By Kisean Joseph
The notion of an “upsurge” in negative social issues is misleading, as it implies a sudden, unexpected occurrence, Inspector Claudine Morgan, director of the Youth Intervention Unit, says.
“I am not going to jump on the bandwagon and say that there is an upsurge. I don’t see it as an upsurge, because it’s been coming. It’s all been there, growing and building.”
For years, concerned individuals and groups have been offering suggestions, proposing solutions, and building networks to address these challenges.
However, the necessary actions and changes have not materialized, leading to the current state of affairs.
“At the heart of this issue lies parental responsibility,” Morgan also suggests,
“It’s like watching a child from infancy and they’re going from kindergarten to grade one and coming up. And that’s the thing that’s been happening. We’ve been watching, we’ve been observing, we have been suggesting, we have been proposing, we have been networking.”
Morgan indicated the critical role that parents and guardians play in shaping the future generation and, by extension, society as a whole.
“That’s why we’re at this place. So, I don’t see it as an upsurge. And that is all, for me, parents are in the middle of this. Children do not raise themselves. Children must be raised by adults,” declares Morgan.
Morgan questioned, “Who bears the responsibility for nurturing our country’s youth? Where can we find the mature individuals charged with their upbringing? What has become of the parents entrusted with their care? Where are the dedicated caregivers meant to support them? Who is overseeing their development? And where are the guardians meant to protect them from harm?”
