Where has love gone?

THE EDITOR: I am a form five student of Barataria Secondary Comprehensive School and I am writing this letter with utmost concern about the crime rate in Trinidad. Even though I am very young I still remember when Trinidad was such a peaceful place. Everyone was kind and friendly with each other. People used to leave their homes unattended and return safe and nothing in their house was missing. Now, people are sealed in their homes, fearing to come outside. The only way for them to be safe is to stay indoors and even that is not making any difference because people are still getting killed, robbed and even kidnapped in their own homes.

People are scared to have a quarrel with anyone, not even with their family members, their spouse or even their friends because in this modern time anyone is killing anybody for anything. I want to know as a young citizen of this country how did my homeland turn into such a war zone? When is Trinidad going to get back its glow? Who is going to be held responsible for the lack of decency? The crime rate is rising every second of every day, and everyone is scared, fearing that they might be the next victim, fearing to open their doors when a dog barks or someone calls their name. Every night some new horror emerges, someone is either killed, robbed or kidnapped leaving families crying and asking the question, “Why?”

Everyday there is murder after murder, robbery after robbery and kidnapping after kidnapping, and people are scared. I am hesitant to blame the police or the government because they are also human; some of them are scared as well. I wonder to myself are these criminals doing these stunts for fame, money or jealousy. Are they sick or were they part of a family who abused them or were they abandoned? My suggestion is that everyone in Trinidad should increase their prayers to the Almighty Father so that hearts of stone will once more pump with love, compassion, decency and good citizenship.

F HILL
San Juan