Where did your daughter get that $100 from? Has the maxi driver converted her into a prostitute?”  

Emphasising the role of parenting, he added: “We can’t address the issue of crime until we deal with the issue of fathers in the society. Some are abusing the “flowers” of the society, spreading Aids, and are addicted to alcohol.” Dottin concluded: “We don’t need security officers who are in the pockets of the drug lords and are then playing a Judas role executing the drug dealers. There has to be a fight to win back our youth. Teens are being executed...and are also the executioners. Who is arming our local teenagers? Talented men, criminals are controlling the youth. We need a spiritual liberation front...We need a dream, a vision of a drug-free society where there are no weapons.”  Also at the seminar’s head table were ACP Winston Cooper, DOMA representative William Lutchman and Councillor Harvey Borris.