Mediation reduces homicides in east PoS

He made the comments while delivering the feature address yesterday at the graduation ceremony for the conflict management/ mediation programme held at the Chamber of Commerce, Westmoorings.

He reported that over the last year and half members of Project Reason, an initiative of the National Security Ministry, have been doing mediation in “the most extreme form” and have interfaced with those highest at risk of being shooters or shooting victims.

He explained these violence interrupters and outreach workers daily dedicate themselves to the process of mediation.

“We would have had individuals who would have spent days basically supporting persons through this anger and hate and all these negative feelings until the situation is calm and the person was no longer on this sort of homicidal path,” he said. Sloane-Seale stressed that this needs to highlighted as people often enquire about what is happening in east Portof- Spain.

He said the joint police and army patrols are necessary and useful and the ministries of sport and youth affairs, community development and social development have been doing their part.

“For us to address the myriad of challenges that we have in our communities, in our homes in Trinidad and Tobago, it would always take a collaborative effort.

No one entity, no one individual, no one agency can solve this issue. But the more residents of Trinidad and Tobago that become familiar and intimate and have within their tool kit tools such as mediation and conflict resolution - we know that we are heading in the right direction,” he said.

“The more persons who can intervene in an impending conflict situation it can only augur well for our future.” He said that people are assaulted when a dog goes into a neighbour’s yard and digs a hole or eats a chicken and this could lead to bodily harm or even death.

The conflict management programme ran for 15 weeks and 46 participants graduated.

Graduate Maurice Matooram from East Dry River described the experience as transformative.

He explained that he had a lot of challenges understanding people, he felt like conflict would “run (him) down” and he would get himself in trouble.

He said after the programme he is now able to come to agreement with himself, his family, friends and enemies. He added he will not let his mediation skills “wither away” and called for the programme to be conducted in communities throughout the country.

Facilitator Suwena Williams-Paul said the wisdom they inherited was not only applicable to their communities but to the inner man.

“Each of us are peacemakers in our own right,” she added.

She called on them to “infect” their communities and start an epidemic of peace and be change agents.

Former assistant commissioner of police Terry Young praised CSP for the work they had done in his hometown of Success Village, Laventille. He said through the programme he has come to a place where he can conduct mediation and conflict management and have agreement at all stages.

CSP community youth specialist Gary Grant said he looked forward to the graduates using their mediation skills to make a difference in their communities.

“Don’t stop here.

Move forward with it,” he urged.