The Trinidad and Tobago Council of Evangelical Churches is disheartened by the high crime rate and they're calling on politicians and citizens to work together. They are also appealing to citizens to return to traditional family values as taught by the Bible.
Saying citizens were living in fear, the council said people must come together as "the time to push back is now."
The council said that crime—a spiritual problem and global epidemic as a result of human nature—can be brought under control by spending time in prayer and fasting.
The council said the problem that we face "is beyond natural or mere human intervention." They are calling on churches to continue to pray and fast throughout the year.
"This cannot be accomplished without the input of all citizens. Your part may appear to be insignificant or unnecessary, but it might be the missing piece of the puzzle we need in forming the beautiful country we pray and long for. We often look to others for solutions, but working synergistically we can accomplish more, with greater speed and comfort.
"Crime is a societal problem and it can only be dealt with through teamwork. The family, the church, the school, the police, the athlete, the doctor, the maxi taxi driver, the catalogue is endless; we must all work together to eliminate fear and mistrust in society.
"We cannot put the blame solely on the Government, for if governments could solve crime it would have been solved already."
Noting that successive governments have "advanced several strategies in an attempt to circumvent the alarming escalation of crime," the council said to be effective, the current administration must work hand in hand with the Opposition and other political entities to develop a wide range of ideas.
The council is appealing to people to improve their relationships with one another.
"Life is all about relationships, and the most important relationships are family relationships. In fact, God in his wisdom created the family as the bedrock of society. When the family falls apart, it affects the well-being of society.
"In effect, the evils of society are symptomatic of the decline in family values. Virtues and values taught in the home easily become the streams of discipline in the wider society.
"Everyone must stop and re-examine what is taking place in the home. We must take a look at the values being taught.
The council said people must stop blaming the Government, church or others for the spate of lawlessness.
"We can minimise the debilitating increase in crime when we stop blaming Government, the church or someone else for its cause. I must ask myself what my contributions to the cause of crime are. Am I a part of the problem or solution?"