While modern society condemns all forms of violence, it is a statistical fact that violence against women by men continues to be a scourge on our cultural and social fabric.

In analysing the issue, it would be wise to look at the problem from a social, cultural and historical context.

It is important to understand that boys don’t just become violent men but are very often socialised into violent behaviour. Violence unfortunately pervades our society in many forms – psychological, verbal and physical.

The entertainment industry continues to glorify violence. In homes and communities, boys are witnesses to girls and women being abused, with physical violence used as a weapon of control.

At school these images, having been implanted in their minds from a very tender age, are reflected in their behaviour and attitudes towards girls. Messages of respect for girls and by extension women from school authorities very often leave boys confused, for they hear one thing in school but live another.

Our modes of socialisation are still rooted in old notions of patriarchy.

This kind of thinking is even perpetuated by mothers themselves, so messages from teachers to the contrary only serve to heighten the state of confusion.

Compounding the situation are individual biases in the way teachers perceive the issue.

Given that approximately 75 percent of the teaching fraternity is female, one would have thought that reorienting the thinking of boys in this regard would be easy. That is where it becomes quite complex and the issue of history and its impact on culture requires careful and calculated attention by school personnel. Not to be ignored in this discourse on violence is the rising level of female violence that has become the norm in many communities and the nation’s schools. The social media videos bear this out. It usually begins with intense verbal violence which quickly escalates into physical violence.

Bullying and gang violence have become quite common among girls. Social media have become a popular medium through which violence is initiated. How can boys and girls be taught to be respectful of themselves and others? How can they be taught to resolve conflict without resorting to any form of violence? How can teachers instil in students standards of socially acceptable conduct that reject what they have been learning in their homes and communities? How can schools help to break the vicious cycle of violence that pervades the society? What is clear is that any attempt to treat with violence against women must be part of a bigger attempt to treat with the issue of societal violence, deviance and general indiscipline.

Schools must begin the conversation to address these questions as part of our mandate to create a better society.

In fulfilling our social responsibility, we must not be afraid to lead the transformation efforts in our quest to produce good, decent, productive human beings. While curriculum delivery remains our primary responsibility, it must be remembered that we are society’s architects of the future.

The conversation must first begin within our own minds and then among our colleagues.

Our boys must be guided into becoming, understanding and embracing the redefined role of women, respecting and treating them as equals and not as property or threats to

A 25-year-old woman, convicted of robbery in Roosevelt, NY, and a 57-year-old man convicted of driving under the influence in Richmond Hill, NY were arrested by ICE officials during the raid. It is not known whether or not the two Trinis will face deportation, but Ministry of National Security officials told Newsday yesterday that if they are deported, they should have no fear of being mistreated.

“We will treat with them to ensure that they do not slip back into a life of crime while here,” said Marcia Hope, Director of Corporate Communications at the Ministry of National Security.

“Once they continue on the right track, they do not need to fear, we will not discriminate against them.” She added that when a person is being deported, he or she would be treated differently from the regular traveller.

“You would be under heavy guard, and when you are in the country, you would be handed over to Trinidad security forces.” Hope said.

Last week, over 680 persons were arrested in raids across the United States.

Of those arrested, 75 percent are criminal aliens, convicted of crimes including homicide, aggravated sexual abuse, sexual assault of a minor, lewd acts with a child, indecent liberties with a minor, drug trafficking, battery, assault, driving under the influence and weapons charges.

At about 6.30 pm, a gunman approached the group and opened fire.

After the man escaped residents found Carter on the ground bleeding from gunshot wounds to the chest, shoulder, left leg and both hands.

He was taken to the Arima District Hospital, where he was treated and then transferred to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EW MSC) in Mt Hope where he remains warded in serious but stable condition.

Police believe the gunman attempted to rob Carter and his friends, but when they resisted, he shot at them. No arrest has been made and Northern Division detectives are investigating.

Baptist was described as being five foot, four inches tall, with a brown complexion.

She has a round face, long braided hair and wears glasses.

She is of African descent.

She was last seen wearing her Civilian Conservation Corps uniform – an orang tee-shirt and a pair of blue jeans.

In a separate incident, a 12-year-old Port-of-Spain boy who was reported missing has been returned to his parents after it was discovered he had gone to a party.

Jonathan Joseph, 12, was reported missing on Friday last. He had reportedly gone to a nearby shop before the report was made.

However he was returned to his father on Sunday. When asked of his whereabouts, he told his parents that he had gone to a Carnival party, then spent Friday and Saturday night at the home of close relatives.

However, on his arrival at Douglas/ Charles airport in Dominica, Lee, 28, along with his three-member team Tiasha Oralie Russell, Junior Fraser and Mario Christopher Wallace were denied entry and detained in what Douglas described as, “inhumane conditions”, before being deported the following day.

This led to the cancellation of the show which was financed by Douglas, who demanded US$3 million from the Dominican government as compensation.

In a 18 page ruling delivered yesterday, the CCJ ruled that Douglas failed to prove a breach of treaty rights under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas which were intended to benefit him directly.

The judges also held that it was not possible to access the court’s original jurisdiction merely because another person’s rights under the Treaty may have been breached.

Douglas, in a media statement, expressed disappointment in the decision.

“I’m obviously disappointed with the decision,” he stated.

What is even more disappointing, he added, is the state of jurisprudence in the Caribbean.

There is a reason why only four out of 15 countries have agreed to embrace the CCJ as its final court of appeal and this decision “in my humble opinion”, is a clear example why this is so.

He said it was his belief that the CCJ squandered an opportunity to build its credibility as an international court.

“In order to achieve credibility among the Caribbean people, at some point, politics, corruption and personal relationships need to be removed from judicial decision making,” he said adding the court’s decision was “laughable at best.” “Not only is this laughable but it opens the floodgates for litigation, which clearly could not be the intention of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.

If for example there were 1,000 persons planning to attend the concert that would mean there could be 1,000 potential lawsuits by patrons seeking to recover the $50 price of admission,” he added.

The application was made yesterday when the matter came up for hearing before Justice Frank Seepersad in the Port-of-Spain High Court.

Seepersad was expected to give his ruling on whether the PSA should be recognised as the majority union for the CAA’s monthly paid workers.

Following the PSA’s application, his ruling has been deferred.

The CAA had been given leave to have the court review a decision by the RRCB on August 12, 2016, to grant certification to the PSA.

The authority alleged that the Board acted outside of its jurisdiction by considering the PSA’s application for certification.

The CAA also complained that the RRCB breached the rules of natural justice by failing to inform the CAA of the information and submissions made by the PSA as well as its (RRBC) examination of the union’s records and failing to allow it (the CAA) to respond to same.

The judge was also asked to review the CAA’s complaint that the decision of the RRCB was contrary to the policy of the Industrial Relations Act, Chapter 88.01.

Eric Stephens, 61, was committed to stand trial by Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar shortly after the prosecution closed its case.

Stephens chose not to testify in his defence but reserved his right to call witnesses and provide alibi evidence.

Lara of Don Miguel Road, San Juan, was liming with a small group when on November 6, 2012, she was stabbed to death. Her body was found on the ground, lying in a pool of blood, with a knife in her back.

Blackman left her home in South Trinidad and moved to Piparo with her husband in the 1980s when he became disenchanted with soca music and adopted a strict form of Christianity.

Both Blackman and her husband have given the country some of its well-known musicians among them Abbi Blackman, Isaac Blackman, Sheldon Blackman and more recently Nailah Blackman (her granddaughter).

Nailah was too distraught to speak but did confirm that she would still be performing at Kes’ concert, Tuesday on the Rocks today.

The family is in the process of finalising funeral arrangements.

The alternative Carnival Tuesday space – which began four years ago – will see David Rudder, Calypso Rose, MX Prime, Ravi B, Omardath Maharaj among others performing.

Socadrome marketing and communications director Danielle Jones-Hunte said that interest in the Socadrome has increased this year as measured by social media response. This is the first year the Socadrome will be free and will offer free doubles to its patrons from 9 am to 9.30 am. The Socadrome has been a joint venture between large Tribe, Bliss, Harts and YUMA.

She said offering it free this year was a step out of the box for its organisers. And its hope is opening the event free this year will result in a wider cross-section of people entering the Socadrome.

She added that the organisers also welcome others bands this year with last year’s big band winner Ronnie and Caro expressing an interest in crossing the Socadrome.

Jones-Hunte added that once the bands have contacted the organisers they will be allowed to cross the Socadrome.

Although the organisers had charged a minimal cost for the event, Hunte-Jones said it is free this year because there is a greater focus on culture which had always been. Bands crossing the Drome will be punctuated with performances by the scheduled performers. She added that the Socadrome’s intent was never to take over nor compete with the Savannah but rather to provide another space for those interested in viewing the mas.

“It will never be a Savannah nor an Ariapita Avenue,” she said.

“We are inviting families to pack a cooler and bring their children out from early to enjoy free doubles, Moko Jumbies, performances by traditional characters, an Extempo challenge featuring Lingo, Gypsy and Black Sage and much, much more,”a release on the space said.

“Seating at the venue is first come, first served and patrons are invited to come out early as free breakfast (doubles) will be served to those seated in the stands at 9am. The show starts at 9am with the headliner acts scheduled to perform before lunch along with at least three big bands crossing before 1 pm. Bouncy castles will be available for children from 9am. Refreshments will be on sale,” it added. She urged those interested in seeing performances by people like David Rudder to be there early. The Socadrome will be hosted by comedian Nikki Crosby.

The teachers’ action resulted in close to one thousand students being left unsupervised.

For the past 21 months, after Presbyterian One’s compound was condemned, students have been sharing a space with Presbyterian Two students on the latter’s compound. To accommodate the increased numbers, standards one through three students of both schools were placed on a shift system.

Explaining the reason for yesterday’s boycott, TTUTA President Lynsley Doodhai said “In the shift system, students cannot get the full amount of contact time. There are problems in terms of cramped space.

Right now the sewer system is full and last week EFCL recommended that it be emptied. There is a constant odour emanating from the toilet area.” Teachers, Doodhai said, felt overwhelmed by the increased numbers and students also enjoy less extra-curricular activities as rooms previously used for art and music classes have been converted to classrooms.

Teachers were to return to school this morning, but TTUTA is not ruling out future action if demands for a pre-fabricated building are not met.

Doodhai said the Ministry of Education had agreed to construct pre-fabricated buildings to house Presbyterian One students but could not do so without permission from the Presbyterian Primary School Board. The Board, he said, did not give permission and therefore was ultimately responsible for teachers staying home. Presbyterian One PTA President Nola Ramjohn- Karim also blamed the Board.

Asked what reason the Board had for not giving this permission, Ramjohn- Karim said “All of us would like to know.” Board Chairman Carlyle Mulchan, on the other hand, said the claim was “erroneous and very mischievous.” “I don’t know who is playing the politics but we have agreed to demolish the old school and build a new one,” said Mulchan. “The Board has given permission to the ministry to do whatever it is the ministry deems fit and that has been made in writing to the ministry. I cannot understand why Nola would say that because she was in the meeting with the ministry also.” “We made the decision and wrote the ministry and said go ahead and build a new school. If the ministry is not able” due to there being a long list of schools in need of ministry attention, said Mulchan, “the next thing in line is getting rid of the shift system because that is what everyone is concerned about.”