A youth gang member in Jamaica. An increasing number of teenagers are joining gangs in St. Lucia, according to government and school officials.
Gang violence, particularly in Castries, has forced some students living in the affected communities to take up arms to protect themselves or get involved in gangs, a school official has revealed.
Principal of the Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary School (LHCSS) Rohan Lubon told St. Lucia News Online that gang violence has had a direct effect on some of his students.
“We have experienced cases where students have been directly involved in gang violence and violence in general, and as a result, have been injured and even reprimanded by the police,” Lubon stated.
Gang-related violence resulted in the deaths of at least four people in Castries last week.
“Violence on the streets, especially in the Castries basin, definitely poses a danger to the lives of students who are on route to, or frequent the city area.
“Students become fearful of walking the streets and some even resort to carrying weapons for their own protection,” Lubon explained.
Gang violence also impacts academic performance.
“In some cases, family members of some students get caught up in violence, and as a result, this affects our students psychologically, which in turn, negatively impacts on their general behaviour and academic performance,” he pointed out.
The school principal has explained the factors have led to the formation of gangs and gang violence.
He explained: “There are many reasons for the ongoing violence in society, but I believe the main reasons are lack of or inconsistent/insufficient parental guidance from an early stage in the lives of our youth; peer pressure; hypocrisy of some persons who encourage violent behaviour by endorsing the acts of the youth instead of discouraging them upon knowing their involvement in violent acts, and by deliberately withholding vital information that can assist the authorities.
“Lack of sensitisation on a wider scale by schools, the media and public and private entities to sensitise persons, especially the youth, about the effects and consequences of violence. And lack of effective government policy to provide adequate living standards and opportunities for the youth to become productive.”
National Security Minister Victor La Corbiniere has disclosed that more teenagers, as young as 15 years old, are “forming gangs, getting involved in gang-related activities, and trying to take leadership of gangs”.
“What we are seeing emerging, more and more … younger and younger individuals who are forming and trying to head these gangs. So you have a situation where you have 17-year-olds, 18-year-olds and some cases, even 15 and 16-year-olds, who are part and parcel of these gangs,” he told HTS.
The Caribbean Mentorship Institute (CMI) in a statement on Monday said it is alarmed by the number of young persons who have been associated with gang-related activities within the Caribbean region.
The Institute believes mentoring is part of the solution to the gang problem.
CMI President Felicia Browne said: “Many young persons are not receiving the type of guidance that is needed for them to flourish within their communities. We have seen too many examples of young men and women who have dropped out of school to engage in criminal activities. This growing trend should be of grave concern to everyone. Our youth are not finding their way, and are often losing their lives due to errors of judgement. They need guidance and mentors to re-shape their thinking and understanding.”