This is one of the reasons why some Caribbean intellectuals believe that something is inherently wrong with us here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. We live in a state of naivety.
Mr. Commissioner Sir, with all due respect, please spend some time and reflect on what you have uttered. There is no way to become a commissioner in the world by being handsome, fitting your uniform, or being better than other officers.
We understand that you want to keep your job, but as a black man—or, let’s say, an Afro-Caribbean man born into our Vincentian reality—please don’t let your quest for vanity, self-aggrandizement, and being politically correct blur your vision of the reality of this blessed land.
From a medical point of view, the horrendous death of a human being is a very terrifying ordeal. Whether through contemplation or the graphic portrayal of homicides on social media these days, it’s difficult to reconcile with such tragic loss, and the images linger in people’s minds for a lifetime, regardless of the location of such crimes.
Scientific research shows that violent crimes affect others’ mental health even if they are not related to the perpetrator or victim.
Worse still, this is a small island, and every victim or perpetrator of the crime is connected to all of us in some way or the other.
Statistically it has been proven that where such crimes occur, that longevity is inversely proportional. That is to say, people tend to live a shorter life when violent crime statistics go up, thus influencing overall life expectancy.
Mr. Commissioner, please retract that oxymoronic statement about us being safe in such a violent environment. To utter such a trend of thought, it appears that you are numb to the realities of human psychology and human sociology, and I know that this is not so. In an environment that is unsafe for most of our relatives, Sir, neither you nor I can feel safe. How can we even feel safe when most of the homicides are unsolved in this small country?
I am confident that you possess a deeper understanding, and let’s hope that the misunderstanding occurred due to a conceptual error during the delivery of the statement. It’s important to remember that none of us are perfect, as we can make spontaneous statements that initially seem correct, but upon further reflection, we realise that our judgement was flawed. You are human just like I am, and I regret that I have to use this medium to correct you, but such is life; none of us is above rebuke, and all men are fallible.
Please, sir, reflect on what I’m about to say: “How can a country ranked as one of the most violent places on earth per capita (#2 in the Caribbean per capita) be a safe place? Sir, not even my two-year-old grandson will believe you.
