Cudjoe: Dont blame poverty for crime | Extra news

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Admitting it is scary when you read the headlines and read the statistics, Sport Minister Shamfa Cudjoe says it is therefore imperative to empower men to achieve success and deter them from a life of crime, anomie and poverty.

Cudjoe was delivering the feature address last week at the relaunch of the ministries MPowerTT program at Hilton Trinidad, St Anns, where she also thanked volunteers, including brand ambassadors and masters, who have been laboring in East Port of Spain and other at-risk communities to tap into the mindset and skills of men who are yearning for a better life.

Fellow speaker, Energy Minister Stuart Young, also pleaded with young men to bottle all the positive energy and take it into the communities.

Among those present at the relaunch were Lionel Sampson, Supervisor 11, Community Development Division; MPowerTT and the Community Recovery Programs Dr Keron Victor; Acting Police Commissioner McDonald Jacobs and former president of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee, Brian Lewis.

They were joined by Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne, Senator Lawrence Hislop, Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales, Senate vice-president Dr Muhammad Yunus Ibrahim and Port of Spain South Member of Parliament Keith Scotland.

Though absent, ACP Joanne Archie came in for kudos for her work in Beetham Gardens.

Consensus among the battery of speakers was it was particularly important to pay attention to the young men. They appealed to influencers, the non-governmental organizations (NGOs), to continue to be community ambassadors.

Commentators also appealed to people to volunteer, mentor, engage in apprenticeship and submit ideas and suggestions to improve the life coaching and bonding exercises.

Not somebody else’s fault

Cudjoe said: Not getting a full certificate is not the end of life. Dropping out of school is not the end of the world. Use MILAT. Use YTEPP. Find out what is inside you (talent). Don’t say its somebody else’s fault. A life of crime is not based on poverty. There are people in this room who grew up in poverty. There are enough people and mentors who came from poor families. You need somebody to instil values ​​and morals. Poverty is not the way of life.

She added: We are seeing well-off youngsters, who are gravitating to a life of crime. They are not poverty-stricken. They are looking for the thrill. But once you get in, its hard to get out. Another scenario is you are not involved in crime. But you want to be around. Poverty is not the problem. We have a sense of duty not to leave the men behind. There is no magic bullet. There is no magic potion.

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