Return to traditional family values – Min. Ramjattan

Ministers Ramjattan and Bulkan host community meeting at LTI, Linden

DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Addressing an attentive audience of Lindeners, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan on the evening of April 30, called for a return to traditional family values. The minister and his Cabinet colleague, Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan, hosted a well-attended community meeting at the Linden Technical Institute (LTI) as part of the government outreach in Region Ten.

According to Minister Ramjattan, most of the inmates tend to come from dysfunctional families.

The Public Security Minister said the murder rate is well below that of the other regional territories, even though some local dailies splay gory details across their headlines, fueling the misconception that crime is on the increase when actual yearly statistics indicate otherwise. Additionally, he said consideration must be given to the University of Guyana’s analyses that the root cause to much of the crime in the country may point to acculturation.

Parents, Minister Ramjattan emphasised, need to get back to traditional parenting.

 “We have to go to church a little more. We got to go to the playground a little more!” He called for all to rethink how their offspring are socialised, noting that with the advent of technology, many youths often “have their heads buried in the screens of smartphones but many can’t even hold a bat and ball.”

The shift in values, he said, needs to be corrected and parents and guardians also need to impress on youths a sense of responsibility, so they can understand the consequences of their actions.  “We must socialise our children properly and with proper values. We must prepare ourselves for the greater good that is coming,” the minister reiterated, in reference to the advent of “First Oil” in 2020 and beyond.

“A lazy civilization is one that is bound to fall apart. We all must take the time to talk to children as they are the future generation who will have to lead this country,” he added.

Paul Mc Adam

Images: Adrian Persaud

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