Senior Reporter
dareece.polo@guardian.co.tt
National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds says the news of a teenager being killed by another teen yesterday made him cringe.
Responding to the killing of 15-year-old Christian Lashley, allegedly by another 15-year-old child, however, Hinds took the community to task.
He said while he did not have the official police report, he believed onlookers may have been able to prevent the fatality.
“Chances are in that fight or play fight, big people might have been around and either afraid or unwilling to get involved. The community has a role to play, parents have a role to play,” Hinds said.
Noting the senselessness of the homicide, he urged young people to make better decisions, though he said bad parenting may have been the catalyst behind the unfortunate incident.
“There are adults in the society who chain up these youngsters. But apart from that, I’m hoping that the youngsters will exercise better judgement on their own accord, desist from drugs and alcohol and the things that could get you irrational and inflame the violence.
“Take it down. There are opportunities in this country. Walk carefully, walk cautiously my children, and your future will be better secured,” he said.
Hinds said violence among T&T’s young people, both inside and outside of school, was very troubling. He said when he sees videos of students stomping on each other’s faces and punching each other, he is often worried that it could result in death.
