“For years I’ve been saying you can only blame so much of the crime and violence on drugs. In my opinion, many of the examples of crime and violence are the result of people without values…. I think that’s what all people need to look at, the importance of value formation to begin to turn this (the crime situation) around.”

This view was expressed by Archbishop Edward Gilbert at a press conference held at Archbishop’s House last Wednesday on the National Day of Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving – an initiative of the Archdiocese of Port of Spain to be held on March 16.

Also speaking at the media conference were Fr Matthew d’Hereaux, CEO of the Anthony Pantin Reintegration Centre, Fr Michael Moses, chair of the Social Justice Commission, Msgr Michael de Verteuil of Liturgical Commission, and Msg Cuthbert Alexander, Vicar for Communications.

The aim of the National Day of Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving is to “create a true sense of awareness in the public about the kind of commitment that is necessary if we are to confront the crime situation” said Archbishop Gilbert.

To illustrate his earlier point, the Archbishop disclosed that “just the other day while we were celebrating Liturgy at 6.30 a.m. (at Archbishop’s House), the cars of some people were broken into and badly damaged. It’s just the ongoing reality of the life of the nation – and that’s a non-violent example.  What some people suffer is truly lamentable and we invite everyone in the nation to participate according to their own religious traditions.”

This was not the sole anti-crime initiative of the archdiocese, noted the Archbishop. “Whenever possible the archdiocese has been involved in various initiatives to combat crime,” he said and then went on to cite some of the successful ones. They included the Walk Tall programme run by Fr d’Hereaux, Youth At Risk by Fr Moses and Pride in Gonzales by Fr Jason Gordon.

In closing, Archbishop Gilbert said, “You the media have been very helpful to the archdiocese in communicating to the people of the nation interventions that we have initiated and facilitated, and we ask that you do that for us again. This National Day of Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving on March 16, we believe, is consistent with the theology of Lent – a time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving.”