“Be the change you want to see.”
That was the advice given by Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander to students of El Dorado West Secondary School at the launch of a Special Psychosocial Intervention and Educational Engagement Initiative on Wednesday.
“Be the change you want to see. So we wait. I don’t want to see anybody from this school going forward in any problems with the law. All right? We cannot afford to see more youths go down that path without some type of intervention. They say the first thing in policing is prevention, intervention, and then incarceration. So we’re trying to avoid all the incarceration. Let’s do prevention and intervention, and that is what this team has decided to do.”
Director of the Policy and Community Support Office at the Ministry of Homeland Security, Zaheer Ali, explained that the initiative aims to connect students with members of society who can steer them along the right path.
“We recognise that we need to bring some of our sporting icons, our professionals from psychology, social work, criminology, from the TTPS, from the Prison Service, including inmates, to be able to make that impact or to have that conversation with our nation’s youths.”
Deputy Commissioner of Police Junior Benjamin recalled failing a police examination, using his experience to encourage students not to be discouraged by failure.
“Because when they called my name, I thought I passed and then I heard the news, all those who have just had your name called, that’s the way to the gate. You’ll just have failed your exam. I went home, tears in my eyes, and I’m saying, ‘God, how could you do this to me?’ And I remember my mom said this one thing. She said, ‘Son, if God has a plan for you, nobody can change it.’ By the time she said that, I was changing, I got a call, and it was the Police Service on the next line.”
The initiative is expected to be rolled out in schools across the country.