With a report in his hands indicating a drop in violent crime, Prime Minister Patrick Manning is naturally eager to keep the positive momentum.

His announcement, though, that Government is to be involved in public consultations on crime is a puzzling step.

Surely, public feeling about crime has already been made known through the media. Several groups have been holding conversations on the matter and will continue to do so. What then will be served by Government’s intervention in this area?

It is to be hoped that the proposed crime consultations are not being used to score cheap points in the run-up to the next General Election. Still, public discussion can bring some gain – if only in assessing the contributory factors to crime and in bringing some clarity as to what is required to bring some lasting reduction in crime.

The National Security Minister’s report on crime stated that there has been a marked reduction in murders and kidnapping in the first quarter of this year as compared to 2006.

Any news that suggests law enforcement officers are doing a better job is welcome news. A continual attempt must be made, however, to get rid of all that is corrupt within our protective services.

It was good to see that when the National Security Minister delivered his statement about the reduction in crime, he did not lose sight of the contributions of prayer groups and other civic-minded organisations in the fight against this scourge.

Improving the quality of life

Any long-term change in the crime situation in the country requires that citizens readily embrace a system of core values. To put it more positively, the enhancement of life in Trinidad and Tobago requires that spiritual and human values take precedence over purely material values and that there is ongoing formation of values in the nation’s children and youth.

The Church’s position, as enunciated in various ways in its social documents, is that the true advancement of the human being – the “true progress of peoples” – can be realised only when the spiritual values which answer people’s highest aspirations receive due emphasis.

As citizens of this nation, we need to guard against the selfishness and the drive to get ahead at all costs which can stifle the human spirit in us and in others. We must examine how our indiscipline and intolerance serve to abrogate the rights of other citizens.

On this Easter Sunday when Christians celebrate the rising of Christ from the dead, we his followers must see ourselves as instrumental in changing the current circumstances and improving the quality of life in our nation.

The risen Christ gives added significance to the life of every human person. Christ’s victory over sin and death makes real the hope in every human heart for a life beyond this life – authentic life.

Easter speaks of the longing in the human heart for peace in the family, community and the world. This message is an essential aspect of our Christian heritage which must be passed on from one generation to the next.

Because of who we are in Christ - because we are a human family, having God as our origin and end - a constant seeking to promote spiritual and human values are of critical importance for peace in our land.