Guns take lives, condoms save lives

The Editor: I would like to address this letter to Trevor Oliver and all those, especially teachers, who have the responsibility of caring for our children.

I am not a Christian, but this does not stop me from believing that the Christ of the Gospels is one of the greatest teachers of our times. His doctrine of love thy neighbour as thyself may not be unique to Christianity, but it has not been surpassed. Unfortunately, it seems to be failing in Trinidad and Tobago, especially in the teaching profession. One of the ten Mosaic Commandments is “Thou shalt not commit adultery” and yet another “Thou shalt not kill”. Moses does not seem to have listed the commandments in their order of importance. Therefore, I ask Trevor Oliver, and others in the teaching profession, whether it is better to commit adultery with your neighbour’s spouse or to kill him or her? The question is rhetorical because the answer is obvious. But why does it seem that in the opinion of Trevor Oliver, there is nothing wrong with showing guns to schoolchildren, but it is wrong to instruct them on safe sexual practices and to give them condoms? I base this on his response, or apparent lack of it, to the following news reports.

The police, at the Police Barracks in St James, conduct tours for primary and secondary schoolchildren to show them confiscated guns; no response is reported in the press. Winston Cooper (ACP Community Relations) is alleged, by the press, to have said that there is no harm in showing guns to children; again no response is reported in the press. Sven-Miki Grant distributes condoms to secondary schoolchildren and Trevor Oliver’s response is, “It was a violation of the rights of the children and TTUTA sees this as an outrage.” Is it illegal to kill people with guns or is it illegal to use condoms?
The message being given to our children by the leaders of the teaching profession of Trinidad and Tobago is that the use of guns is condoned, but the use of condoms is not. Trevor Oliver, teachers, their lives are in your hands. Guns take lives, condoms save lives.

Nigel Gains
Maraval