CoP: We have to put God first

He made the comments yesterday during an address at the Western Division Interfaith Service held at The Church of the Nativity, Diego Martin.

He said the police have not been able to effectively impact violent crime and have consistently had more than 400 murders annually for the past four years. He said they have not been getting it down, but added that policing by itself will not reduce it.

“To do that we believe we need to put God first,” he added.

He said the interfaith services were a clear demonstration of this belief; yesterday’s event was the sixth interfaith service for the month of February out of a planned nine for each geographical police division.

Williams said, “we believe that with God all things are possible” and one of the things they want to be possible is a significant reduction in violent crime. He explained the services allows them to bring officers together, members of the community and to seek support of religious leaders as they seek God’s blessings and God’s guidance for 2017 to have a significant drop in violent crime.

He said this will take all citizens working together, being positive and calling on God for peace in this land and to rely on the teaching that with God all things are possible.

Two weeks ago at the TTPS South Western Division Interfaith Service at the La Divina Pastora Roman Catholic Church in Siparia Williams said divine intervention was needed in the fight against crime.

Yesterday, Fr Christopher Lumsden in his sermon called on young people to find spirituality and the way of peace. He said we can only ask God to heal our land and have peace if we have faith in him. “As people of God we must have peace in our hearts and believe God can do it,” he added.

Imam Farouk Ali said it is an accepted fact that the incidence of crime, violence, drug abuse, immorality and other ills in society has been increasing rapidly over the years. He said the most disturbing aspect is the substantial number of youths involved in these things, many of them teenagers.

He said the root cause of the problem is that moral, spiritual, ethical and civic values are not properly addressed when children are brought up. He stressed the responsibility for this upbringing rests primarily on the parents though many parents try to avoid this responsibility by shifting it to the teacher.

Ali said parents focus on children getting a good secular education and many times most parents work. He questioned whether they were enquiring about daycare personnel and the values of those working there.

He said parents give their children everything they need except for what they need the most - love and spiritual guidance. He advised of the need to establish an atmosphere of love and understanding for children to properly grow.

Spiritual Baptist representative Reverend Shirley Millet said it was a time of so much violence in our country especially by the youths who will become tomorrow’s leaders.

“Oh God, save us from violence, discord and confusion.

From pride, arrogance and every evil way. Fashion us into one united people,” she prayed.

Anglican representative Reverend Marsha Joseph said there are many people who do not believe in God and those who do not want peace but thrive in unrest in panic. She continued that it is God’s desire for us to love in peace.

“As a people in Trinidad and Tobago we must turn back to God, love him with all our mind, soul and strength and our neighbour as ourselves.

She called on citizens to repent and those in leadership in homes, schools, government and protective services to humble themselves