‘The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world’ is a well-known poem by an American poet William Ross Wallace that praises motherhood as the pre-eminent force for change in the world and remains as relevant today as it was centuries ago.
This country is now experiencing an unprecedented crime scourge, and it is here we want to advocate that we look within our homes to see whether there should be more hands on the cradle as part of the journey in shaping the future of the many young men and women who are now wreaking havoc on this country by launching criminal warfare on the citizenry.
On Friday, February 3, the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago unanimously approved the nomination from the Police Service Commission, Erla Harewood-Christopher, as the substantive Commissioner of Police (CoP).
We congratulate Harewood-Christopher on her historic appointment as the country’s first female CoP, and laud the members of Parliament who put aside political differences and, in unison, voted in the country’s interest. It was a rare moment of unity but one that was sorely needed with the murder rate and crime daily climbing.
Trinidad and Tobago is in a bad place; citizens are under siege and are living under self-imposed curfews. The ease with which high-powered weapons are finding their way onto our shores and into the hands of the criminals speaks to a larger problem, one that can only be addressed if there is the political will.
This cannot continue unabated.
The National Security Council chaired by the Prime Minister and which includes the CoP, and other law enforcement agencies need to put their collective heads together to bring an end to the free reign that the criminal has.
We understand that the battle though is not the sole remit of the CoP and we urge the primary caregivers within homes to accept the awesome responsibility of shaping the minds and futures of their offspring and do their part.
Some may argue it is the role of both parents, but the reality is in some households the father is not present. In such cases, the mother becomes the first teacher.
In the Bible, Mary, the mother of Jesus gave us lessons in nurturing. She knew what Jesus’ mission was and yet when He disappeared, she along with Joseph turned back and went in search of Him, finding Him in the Temple among the elders. How often do we go in search of our own children or even question what they are doing when things seem not right?
As we hope for a new era in the battle against crime, we pray that God will enter the hearts and minds of the men and women who are charged with protecting this country and they will do their duty and stay true to their oath to protect and serve.
We pray, too, that the politicians will work together in the interest of country and not self, and fathers – even those estranged from the mothers – will step up to the plate and help nurture their children.
May the many hands that rock the cradle take a new look at themselves, understand that their role is crucial to stop their children going astray.
For those children who may not have had the benefit of nurturing or disciplined parents, that they will stop abusing their mothers and understand that they’re doing more harm than good when they turn to gangsters as mentors.
For each of us, that we will understand that we are all in this together and must each do our part to be the change that we want to see.
Let us, as a nation, act before it is too late.
Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash