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Archbishop Jason Gordon yesterday described the spike in the country’s murder rate as “troubling and painful,” as he called on the Police Service and Judiciary to move expeditiously in bringing the killers of innocent people to justice.
Gordon made the call after he delivered the homily to hundreds of Christians at the 2018 Corpus Christi celebrations at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, which was followed by an hour long procession with the Blessed Sacrament that ended in the courtyard of the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception, Port-of-Spain.
It was Gordon’s first Corpus Christi address to the attendees, many of whom were schoolchildren, as he urged them to renew their devotion to God and his son Jesus Christ.
Fielding questions from the media following the procession, Gordon expressed grave concerns with the climbing murder rate, which had crossed 200 for the year, stating it was very troubling.
“And it is sad, that it is really, we are part of this problem because we have lost the sense of respecting each other. Life has become so fragile, but also so cheap, that we do not see the dignity in each human being.”
Society, he said, has to do more by teaching children in schools and at homes how to respect one another.
“We have to start over in this whole society helping people to understand that each human person has dignity.”
He admitted that he had to offer a silent prayer during the procession for those who traverse, work and live in the capital city.
There has been no end to gang violence, shootings and killings in and on the outskirts of Port-of-Spain.
“To see the level of carnage on our streets…to see the way that murders have become now…the easiest option... when there is a dispute…to see that this lack of life and respect for life, reach to this stage…this is painful. This is simply painful.”
It pains, Gordon said because “we we can do better.”
“This is not the best of who we are. We are sinking into a low. Yes, I know is a handful of people who are doing the foolishness but we’re still better than this.”
He said the real challenge was apprehending the killers who continue to roam our streets without being caught.
“We are not catching the killers. We are not bringing them to justice. We are not getting them to the place where…if a killer knew that if you did a crime you will be caught, you will be put in jail, you will be tried and convicted, then I think we will see the murder rate drop again.”
Gordon said there were many things the police and protective services needed to do while society can also play a major role in curtailing the murder rate.