A youth painting a rock at the Dennery police station.
CASTRIES, St. Lucia--The St. Lucia National Youth Council (SLNYC) has lauded efforts by Dennery police to reach out to youth. The police invited a group of young people to work with them last week in sprucing up the Dennery police station. The police also treated the youngsters to lunch at the station. As a result of the exercise, the youngsters left evidence of their creative talent in the station compound.
Ajani Lebourne is the Second Vice President of the SLNYC. “From the standpoint of the National Youth Council I am really glad to see the Royal St. Lucia Police Force working closely with young people at the community level to executive such activities,” Lebourne told St. Lucia Times.
He said it is important to encourage young people to be part of civil society spaces and actions and recognise their civil responsibilities and that seeing the young people take part in the activity at the Dennery station was heart-warming.
The SLNYC official observed that generally, people unfortunately consider young people as the main perpetrators of crime and violence. “But there is opportunity for us to approach crime from a different standpoint,” Lebourne asserted.
He noted that many times, anti-crime measures are punitive, “punishing the perpetrators as opposed to looking for opportunities for rehabilitation.” However, he said there is also opportunity before a young individual becomes an offender. Lebourne said community and school policies can give that youth a level of social consciousness.
In this regard, Lebourne said a young person can become a more caring member of the society and act like role models. He said the police have to continue their deliberate efforts to give young people a level of connection with and appreciation for law enforcement in their community. ~ St. Lucia Times ~
